The battle between Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha at the Valley of the End is one of the most iconic battles ever in the Naruto series. The rich details and dynamic action sequences have captivated fans worldwide. The battle’s intensity and the choreography remain as one benchmark. However, the mangaka wanted the final fight to be more brutal, if Shueisha, the publication house, did not intervene.
This intervention of Shueisha changed the final battle quite a lot. Fans all over the world could have seen a different and more brutal fight between these two. Masashi Kishimoto wanted this battle to be as iconic as possible, he did not even want Naruto and Sasuke using their ninjutsu in the last battle.
Kishimoto’s version of the final fight was more dark and intense
The original version of this fight was more dark, brutal, and intense than what fans ultimately got to witness. An interview held by Fuji TV in 2014 (via naruto.fandom) revealed that Masashi Kishimoto had to change the direction of this battle as the publication did not approve his version of the final fight between Naruto and Sasuke.
Kishimoto wanted this battle to be a fistfight between both of them. This reflects how different it would be if Shueisha allowed him to stick to his original plan.
The version that Kishimoto had in his mind was more graphically intense. The mangaka wanted Naruto and Sasuke to be more vulnerable and prone to more injuries, resulting in a more impactful fight. The rivalry between these two could be shown with more raw emotional parts from both of them. The physical toll on their body would be filled with more blood and wounds, highlighting the intensity of their battle but this did not suit the taste of the publication.
How editorial decisions shaped Naruto and Sasuke’s final fight
Shueisha intervened in the original plan of Masashi Kishimoto, probably because they thought it would be hard to swallow for the core demographic of Naruto. As Kishimoto already admitted that he wanted the battle to be more brutal and dark, it did not get the approval of the publication. They wanted the final battle not to be that violent.
Kishimoto’s version would be more intense, as he wanted them to be engaged in a boy’s fistfight. This shows how Kishimoto wanted this fight between Naruto and Sasuke to be personal. His passion for the battle to be a more intense one shows his style as a mangaka.
The intervention from Shueisha proves one thing for sure and that is Masashi Kishimoto wanted the battle at the Valley of the End to reflect the great rivalry of Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. In the redesigned version of the battle, it can be seen that Naruto and Sasuke lost their arms which is already quite intense.
What lies in the original version probably will never be disclosed in detail. However, the final battle between Naruto and Sasuke is already iconic and stands as one of the most memorable moments from the series.
Naruto can be streamed on Crunchyroll and read on Viz Media.
