Kishimoto deciding not to end Naruto and Sasuke's final battle with a Ninjutsu duel was more fitting than fans realize

Naruto and Sasuke’s final battle is one of the most iconic moments in all of Shonen titles. The anime and manga series played a significant role in defining the genre, much like other titles such as Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Bleach. There are plenty of reasons why this particular fight was memorable for many.

The final fight that took place between Sasuke and the protagonist was poetic, had plenty of emotional moments, and the overall payoff was great as well. An interview that took place in 2014 revealed the writing process that Masashi Kishimoto had in mind for this last scene.

One of the reasons why this fight was memorable is because it went against the common Shonen trope of using big flashy moves to determine the winner of the battle.

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Analyzing the Naruto vs Sasuke fight, along with Kishimoto’s writing process

One of the reasons why this fight stands out is due to the fact that it didn’t end with ninjutsu, which is one of the most essential components of combat in this series. Ninjutsu are the most powerful techniques because of their range, destructive capabilities, and the ability to adapt to various situations. Despite how important they are in this series, neither Sasuke nor Naruto used ninjutsu techniques to end the fight.

The interview that took place in 2014 highlighted Masashi Kishimoto’s thought process during this fight. Ninjutsu abilities are such that one doesn’t necessarily have to be in close proximity while executing a technique. The creator of the series knew that it was one of, if not the most important fight in the series.

In order to make it stand out, Kishimoto intended for the characters to use hand-to-hand combat techniques, or Taijutsu, to decide the fight. He said the following in an interview to fujiTV:

“I didn’t make Sasuke and Naruto use ninjutsu during this scene because I wanted their battle to end in an intimate fight between two boys. Shonen jump team didn’t think it was in line with spirit of shonen manga and kept bothering me about it, but i went ahead with it”

Even the editors at Shueisha seemed to have given the writer some trouble since most Shonen fights use big and flashy techniques to decide a fight. In this case, however, the writer wanted to highlight the emotions, and this was done by having the two fight in close proximity by using Taijutsu.

This was quite fitting because the emotional impact is quite important in a fight such as this, owing to the history that these characters have shared.

The fight was written in a manner such that both of them ran out of chakra and continued to fight despite such conditions. This not only showed persistence and perseverance, but also the willingness of the characters to want closure after everything that they had been through.

These elements further drove the point home, which is why it became one of the most iconic fights in all of Shonen history. Masashi Kishimoto has been criticized for plenty of things but his treatment of this fight has been claimed to be near-perfection.

Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2024 progresses.

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