7 Times Naruto Conveyed Forgiveness Better Than Vinland Saga, Ranked

Vinland Saga famously preaches “I have no enemies,” but its forgiveness is often an isolating, internal struggle. In contrast, Naruto transforms forgiveness into a radical, interconnected force that reshapes entire geopolitical landscapes. While Thorfinn runs away from his past to build a peaceful utopia elsewhere, Naruto Uzumaki stands his ground, breaking generational cycles of hatred by absorbing his enemies’ pain.

This ranking dives into how Naruto subverts typical shonen vengeance, showing that true peace requires looking at your worst enemy and choosing to carry their pain. Here is how Naruto delivers a more profound, world-altering take on absolution, ranking each moment by its philosophical weight.

Title	Naruto: Shippuden	Vinland Saga
Creator	Masashi Kishimoto	Makoto Yukimura
Anime Studio	Pierrot	Wit Studio (S1), MAPPA (S2)
Release Date	February 15, 2007	July 8, 2019
IMDb Rating (as of July 6, 2026)	8.7/10	8.9/10
Streaming	Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu (select regions)	Crunchyroll, Netflix

7 Naruto Forgives Kawaki Despite His Betrayal

Rounding out the list, this moment proves Naruto’s parental mercy is absolute. In Chapter 66 of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Kawaki takes the extreme measure of killing Boruto to stop Momoshiki’s resurrection. Instead of exiling or punishing Kawaki for murdering his biological son, Naruto refuses to condemn Kawaki.

He recognizes Kawaki acted out of a desperate, twisted desire to protect him. Naruto even vows to take the blame for the incident, outclassing Vinland Saga by showing a father willing to absorb village backlash to shield an adopted, broken child from his own guilt.

6 Naruto Made Peace With Minato’s Painful Decision

Holding the sixth spot, this moment addresses the intimate trauma of parental abandonment. In Episode 168, meeting Minato’s spirit inside his subconscious, Naruto initially punches his father for sealing the Nine-Tails inside him, cursing him to a life of brutal isolation. It is also one of the timeless Naruto scenes to date.

Yet, within minutes, Naruto forgives him, accepting the heavy burden passed down by the Fourth Hokage. Vinland Saga heavily focuses on the sins of the father, but Naruto resolves this generational trauma instantly through empathy, turning inherited suffering into a source of immense pride.

5 Gaara Forgives the Sand Village That Created His Hatred

Ranked fifth, Gaara’s arc mirrors Thorfinn’s transformation but carries heavier political weight. After being weaponized, isolated, and targeted by his own father, Rasa, Gaara does not abandon Sunagakure. Instead of fleeing his abusers, he chooses to protect them, eventually becoming Kazekage.

When Rasa is resurrected in Episode 297, Gaara forgives him, weeping upon learning his mother loved him. While Thorfinn must leave Iceland and England behind to find peace, Gaara heals his trauma while actively leading and elevating the very society that broke him.

4 Naruto Turned Kurama From Enemy to Closest Ally

Fourth place goes to the ultimate domestic reconciliation. For centuries, Kurama was a mass of pure malice. And for sixteen years, he was a literal demon of hatred caged inside Naruto, responsible for Minato and Kushina’s deaths, and for ostracizing him from birth. The scene is so heartbreaking that even the Naruto director couldn’t stop crying.

Rather than conquering the beast with raw force – the typical Viking approach to subjugation – Naruto promises to come after Kurama’s hatred itself. In Episode 329, fist-bumping the Nine-Tails and opening the cage, Naruto transitions from jailer to partner.

3 Naruto Understands Pain Instead of Seeking Revenge

Sitting at third, this encounter in Episodes 167–169 redefines anime conflict. Thorfinn’s enlightenment comes after years of empty vengeance, but Naruto achieves it mid-war, standing face-to-face with Nagato, the man who just leveled his village and murdered his mentor and father-figure, Jiraiya. In fact, Jiraiya’s death was important in a way for Naruto’s growth.

Instead of retaliating, Naruto suppresses his rage to listen to Nagato’s story, realizing that true forgiveness requires understanding the root of an enemy’s malice. This empathy moves Nagato to resurrect the fallen, proving mercy can undo the consequences of violence.

2 Naruto Sees the Good Left in Obito Uchiha

Ranking second, this moment outshines Vinland Saga by offering redemption to a man who triggered a world war. While Thorfinn struggles to forgive those who killed his family, Naruto looks at the person directly responsible for his parents’ deaths and acknowledges his core humanity.

In Episode 472, after Obito sacrifices his life to save him from Kaguya, Black Zetsu mocks Obito’s efforts and calls him worthless. Enraged, Naruto cuts Zetsu’s arm off, declaring that because Obito wanted to become Hokage, he was nothing but awesome in his eyes. By appealing to Obito’s lost identity rather than punishing his crimes, Naruto breaks the Uchiha curse of hatred, turning a global threat into a vital ally who literally dies to save the world.

1 Naruto Forgives Sasuke After Their Final Valley Battle

This takes the top spot because it heals the core ideological rift of the entire franchise. Unlike Thorfinn, who finds peace by physically fleeing his violent past, Naruto stays and bleeds with his rival/abuser. In Episode 478, lying mangled and armless, Naruto refuses to cut ties with Sasuke, choosing instead to share his pain.

This ultimate act of unconditional grace forces Sasuke’s surrender. It ranks first because it proves forgiveness isn’t passive surrender; it is an aggressive, enduring commitment to saving someone from themselves.

Here’s a ranked table:

RankMomentEpisode Number / Manga Chapter

1	Naruto Forgives Sasuke	Naruto: Shippuden Episode 478
2	Naruto Sees the Good in Obito	Naruto: Shippuden Episode 472
3	Naruto Understands Pain (Nagato)	Naruto: Shippuden Episodes 167–169
4	Naruto Befriends Kurama	Naruto: Shippuden Episode 329
5	Gaara Forgives the Sand Village	Naruto: Shippuden Episode 297
6	Naruto Forgives Minato	Naruto: Shippuden Episode 168
7	Naruto Forgives Kawaki	Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Chapters 66–68

Do you agree with us? Share your ranking in the comments!

Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden, and Vinland Saga are all available on Netflix and Crunchyroll.