For decades, fans have followed the world of Naruto, and the newest series, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, now focuses on the story of the Seventh Hokage’s son. However, even this beloved and highly-regarded anime hasn’t always delivered satisfying fight scenes. We revisited the original Naruto and Naruto Shippuden to identify and rank the most underwhelming battles involving the Hidden Leaf Village and its enemies, highlighting the very worst ones.
7.) Rock Lee Vs. Kimimaro
Rock Lee’s battle with Kimimaro, sadly, didn’t quite live up to expectations. While it was a memorable moment to see Lee use his unique drunken fighting style against a powerful enemy of Orochimaru, it couldn’t compare to his earlier fight with Gaara. That previous battle is widely considered not only one of the best in the series, but one of the greatest anime fights ever. Although Lee’s fight with Kimimaro had some funny parts, it ultimately fell short of the excitement of his Chunin Exam fight, making it less impressive in comparison.
6.) Kakashi Vs. Sasuke
After Sasuke left Team 7, Naruto: Shippuden largely centered on his quest for revenge. Once Sasuke defeated Orochimaru, he created his own team, and fans anticipated a showdown between him and some of Konoha’s strongest ninja. However, the battle between Kakashi and Sasuke didn’t quite meet expectations. Many hoped Kakashi directly confronting Sasuke would be a defining moment for the series, but it felt somewhat underdeveloped. Though anime watchers eventually saw a major fight between Naruto and Sasuke, Kakashi never had a truly significant battle with his former student.
5.) Sakura Vs. Ino
Sakura often felt underdeveloped in the Naruto series, frequently portrayed as solely focused on Sasuke, particularly when she was younger. Her rivalry with Ino, which revolved around Sasuke, had the potential to be a defining moment for her growth as a ninja, but their fight at the Chunin Exams didn’t allow either of them to truly shine. The battle ultimately eliminated Sakura from the exams, preventing her from demonstrating her full potential and leaving a missed opportunity for both rivals.
4.) Naruto Vs. Kiba
Naruto’s journey to the Chunin Exams was challenging, particularly getting through the initial rounds where young ninjas battled each other – and faced the dangerous Orochimaru – in a forest setting. When Naruto fought Kiba, many anime fans expected a showcase of his cleverness. Instead, the fight felt silly; Naruto won not through skill, but by accidentally overwhelming Kiba with a bodily function. While his next fight against Neji wasn’t much better, at least it didn’t feel like a joke.
3.) Tsunade Vs. Kabuto
Tsunade’s first major fight as the Fifth Hokage didn’t showcase her strength very well. While it’s reasonable she’d be dealing with past issues, those issues caused her to struggle against Kabuto in a fight that should have been an easy win. She almost lost, and needed Naruto to step in and save her. The fight made her seem less deserving of the Hokage title, and could have been handled differently to better establish her power and skill.
2.) Sasuke Vs. Orochimaru
This fight feels similar to the battle between Sasuke and Kakashi in the earlier Shippuden series, but it needed to be more significant and drawn out. Orochimaru was the main villain of the original Naruto series, but he was defeated surprisingly quickly by Sasuke. While this showed how strong Sasuke had become, it made Orochimaru seem unimportant for the rest of Naruto: Shippuden. Seeing Sasuke defeat the villain was satisfying, but the fight needed to be longer and more emotionally charged to truly emphasize Sasuke’s growth and Orochimaru’s defeat.
1.) Kaguya Vs. Team 7
We fully expected the fight between Naruto and Kaguya in Naruto: Shippuden to be disappointing, and it ended up being the most disappointing on our list. After the incredible battle between Might Guy and Madara Uchiha, Kaguya was introduced as the biggest threat, but many viewers found her appearance confusing. While she defeated Madara, establishing herself as the strongest villain, she lacked the intimidating presence he had. Thankfully, Shippuden concluded with a fantastic fight between Naruto and Sasuke, but the underwhelming battle against Kaguya nearly ruined the ending for a franchise that relied so heavily on impactful fights.
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2025-12-09 00:44