Naruto Uzumaki's 7 Best And 7 Worst Moments
As the hero of a popular shonen anime, Naruto Uzumaki is a young boy with big dreams and countless obstacles to overcome. He starts out as an outcast and troublemaker but slowly works his way up to become one of the most respected and powerful ninja in the world. The story of how he gets there is full of ups and downs, but that's exactly what makes it all worth it in the end.
Many of Naruto's best moments are ones of victory, growth, or pure happiness. They can be seen as turning points in either his ninja career or personal life, and it's through these experiences that he takes a step closer to being the beloved man he is by the end of the series. On the other hand, his worst moments are embarrassing, reckless, or simply foolish. While these moments are not necessarily setbacks, they serve as reminders that Naruto is flawed and has bad days just like anyone else. Here are his best and worst moments.
Worst: Stealing the Scroll of Sealing
Before Naruto can become an official ninja, he needs to graduate from the academy by performing the Clone Jutsu. After failing the exam multiple times, Naruto starts to feel desperate and is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed and become a genin. Mizuki, one of his teachers, tricks him into believing he can still graduate if he finds the Scroll of Sealing and learns one of the techniques in it. In reality, the Scroll of Sealing holds many forbidden techniques, and stealing it is seen as a huge crime in the village. Naruto eagerly accepts the challenge without realizing he's helping Mizuki with his own selfish plan.
Iruka finds Naruto in the forest with the scroll shortly after and is surprised to see that the boy has been working hard to perfect a new technique. It's then revealed to everyone that Mizuki had only used Naruto to steal the scroll for himself. Iruka does everything he can to protect the boy and the scroll from Mizuki, but it's Naruto who ultimately saves the day with the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu, one of the forbidden techniques from the scroll. At the end of the day, Naruto graduates and earns his ninja headband, but not before stirring up a lot of chaos in the village.
Best: Learning his signature techniques
In the "Naruto" universe, many clans have their own secret techniques or kekkei genkai that they pass down from generation to generation. As an orphan, Naruto didn't have a family who could teach him techniques exclusive to the Uzumaki or Namikaze clans, nor did he have access to any kekkei genkai like the Sharingan or Byakugan. But, after Jiraiya becomes one of his mentors, Naruto is able to learn and master a couple of complex techniques that end up being key parts of his current skill set.
Following the Third Hokage's death, Jiraiya and Naruto set out to find Tsunade and convince her to be the next Hokage. During this time, Jiraiya has Naruto practice controlling chakra in the palm of his hand before he can use the Rasengan. Naruto finally gets to show off the results of that tedious training in the battle against Orochimaru and Kabuto. After smacking Kabuto in the stomach with the powerful Rasengan, Naruto inspires Tsunade to fight back against her fear of blood, win the battle, and take on the role of Hokage.
Later in the series, Jiraiya's tragic death motivates Naruto to grow even stronger before the big battle against Pain. In preparation, Naruto goes to Mount Myoboku in the Land of Toad to learn Sage Mode from Fukasaku. By utilizing Nature Energy from the outside, Sage Mode gives the user a huge boost in strength, which helps Naruto secure the victory against Pain.
Worst: Posing as Sasuke for shallow reasons
At the very beginning of the series, Naruto struggles to get along with his peers, who all seem to look down on him at the Ninja Academy. Likewise, he fails to connect with his new teammates, Sasuke and Sakura, in Episode 3. This has a lot to do with the love triangle that exists between the three — while Naruto has a crush on Sakura, Sakura hates his guts and has her heart set on Sasuke.
Jealous of his heartthrob teammate, Naruto uses the Transformation Jutsu to disguise himself as Sasuke and get closer to Sakura. He successfully tricks Sakura into believing he's Sasuke, but she proceeds to complain about how annoying Naruto is and confesses her feelings for the other boy. That's obviously not what Naruto wants to hear while incognito, but he nearly steals a kiss from her anyway. The only thing that stops him is a horrible stomach ache at the worst possible moment.
He later reflects on his conversation with Sakura and is visibly hurt by her comment about him being annoying. Still, Naruto picks himself up and comes up with a new plan to transform into Sasuke again and treat Sakura like garbage until she hates him. That petty plan is thankfully ruined by the real Sasuke and more stomach pain.
Best: Saving his village from Pain
One of the most devastating events in "Naruto" is when Pain attacks the Leaf Village. While on the hunt for Naruto, Pain does not hesitate to take down anyone in the village who stands in his way. This includes Kakashi, Shizune, and Fukasaku, who all suffer gruesome deaths. After defeating the Six Paths of Pain, Naruto seeks out the actual person behind the assault — Nagato.
Rather than starting another fight, Naruto and Nagato have a deep conversation about the current state of the ninja world. Nagato believes that all wars and violence can be stopped by forcing the world to experience true pain through grief. Once everyone understands the pain that stems from violence, he hopes that everyone will choose peace over violence. Naruto then convinces Nagato that he'll find a better way to achieve peace. Nagato passes on his dream of peace to Naruto and goes on to revive everyone who died in the assault.
For the first time in his life, Naruto receives the acknowledgment and respect he deserves from the villagers who once shunned him. The whole village celebrates Naruto's victory as they work to repair their beloved home.
Worst: Walking into Haku's Crystal Ice Mirrors
When it comes to battle strategy, Naruto has had his fair share of innovative plans to outsmart his foes. Early on, however, he had a bad habit of rushing into dangerous situations without thinking things through first. That's exactly what happens on his first serious mission as a genin.
While Kakashi and Sasuke have already begun fighting Zabuza and Haku on the bridge, Naruto is nowhere in sight. The young troublemaker arrives late and notices that Sasuke is surrounded and trapped by Haku's Crystal Ice Mirrors. Sasuke sees this as the perfect opportunity for them to attack Haku simultaneously from the inside and outside, but Naruto is quick to ruin the plan.
Instead of attacking Haku from the outside, Naruto decides to join Sasuke inside the mirrors. This reckless decision makes Naruto much more vulnerable to Haku's attacks, and it could have gotten Sasuke killed. Thankfully, Haku never actually intended to kill them, and they're able to make it out alive, but no thanks to Naruto.
Best: Finally meeting his parents
Growing up, Naruto had no one he could call family. His parents, Minato and Kushina, sacrificed their lives to save the village from the rampaging Nine-Tailed Fox on the night Naruto was born. While they became heroes of the village, Naruto was left as an orphan who struggled to connect with the people around him. Needless to say, his childhood was lonely and painful without a family to lean on for support.
Due to the secrets surrounding his birth, Naruto doesn't even find out who his real parents are until later in the series. He first encounters Minato's spirit during Pain's assault on the village. Minato reveals that he is not only Naruto's father, but also the one responsible for sealing the Nine-Tailed Fox inside of him. Although Naruto punches his father in the stomach for giving him such a difficult childhood, he also sheds some tears and receives a pep talk in the short time they have together.
He meets Kushina later under similar circumstances just before the Fourth Great Ninja War begins. Kushina is then able to fill Naruto in about his eventful birth and share some fond memories of her and Minato. The mother and son bond over their shared experience as hosts of the Nine-Tailed Fox and embrace before Kushina's spirit fades away. Both meetings give Naruto the kind of love he had always been missing in his life.
Worst: Leaving his written exam blank
For the first part of the Chunin Exams, Naruto's team is sent to a room with all the other genin to take a written exam that supposedly tests their intelligence. The catch is that the questions are intentionally designed to be too difficult for the average genin to answer. Rather than using their own knowledge, the test takers are expected to use their stealthy ninja skills to cheat without getting caught.
While many of the genin catch on to this hidden objective and fill out their exam papers, Naruto remains clueless about it for the duration of the exam. He even considers copying straight off of Hinata's paper since she's sitting right next to him, but decides against it to avoid being disqualified. In the end, he leaves his whole exam blank and prays that he can at least get the mysterious tenth question correct once it's announced. Luckily for him, Naruto and his team automatically pass the exam for not backing down from the "tenth question," which is actually just a test of courage.
Best: Marrying Hinata
At the beginning of his ninja journey, Naruto doesn't have a lot of people who believe in him, and most of his peers see him as a failure. He has to work hard to earn their respect one by one, but there's one person who has had faith in him from the start — Hinata. Although Naruto might have been initially oblivious to it, Hinata would always silently cheer and support him from the sidelines. At the same time, Naruto's determination is what inspires her to do her best and never give up.
After years of admiring him from afar, Hinata finally confesses her love to Naruto during the all-important battle against Pain. The heartfelt moment is quickly broken up by Pain, but it ultimately leads to a happy marriage at the end of the series. In the very last episode, Naruto and Hinata have their wedding while being surrounded by the people they love most. For someone who was forced to grow up without any loved ones, this day truly means the world to Naruto.
Worst: Passing gas in front of a huge crowd
During the Chunin Exams, Naruto is eager to show how much he's grown since his academy days. His first big opportunity comes in his preliminary match against Kiba. With his dog Akamaru at his side, Kiba has the upper hand for much of the match and starts to wear Naruto down. This forces Naruto to come up with some new strategies to throw his foe off. He starts by fooling Kiba twice with the Transformation Jutsu, which works out in his favor and definitely impresses the audience. But, unfortunately for Naruto, his next strategy doesn't go as planned.
As he prepares his new secret technique, Kiba charges behind him with his claws out. Just before Kiba can strike, Naruto accidentally passes gas right in front of his face. This is exceptionally bad for Kiba, whose sense of smell is "tens of thousands times more powerful than normal," according to his teacher Kurenai. With Kiba distracted by the potent stench, Naruto is finally able to use his new barrage technique and secure the victory. It's great that Naruto gets to move onto the finals of the Chunin Exams, but he couldn't have done it without embarrassing himself in front of everyone.
Best: Befriending the Nine-Tailed Fox
In the beginning, it's unclear why Naruto and the other Jinchuriki have dangerous Tailed Beasts sealed inside of them. It initially comes across as a huge personal boost in power at the risk of not being able to control it. However, the Tailed Beasts actually play a much larger role in the ninja world as a whole. Without their consent, the beasts were sealed and trapped inside designated hosts as a way for the shinobi villages to weaponize their power. This obviously didn't sit well with the Tailed Beasts, and many of them held grudges against the humans who held them captive.
But, as seen with Killer Bee and the Eight-Tails, it's also possible for a Jinchuriki to win over the heart of their Tailed Beast. This encourages Naruto to do the same with Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox. Even though it takes a while, Naruto finally earns Kurama's trust and befriends him in the midst of the Fourth Great Ninja War. With their new friendship, Kurama lends Naruto the power he needs to beat the bad guys and win the war.
Worst: Blaming Tsunade for Jiraiya's death
As the Akatsuki continue their mission to capture the Tailed Beasts, Jiraiya gets a tip on where their leader might be hiding and wants to scout out the Hidden Rain Village. When Tsunade hears about Jiraiya's intent to go there alone, she warns him that it's too dangerous of a mission to take on by himself. She even offers to help him, but he already has his mind made up. Tsunade is put into a tough position where she has no choice but to respect Jiraiya's decision and trust that he'll make it back alive.
Jiraiya is able to collect a lot of important information, but things take a turn when he finds himself in a battle against the Six Paths of Pain. Overwhelmed and outnumbered, Jiraiya has Fukasaku relay a message back to the Leaf Village before he dies from his wounds. The news of his death is tough for everyone to process, but Naruto chooses to direct his anger toward Tsunade. In that moment, he blames her for letting Jiraiya go on the mission alone, failing to consider the grief she's also going through. Although it's understandable that Naruto would be mad about his beloved mentor's death, there's no need for him to add to the regret and guilt that Tsunade's already feeling.
Best: Getting his friend back
Naruto and Sasuke have always had an intense rivalry, but they still developed a special bond over the years. This bond is severed when Sasuke decides to abandon the Leaf Village and join Orochimaru in search of more power. They have an epic battle at the Valley of the End, but Naruto fails to stop his friend from leaving. Since that day, Naruto has been dead set on finding Sasuke and bringing him home.
He finally achieves this goal at the end of the series. Sasuke reunites and sides with Naruto during the Fourth Great Shinobi War to protect the ninja world from Madara, Obito, and Kaguya. It's nice to see them working together again, but the duo is broken up once more when they go head-to-head for one last fight as soon as the war ends. At the end of it, the two are both left unable to battle, and they officially rekindle their friendship. It's one of the standout moments from the whole series, and definitely one of Naruto's best.
Worst: Losing an arm with Sasuke
As heartwarming as it is to watch Naruto and Sasuke become friends again, it's impossible to not address the elephant in the room. In the heat of that final battle against one another, they both lose an arm. More specifically, they blow each other's arms off with their strongest attacks, because neither one of them is willing to back down from the collision. This could have been avoided if Naruto and Sasuke didn't always resort to fighting. They could have worked things out by having a much-needed conversation, but it's understandably more exciting to watch a brutal battle than a civil discussion. However, they're forced to deal with the consequences of their mindless actions.
It isn't as big of a deal for Naruto himself, who eventually gets a prosthetic arm with Tsunade's help. However, Sasuke refuses to replace his real arm and continues life as a shinobi with just his non-dominant arm. While it doesn't seem to hinder either of them in combat, it would've been nice for Naruto and Sasuke to at least consider the possible consequences before blasting their arms to bits.
Best: Winning the war
The "Naruto" series reaches its climax with the Fourth Great Ninja War, an all-out battle between the Allied Shinobi Forces and the Akatsuki. Throughout the war, Naruto and his allies face several different threats, including the White Zetsu Army, Obito, Madara, and Kaguya.
Everyone in the Allied Shinobi Forces does their part in fending off the White Zetsu Army, but Naruto plays a much more crucial role in taking care of the biggest threats. For example, he defeats Obito, the powerful Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, and convinces him to turn on Madara, the supposed mastermind behind the whole war. Naruto then leads the effort to stop Madara until Kaguya emerges as the actual final villain of the series. From there, Naruto works with Sasuke and Sakura to seal Kaguya away and end the war once and for all.
His role in ending the war and saving the world no doubt contributed to the decision to name him the Seventh Hokage, a proud moment for Naruto and for all the fans who followed his journey over the years.