Naruto using Reverse Harem Jutsu on Kaguya proved one thing, and it isn’t Team 7’s prowess

Naruto Shippuden showcased some of the coolest fights in the series, many of which occurred towards the end of the War arc. The return of the reanimated hokage, Uchiha Madara becoming the Ten Tails’ jinchuuriki, and the reunited Team 7 fighting him were some such instances.

Needless to say, people both on and off-screen were in for a shock when Otsutsuki Kaguya was revealed to become the final villain of the series, and even the plot seemed to stumble a little there. It was somewhat hilarious when Naruto used his Sexy Jutsu on Kaguya in the middle of a high-stakes battle, but it was also cringeworthy.

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Why the Sexy Jutsu running gag did not work during the Kaguya fight in Naruto Shippuden

Appearances of the Sexy Jutsu in the series

The Sexy Jutsu appeared as early as the pilot chapter of the manga. The technique also appeared various times in the anime, especially in the pre-Shippuden era, making it a running gag of the show. It also became significant, luring Jiraiya into training him by taking advantage of his perverted tendencies.

With the story taking a more serious turn during the Shippuden era, Naruto was barely seen using the jutsu, only using it a couple of times while teaching it to Konohamaru. So just when fans had forgotten almost all about the jutsu, it was brought back during one of the most dangerous as well as confusing fights against an extremely overpowered enemy.

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Team 7 versus Kaguya

Naruto claimed to have been practicing it even more than the Rasengan, which led everyone to imagine that he was going to whip out a brand-out powerful trick he had up his sleeve. But all that happened was Sakura getting a nose bleed and Kaguya being flabbergasted for a second, allowing the Nine Tails' jinchuuriki to land a single hit on her. Kaguya being almost akin to a god, was barely affected by it, rendering that whole thing pretty pointless.

The fight against Kaguya was sloppily choreographed, making Team 7 seem like amateur fighters pitted against an unbeatable enemy and quickly running out of moves. Sasuke and Naruto did most of the fighting anyway, with Kishimoto leaving Sakura standing there uselessly with Kakashi. The jonin seemed to have suddenly forgotten all of the hundreds of jutsu that earned him the moniker “Copy Ninja” after losing the Sharingan.

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The problem with Kaguya as a villain

It would not be very far-fetched to believe that Kishimoto dug his own grave by bringing Kaguya into the picture. Uchiha Madara, as the Ten Tails’ jinchuuriki, was already a pretty overpowered villain, standing his ground against Six Paths’ Naruto and Rinnegan Sasuke working together. But in an attempt to create a 'Deux ex Machina,' Kishimoto ended up creating someone even stronger, and that too, with no build-up at all.

The plot does not flesh out either her character or her motives properly, and she never stood a chance against Madara, who was beloved by fans by this point. Her abilities were tedious as well, and being a literal god, she simply kept jumping between dimensions like changing the TV from one boring channel to another. It seemed like Kishimoto tried to get the show's protagonists to pitch in and add in some flavor on Kaguya’s behalf.

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Albeit a bit sexist, the Sexy Jutsu was a running gag that worked. But in that situation, it just cheapened the fight, making Team 7 appear childish and immature. It also undoes a lot of Naruto’s character development and his growing maturity over the course of the series. Using it as a means to distract her wasn’t a bad idea in itself, but its treatment as a comic element was what became its flaw.

Note: The article reflects the writer's own views.