Anime fans love nothing more than ranking battles. Testament to this is the fact that fan spaces are always overflowing with debates about which anime fights are the best. Often, fans' favorite battles come near the end of a series, as the immense stakes combined with the massive power of everyone involved means these fights stick in viewers' memories long after the episode finishes. However, this isn't always the case. Naruto is one of the best examples, as one of its most beloved fights happens very early in the anime's run. Based on Masashi Kishimoto's manga, the Naruto anime arrived on screens in 2002.
Fans wouldn't need to wait long to experience this fan-favorite fight as it happened in 2004's "The Battle Begins: Naruto vs. Sasuke", the 107th episode of the anime. The episode sees Sasuke Uchiha resting in the hospital, trying to recover from injuries he sustained after falling from a bridge in the previous episode, "The Last Leg: A Final Act of Desperation". As he sits in bed, Sasuke becomes increasingly frustrated by his feelings of powerlessness, unable to handle the shame of losing to Aoi. Doubly so because Naruto defeated them with ease a few moments later. As the day continues, Sasuke stews in his thoughts, becoming even more frustrated by Naruto's success and dwelling on the fact he isn't strong enough to defeat his brother, Itachi Uchiha.
The Battle Between Naruto and Sasuke Pays Off Episodes Of Build-Up
When Sakura and Naruto visit Sasuke, his frustration overflows, and he challenges Naruto to a fight. Naruto initially attempts to turn down the challenge, but Sasuke keeps pushing and insulting Naruto until he accepts. Filled with rage, they head to the hospital's rooftop and square off. After some trash talk, the pair exchange blows and throws, though neither gets the upper hand. Eventually, Sasuke breaks through Naruto's block, but Naruto quickly escapes, climbing onto a water tank before jumping down and hitting Sasuke. Soon after, Sasuke covers Naruto with a sheet and pins him to the wall, repeatedly punching him in the face as he does, causing Sakura immense distress as she watches from afar.
Eventually, Naruto breaks free from the sheet. Full of rage, Naruto activates his Shadow Clone Jutsu and sends them to attack Sasuke. Sasuke holds the clones off for a few minutes before the numbers get too much for him. Aiming to pull back the battle, Sasuke unleashes a fireball that wipes out the clones in a massive wave of flame, evening up the fight again. As Naruto charges Rasengan and Sasuke gets ready to unleash his Chidori, Sakura runs towards the pair, begging them to stop as the episode fades to black. Thankfully, Episode 108, "Bitter Rivals and Broken Bonds" picks up right where the previous one ended. Seconds before the pair can use their attacks, Kakashi appears and grabs the boys by the wrists, throwing them into nearby water towers. The shock of the impact and Kakashi's scolding brings Naruto and Sasuke to their senses, causing them to stop fighting and declare it a draw.
One of the most memorable things about this fight is how it pays off many episodes of build-up. The relationship between Naruto and Sasuke has been rocky from the beginning. Naruto took offense to Sasuke's cold and arrogant personality the second they met, forming a one-sided rivalry that grew in intensity over time. Plus, Sasuke had been going through a crisis of confidence for several episodes due to his interaction with Itachi. This crisis was only intensified when Sasuke nearly died after being thrown off a bridge, making him hate and doubt himself even more. Because of this long build-up, the fight has a lot of emotional weight, as the audience can understand exactly how the characters ended up at this point. The slow building of emotions gives this fight a cathartic quality, almost like the viewers can feel Naruto and Sasuke expelling their mental burdens as they fight.
This extended build-up also makes the battle feel important and earned. In many shows, fights between the main cast tend to be filler, existing to show off new powers or set up later plot points. However, by giving this fight a long build-up, the writers made this battle feel like a massive event that has significant ramifications for the story, adding plenty of tension and emotion to this battle.
Naruto's Rooftop Battle Involves Heightened Emotions
While this fight isn't the most plot-important, longest, or over-the-top fight in the Naruto franchise, it stands out because of the raw and visceral emotions involved. The build-up to the battle is expertly handled, showing how Sasuke gets caught in an emotional loop that magnifies his anger and self-hatred, leading to him lashing out at Naruto because he is the nearest available target. The argument Naruto and Sasuke have before the former agrees to the fight is painful to watch, as viewers can feel the palpable tension in the room and see how Sasuke manipulates Naruto's emotions until Naruto ends up losing his perspective and becoming entangled in his anger. This intense atmosphere only continues when the two go up to the roof as both Naruto and Sasuke get even angrier due to the continuing trash talk and their frustration at being unable to take the other down. Credit must be given to the animation team and the voice actors, as both do a fantastic job of conveying the immense rage both boys feel through their voices and body language.
Sakura's presence massively improves this battle. Throughout the fight, the show frequently cuts to show Sakura's reaction to what is happening. As the fight rages on, viewers see her become gradually more upset and terrified as she slowly realizes that both Naruto and Sasuke have lost their way and won't stop until one of them is badly hurt, something they'll regret when they come to their senses. Letting viewers see Sakura's reaction helps inform audiences that this isn't just a sparring match or an over-the-top argument, but a dangerous conflict that risks becoming something horrible. Plus, her presence adds another twist to the fight, as the audience is unsure if she'll step in and who she'll help if she does get involved, adding another layer of suspense to an already tense moment.
But the best thing about this battle is that it is grounded in realistic emotions that viewers can relate to because they have likely experienced them themselves at some point. Everyone knows how toxic jealousy and low self-esteem can be and how they can slowly eat away at you, clouding your judgment until you do something you wouldn't usually do. The same is true for Naruto, as viewers will understand how it feels to be insulted in a way that causes you to lose your cool. Viewers can also empathize with Sakura's perspective. Anyone who has watched friends slowly start to turn on each other will resonate with her plight deeply, as the episode beautifully captures the uncomfortable feeling of knowing that the pair will eventually blow up at one another but not knowing when or how it will play out, or how to stop it once it starts.
The writers and animators also did a masterful job of lacing this fight with an air of tragedy. The build-up to the scrap is full of dramatic irony, as in the previous episode, the viewers saw that Naruto had to exploit the crack Sasuke made in Aoi's Sword of the Thunder God to defeat him, meaning that Sasuke didn't fail in his mission. Plus, earlier in the episode, viewers got a glimpse into Sasuke's head, letting them see the torrent of negative self-talk and traumatic memories dragging him down. Because of this, viewers know Sasuke is lashing out as he can't effectively work through his anger. They also know that if Sasuke or Naruto could communicate their feelings better, the fight would end instantly. But, as they can't, viewers are stuck helplessly watching them fight over something that is both fixable and not the fault of the person they're fighting.
This fight also stands out for its intensity, which helps it sidestep a common issue that plagues the shōnen genre. In many battle-based shōnen series, especially ones that give their characters supernatural powers, fights can quickly lose all impact as the moves deviate from the rules of reality so heavily that viewers lack a frame of reference for their effect, making world-ending moves feel the same as a basic punch. However, this fight avoids this as Naruto and Sasuke's radiating anger makes every move feel like a vicious attack meant to hurt the other person, adding a layer of grittiness to the fight that further intensifies the fight's emotional core.
Naruto And Sasuke's Fight Is More Violent Than Other Naruto Battles
This grittiness is further increased by the moves used during the fight. The vast majority of the scrap consists of punches, kicks, and grapples, making the battle feel much more brutal and visceral as the up-close nature of this combat conveys both boys' anger and burning hatred. It also sets it apart from the more technically advanced ninja battles seen elsewhere in the franchise, further hammering home that this is an ugly, emotional brawl rather than a display of martial arts skills.
Plus, when Naruto and Sasuke start using supernatural abilities, they stick to ones that fit the violent feel of the fight. Naruto's Shadow Clone Jutsu sees a horde of Naruto clones attack Sasuke en masse in a visual that resembles a mob beatdown. This visual also doubles as a fantastic visual metaphor for how Sasuke's jealousy of Naruto has overtaken his mind. When Sasuke opts to use a Jutsu, he uses a fireball. This attack is terrifying and violent by its very nature, as viewers are well aware of the damage fire can do to the human body. The animation in this scene helps intensify this, as the animators do a great job of capturing the inherent violence of fire, making it clear to viewers that this isn't a magical flame that can be blocked or brushed off, but an intense and dangerous blast of heat.
This is also a rare Naruto fight where Naruto and Sasuke fight dirty, as both employ underhanded tactics several times during the battle. When Naruto first appears on the water tower, he angles his body so Sasuke will get blinded by the sun when he looks up, letting Naruto get a cheap shot in when he's stunned. Later, Sasuke repays the favor by throwing a sheet over Naruto's head before punching him in the head, using the fact that Naruto can't see or block to his advantage. These dirty moves enhance the mood of the fight, showing that both men are so angry and desperate to hurt the other that they're willing to throw away all of their morals and tactics, further adding to the battle's intensity and atmosphere.
Another great thing about this fight is the choice of location. The hospital roof the pair fight on is realistically boring, being nothing more than a place to dry laundry and store water tanks. This helps ground the fight while also stripping it of honor and grandeur. This mundane industrial setting shows that this fight has no grander purpose or meaning, that it is just a brawl between two people who have lost control of their emotions and are being fueled by pure hate for the other person, making the fight feel even more violent and visceral.
While Naruto has featured many amazing fights, the rooftop fight from "The Battle Begins: Naruto vs. Sasuke" stands out due to its story and how it tells it. The episode's story of Naruto and Sasuke getting lost in their anger and frustration and taking it out on each other is deeply relatable as it is built on common emotions everyone will experience at some point in life. This, combined with the fight's intensity and violence, makes this episode a surprisingly good teaching moment, showing why it's crucial to keep control of your emotions and do your best to communicate with those around you. Because of this, "The Battle Begins: Naruto vs. Sasuke" is one of Naruto's best and most memorable fights.
