Naruto and Sasuke are by far the most powerful characters in Naruto as of its ending, and yet neither Naruto Shippuden nor Boruto ever truly answered who is the strongest shinobi between the two of them. Inspired by classic anime duos that trace back to Akira’s Tetsuo and Kaneda, Naruto and Sasuke perfectly encapsulate a character dynamic quite common in shonen stories – the best friends who are also great rivals. Much of the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden stories were built on the rivalry between its two main characters, which is why discussions of who is the most powerful ninja, Naruto or Sasuke, have always been part of the conversation around the show.
While Naruto is known for its strong and charismatic supporting characters, Sasuke’s story received enough attention for him to be considered a main character in the anime. Sasuke always had his own arcs that were not necessarily tied to Naruto’s, and in some moments during Naruto Shippuden, it felt like the show had branched into two different stories – Sasuke's and Naruto’s. That said, Naruto was Sasuke’s moral compass from the start, and the bond between the characters remained throughout Naruto and Naruto Shippuden.
As with the best anime duos, the relationship between Naruto and Sasuke was forged through their constant competition to see who was the strongest. What started as Naruto being jealous of Sasuke’s natural ninja skills evolved into a complex friendship between two characters who were more alike than what they imagined, and whose lives would define the fate of the shinobi world. From Naruto to Boruto, Naruto and Sasuke’s power levels increased at an incredible rate, making the two characters capable of pretty much saving the entire world from Kaguya. However, despite 720 episodes between Naruto and Naruto Shippuden, the question of who was the strongest, Naruto or Sasuke, was never settled. Masashi Kishimoto never wanted to give a definite answer regarding the debate, not even in the official Naruto Databooks. Instead, the Naruto anime preferred to depict Naruto and Sasuke are equals, although the characters would alternate power levels according to each arc.
Naruto vs. Sasuke: Who Has Won More Fights
In all of Naruto, Naruto and Sasuke have fought five times. The first, which was only revealed during a Naruto Shippuden flashback, took place when Naruto and Sasuke were still at the Ninja Academy – and it ended with Sasuke's victory. The second Naruto vs. Sasuke fight was in Naruto’s episode 107, which took place on a hospital rooftop and was stopped by Kakashi. The third and perhaps most famous Naruto vs. Sasuke fight took place at the end of Naruto Part 1 in the Valley of the End, and it saw Sasuke winning. The fourth one was more of a quick exchange of punches midway through Naruto Shippuden with no clear winner. Last, the final Naruto vs. Sasuke battle took place at the end of Naruto Shippuden after Madara and Kaguya were defeated, and it ended with a draw.
Naruto And Sasuke Have Alternated Power Levels
Throughout Naruto and Naruto Shippuden, the title of the most powerful main character alternated between Naruto and Sasuke. For example, when Team 7 is first put together, Sasuke was clearly stronger than Naruto, as the former was more disciplined, trained, and skillful. However, by the time the final rounds of the Chunnin Exams happen, Naruto had surpassed Sasuke and was able to defeat Gaara, the One-Tail jinchuriki. During Naruto Shippuden’s first few arcs, Sasuke had once again taken the lead as the most powerful Naruto main character, as he had perfected his Sharingan thanks to Orochimaru. Naruto eventually learned Sage Mode and surpassed Sasuke once again, but the two would continue to alternate power levels up until Naruto Shippuden’s final arc. That said, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, it was no longer possible to trace who was the strongest, Naruto or Sasuke, as they both had achieved an unmatchable amount of power.
Naruto And Sasuke Are Equals – And Shippuden & Boruto Prove It
From the Fourth Great Ninja War to the final Naruto vs. Sasuke fight, Naruto and Sasuke were depicted as equals. Both of them had now a set of skills that could not be compared to that of 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. For example, it took the combined efforts of Naruto and Sasuke, plus Sasuke and Kakashi, to defeat Kaguya at the end of Naruto. The final Naruto vs. Sasuke fight ending in a draw also symbolizes how the characters had become equals, which was then brought into Boruto. Naruto and Sasuke may seem weaker in Boruto, but they are still the most powerful shinobi in the world – with neither of them being significantly stronger than the other.