Highlights
- Naruto and Sasuke have different fighting styles, with Sasuke having an edge over Naruto in some cases.
- Rock Lee, Sakura Haruno, and Deidara are examples of characters that Sasuke could beat but Naruto couldn’t.
- Itachi Uchiha and Danzo Shimura are also characters that would easily defeat Naruto, while Kabuto Yakushi’s abilities make him a formidable opponent.
Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha are two of the biggest names in the anime world. Not only do they have cool designs, but their abilities are surreal. These things set them apart from the other anime characters. Anyone who has watched Naruto knows these two characters have been rivals since childhood.
While Naruto and Sasuke are both powerful, their methods of fighting are different from each other. Due to the distinction between the styles, Naruto has an edge over Sasuke when fighting some opponents, and vice versa. So, here are some individuals that Sasuke could beat but Naruto couldn’t.
This list uses different versions of Naruto and Sasuke for comparison, as Six Paths Naruto can beat almost everyone.
6 Rock Lee
A Taijutsu Expert
Rock Lee is an elite taijutsu user who trained under Might Guy. As he had no talent for ninjutsu or genjutsu, Lee had to dedicate his life to mastering hand-to-hand combat. Rock Lee gave the audience a glimpse of his power in Part I, where he dominated both Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha.
However, Sasuke didn’t take long to learn and copy all of Lee’s movements. So, if they were to fight again, Sasuke would have obliterated Lee. On the other hand, Naruto did not have the Sharingan, so it would have been impossible for him to mimic his moments or keep up with him. So, Sasuke would have been able to beat Lee without external help.
5 Sakura Haruno
Has Excellent Chakra Control
Sakura has always been considered to be the weakest member of Team 7, but this is not entirely true. There have been a few rare occasions where Sakura had the edge over Naruto. Keeping in mind that Naruto was performing horribly in the Academy, it is safe to say that Sakura was stronger at the time.
The only other time Sakura was better than the knucklehead ninja was during the beginning of Naruto Shippuden. Naruto hadn’t made any notable progress in terms of strength, while Sakura had improved by leaps and bounds under Tsunade. At this specific time, she would have beaten Naruto. However, Sasuke would have no problem crushing Sakura or Naruto.
4 Deidara
A Powerful Rogue Ninja
Deidara was the youngest person to join the Akatsuki, so there was a lot of expectation for him to become one of the best ninjas in the world. Deidara had the necessary tools, but he was blindsided by his hatred toward Itachi and the Uchiha Clan. It all started when Itachi humiliated him with his genjutsu, after which Deidara dedicated his time to creating a device to counter the Sharingan.
Deidara got the opportunity to test his strength against Sasuke, and he went all out. He used every trick in the book, including a technique that caused damage to the human body at the cellular level. However, Sasuke had an answer to everything, and it was mainly due to the Sharingan. If the early Shippuden version of Naruto had fought Deidara, the latter would have blown him to smithereens.
3 Itachi Uchiha
Prodigy Of The Uchiha Clan
Itachi Uchiha is among the most famous Naruto characters. He was a prodigy of the Uchiha Clan, and people who knew him were aware that Itachi was destined for greatness. If things had remained normal, Itachi would have become an invaluable asset to the Hidden Leaf, but unfortunately, fate had other plans for him. He massacred every Uchiha except for Sasuke, as he loved him too much. To make sure that Sasuke would grow up strong, Itachi indoctrinated him.
The plan worked, and Sasuke spent every waking hour thinking of sweet revenge. Itachi and Sasuke finally fought in Naruto Shippuden, and needless to say, it was an emotional battle. While there is no denying that Itachi was holding back in the fight, Sasuke still impressed the audience with his moves. If Naruto had fought Itachi, the Uchiha would have annihilated him effortlessly. Naruto wouldn’t have an answer to Itachi’s genjutsu or the Susanoo.
2 Danzo Shimura
Leader Of The Root
Danzo was a despicable man who believed that he knew what was best for the Hidden Leaf. He was so deluded that he killed innocent people, citing it as part of a bigger plan. The reality was that Danzo was an evil person who didn’t care about anyone else but himself. After forcing Itachi to slaughter almost the entire Uchiha Clan, Danzo implanted the Sharingan from the dead bodies into his right arm.
With multiple Sharingan at his disposal, Danzo was able to perform Izanagi, a forbidden technique that resulted in permanent vision loss. Sasuke’s Sharingan helped him see through Danzo’s tricks and injure him. However, Naruto would have no such advantage, so he would have fallen prey to the Izanagi and lost his life.
1 Kabuto Yakushi
A Genius Ninja With Several Kekkei Genkai
Kabuto was a massive admirer of Orochimaru, which is why, after the latter’s death, he continued the research. Kabuto’s obsession led to spectacular results as he was able to improve the Impure World Reincarnation, which was a key reason for the beginning of the Fourth Great Ninja War. Following his visit to the Ryuchi Cave, Kabuto also learned the Sage Mode, which increased his power drastically.
Kabuto’s fight with Sasuke and Itachi was rather surprising, as the two Uchiha were at a disadvantage. The brothers had to hold back because they needed Kabuto to undo the Impure World Reincarnation. While this was not a solo fight, Sasuke and Itachi made a better team than Itachi and Naruto. At this particular point, Naruto’s strength had improved, but he would not have the same impact as Sasuke.