Sasuke for the win. And don't show a page where Lee needed the kyuubi cloak to eveen get that close to Madara. Lee is a terrible character just like Naruto because they regurgitate the same bullshit ideals. At least with Naruto he CAN achieve it. Lee will never be a ninja because you need to know ninjutsu to even be considered a ninja. Let's all be serious: Who can Lee really beat outside of Konoha that is Kage level. Whenever we see Lee it's him getting smacked around by someone.
Lee needed the kyuubi cloak? So? Sasuke needed sharingan, Naruto needed kyuubi, what would make Lee any different? The cloak was Naruto's power and he was more than willing to give it to Lee and the others; and if he can use it, it is his power; it is a mere tool for defence and offense; just like any other tool. And some other who is not skilled in speed, taijutsu and stregth as much as him would not be able to the same thing.
Same bulls**t ideals? It is their ideals ; Naruto wants to prove his worth, be strong and protect his loved ones Lee is also that way; but he also wants to prove that one can be a great ninja without the useage of ninjutsu and genjutsu; neither of them are bulls**t ideals. You know what defines a bulls**t ideal? Leaving everything that can give a future to you behind for the sake of a revenge that would bring you nowhere and making an aım to kill innocent individuals who had nothing to do with problems that had been caused. I âm not bashing here; that's my mere opinion.
Do you really think Lee is not seem strong because he can't use ninjutsu? Look at his age group; Other than Sasuke, Naruto and Gaara, who can beat a kage level shinobi? It is not just because he can not use ninjutsu or genjutsu, for example Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Sakura, Kankuro can use them; are they beating anyone close to kage level? No but Lee is stronger than all of them; he is stronger than most of his peers the fact that he can not use ninjutsu is not making him weak, he is a side character who had been tossed aside by Kishi, There is nothing wrong with a 17 year old ninja who can not beat a kage.
Getting smacked? He is always giving hella fight to his opponents who are really strong in their time, Gaara was a jin who has skills far beyond genin level, Kimimaro was someone who is the strongest of a clan, amazingly talented and had a dangerous blood line limit. Sasuke was the top genin of his class but yeah; Lee litterally stomped on him; or "smacked him around" as one will prefer to say.
And Lee is achieving his goals; being a shinobi is more than being a powerful being; the fact that he could still stand up to fight, is one of the things what makes him a great one; since everything is not just about shooting bombs or activating monterous powers.
OT: He is my fave; but he can not be the greatest in everyone's point of view; but if Naruto was not overloaded with all that prophecy, 4th's son, Uzumaki and know reminding of so6p(who is basically a God) things, and the characters like Lee and their improvement seen more that could be better. But in terms of being inspiring as a loser; Lee is the best.