Goku Vs. Naruto — Who Wins? (2024)

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Son Goku and Naruto Uzumaki are two of the most well-known characters in all of anime and manga. The two heroes have long been fan favorites due to their relatable personalities and compelling storylines. Goku is an alien powerhouse who has defended the Earth multiple times, while Naruto grows as both a ninja and a person throughout Naruto. Due to the popularity of the two franchises, many have thought "Goku vs. Naruto: who would win?"

Fans have loved seeing Goku and Naruto grow from childhood to adulthood, evolving their abilities as they progressed through their many different adventures. The two have each trained for years to become the best warriors in their respective universes. As both characters have saved the world many times, they are clearly very strong. In a Naruto vs. Goku scenario, however, who would come out on top? The answer can be found only through assessing their respective assets.

Updated on July 05, 2024, by Natasha Elder: Naruto vs. Goku is a question that never quite leaves the minds of anime and manga fans due to the strength of each character. While they would most likely be friends if they actually met, it is fun to consider their respective merits to determine who has the better overall strengths. We have delved deeper into each character's advantages, and have brought to attention more aspects of each character that might influence the outcome of a Goku and Naruto fight.

Naruto has Great Growth While Goku has Brawn

Against Strong Opponents, Goku's Lack of Strategy Limits His Effectiveness

As a young child, Naruto Uzumaki was shown to be a poor student. He was the weakest ninja in his class and failed to learn even the most basic techniques. His inability to produce clone ninja was especially bad, as he even failed the test that would decide if he was able to become a genin. However, after a lot of studying and training, he would eventually be recognized as the greatest ninja in the village. In fact, Naruto even became his village's leader, the Hokage. He often shows his ability to grow during a fight, coming up with a strategy while he fights and adapting to the situation. He has a unique creativity that gives him a considerable advantage in his fights.

• The Academy is the school in Konoha where future generations of shinobi are taught, and current shinobi receive their mission assignments.
• The Turtle School was created by Master Roshi to educate others, such as Goku.

Son Goku has never been the smartest character, and he is well-documented as being a bad student even in adulthood. Though he isn't incredibly intelligent, he is dedicated to his studies of martial arts. When he's pushed to his limits, he usually goes and trains more, so he typically tries to become more powerful instead of coming up with a strategy. While Goku is powerful, he rarely applies brainpower to a situation. As a result, Goku has trouble when facing formidable opponents, such as Naruto.

Naruto's Konoha Allies Give Him an Edge Over Goku's Dragon Team

Naruto's Allies Have More Cohesive Attacks, Whereas Team Dragon is More Individualistic

One of Naruto Uzumaki's greatest assets is his allies. There are a lot of people who have Naruto's back in a fight, each with their own, uniquely beneficial assets. For example, Shimakru Nara is an excellent strategist and Sakura Haruno has the ability to heal Naruto. Furthermore, characters such as Sasuke Uchiha have about the same power as Naruto, further benefitting him in fights. While Naruto is incredibly powerful on his own, his allies only add to his ability. Being able to rely on friends is an important theme in Naruto and his friendship with Sasuke is what redeems the character in the end, proving that his close bonds with his comrades are highly beneficial.

• The original genin teams in Naruto were referred to as the Konoha Eleven and consisted of Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzaka (and Akamaru), Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi, Rock Lee, Tenten and Neji Hyuga.
• Some of the more notable members of Goku's Dragon Team are Son Goku, Master Roshi, Yamcha, Krillin, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Yajirobe, Piccolo, Gohan, Vegeta and Trunks.

Goku also has a lot of allies who have his back. His best friend, Krillin, has trained and fought by his side since they were children. While their relationship started a little rocky, they ultimately built a strong friendship that Goku knows that he can rely on. People like Bulma, Tien, Piccolo, and Vegeta all fight by Goku's side. While they each have their own strengths, they don't seem to add anything to Goku's abilities as a fighter. The group isn't as cohesive and tight-knit as Naruto's friends, which means that Naruto has an advantage when it comes to their respective allies.

Naruto Has a Wide Range of Jutsu and Goku Has Incredible Combat Skills

Goku's Intensive Training Allows Him to Evade Naruto's Attacks

Naruto has a lot of jutsu that he can rely on in a fight. He usually relies on ninjutsu, but he also has incredible taijutsu abilities. From childhood to adulthood, he has greatly improved his skills. As an adult, his abilities could overpower just about anyone who would stand against him, and he is even able to fight against Kaguya, a godlike being. His massive chakra reserves also serve him well in battle, as he can turn all that energy into ninjutsu attacks. The wide variety of his jutsu allows him to attempt a medley of equally strong attacks against his opponents.

• Aside from the Rasengan, Naruto is most associated with the shadow clone jutsu.
• Goku's ki enhances his speed, strength, and durability.

Goku typically relies on hand-to-hand combat in a fight. While he isn't able to rely on jutsu, he does have the power of ki on his side. Goku also possesses the ability to fly, a power that is only seen in Naruto after he combines his tailed-beast form with Sage Mode — and a very difficult feat. In a fight, Goku would utilize ki-based attacks while also relying on his martial arts skills. Goku has been training to fight since he was a child, and his skill as a fighter has come after a lot of intense training. Thus, he would be able to evade and counter many of Naruto's attacks, even if he didn't know what was coming next, especially given his ability to fly.

Naruto Increases His Chakra Through Kurama, While Goku Gains Strength Through His Golden Ape Transformation

However, Both Have Resulted in the User Losing Control

Naruto is a jinchuriki, which means that he hosts a nine-tailed beast called Kurama. Aside from having a lot more chakra than the average Konoha ninja, Naruto is also able to heal more quickly due to Kurama. While they initially have an antagonistic relationship in Naruto, the two eventually reconcile their differences, resulting in Naruto having access to even more abilities. In his nine-tailed chakra mode, for example, Naruto is able to create a Tailed Beast Ball, which is powerful enough to leave a crater in the ground that it is hovering above before even being used. Thus, it is clear that hosting Kurama gives Naruto quite a boost in power.

• Because Naruto's mother, Kushina, was a jinchuriki, he has whisker marks on his face.
• Overcoming the loss of control inherent in the Golden Great Ape form results in access to Super Saiyan 4.

While Naruto has Kurama and the nine-tailed chakra mode, Goku is able to become the Great Golden Ape. Similar to Naruto's initial usage of Kurama's chakra, transforming into the Golden Great Ape form is a double-edged sword. Goku receives an incredible amount of power in exchange for a loss of control. It is possible, however, to control this form, which then allows the user to also use other moves such as ki blast attacks. Despite this being a dangerous mode, it is still no match for Naruto's nine-tailed chakra mode.

Naruto's Sage Mode Makes Him Even Stronger, But Goku Can Go Super Saiyan

Both Modes Considerably Enhance the User's Abilities

Sage Mode is a special state that only a few shinobi are able to achieve given the excessive amounts of chakra required to achieve the state. The only way to achieve Sage Mode is by combining a person's chakra with the natural energy that exists in the world around them. The ability to achieve Sage Mode allows a person to access a lot of new abilities. Naruto has used Sage Mode several times in battle and improves it even further when he allies with Kurama, allowing him to combine his nine-tailed beast chakra mode with Sage Mode.

• Sage Mode can be learned from either the toads at Mount Myoboku or the snakes at Ryuchi Cave.
• Super Saiyan ability also improves the user's senses, as shown through the fact that Goku no longer needs glasses when the mode is active.

Super Saiyan is a genetic ability passed down through the Saiyan race. The Super Saiyan ability also has different levels of power. The ability to access the power is considered rare and is defined by a transformation, noticeably turning the user's hair blond and their eyes blue. After a thousand years of no one achieving the powered-up status, the ability became nothing more than a legend. Despite this, Frieza decided to destroy the Saiyan's home planet, worried that the legend might be real. Frieza's worries were realized when Goku achieved Super Saiyan status during his fight with Frieza, giving him a significant advantage. However, Naruto's combined nine-tailed chakra mode and Sage Mode ultimately gives him greater benefits than Goku's Super Saiyan ability.

Naruto's Rasengan is Highly Destructive, as is the Kamehameha

Both Attacks are Iconic in Their Respective Franchises For a Good Reason

The Rasengan is Naruto's signature attack due to its destructive power. The jutsu was developed by the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and it took him three years to develop. Naruto later trained a lot with Kakashi Hatake and Yamato in Naruto: Shippuden in order to master the Rasengan. However, Naruto was a child when he managed to perform his first successful Rasengan with the use of shadow clones. His mastery of this jutsu has only grown over the years. Naruto even managed to put his own spin on the jutsu by creating the Rasenshuriken, a more powerful version. The Rasengan and Rasenshuriken don't require hand signs, making them an asset in a fight.

• Minato made the Rasengan attack in order to enable his wife, Kushina, to protect herself.
• Kamehameha was the first energy attack shown in the Dragon Ball series.

Goku learned the Kamehameha from its creator, Master Roshi. The Kamehameha is Goku's signature attack and is taught to all of Master Roshi's students, so it is shown in an epic fashion throughout the series. Master Roshi spent decades studying martial arts before he managed to create the Kamehameha. After seeing Master Roshi perform the attack, Goku quickly masters the attack by performing it on his first try. The downside of the Kamehameha is that it does require time to charge the attack. While Naruto needed time to charge the Rasengan when he first learned it, he no longer needs to, which makes it the better of the two attacks.

Naruto and Goku are Both Highly Determined Fighters

Neither Will Back Down Easily

It is no surprise to hear that the protagonists of shōnen anime are both highly determined to win their battles and protect their friends. For example, in Naruto, when Naruto is fighting against Gaara, who has enhanced himself through his own tailed beast called Shukaku, he keeps thinking of new ways to do damage, such as summoning toads and headbutting Gaara. Naruto also frequently puts his life on the line to protect his allies and the village of Konoha, which is a determination that would greatly aid him in a fight against Goku.

• Naruto is not satisfied with "good enough," as shown when he is dissatisfied with the drawbacks of the Rasenshurikan despite it being an achievement that not even the Fourth Hokage could do.
• Goku has died at least eight times in Dragon Ball.

Goku is no pushover, himself. Even while he was dead, Goku was training in order to fight better when he came back to life and had another chance to fight his killer. This kind of determination is unusual and is why Goku is so successful in his fights against characters such as Piccolo and Cell. Since even death itself is not enough to stop Goku from eventually proving that he is the better warrior, he proves that he more than matches Naruto's own resolve.

Naruto's Kunai Sharpen His Attacks, But Goku's Power Pole is Magical

The Versatility of the Power Pole is More Useful Than the Kunai

Despite not being known for his kunai usage, Naruto Uzumaki has proven his proficiency with the sharp tool. Early in the Naruto series, Naruto frees Kakashi from the Water Prison jutsu that Zabuza trapped Kakashi with by throwing a kunai at Zabuza's arm. He has also used kunai in order to remove poison from himself by bleeding it out, proving not only his ability to creatively use the tool but also his battle intelligence. Additionally, as with almost all other shinobi in Konoha, Naruto has been trained to effectively use the weapon, adding a sharp edge to his attacks.

• Shinobi will sometimes attach explosive tags to kunai to increase their destructive capabilities.
• The Power Pole has also been owned by Korin, Master Roshi, and Grandpa Gohan.

Instead of a sharp knife, Goku uses a magical staff called the Power Pole. Goku can change the length of the staff at will and is correspondingly extending and retracting his reach, giving him a distinct advantage in fights. In addition to the shifting length, the staff is also magically reinforced so that it never breaks, which adds another layer of defense to Goku. In fact, it has even broken the swords of other characters, which means it is not illogical to assume that it could do the same to Naruto's kunai. Thus, the Power Pole proves to be the superior weapon due to its versatility.

Naruto's Mentors Are Renowned and Goku's Teachers are Highly Skilled

Master Roshi Created the Kamehameha While Naruto's Teachers Are Some of the Best Shinobi

Initially assigned to Kakashi Hatake's genin team, Naruto Uzumaki learned from a renowned ninja. Throughout both Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, Kakashi imparts his wisdom, consisting of over 1000 jutsu, to Naruto. Along with Yamato, who is a highly successful black-ops ninja in his own right, Naruto is taught one of his most powerful attacks: the Rasengan. Additionally, Naruto spends time under the tutelage of Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin. Altogether, Naruto received a wide range of teachings from a variety of impressive shinobi who have earned their reputations through their remarkable feats.

• Naruto spent three years with Jiraiya, which occurs during the gap between the ending of Naruto and the beginning of Naruto: Shippuden.
• Despite learning his signature move from Master Roshi, Goku was only his student for eight months.

Goku has famously trained under Master Roshi, the creator of the Kamehameha. As the move becomes one of Goku's signature attacks, it is clearly not a move to take lightly. However, Master Roshi is not the only teacher that Goku has learned from. He has also received teachings from Whis, a martial arts tutor, where he learned about Ultra Instinct, Merus, who honed his skill with Ultra Instinct and Karin, who attempts to teach him strategy. He has thus learned from a wide range of perspectives, rounding out his fighting education. Naruto's more streamlined training has benefited him more overall, though, as Goku has learned how to better his skills in pieces.

Altogether, Naruto's Assets Outweigh Goku's

Though the Fight Would be Close

Naruto Uzumaki has shown a better ability to strategize in a fight than Son Goku, as well as have comparable, if not better, fighting skills and other abilities. He has allies that would provide serious back-up in a fight, not only able hold their own, but also actively teaming up to improve their attacks. Naruto can also quickly raise an army in a second or release a series of Rasengan with the only limit being his chakra reserves, which are very large. Once he taps into Sage Mode, Naruto has access to even more abilities that Goku would then have to contend with.

• Despite being a shinobi, Naruto rarely kills in Naruto.
• Goku killed ten opponents in the original Dragon Ball series and thus doesn't have the same moral qualms as Naruto.

Goku has proven himself to be an incredibly great fighter, and he would definitely put up a difficult fight. His experience against strong opponents means that he would be able to anticipate some of Naruto's attacks and respond accordingly, so Naruto would not come out of this fight unscathed. Both characters hate to lose and would probably become fast friends if they were not forced to fight, especially given Naruto's tendency to connect with others. However, if they did have to fight, Naruto has proven himself to be the better overall fighter.

Naruto

Naruto Uzumaki, a mischievous adolescent ninja, struggles as he searches for recognition and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the village's leader and strongest ninja.

Created by

Masashi Kishimoto

First Film

Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash In the Land of Snow

Latest Film

Boruto: Naruto the Movie

First TV Show

Naruto

Latest TV Show

Boruto

First Episode Air Date

September 21, 1999

Cast

Junko Takeuchi , Maile Flanagan , Noriaki Sugiyama , Yuri Lowenthal , Chie Nakamura , Kazuhiko Inoue , Dave Wittenberg

Spin-offs

Boruto

TV Show(s)

Naruto , Naruto: Shippuden

Video Game(s)

Naruto Ninja Council 3 , Naruto: Rise Of A Ninja , Naruto: Path Of The Ninja , Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm , Naruto x Boruto: Ninja Voltage , Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Impact

Manga Release Date

August 6, 2003

Manga Volumes

72

Genre

Shonen , Anime , Manga , Action-Adventure