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Unforgettable Naruto moments are something that the series has in spades and most anime fans have at least one scene, one talk, or one battle of Masashi Kishimoto's manga that lives on in their minds. Naruto is one of manga and anime's biggest success stories, becoming a cultural phenomenon, and producing some of the medium's greatest characters, such as Jiraiya, Pain, Madara, Might Guy, Kakashi, and many more.
Picking the most unforgettable Naruto moments is a tough task because there are so many to choose from, but this list is going to focus on how legendary some of these scenes have become. Many of them are action-based because, well, Naruto is a shonen manga but some of them are quieter, more meaningful moments in the grand scheme of things.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Naruto series.
Zabuza's death, and 9 other most unforgettable Naruto moments
10. Obito vs. Kakashi
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This battle ranks among the most unforgettable Naruto moments because of how poignant it is and how much it means for the two characters involved. Obito and Kakashi's friendship meant a lot for the two of them and defined who they were for most of the series. As such, having them finally fight one another was a memorable moment in the series.
The fight was also one of the last instances where author Masashi Kishimoto didn't rely on overpowered techniques and the battle was mostly Taijutsu, thus showing some of the characters' best abilities. This combat also gave Kakashi a big moment to shine in the final arc and proved how much of a great fighter he is.
9. Zabuza's death
Zabuza's role as the series' first major antagonist cannot be understated as he showed a lot of Kishimoto's greatest virtues when crafting villains: a cool design, a compelling backstory, and a combination of ruthlessness and humanity that made him stand out from most shonen antagonists. He also served a big role: in showing Naruto the darker side of the Shinobi world and what he was up against.
This is one of the most unforgettable Naruto moments because Zabuza had just seen Haku, his partner, die to protect him and decided to sacrifice the remaining of his life to take down the corrupt men who employed him. It was a poignant moment as Zabuza cried for Haku and chose to use his last moments of life to do something good.
8. The final battle between Naruto and Sasuke
When it comes to this moment, it is a very interesting decision because of what it represents to the franchise, even if some fans think it never lived up to the hype. Fans knew for years that Sasuke and Naruto were going to battle each other once again, which is why this already ranks as one of the most unforgettable Naruto moments, despite the execution not being the finest.
Sure, the choreography and the sequences of the battle are great and some moments truly capture what it means for both characters to have this battle. The criticism lies in how it wasn't set up properly and Sasuke's desire to fight felt a bit unnatural considering how the story was progressing, which definitely puts a stain on this battle.
7. Jiraiya's death
Jiraiya's death is one of the most unforgettable Naruto moments of all time and that is something that no anime fan will ever put into question. It is a moment that lives in people's minds and was a perfect send-off to one of the series' greatest characters, with fans singing Kishimoto's praises even to this very day.
As most fans know, Jiraiya went to investigate the identity of the leader of Akatsuki and discovered that it was his former pupil, Nagato. This leads to a phenomenal battle between the two characters, giving Jiraiya a perfect ending and establishing the future epic battle between Pain and Naruto.
6. The truth about Itachi
Itachi being revealed as a good guy who was manipulated by the Hidden Leaf Village to take down his clan is one of the most unforgettable Naruto moments of all time and the reasoning is quite simple: it changed everything.
It changed Itachi's character, Sasuke's motivations moving forward, and the way things worked in the Leaf Village, showing a more morally dubious side of who were the "good guys".
This was a memorable moment, especially because Itachi had been built up as this insane individual who had taken his family's lives. And while a lot of fans are not happy with this decision in hindsight, it is still one of those plot twists that have defined Naruto as a story.
5. Madara Uchiha facing the Shinobi Alliance
Madara Uchiha had been built up as the series' ultimate villain for so many chapters in the manga and his appearance in the final arc, showing up against the Shinobi Alliance, managed to surpass people's expectations. The fact that Kishimoto established such a phenomenal villain, only for him to have such a frustrating conclusion, was one of the manga's biggest disappointments.
Watching Madara entering the Fourth Great Ninja War and making quick work of the entire opposition is one of the most unforgettable Naruto moments of all time. Despite the fact this arc has been criticized a lot over the years, Madara's first appearance is still regarded as one of the story's peaks.
4. Might Guy opening the Eight Gates against Madara
This was a historical performance by Might Guy and arguably the last final moment in the series, which is something that deserves a lot of praise. It's a shame that Naruto came back and healed Guy as this was a generational send-off for one of the series' greatest characters.
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Madara had reached a level of power where no ninjutsu could harm him, so the only way was to hurt him through Taijutsu. In that regard, Might Guy stepped up to the plate and opened all Eight Gates, willing to give his life away for the cause and provide one of the most unforgettable Naruto moments of all time.
3. Naruto's entrance against Pain
Very few unforgettable Naruto moments have the weight and emotional feel of the series' protagonist showing up against Pain to save the Hidden Leaf Village. To a lot of people, this is the moment where Naruto established himself as the Village's protector and his finest hour as a character.
The entrance is elevated by Sakura's cries for help and Naruto showing up with the giant toads in Sage Mode. Until that point in the arc, the Akatsuki leader was making quick work out of everybody and this battle between both of Jiraiya's pupils was hyped to be one of the best in the series and that proved to be the case.
2. Sasuke's Chidori vs. Naruto's Rasengan
The first fight between Naruto and Sasuke during the latter's retrieval arc is one of the most popular battles in all of anime and for good reason: the context, the choreography, and the dialogues are all top-notch. But if there is one thing that stands out when compared to the rest of the battle, it's the clash between Naruto's Rasengan and Sasuke's Chidori.
This is one of the most unforgettable Naruto moments because a battle between these two characters had been hyped for years and this was also the point in the story that defined the rest of the manga: Sasuke going on his own to gain the power to defeat Itachi.
The clash between these two iconic attacks also served to put the final curtain on the first portion of the series and begin the part known as Shippuden.
1. Rock Lee vs. Gaara
This is the best among the most unforgettable Naruto moments and the finest battle in the entire series, with the legacy that it has speaking for itself. It is widely regarded as one of the best battles in anime history and the absolute peak of Rock Lee and (arguably) Gaara's characters.
It was a classic take on David vs. Goliath, with Lee's Taijutsu mastery putting up an amazing fight against Gaara, who seemed like an absolute force of nature at that point in the series.
As Lee opens the Gates, the fight gets a lot more exciting and the resolution is still poignant even to this day, cementing the former as one of the most popular characters in the series.
Final thoughts
Choosing the most unforgettable Naruto moments is always going to be a tough call because this series has a lot to choose from. Be that as it may, this is one of those manga that have defined the industry and will live on for many, many years.
