Top 10 Most Epic Naruto Moments

After Orochimaru sank his teeth into Naruto and Sasuke, the only thing standing between Team 7 and utter defeat is young, naive Sakura Haruno. Bear in mind, at that point in the show, she basically had three whole lines: Sasuke, Sasuke, and Sasuke! But, with her back to the wall, and her beloved at stake, she bucked up and proved she’s a ninja, too. While it was certainly a long time coming, Sakura’s last-minute haircut proved this was a real turning point for the character. Even if she’s considered more of a healer these days, there’s no forgetting the moment she nearly fended off three sound ninja all by herself.

There’s no time like the end of the world to start reminiscing, right? Well, just as Naruto and Sakura think back on everything they’ve been through, the missing third of their squad jumps right into the battlefield. Sasuke’s officially back to fighting for the good guys, and you know what that means: team 7 is back in action, baby! It’s hard to undersell just how euphoric this reunion feels. It took years upon years, countless fights, and more filler episodes than we care to admit. But, seeing Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura recreate the three-way deadlock as a unified team makes it all worth the wait.

One of the coolest scenes in all of “Naruto” happens in the very first arc of the series, and not even from Naruto himself! No, this one is all Zabuza. Enraged by his partner’s sacrifice, the mercenary completely wrecks Gato’s mob, injuries be damned. Zabuza’s so wounded, he can’t even move his arms. But, thanks to Naruto’s kunai between his teeth, he doesn’t have to in order to show everyone why they call him the Demon of the Hidden Mist. It’s a bloodily vindicating spectacle, all brought together by the emotional tragedy of Haku’s end. Classic “Naruto” was just built different.

We always knew Sasuke meant business. But, no one expected his Sharingan would let him see everything - including the inside of Naruto’s own chakra! There aren’t many ninja who’ve seen the Nine-Tails and lived to talk about. Kurama is so impressed, in fact, he compares Sasuke to Madara Uchiha himself. Most shinobi would take that kind of compliment to the grave, but Sasuke is completely unimpressed. He says the equivalent of “don’t know, and don’t care,” and then disperses the Nine-Tails’ chakra in a single strike. It’s unreal. Whatever Orochimaru did to train Sasuke in the time-skip, it clearly worked.

Another day, another mention of the one, the only, Madara Uchiha. His name holds a lot of weight in these parts, probably because of scenes like this. As the Akatsuki start dropping like flies, Tobi finally unveils the bombshell of the century: behind the mask, he’s the scion of the Uchiha clan. It’s a twist that sends chills down our spines to this day. “Naruto” devoted a lot of time to building up Madara as a near Godlike figure in shinobi history, and the thought of him reentering the story ratchets up the hype to an eleven. Even though this reveal ended up being a ruse, the ramifications of this scene are anything but.

He may be a bit knuckleheaded, but Naruto Uzumaki never breaks a promise. He told Tsunade he’d master the Rasengan in three days, and ever the gambler, she agreed to the bet. Of course, neither of them knew the deadline would come in the middle of a life-or-death match with Kabuto. He’s out for Tsunade’s blood, but Naruto refuses to get out of his, or his kunai’s, way. Then, to really bring it home, Naruto delivers one of his classic, inspiring monologues before blasting Kabuto off with his first ever Rasengan. It’s a deeply empowering turning point for everyone involved, and showed once again why you always bet on Naruto.

Sasuke Uchiha spent almost half the series with one, singular goal in mind: killing Itachi. The two brothers were destined to cross paths eventually, and after all the training Sasuke underwent, it really felt like he had a chance to win. They sparred, exchanged Jutsu, and just when things were looking up… until Itachi pointed away. As it turns out, Sasuke had only been finding an illusion, and the real Itachi was nice and cozy right where he belonged; atop a throne. The word “awesome” doesn’t do it justice. Itachi was already one of “Naruto’s” coolest characters before this; the bait-and-switch was really just a victory lap for him.

Revenge tastes so sweet. Unless you’re Hidan. In that case, it probably tastes a lot like dirt. While the immortal Akatsuki probably thought he could kill anyone and get away with it, he majorly overplayed his hand when he struck out Team 10’s leader, Asuma. Grief-stricken and ready for payback, Shikamaru devised a plan to put the eternal villain down for good. Six feet deep down, to be exact. It doesn’t bring Asuma back or rectify any of the horrible crimes Hidan committed. But, seeing the smug prick finally get his due still feels pretty damn good. It’s just like burying the hatchet, after all.

When Pain’s Almighty Push levels all of Konoha as we know it, Sakura can only think of one person capable of saving the day. You know him, you love him, it’s Naruto, of course. And he brought along some toads, too! It’s probably one of the greatest entrances in all of anime. Not just because the music and animation are top-notch, but also since this is such a full-circle moment for Naruto’s character. For the first time, he’s truly the hero he’s always wanted to be. This is essentially the culmination of everything “Naruto” is as a series, all manifested in one, unforgettable appearance.

If the Chunin Exams graded off spirit, Rock Lee would win a landslide. Instead, he found himself in a one-on-one against the monstrous Gaara. So, with no other choice, the bowl-cut goofball decided to drop his training weights, creating a genuinely iconic anime scene in the process. Knowing Lee had been holding back all this time recontextualizes every single fight he’d ever been in. What’s more, his new, unburdened powers unleash a mix of style and speed capable of piercing even Gaara’s defenses. Perfectly encapsulating character, plot, and action, Rock Lee’s free-spirited evolution is a one-of-a-kind moment that nothing in “Naruto” has ever quite managed to top.

What “Naruto” moment will you never forget? Let us know in the comments below!