Shippuden had some cool moments but pre-time skip Naruto had potential to be goat. I liked the show when it was more focused on the shinobi elements (hierarchy, exams etc) and when the jutsus were smaller in scale. It led to smarter fights.
Zabuza trapping nikkas in water bubbles so they suffocate to death felt like some real
Haku being able to perform one handed seals was mind blowing back then
Itachi dusting kurenai, Asuma and Kakashi mostly with speed and bunshin feints had a nikka going
Rock Lee dropping the weights against Gasra is a top 5 anime moment.
sharingan allowing you to predict movements albeit depending on your physical capacities was powerful shyt, but not ridiculous like summoning a giant death god from your eyes
byakugan could still keep up and shyt
naruto was so much better before the DBZ like power creep. shyt just went stupid. Kishimoto turned Itachi into some contrived hero. Naruto ended up being a Jesus Christ like figure instead of an under dog
all that shippuden shyt
sorry brehs. had to vent