Rock Lee's fixation on dueling Sasuke sparks a lopsided brawl that exposes the hard limits of the Sharingan against pure taijutsu, until an unexpected referee steps in to halt a dangerous finisher.
Summary
Stung that Lee cares only about challenging Sasuke, Naruto charges in to prove his own worth and is flattened almost at once. The display of skill intrigues Sasuke enough that he takes Lee up on the fight. Once he finds himself unable to track his opponent's movements, Sasuke assumes some ninjutsu or genjutsu must be at work and switches on his Sharingan. The eye proves useless, however, because Lee relies purely on taijutsu, and Sasuke simply lacks the physical conditioning needed to mirror those strikes. As Lee winds up to unleash his Front Lotus, the turtle Ningame abruptly halts the match.
Key Events
The chapter demonstrates a key weakness of the Sharingan: copying a technique means nothing if the body cannot physically execute it. Lee overwhelms both Naruto and Sasuke through raw hand-to-hand ability, and his attempt to finish Sasuke with the Front Lotus is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Ningame.
Notes
Part of the Chūnin Exams arc, this installment builds Rock Lee as a serious taijutsu specialist and humbles Sasuke early in the tournament stretch. The Viz release carries the alternate title A Total Mismatch!!!, underscoring the poor matchup the chapter is named for.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens in "The Worst Compatibility…!!" chapter of Naruto?
In "The Worst Compatibility…!!" (chapter 37), Rock Lee's fixation on fighting Sasuke Uchiha sparks a lopsided brawl after Naruto is quickly defeated trying to prove himself first.
Why is Sasuke's Sharingan useless against Rock Lee?
Sasuke's Sharingan is useless against Rock Lee because Lee relies purely on taijutsu, and copying his movements with the eye means nothing since Sasuke's body lacks the physical conditioning to execute those strikes.
How does the fight between Lee and Sasuke end?
The fight ends when Rock Lee winds up to unleash his Front Lotus finisher on Sasuke, but the turtle Ningame suddenly arrives and halts the match before it lands.
What does this chapter reveal about the Sharingan's weaknesses?
This chapter reveals a key weakness of the Sharingan: it can copy a technique visually, but that knowledge is worthless if the user's body cannot physically perform the move, as shown by Sasuke against Rock Lee's taijutsu.
What arc and Viz title does this chapter have?
"The Worst Compatibility…!!" is chapter 37 of the Naruto manga, part of the Chunin Exams arc collected in volume 5, and Viz Media titles it "A Total Mismatch!!!"
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View on FandomThis content is original writing by Daddy Jim Anime based on the Naruto anime series, manga, and official materials. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
Rights holders
- Created byMasashi Kishimoto
- Published byShueisha
- Animated byStudio Pierrot
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