To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Naruto anime, the series went on to hold its first-ever global popularity poll. Alongside it, another poll was held which asked the fans to vote for their favorite fights in the entire story.
Masashi Kishimoto is easily one of the best when it comes to drawing incredible fight scenes and throughout his Naruto series, there are several of these bouts that have been etched into the minds of the fans and are remembered fondly today, even after almost a decade after the conclusion of the manga. The results for the best fights in Naruto according to the worldwide popularity poll were announced recently and, it is safe to say that the list features some of the very best of clashes.
10 Sasuke Uchiha Vs. Deidara
Sasuke Uchiha Vs. Deidara took 10th place on the list. This fight is one of the most underrated ones in the series and it is certainly deserving a place among the very best. This fight displayed the threat of the Akatsuki pit against the fan favorite, Sasuke, for the very first time and gave him an idea of what level he needed to hit in order to defeat his brother, Itachi.
Deidara, being an S-Rank rogue shinobi, put up an admirable fight against Sasuke. In fact, he could even have won this fight had Sasuke not been such a brilliant user of the Sharingan.
9 Neji Vs. Kidomaru
Neji versus Kidomaru took place in the first half of the Naruto series. This fight was certainly the very best one among all the Konoha 11 versus Sound Four ninjas. It displayed the power of the Byakugan to the fullest, as well as gave the fans a proper showing of the genius of Neji.
At the same time, the diverse powers of Kidomaru and the threat of the Curse Mark were also explored in this fight very well. Certainly, this fight deserves its place on the list.
8 Minato Namikaze Vs. Masked Man
Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, received very little screen time in the story. Much of it is down to the fact that he was already dead in the main timeline when the story began, however, flashbacks did end up doing him some justice. One of the very best fights that Minato fought came against the Masked Man, who was later revealed to be Obito Uchiha.
When the two fought outside Konoha, Minato ended up making quick work of him and displayed his superior intellect, and showed everyone why he was the Fourth Hokage. In doing so, he also ended up separating Kurama from the Masked Man using a Contract Seal.
7 Might Guy Vs. Madara Uchiha
Might Guy versus Madara Uchiha is certainly one of the very best fights in Naruto and could, perhaps, have been even higher on the list. This fight took place in the 4th Great Ninja War after Naruto and Sasuke were on the brink of death. When nobody was left to fight Madara, who had ascended to his 10 Tails state, Might Guy stepped up and opened all the Eight Inner Gates.
At the cost of his life, he ended up fighting the beast that was Madara and was declared by him as the strongest shinobi that he had ever faced. Guy ended up destroying half of Madara's body at the expense of his own life, and that was certainly extraordinary for the fans to witness.
6 Sasuke Uchiha Vs. Itachi Uchiha
The fated clash of the brothers, Sasuke versus Itachi was a fight that fans had been waiting for for years before it finally took place and, needless to say, Kishimoto delivered tremendously in this fight. The power of the Sharingan and the Mangekyo Sharingan were demonstrated to the fullest in this fight, as well as the secret abilities of the Uchiha.
Both the Uchiha brothers were known to be genius in combat and they not only showed why they were masters of the Sharingan but also why they were feared shinobi all over the world. This fight is remembered fondly by the fans as, towards its end, Itachi's love for Sasuke is revealed.
5 Naruto Uzumaki Vs. Pain
Arguably the greatest fight in Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki versus Pain marks one of the highest points of the entire story. The fight takes place in the Pain's Invasion arc where he attacks Konoha in search of the Nine Tails. Meanwhile, Naruto Uzumaki trains at Mount Myoboku to avenge his master, Jiraiya, and save his village.
Naruto learns Sage Mode to combat Pain and he certainly demonstrates his mastery over this power when the two eventually clash. Not only does this fight provide incredible action, but it also marks a great character moment for Naruto as he sets out on the path to break the cycle of hatred.
4 Kakashi Hatake Vs. Obito (Great Ninja War)
Kakashi Hatake ended up fighting against his best friend, Obito, in the 4th Great Ninja War. This fight is not all that impressive in the manga, however, it is the anime that takes it to the very next level, thanks to some incredible storyboarded action, and brilliant animation by Naoki Kobayashi, among other animators.
This fight is easily among the most creative ones seen in the Naruto anime and far surpasses the expectations of the fans.
3 Rock Lee Vs. Gaara
Rock Lee versus Gaara is, perhaps, the first fight in Naruto that left the fans in a state of awe. This fight takes place during the Chunin Exams arc where Rock Lee, a ninja without any skill in ninjutsu or genjutsu, reveals his true fighting prowess.
Lee reveals to the fans that he aims to show everyone that, with hard work, he can surpass a natural-born genius and he does so in quite some style. Gaara, the Jinchuriki of the One Tail, gets completely outclassed in this fight, however, he ends up winning due to minor mistakes by Rock Lee.
2 Naruto Uzumaki Vs. Sasuke Uchiha (Fourth Great Ninja War)
Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha clashed on several occasions throughout the Naruto series, however, none of them holds the same weight that their final clash does in The Valley of the End. This clash settles the ages-long rivalry between these two once and for all and, at the same time, it also sees the reincarnation cycle of Indra and Asura Otsutsuki come to an end.
As expected, this fight features incredible action and, what's more, it also packs a solid emotional punch. Naruto ends up victorious in this fight and Sasuke vows to spend the rest of his life helping him build a peaceful world. In the anime, this fight was taken to the very next level and aired as a 1-hour special. With Hiroyuki Yamashita working his magic, it was elevated to the next level and, undoubtedly, is the greatest animated fight in the entirety of the Naruto series.
1 Sakura Haruno And Chiyo Vs. Sasori
The best fight in Naruto, according to the fans' votes, is Sakura Haruno and Chiyo versus Sasori. This fight takes place in the Kazakage Rescue Mission arc and sees the youthful exuberance of Sakura combined with the timeless experience of Chiyo, pit against the genius mind of the puppeteer, Sasori.
Once again, the anime is where this fight shines the most as it manages to elevate the action between the two incredibly powerful ladies and Sasori to the very next level. While this fight is not everyone's favorite, it surely adds something that is lacking in Naruto and that is attention to a great female heroine. Sakura shines exorbitantly in this fight and demonstrates that she has come very far over the timeskip period. When it comes to the animation, Goro Sessha has worked wonders on this clash in the anime and it is one that is going to be remembered for ages. The touch of an emotional backstory makes it even more special, along with the growth and maturity that Sakura displays after the timeskip of Naruto. Undoubtedly, this fight is one of the best and very deserving of the top spot as the greatest Naruto fight.