narutopenultimate arc, the Fourth Great Ninja Waris one of the most beloved yet controversial arcs in shōnen, and while it has had some downfalls, the good far outweighs the bad. However, there is one underrated aspect of the plot that made it stand out among other war arcs in shōnen, and it’s not something that fans recognize or recognize right away.
The 4th Great Ninja War was a war between the Allied Forces made up of the Five Hidden Villages and the remnants of Akatsuki, along with Kabuto, the White Zetsu army and the Edo Tenseis. War was declared at the Five Kage Summit and the stage was set for the greatest conflict ever seen by the Shinobi world and with the greatest risks. Containing the best fights, emotional scenes, and overall moments in the series, the Fourth Great Ninja War was a pivotal moment for the series, for better and for worse.
Naruto’s war arc was a good representation of a real war
Various aspects of the war were used
War arcs are quite common in shonen anime, but often the true essence of war and its complexities are not portrayed effectively. This is one reason why Bleachof Thousand Year Blood War arc faces criticism. In contrast, naruto successfully incorporated many aspects of a real war into its narrative. The arc began with ninjas rallying, followed by a morale-boosting motivational speech given by Gaara, which was met with a resounding battle cry. This strong opening laid the foundation for a well-executed, engaging arc.
The Allied Forces were organized into five divisions, each led by a commander, with Gaara in command of the entire army. In addition, there were four support divisions managed by captains. Within each division, teams specialize in a specific nature of chakra. Each division also included seal specialists who played a crucial role in the fight against the resurrected shinobi of Edo Tensei. Additionally, a centralized intelligence team was responsible for communications, while a reconnaissance unit on the ground gathered information and kept Allied Forces informed.
There was a logistics unit, a medical unit, a surprise attack unit, a sensory division, and units that could attack from medium, long, and short range. There was also a protection unit that escorted high-ranking officials such as the Daimyo, led by Mei Terumi, the Tsuchikage. What tied everything together was the headquarters that coordinated the troops and distributed intelligence, with the presence of the leaders of the intelligence and sensory units, Ao and Inoichi. As chief strategist, Shikaku developed tactics based on collected intelligence and quickly adapted to new developments, and his brilliance shocked the Raikage.
There was a lot of thought that went into preparing this arc, and although the build-up to the war and the build-up to the actual fights were very slow, in the end it was worth it. Kishimoto managed to bring together all the pieces that make up a warand it was very well executed.
Secondary characters received the shine they deserved
A large part of the war was dedicated to secondary characters
Most of the war was dedicated exclusively to the Allied Forces and their fights against the Zetsus and Edo Tensei resurrected shinobi from the past. Even unnamed or never-before-seen characters were given a role, which reflects how a real war unfolds. The rebirth of many characters also provided great battles and moments of development, as well as showing the history of the Hidden Villages and their leaders.
The Allied Forces played a significant role in several battle scenes, including the Mist Ninjas countering Madara’s fire style, the sealing of the Seven Mist Swordsmen, and the use of multiple Mud Walls to block the Ten-Tails’ Beast Bomb. . The shinobi also fought battles against the Ten-Tails’ fragments. Notably, characters who were less prominent in the previous parts, such as the Konoha 11, had impressive fights; for example, Choji’s battle against Asuma was an extremely emotional moment. The Konoha 11 also contributed to the fight against Ten Tails Obito, helping to deliver the final blow.
A good war arc should also focus on low-ranking soldiers rather than just the main or most powerful characters, and naruto effectively achieved this. In the first half of the arc, the Allied Forces received significant attention, and even when Naruto and Sasuke joined the battle, they remained integral during the Birth of the Ten-Tails segments. This approach helps viewers feel like they’re witnessing a real war, and the effective use of secondary characters adds to the overall experience.
The strategies were all brilliant
The ninjas’ brilliance was on full display
It wouldn’t be a proper war without good strategies and tactics, and luckily, Naruto’s fights are known for their creativity and intelligence. Shikaku and HQ’s strategies were especially interesting and very realistic, as the arc constantly switched to the headquarters and showed them reacting to new intelligence information and instructing the ninja. Terrain was also a key factor in the war, with shinobi fighting in locations such as the beach, forest, desert, bridge, and more, and each strategy was different as the battlefield was taken into consideration.
The characters’ individual strategies were also excellent and highlighted how intelligent the characters were. Naruto’s fight with the Third Raikage, Sasuke and Itachi’s team against Kabuto, Gaara and Onoki stopping Madara’s meteor, and many other strategies were on full display. The entire battle against Kaguya was a return to the bell test since the beginning of the series, and the way Guy, Kakashi and Naruto worked together to unmask Obito was very creative and full of tactics suitable for high-level battles.
Although fans were not happy with some developments like Kaguya’s appearance narutoThe Fourth Great Ninja War it accomplished a lot more compared to its downfalls, and the way it managed to replicate many aspects of a real war shows the amount of thought and effort that went into it. From the fights, tactics, coordination, involvement of secondary characters and villains, the war arc was a great way to conclude one of the greatest series to grace the world of manga and anime.