naruto vs sasuke in shippuden
By
Branson Garza
Published 24 minutes ago
Branson is a Senior Writer for ScreenRant. Anime has been a major part of his life since he was able to raise his hands in the air for a Spirit Bomb. As a journalist, Branson focuses heavily on listicles and op-eds detailing the industry's greatest shonen series.
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Naruto is a staple of shōnen anime. It's one of the best anime series ever made, and there's no question that it set the standard for all shōnen series who had to come after it. The series is filled with twists and turns, with some moments being a little more controversial than others.
Naruto is one of the few shōnen series that actually include a lot of plot twists. Series like Dragon Ball Z really don't, keeping the main story pretty straightforward from start to finish. Naruto is a little more ambitious in that regard, as it's willing to dive deep into its own lore on more than one occasion.
There's one twist in particular that has garnered a lot of controversy over the years, but it shouldn't have. Looking back, there were plenty of signs leading to this moment, and it's a controversial moment that actually makes a lot of sense.
Naruto Defined a Generation
It's One of the Greatest Anime Franchises of All Time
Naruto grinning with his hands behind his back and his eyes closed.
Naruto is one of the biggest shōnen ever created. It's easily one of the greatest anime of all time, and it created an entire generation of anime lovers. The Naruto franchise started with the original Naruto series before expanding into Naruto: Shippuden, arguably the best entry in the franchise.
Naruto: Shippuden is the largest, most ambitious iteration of Naruto ever. While Boruto: Twin Blue Vortex is looking better than ever, the original Boruto series fell flat. The original Naruto series is excellent, but it doesn't have the same scale that Shippuden brings to the table.
Naruto: Shippuden has almost too many great moments to count. Each part of the series feels significant, and even though it's a whopping 500 episodes long, there aren't many skippable moments.
The fights are insane, the villains are substantial, and the payoff after each of Naruto's victories is palpable. It's one of the few series that justifies its substantial runtime, and people who haven't yet seen it should feel lucky that they get to experience it for the first time.
There Are Plenty of Odd Moments in the Series
Naruto Has No Shortage of Controversial Moments
Madara inflating with Kaguya's chakra in Naruto
Naruto has three, coming up on four, animated series within its own franchise, and there have been nearly 1,000 episodes in total adapted, making it one of the longest-running anime franchises of all time. Through 1,000 episodes, there's sure to be some awkward or controversial moments.
Most controversial moments have a decent reason to be considered controversial, as they're frustrating moments that feel like they're betraying the series as a whole. One of the most egregious instances of this comes during the final saga of Naruto: Shippuden, when Madara is killed absurdly.
Up until this point in the series, Madara Uchiha has been untouchable. He cemented himself as one of the greatest villains in anime through his dominance, destroying the Five Kage as if they were no better than five genin ninja.
Right before he's able to finalize his Infinite Tsukuyomi plan, Black Zetsu stabs him in the back, betraying him and revealing his true allegiance to Kaguya. It's a ridiculous Deus Ex Machina that proves Madara was too strong to kill normally.
Naruto and Sasuke as Reincarnations Isn't One of Them
This Moment Makes a Lot of Sense When the Series Is Looked at as a Whole
sage-of-the-six-paths-naruto-sasuke-hagoromo-1 (2)
Right before Kaguya is summoned, the Sage of Six Paths reveals that Naruto and Sasuke aren't just two of the strongest characters in Naruto because they're lucky: they're actually reincarnations of his two sons, Asura and Indra respectively.
Asura Ōtsutsuki is the progenitor of the Senju Clan, and the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, is also another one of his descendents and reincarnations. Indra Ōtsutsuki is the progenitor of the Uchiha Clan, and Madara Uchiha is his reincarnation as well.
One of Naruto's biggest overarching themes is that of generational trauma and issues. Konoha's problems started decades before Naruto's time, and yet, his generation is still paying for them.
Itachi massacred the Uchiha Clan because of their anger towards the Senju who controlled the village, leading to Sasuke's hatred. The Uchiha have been at odds with the Senju even before Madara and Hashirama fought, showing that this feud has been in the works for eons.
Naruto and Sasuke were always meant to be reincarnations, and their whole lives led to it. It's a reveal that makes a lot of sense considering they have been paying for the sins of their ancestors all their lives.
While It's Controversial, It's Not a Bad Twist at All
There Are Worse Twists in Anime
Naruto surprised
It makes sense that some people would be frustrated with the decision to make Naruto and Sasuke reincarnations of two characters that only got introduced towards the end of the series. In a way, it diminishes their accomplishments and credits Indra and Asura for their hard work.
That isn't really the case though, as Naruto and Sasuke have worked incredibly hard for everything that they've earned. Naruto and Sasuke have each gone through terrible trauma, lost people close to them, and struggled brutally on their paths to fulfillment and redemption.
The fact that they're reincarnations of two powerful characters only adds to their character's arcs. While Indra and Asura started the conflict, and Hashirama and Madara began to quell it, Naruto and Sasuke were the two who finally put the past behind them, ending a major generational feud in Naruto.
Naruto (2002) TV Show Poster
Naruto
First Film
Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow
Latest Film
Boruto: Naruto the Movie
First TV Show
Naruto
Latest TV Show
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
First Episode Air Date
October 3, 2002
Cast
Junko Takeuchi, Maile Flanagan, Noriaki Sugiyama, Chie Nakamura, Kazuhiko Inoue, Nana Mizuki, Hideo Ishikawa, Yûko Sanpei
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