Power battles are a mainstay of shonen anime. They provide the opportunity for characters to display the strength they've worked for or build the villains up for their eventual clash with the protagonist. The aftermath of these fights also often serves as moments for the most intense character development for the combatants involved.
No two anime fights are alike, so it's impossible to objectively pick the best one. However, Naruto and Sasuke's final battle in Naruto: Shippuden makes a strong case for being the greatest anime fight of all time -- here's why.
Naruto and Sasuke's Rivalry Had Years of Build-Up
Both Naruto and Sasuke came a long way from when they were first introduced as lowly genin. Their childish rivalry back then eventually blossomed into an unlikely friendship and as half of Team 7, the two were capable of coordinated teamwork that befuddled even the most experienced of jonin. Unfortunately, their bond back then wasn't strong enough to keep Sasuke on their side when his past caught up with him, but their separation raised the stakes of his final battle with Naruto.
Throughout Shippuden, both Naruto and Sasuke were experiencing the ninja world with unique perspectives. They had to decide for themselves what being a ninja meant, and their experiences informed the decisions that sent them further down the collision course they were already on. Having embarked on this journey with them, the audience knew exactly why the closest of old friends could fight so fiercely.
They weren't fighting simply to find out who was stronger as they often did as genin, but as seasoned ninja attempting to make the other understand their view of reality. Sasuke was attempting to sever his final bond while Naruto aimed to honor a promise he'd made years ago. There wasn't a clear-cut right or wrong here, but a difference in philosophy.
Naruto vs Sasuke Had Unmatched Fight Choreography
One of the Naruto franchise's strongest points was always its fight choreography, and the series' climactic battle didn't hold back in the least. The fight somehow explored both offensive ninja arts, ninjutsu and taijutsu, to their absolute fullest while still remaining a cohesive match that viewers could follow with very little trouble. Although neither used genjutsu outright, Naruto's shadow clone diversions and Sasuke's countless jutsu fake-outs retained the spirit of the most deceptive shinobi art. These two were supposed to be the pinnacle of shinobi at the time, and their battle surely showed it.
Even after Sasuke activated his Susanoo, prompting Naruto to use the Nine-Tails chakra mode, there was still a method to their rampage. Their fight more or less became a kaiju battle, yet the combat was still as technical as ever. Their attacks had become wilder than any shinobi clash shown previously but there were no wasted movements or rash decisions made. Each attack flowed smoothly into the next or set up an even more devastating jutsu that would incapacitate their opponent - but just for a moment. Both were determined not to give the other even a brief respite.
Naruto vs Sasuke Showed The Most Advanced Shinobi Techniques
Naruto and Sasuke's final showdown arrived after almost 700 episodes of both the original Naruto series and its sequel Shippuden. The story had ample time to fully explore its world, its power system of chakra, and the limitations of the shinobi who wielded its greatest powers. If everything that happened beforehand could be likened to classroom lectures, Naruto vs Sasuke was the final exam. Just two shinobi couldn't display every single jutsu mentioned in the show, but their fight delivered a comprehensive study of everything both had amassed at the time. This included some quite overt references, such as Naruto's Rasengans and more subtle ones like Sasuke's one-handed seals.
Even though it couldn't cover every single jutsu introduced in the story, just those learned by Naruto and Sasuke more than sufficed. The sheer number of jutsu at both their disposals kept the fight exciting at all times but at no point did any of their moves feel contrived. Every power they displayed was one the audience had encountered before, and adhered to the rules of chakra previously laid down. There weren't any surprise technique reveals or moments when either fighter "one-upped" the other but even so, it managed to be the perfect culmination of a story over a decade in the making.
The Outcome of Naruto vs Sasuke
Naruto's ultimate fight delivered on all the basics of a classic anime battle, but what really sealed the deal was how impactful its end was. No matter whom one favored in the battle, its end would have been satisfactory. The final clash confirmed what many had been theorizing for years -- that Sasuke still felt as strongly about Naruto as he did when they were kids all along.
His ability to shove those emotions to the side and come at his friend with intent to kill showed Sasuke's dedication to his ideals and his conviction for revolution in the ninja world. Losing to Naruto forced him to understand there were alternatives to peace that didn't require him to remain in the darkness he'd languished in for three years, and he began to atone for his crimes in his own way.
On the other hand, Naruto was stubbornly refusing to give up on his friend. Before he even understood the depth of Sasuke's turmoil, he'd made a promise to return his best friend back to the Leaf Village and he fully intended to keep it. Naruto was forced to reckon with the idea of giving up on saving his best friend many times over. He would be understandably distraught when news broke of Sasuke's latest terrorist exploits but even when his closest friends advised him up give up on the rogue, he couldn't. Succeeding in bringing his friend back home -- and making good on a years-old promise -- brought Naruto's story to an end in a way only becoming Hokage never could.
