The Naruto universe has many memorable fights which makes it worthy of all the praise and celebration that fans give it. Though some battles may be more one sided than others (particularly those involving overpowered characters), frequently, the duels that do occur are harrowingly close.
Oftentimes, the victor of a given battle not only feasibly could have lost it, they may only have won due to an act of divine province (or in narrative terms, plot armor). By analyzing the closest and most nail biting fights in the series, we can appreciate who survived their brush with defeat.
10 The Ino Vs Sakura Fight Destroyed Their Friendship
Ino versus Sakura is a curious case since while neither combatant technically lost, each of them came close to being defeated by the other. It was perhaps the most heartbreaking battle of the preliminary Chunin Exams since their friendship was unwittingly destroyed by their mutual interest in Sasuke Uchiha.
Though Ino's mind transfer gave her a strategical advantage, Sakura possessed more tenacity and physical strength. As a consequence, they ended up knocking each other out. Technically, neither of them "lost," but it would be the end of their participation in the Chunin Exam all the same.
9 Might Guy Vs Madara Was The Highlight Of The Fourth Great Ninja War
Might Guy versus Madara is considered by many to have been the highlight of the Forth Great Ninja War. With the Eight Gates having been introduced as a concept early as the Chunin Exam of the original series, fans finally had an opportunity to gauge what it was actually capable of.
Should the taijutsu master have been able to hold his augmented form indefinitely, he would have been able to defeat his opponent and save Konoha. However, his tragic time limitation gave Madara a chance to recover and unfortunately rendered his sacrifice was meaningless.
8 In Gaara Vs Deidara, Deidara Only Managed To Win Thanks To The Tiny Explosive Insects That Penetrated Gaara's Shields
Gaara's battle against Deidara was an excellent moment where fans could gauge the potential of Akatsuki. Having been introduced as a powerful shinobi himself, many were surprised to see the Kazekage suffer his second defeat of the entire series.
Nonetheless, the battle was harrowingly close. Not only did the Jinchuriki manage to crush his arm (an injury he would carry with him for the rest of his life), Deidara was almost out of clay sculptures by the end of the match. He only managed to win on account of the tiny explosive insects that penetrated Gaara's shields.
7 Orochimaru Vs Hiruzen Sarutobi Was One Of The Highlights Of The Original Series
Orochimaru's coup against Hiruzen Sarutobi was one of the highlights of the original series. What followed was a massive, city-wide battle with the Sannin and his former mentor at the center.
Should the villain not have brought his Edo Tensei resurrections with him, Sarutobi would have overcome his student even in spite of his old age. Though he would inevitably perish before the Sound Village kage, he was nearly able to slay him with the Reaper Death Seal and would permanently wound his arms even in the absence of a victory. This staunched Orochimaru's plans for Konoha and forced him to seek out Tsunade.
6 In Sasuke And Naruto Vs Madara, The Boys Were Unable To Directly Defeat Madara
Ironically, the battle against Madara would be more difficult for Sasuke and Naruto than the subsequent one with Kaguya. It encapsulates the raw prowess at the Patriarch Uchiha's disposal as the man who had decimated an entire ninja army.
Unlike many other encounters that the heroes had faced, they were unable to directly defeat him. Madara's demise was on account of Black Zetsu's betrayal, who would then pave the way for the return of his mother.
5 In Obito Vs Konan, Obito Survived Through Their Ability To Warp Reality
Obito's battle against Konan may not have significantly altered the story, but it showcased both shinobi at their full potential. Given time to prepare, the female Akatsuki member was able to detonate paper bombs for ten consecutive minutes - far longer than she had anticipated the extent his Kamui could endure.
Unfortunately, Obito was able to survive through the use of the reality warping power of the Izanagi. This would not even weaken him, as he had planned to exchange his eye with the rinnegan in Nagato's possession already. Even still, the Uchiha would not leave the battle unscathed as demonstrated through his cracked mask.
4 In Sasuke Vs Killer Bee, Killer Bee Had To Flee His Own Body In Order To Survive
Sasuke had arrived in the Cloud Village in order to capture Killer Bee and bring him to his Akatsuki associates. The rogue had vastly underestimated his power, however, and would have been defeated several times over if not for the intervention of his allies.
He only found success through the amaterasu, a jutsu that puts considerable strain on his sharingan. Since Killer Bee had no way to ward off the flames, he discreetly broke off from his body and abandoned the scene, leaving Sasuke to believe that he captured him.
3 In Sasuke And Itachi Vs Kabuto, Itachi Had To Use The Izanami To Save His Brother
After the Uchiha brothers had been reunited, they pooled their strength to defeat the conniving Kabuto. To their surprise, he was much more formidable than his meager arsenal and low durability in the original series had suggested.
Possessing the powers of the Sound Four and that of his late master, Orochimaru, he also gained new skills such as a disorienting sonar based attack. Neither Susanoo was aptly prepared to thwart him, forcing Itachi to use the Izanami in a last, desperate act to preserve his brother.
2 Gaara Vs Rock Lee Is Seen As The Best Fight In The Series
The battle between Gaara and Rock Lee is regarded by many to not only have been the best fight of the original series, but also of the entire anime in general. Both genin have demonstrated astounding skills, with the former decimating seasoned shinobi effortlessly and the latter overtaking Sasuke Uchiha without breaking a sweat.
While Gaara would claim victory in their battle, it was the first time he had ever been physically harmed. The taijutsu expert had beaten him so badly that he could not even stand by the end of the fight.
1 Naruto Vs Sasuke Was A Legendary Battle Within The Series
The legendary final encounter between Naruto and Sasuke was one that risked more than their friendship. It was intended to settle the fate of the world, with their clashing philosophies necessitating drastically different directions for its future.
Naruto fought his former ally with handicaps. He was unwilling to kill Sasuke even if his opponent had harnessed the strength of the other eight Jinchuriki. Miraculously, he would avoid defeat, managing to fight him to a draw. With the avenging Uchiha's fury exhausted, he was forced to lay down next to the man who'd never given up on him, having paid the price of an arm for his folly.