For many fans, the Chunin Exams were the beginning of their fascination with the classic Shonen tournament arc. It was a time when Naruto it was simpler. Before the anime increased its power level and evolved into kaiju battles, the Chunin Exams were the high point of close-quarters combat that fans loved. from naruto they adored
One-on-one is a staple of any good tournament arc, allowing the anime to introduce a catalog of new characters with unique abilities in highly structured combat. But for an arc that stretches as long as this one, it’s to be expected that not all of the matches will be as good as fans expect.
TOP 10: Gaara VS Rock Lee is the peak of Naruto
Gaara vs. Rock Lee is considered by many to be the best match ever. Naruto. Fans immediately recognized the huge increase in animation quality at the beginning of the episode. Gaara vs Rock Lee ranks right up there with the best fights currently being animated and beats a lot of the others.
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Rock Lee may not be as archetypally cool as some characters on Narutobut he managed to impress fans with his sheer determination to prove himself, and his display of speed and strength.
9 WORST: Choji VS Dosu Was An Anticlimactic Ending To The Arc
Choji vs. Dosu is the final match of the preliminary exams, coming on the heels of the fan-favorite climactic match, Gaara vs. Rock Lee. The combat is completely nondescript in most respects, leaving many fans feeling deflated after such an incredible fight as the previous one.
Most fans agree that the Chunin Exams would have been better if they had rearranged this match to be earlier and ended the arc with a more climactic battle. From a structural point of view, Choji vs. Dosu was a huge disappointment.
8 BEST: Neji VS Hinata Brought Depth To The Supporting Characters
Neji vs. Hinata was a fight starring two secondary characters who had not yet made a mark among the fans. Neither character had been shown in any meaningful way thus far, leaving many fans open-minded as to what to expect. The only thing the fans knew about Hinata was that she was a kind girl and that she cared for Naruto.
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But in this fight, he is shown to be more than just a potential love interest. By committing herself to fighting someone undoubtedly more powerful than her, she displays a different level of character development than many other women in the franchise. Naruto.
7 WORST: Tenten VS Temari Was An Embarrassment
Tenten vs. Temari is the subject of many derogatory memes. The feats displayed during this battle are pathetic compared to what fans were used to. Tenten showed a speed that was pitiful compared to Sasuke or Rock Lee.
Also, her skills and jutsu come off as incredibly mediocre despite the great potential Tenten probably had. Most of his signature techniques revolve around the messy throwing of a series of weapons, rather than wielding a sword with stellar dexterity. This is a battle that many fans would forget if it weren’t so much fun.
6 BEST: Shikamaru VS Temari Showed Naruto’s Strategic Side
Shikamaru vs. Temari earns its place as one of the best matches in the Chunin Exams because of how surprisingly funny it is. Shikamaru’s ability to come up with cool strategies always makes him an interesting combatant. Combine that with his defining trait of laziness, and we have a character that finds its way into the hearts of fans.
Unlike the fight between Temari and Tenten, Shikamaru poses enough of a threat to push Temari to interesting heights. In this match, she reveals a sense for combat and adaptation that made her a fan favorite despite not being part of the Leaf village.
5 WORST: Naruto VS Kiba Was Just A Prank Fight
Naruto vs Kiba is a controversial battle in the Chunin Exams. Due to his leading man status, many fans were excited to see Naruto fight anyone. But in the end, this is one of the weirdest and most pathetic Naruto fights in all of anime.
Kiba is a mediocre opponent without any interesting techniques at this point in the story. One of Naruto’s most elaborate strategies against Kiba was farting in the boy’s face, making it clear that this is a battle played more for gags than significant character development or plot advancement. .
4 BEST: Sasuke VS Gaara Was A Clash Of The Titans
Sasuke vs Gaara is a fight that focuses on two of the most popular characters in the entire franchise. This battle pitted two of the strongest genins in the world against each other. It was an exciting encounter that tested each of the characters, forcing them to reveal more and more unique jutsu.
This fight raised the power level of the world of Naruto in a way that really made things interesting for the fans. Although it did not obtain a conclusive result, many fans were ecstatic to see that it was produced.
3 WORST: Sasuke VS Yoroi Had No Visual Style
Even though Sasuke is one of the coolest characters in Naruto, his fight against Yoroi is still one of the most boring in the entire series. Yoroi is a character that is not given any interesting visual touch or any strategic variety when it comes to combat.
He only has one simple technique that saps his opponent’s chakra for as long as he can hold it, which led to a fight that consisted mostly of a singular position where Yoroi kept Sasuke on the ground until Sasuke fought him and won.
2 BEST: Shikamaru VS Kin Was Short And Sweet
Shikamaru vs. Kin earns points for being incredibly concise, with only a brief exchange of blows before Shikamaru finally deploys a clever strategy and nails his Shadow Possession jutsu, comically securing victory. It’s not the smartest thing Shikamaru can do, but it’s smart enough to be entertaining.
Also, Kin manages to arouse quite a bit of interest among fans thanks to a unique combination of bells and senbon. Ninja tools are vastly underused in the overall story, so Kin’s aesthetic is a welcome change to Ninja’s combat. Naruto.
1 WORST: Sakura VS Ino Is Despised By Fans
Sakura vs. Ino is one of the most hated matches ever. Naruto. At its best, this battle offers high-quality taijutsu choreography and an interesting clone tactic. But while this fight has its high points, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that Sakura vs. Ino is plagued by flashbacks more than any other Chunin Exams fight. Unlike some of the better matchups with more interesting characters, the story of these two just isn’t narratively interesting enough.