Top 5 Underrated Fights from Naruto (Including Shippuden)

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Top 5 Underrated fights from Naruto


Naruto is one of the most popular anime, and also one of my all-time favorites. There were a lot of factors that contributed to the success of the show. There’s one factor in particular that I’ll be talking about in this article and that is… ‘FIGHTS’. The series was filled with action and there were a lot of fights that were great and they were great because of their intensity, the story, the music, and character development which gives those fight scenes more depth and makes them so much more relevant.


Let’s start off with the epic fight no. 1 and that is…

1. Lee vs Gaara (Chunin exams)

For me, this was the BEST fight of the Chunin exams and I’m sure nobody can disagree with this. Gaara was the strongest genin and had an impenetrable defense, at least up to that point. On the other hand, there was Rock Lee, the only genin who couldn’t use ninjutsu or genjutsu. This was a fight that was very important for Lee because ninjas without ninjutsu or genjutsu didn’t really have a place in the shinobi world. Lee, on the other hand, wanted to prove that he could be a splendid ninja with only taijutsu and that hard work can beat natural talent. 

He couldn’t beat Gaara in the end but… He achieved so much more than just winning. He was able to penetrate through his defenses, which even some of the elite weren’t able to do. It was clear that Gaara was having a tough time, which got even tougher when Lee opened the inner gates. I can safely say that Gaara won the fight but Lee won our hearts with his guts and determination. He also displayed that he was an incredible Ninja with only taijutsu.

Also Read: Saitama’s full power after the unbelievable power up in the fight with Garou

2. Sakura and Lady Chiyo vs Sasori 


My main motive to take this fight was because of the hate against Sakura and also because it’s one of the overlooked fights in Naruto Shippuden. As for me, this was a really important fight for Sakura’s character development and to showcase her progress as Tsunade’s disciple. There was one point where Chiyo, who hates relying on other villages, acknowledges her strength and wits and even went on to say that Sakura read Sasori’s moves very quickly and was able to adjust to them. And that she would have been able to beat Sasori on her own, at one point. Although that was not the case as he was still an Akatsuki member and they wouldn’t just let him get beat by Sakura alone. So, Chiyo and Sakura work together and beat him. 
3. Shikamaru vs Hidan 

This fight is also one of the best in Naruto Shippuden, not because of the action but due to the emotional connection and tactics involved…. in order to defeat an immortal Akatsuki member.

Shikamaru had lost his sensei (Asuma) in the earlier encounter with Hidan and Kakuzu. He had to avenge Asuma and deem himself worthy of protecting Konoha. Shikamaru didn’t want his death to be in vain, so he creates a strategy to counter his rituals and immortality and fights him one on one. Now, this is a feat in itself as not many characters would have been able to defeat an Akatsuki member in a one-on-one fight. Obviously, he had intel to support him but even with that, they were still deadly. 

The biggest reason for Hidan’s downfall was that he underestimated Shikamaru and he used it to his advantage and completely outsmart him and counters his immortality. In my opinion, this was a better encounter than Naruto vs Kakuzu, not that it was bad but, Shikamaru’s just felt better.

4. Itachi vs Sasuke


True Itachi fans will never forget this. This is where we got to know the true character of Itachi. Itachi, being my favorite character, makes this fight one of the best fights throughout the series (mostly because of the story told after the fight by Tobi)

It was completely action-packed with two Uchiha brothers showing off their skills with the Sharingan, not giving you a moment to even blink. And even if you’re not an Itachi fan I’m sure that you’ll still enjoy the clash between the two Uchihas. 

5. Gaara vs Deidara

This is one of those encounters which I didn’t really like too much, but… It was definitely an important one for showcasing how much Gaara’s life had changed after the chunin exams. He had become compassionate, wants to understand others, and became the Kazekage to protect the people of his Village. He fought with Deidara and made him realize that he couldn’t defeat him in a direct confrontation. So, he launched a big bomb on the village for mass destruction and Gaara being the person that he became couldn’t let the villagers die. So, he used his own sand to shield the village from the impact (similar to how Naruto shielded the village from Momoshiki) but ended up sacrificing himself and letting himself be taken away. He proved that he was not the killer he once was and why he deserved to be the Kazekage, which was a point of really good development for his character.

Final Thoughts 

I have mentioned only the 5 battles but it does not mean that these were the greatest battles in the world of Naruto. There are a lot more that I have not mentioned as I thought these were also in those leagues. In fact, I am thinking of focusing on more of this type of content and will try to cover more fights in the Narutoverse and other anime as well. If you liked the content and read through to the end then you can definitely share your thoughts with me in the comments or you can also dm me on Instagram. 

Also Read: Rurouni Kenshin Live Action Movie Review and Watch Order

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