In addition to great action sequences, Naruto also has a host of hilarious running gags. Naruto and his fellow ninja frequently crack jokes and laugh with one another, and many of the characters have a great sense of humor.
From silly slapstick to witty sarcasm, the series contains a plethora of comedic variety to tickle the funny bone of any fan. While not every character delivers a great punchline, there are plenty who serve to break up the serious storyline with a serious dose of humor.
Konohamaru's Rivalry With Naruto
One of the longest-running gags in Naruto was introduced in the second episode of the series. Sarutobi Konohamaru, the grandson of the Third Hokage, admires Naruto and decides to make the older ninja his rival. This begins a string of episodes that stretches throughout the series wherein Naruto teaches Konohamaru how to be a proper ninja.
Konohamaru and his friends, Udon and Moegi, ignore the protests of Konohamru's mentor, Ebisu, and instead spend their time on a wild assortment of missions to try to one-up his rival. Naruto even goes so far as to teach Konohamaru his "Sexy Jutsu" technique, which the young ninja uses to great effect against Ebisu.
Tobi Ridiculing The Akatsuki
When Tobi was first introduced, many fans considered him to be just an assistant to the Akatsuki. Obviously, Tobi was later revealed to be Obito Uchiha and working on behalf of the supposedly deceased Madara Uchiha, but many of his most memorable - and funniest - moments occur before his secret identity was discovered.
Tobi would pretend to fall asleep when Deidara was talking to him, or act like a love-struck schoolgirl to get on Deidara's nerves. Tobi rarely took any situation seriously, and rather than fight his opponent would often just run away. For his mockery, Tobi often ended up getting blasted away by Deidara, who took Tobi's jokes to heart.
Shikamaru Being Too Lazy To Bother
With an IQ of 200, Shikamaru uses his brain to defeat his opponents and come up with brilliant strategies to outwit the village's enemies. Despite his genius intellect, Shikamaru is also the laziest ninja in the village and does everything he can to get out of work. Throughout the series, Shikamaru hilariously gives up during tense moments simply because he can't be bothered to put in the effort.
For example, he famously forfeited his match against Temari in the Chunin Exams because he was tired and didn't think he could win. He openly admits that all he wants is to play shogi and stare at the clouds all day, infuriating many of his more active comrades to no end.
Sakura Beating Naruto To A Pulp
For the majority of the series, Naruto was desperately in love with Sakura. Also, during most of that time, Sakura frequently beat Naruto to a pulp for getting on her nerves. Whenever Naruto embarrassed Sakura she would immediately respond by either putting him in a headlock or punching him on top of his yellow head.
Sakura frequently used her words as well as her fists, punctuating an uppercut or front kick with a few choice insults. Eventually, fans began to look forward to seeing just how far Sakura could make Naruto fly and were often rewarded with the sight of him sailing off-screen after one of her powerful punches.
Naruto Being Naruto
Among all the characters in the series, no one delivers as many consistent laughs as Naruto. His goofy personality and carefree attitude lead to some hilarious exchanges, many of which are the product of great running gags. Naruto's "Sexy Jutsu" technique is one of his go-to moves, and he uses it with great effect to immobilize both Ebisu and Jiraiya on a number of occasions. Also, his love affair with Ichiraku Ramen leads to many gut-busting moments that involve Naruto fantasizing about his favorite food.
Of course, no list of the best Naruto gags would be complete without mentioning his infatuation with Sakura, who meets his every advance with a well-timed punch. He is the heart and soul of the series and never fails to make fans chuckle with his wild antics.
Kakashi Loves Adult Novels
One of Konoha's most talented ninja, Kakashi Hatake is also the subject of a hilarious running gag in the series. Despite his stoic demeanor, Kakashi has a well-known Achilles heel, and that is his love for the Icha Icha series. The Icha Icha novels are adult novels written by Jiraiya and based on his romantic experiences, mostly involving his continued failure at wooing Tsunade.
Kakashi is often seen with his nose buried in one of the books and will read them in public with zero shame. He practically loses his cool when Naruto gifts him an advance copy of Icha Icha Tactics, and Kakashi later uses the book to help Sasuke become closer with his daughter, Sarada.
Sai Inadvertently Insulting Others
As a member of Root, Sai Yamanaka was conditioned to be a ninja without emotions, and because of his training, he found it difficult to understand others. However, his social awkwardness also leads to one of the best gags in the show, which involves Sai inadvertently insulting people without him realizing what he's done.
Sai is extremely honest to the point of being blunt and did not know the difference between a true statement and a rude comment. Therefore, he ended up offending Sakura by calling her "ugly," and enraging Choji by calling him "fat." While Sai eventually learns how to connect with others, he still occasionally puts his foot in his mouth and says the wrong thing.
Rock Lee Pushing Himself To The Limit
From his bushy eyebrows to his bowl cut, even Rock Lee's mere appearance is enough to get a laugh out of fans. The foundation of the gag involving Lee is that he is the hardest working ninja in Konoha, yet is not able to use ninjutsu. This deficit motivates him to overcompensate by working out nonstop to become a taijutsu master.
Lee's training regimen involves ridiculous amounts of pushups, situps, and pull-ups, and just when fans think he's reached his limit he subverts expectations and does it all again. To top it all off, Lee will give himself impossible challenges, such as when he bet that he could collect every falling leaf from a tree before they reach the ground.
Might Guy's One-Sided Rivalry With Kakashi
The self-styled Sublime Green Beast of Konoha, Might Guy is one of the cheesiest characters in the series. From his ridiculous appearance to corny "nice guy" motivational speeches, Guy is a source of nonstop comedy. Another great gag involving Might Guy is his one-sided rivalry with Kakashi.
Guy named the unwilling Kakashi as his rival when they were children because they are both "elite," and ever since has challenged Kakashi to a series of competitions. Kakashi begrudgingly agrees to compete in foot races and games of Rock, Paper, Scissors, much to Guy's delight. The all-time record last stood at 51-50 in Kakashi's favor, and there's no telling when this rivalry will end.