Board Thread:Versus Debates/@comment-26005711-20160616101359/@comment-28575329-20160618020441

The equality in strength between Naruto and Sasuke is more of a story convention than an objective account. For a Versus battle, removing them from their plot-derived safety nets, I'd say that Naruto wins.

In terms of power and ability, there's no clear distinction, and trying to go "jutsu for jutsu" is a poor means of comparison. In terms of strategy, however, there's a difference: Naruto, a clear in-fighter, vs. Sasuke, a clear out-fighter. Generally, the in-fighter has an edge over the out-fighter.

Naruto has the ability to set an insane pace, and his arsenal is ideally suited for high-volume aggression, which would shut down most of Sasuke's best attacks. Naruto wears him out, beats him down, and takes the W.