Naruto Shippuden (Photo : Naruto Shippuden)
The much anticipated slugfest between Might Guy and Madara in his Sixth Path Sage mode lived up to everybody's expectation, treating Naruto fans three thrilling weeks of high-octane, action-packed episodes. It is already by far the best Taijutsu combat out there, but the fight is just so entertaining from start to finish that it has all the potential at topping all the battles featured in the anime series.
Yes, it has a shot at being called the best fight in the Naruto anime series, barring the outcome of the remaining major battles such as Naruto/ Sasuke vs. Madara and Team 7 vs. Princess Kaguya Ōtsutsuki
It doesn't need further exaggeration to describe how compelling the fight was between Taijutsu master Might Guy and the reincarnated Madara in his God-liked form. Even prior to its anime release, this particular saga had already drawn positive reviews from manga critiques and fans alike and it's the reason why there's so much at stake to make the anime version acceptable in the eyes of the viewers.
The moment he released the eight gate limiters (Gate of Death) to unleash the Evening Elephant and his ultimate technique the Night Guy, on top of being called the greatest Taijutsu user ever by Madara, served as the climax of Might Guy's character development. Despite lacking skills in ninjutsu and genjutsu, Might Guy showed that sky is the limit through hardwork and dedication to his craft. He proved this by nearly ending Madara's life with one powerful kick.
Grades:
Other than the annoying fillers, the animators absolutely nailed it. It may be one of the shortest battles compared to duels in previous sagas, but it has all the elements of drama, suspense and bad-ass action to make it worth watching over and over again. For now (waiting for the next big fights), I put the Might Guy vs. Madara confrontation on top of the board, even better than the Pain vs. Naruto and Sasuke vs. Itachi jousts largely because of its hype and the way animators gave justice to the scene. I grade it 9.5 out of 10.
