Can Naruto Beat Luffy's Gear 5 From One Piece?

A significant portion of pop culture involves ruminations on which fictional character would beat another in a fight. Usually, a case could be made for either side, and until a crossover occurs, it's left to fans' imaginations. In anime circles, one of the greatest debates in this space is, "Can Luffy Gear 5 beat Naruto?"

Naruto, from the series of the same name, has acquired many powers over the years, but for the sake of this argument, we'll look at his Baryon Mode. It's the ultimate fusion between Kurama and Naruto, where his physical appearance changes, becoming engulfed in a red chakra cape with nine tails. It drastically enhances his speed, reflexes, and power but also drains his strength and lifespan as he remains in this mode. 

Meanwhile, "One Piece" sees Luffy develop Gear 5, part of his devil fruit's awakening. Gear 5 targets Luffy's rubber properties, also making him stronger in the process. He can now turn items around him into rubber, which basically turns him into an overpowered cartoon character, able to contort his body into all kinds of shapes, only limited by his imagination. However, it has a weakness similar to Naruto's Baryon Mode, where Gear 5 drains Luffy's lifespan, so he can only use it in short bursts when necessary. Given this information, who would emerge victorious in a fight between the two?

A case could be made for either fighter to win, but when looking at overall abilities, Luffy's Gear 5 would probably have the better odds of coming out on top. Both combatants have a time limit on these powerful forms, so anyone expecting a lengthy epic battle would be disappointed. It would all come down to whoever could land the most damage in the shortest span of time, and considering Luffy can stretch his body into cartoonish proportions, it's possible Naruto wouldn't be able to do much to harm him even in Baryon Mode.

One also has to take into account Luffy's mastery of Haki, particularly future sight. This allows Luffy to see what's about to happen, so he could feasibly see where Naruto's attacks are coming from and plan accordingly. Naruto may not be able to hit Luffy, and if Luffy can stretch the battle out long enough, Naruto may need to get out of Baryon Mode for his own safety. 

To be fair, there may be more to Luffy's Gear 5 than meets the eye. Luffy first showcased the power in the manga chapter 1044. It later came to the anime in Episode 1071, which aired on August 6, 2023. There's a chance more drawbacks to Gear 5 could come to light in the future. In the end, it doesn't really matter who would win in a fight. Luffy and Naruto both value their friends above all else, so it's much easier to envision a scenario where they two are friends rather than enemies.