It's hard to mention some of the greatest shonen anime series of all time without mentioning Naruto — a series that has paved its way into the hearts of millions of fans all over the globe. The series is well-known for its memorable cast of characters, awe-inspiring battles, a well-realized world with a ton of intricacies, and what is considered by many to be one of the greatest tales even woven in a shonen manga.
However, the existence of the last arc in Naruto is what prevents most people from completely appreciating this series. By all accounts, the Fourth Great Shinobi World War arc is one of the weakest Naruto arcs of all time... and yet, it still somehow manages to deliver some of the most memorable moments in the entire show. To put this statement into context, here are five reasons why the Fourth Great Shinobi World War arc was actually not all that bad, coupled with five reasons why it's the worst arc in Naruto.
10 GOOD: There Were So Many Epic Battles
Easily one of the highlights of this arc was the sheer number of epic battles that happened during its run. Ask any Naruto fan about the best fights in this arc, and the number of answers you'll get will be incredibly varied.
Madara vs. Hashirama, Sasuke and Itachi vs. Kabuto, Kakashi vs. Obito, and Might Guy vs. Madara are just a few of the many highlights. Of course, there's a rather big fight that's missing here... but don't worry. No one can possibly miss that.
9 BAD: The Side Characters Became Meaningless Over Time
While the side characters in Naruto did get some exposure during this arc, the sheer number of power-ups each main character experienced over the course of the arc made the majority of the side characters virtually useless.
The mere fact that almost the entire shinobi army was completely incapacitated by the Infinite Tsukuyomi speaks volumes when it comes to the importance of the side characters during this arc.
8 GOOD: The Return Of Familiar Faces
While it's true that a ton of side characters never really got the time to shine during this arc, one can't deny that watching old faces come back again for this battle was an absolute treat to watch.
Watching people like Zabuza, Asuma, Deidara, and Itachi — to name a few — interact with the modern ninja was a treat to watch in every sense of the word. Edo Tensei might not be an ethical technique, but it sure gave the fans some amazing moments.
7 BAD: Obito Being The Main Antagonist Wasn't That Great
For the most part, Obito being the antagonist of the series could've worked... had his motivations been strong. As it stands, Obito's reason to put the entire world into a state of permanent genjutsu stemmed from a broken heart, which is so weak.
His ideologies were so flawed that a simple talk from Naruto was all that was required to make Obito realize the error of his ways and step down... but it was too late since another person's plans had already been set into motion by then.
6 GOOD: The Return Of Madara Uchiha
Madara Uchiha is one of the most infamous names in the world of Naruto, so it would only make sense that he would ultimately become the main antagonist of the Fourth Great Shinobi World War arc.
Or, at least, that's what one would've hoped. Instead, in a rather poetic turn of events, Madara also got backstabbed by his own servant in order to usher in the revival of a powerful ninja.
5 BAD: Kaguya Ōtsutsuki Came Out Of Nowhere
While it's understandable that Kaguya might be the first person in the history of the shinobi world to wield chakra, this in no way qualifies her to appear out of nowhere and become the last threat that the ninja world needs to fight.
After all, Kaguya's introduction was a fair ways into the arc, making her feel like even more of an afterthought. To think that such a person ended up taking the antagonist spotlight seems like complete hogwash, even though it might've led to a cool moment.
4 GOOD: Watching Team 7 Reunite Was An Absolute Blast
One of the highlights of this arc definitely has to be the much-awaited teaming up of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. It was a nostalgic moment that brought us back to the earlier days of Naruto when things were way more simple.
While Sakura's inclusion into the trio might've been somewhat half-baked, one can't deny that watching the trio take down Kaguya once and for all was a treat to watch in every sense of the word.
3 BAD: Some Of The Powerups Made Absolutely No Sense
Sakura's inclusion in this trio was explained through her Strength Of A Hundred Seal, which — to be painfully honest — seemed like a rather empty explanation. However, that's not the only time a stupid powerup was featured in this arc.
Highlights include Kakashi's Susanoo (which was completely ridiculous), the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki powerup, and — perhaps the worst of them all — Naruto and Sasuke inheriting the powers of Indra and Ashura through the Sage of the Six Paths.
2 GOOD: Ended With The Climatic Showdown Between Naruto And Sasuke
The entire series was building up the rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke from the very first episode. The showdown we got at the end of the first half of Naruto was just a taste of the things to come, with Shippuden coming full circle and delivering another amazing showdown between both these fighters.
The end result was nothing short of amazing, with both ninjas giving it their all in what is easily one of the greatest fights in anime history by a country mile.
1 BAD: Neji's Death Felt Completely Forced
One of the most memorable moments in the Fourth Great Shinobi World War arc was also its dumbest, with Neji making the ultimate sacrifice in a bid to protect both Naruto and Hinata.
This sacrifice can only be appreciated at face value — upon closer inspection, it's baffling as to why Neji didn't use his Air Palm or Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven technique to repel the spike coming their way, as opposed to using his body as a shield.