Summary
Naruto and Sasuke's power fluctuates throughout the series, leaving them roughly equal. Fateful battles have proven Naruto and Sasuke's power, with one gaining a clear advantage over the other. Naruto loses his Nine-Tails power while Sasuke loses his Rinnegan, leaving their current power in Boruto debatable.
Naruto And Sasuke are the most powerful characters in Naruto until the end, but the plots of Naruto Shippuden and Boruto may not have proven who is the strongest shinobi between the two of them. Much of the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden story is built around the rivalry between the two main characters, which is why discussions about which ninja is stronger, Naruto or Sasuke, is always a part of the conversation surrounding the show.
Inspired by classic anime duos like Akira's Tetsuo and Kaneda and Dragon Ball Z's Goku and Vegeta, Naruto and Sasuke perfectly embody a character trait that's quite common in shōnen stories – best friends who are also great rivals.
The first few arcs of Naruto featured outstanding character development, seeing both characters grow significantly, not only as ninjas but also as brothers. That is until the brotherly bond was shaken at the end of Naruto Part 1 when Sasuke left the village to follow the evil Orochimaru in his pursuit of power. A heartbreaking battle ensued between the two young warriors, which saw Sasuke emerge victorious, but by the end of Naruto's storyline, their relationship would take many forms and provide definitive answers to between Naruto and Sasuke who is stronger? will be answered.
Two main characters, but only one is called the strongest
The Naruto manga is written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto
While Naruto is known for its strong and engaging side characters, Sasuke's story has received enough attention to be considered the main character of the anime. Sasuke has always had his own arc that doesn't necessarily tie into Naruto's, and at times in Naruto Shippuden, it felt like the show was splitting into two different stories – Sasuke's and Naruto's. That said, Naruto was Sasuke's moral compass from the start.and the connection between the characters is maintained throughout Naruto and Naruto Shippuden.
Like the best anime couples, the relationship between Naruto and Sasuke is formed through their constant competition to see who is the strongest. What starts out as Naruto's jealousy of Sasuke's natural abilities develops into a complex friendship between two characters who are more alike than they realize, and whose lives will shape the fate of the shinobi world.
From Naruto to Boruto, Naruto and Sasuke's powers have increased at an incredible rate, making them capable of saving the world from powerful enemies like Madara and Kaguya. Masashi Kishimoto never wanted to give a definitive answer to the debate about whether Sasuke is stronger than Naruto, even in the official Naruto Databooks. Instead, Naruto anime likes to portray Naruto and Sasuke as equals, although the characters will vary in power level from arc to arc. Their final clash after the Fourth Shinobi War seems to be decisive, but its outcome remains controversial.
Naruto and Sasuke have fought a few times, but who wins more?
Two Young Ninjas Fought Together And Against Each Other Many Times
In all of Naruto, Naruto and Sasuke fought five times.. The first battle, only revealed in the Naruto Shippuden flashbacks, took place while Naruto and Sasuke were still in the Ninja Academy – and ended with Sasuke winning. The second battle between Naruto and Sasuke took place in Naruto episode #107, taking place on the rooftop of a hospital and was stopped by Kakashi. The third and perhaps most famous battle between the two took place at the end of Naruto Part 1 at the Valley of the End, where Sasuke emerged victorious but chose to spare his teammates.
The fourth battle between these fateful pair is more of a quick exchange of punches after one of Sasuke's best battles in the series, his exhaustion and purification battle with Danzo Shimura. The battle takes place in the middle of Naruto Shippuden, and while there is no clear winner, it represents one of Sasuke's darkest moments as he nearly kills his subordinate Karin and his future wife, Sakura. Finally, the final Naruto vs. Sasuke battle takes place at the end of Naruto Shippuden after Madara and Kaguya are defeated.
Despite his role in foiling Kaguya's Infinite Tsukuyomi plan for the planet, Sasuke chose to use his incredible new power to take control of the world. He planned to prevent future conflicts by killing those he felt were responsible for the tensions in the world that led to the war, including all the village leaders and even Naruto. In their final battle, Sasuke went out for blood; Naruto had fought in the Fourth War longer and did not attempt to kill his older friend. However, Naruto fought the mighty Uchiha until both were severely injured, and Sasuke admits defeat.
The highly-acclaimed Naruto manga and Shippuden anime ended incredibly satisfyingly, and its conclusion actually led to the sequel series. Boruto revolves around the next generation of ninjas growing up in Konoha, but both Naruto and Sasuke still have prominent roles in the events of the story. While both of them showed off their ability to change places in their final battle, the level of power Naruto and Sasuke wield in the Boruto series seems lacking compared to their previous powers. However, the Seventh Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki, seems to have the upper hand.
Naruto and Sasuke have varying power levels
Good Anime Rivals Constantly Push Each Other to Level Up
Throughout Naruto and Naruto Shippuden, the title of strongest main character alternates between Naruto and Sasuke. For example, when Team 7 was first formed, Sasuke was clearly stronger than Naruto, as Naruto had more discipline, training, and skill. However, by the time the finals of the Chunin Exams came around, Naruto had surpassed Sasuke and was able to defeat Gaara, the One-Tailed jinchuriki. The two were evenly matched in their climactic battle at the end of Part 1, with Sasuke only gaining one victory over Naruto.
During the first few arcs of Naruto Shippuden, Sasuke had a significant lead as the strongest Naruto protagonist, as he had perfected his Sharingan and cursed mark abilities thanks to Orochimaru. Naruto eventually learned Sage Mode and surpassed Sasuke once again, but the two would continue to vary in power level until the final arc of Naruto Shippuden. However, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, it became more difficult to keep track of who was the strongest, as both of them achieved some incredible and even godlike powers.
Near the end of the series' storyline, Naruto and Sasuke discover that they are both reincarnations of legendary ninjas who have been at odds for centuries. In order to help save the world, both are granted incredible powers by the Sage of the Six Paths, making them both far superior to any other character in Naruto's world. However, after Naruto willingly gives the energy of every Tailed Beast along with the power of SotSP, Naruto's power is more significant than Sasuke's power.
Naruto and Sasuke are on par – And Shippuden & Boruto prove it
Many years passed before someone took away the title of strongest from Naruto and Sasuke.
From the Fourth Great Ninja War to the final Naruto vs. Sasuke battle, Naruto and Sasuke were portrayed as almost equals. Both had a skill set unmatched by any regular shinobi, including Kage-level characters like Gaara, thanks to techniques like Sasuke's Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan and Naruto's Sage of Six Paths Mode. Compared to every other living ninja in the series, the two Konoha ninja were unstoppable but with one slight difference.
Even though Naruto defeated Sasuke when he had control of all the Tailed Beasts' chakra, the end of the final battle symbolized how the characters became equals, which was then carried over into Boruto. Naruto and Sasuke appear weaker in Boruto, but they are still the strongest shinobi in the world. While Both characters lost important components of their powers in later parts of Boruto.The question still on fans' minds: Who is stronger between Naruto and Sasuke in the Boruto series?
Is Naruto stronger than Sasuke in Boruto?
Tragic circumstances took away many of Naruto and Sasuke's abilities.
In order to give newer characters like Boruto, Kawaki, and Sarada time to shine and develop their abilities, Naruto and Sasuke were understandably nerfed to create tension in some of the Boruto arcs. However, things changed for the ninja world's power hierarchy during the Kawaki arc. In order to defeat the monster Isshiki Ōtsutsuki, Naruto's Tailed Beast sacrificed itself to grant his partner a temporary and significant power boost known as Baryon Mode. There slim chance Sasuke can resist Naruto's ultimate form if he had to fight it.
While Naruto lost all of his Nine-Tails power after Kurama's death, this arc also saw the loss of Sasuke's legendary Rinnegan eye. With their most prominent abilities stripped away, it's unclear who is stronger between Naruto and Sasuke after the Kawaki arc, mainly because they haven't been put in a situation to show their current level of ability. With Naruto sealed and SasukeBoruto's final battle takes place off-screen, the debate over who is stronger on BorutoThe current storyline of 'is still controversial among fans and will likely continue to be so forever.
Source: Crunchyroll (1,2), Bandai Namco Entertainment/YouTube