There are a plethora of characters within the the expansive world of the manga and animated series of Naruto. So much so that it’s hard to keep track of all of them. As a result, there are plenty of them that practically get shafted and come across as one-dimensional. So, here are some of the unsung heroes of Naruto who deserved their chance at the spotlight:
- Tenzo/Yamato
Yamato was one of the first people to be introduced after the time skip and well into the second part; Shippuden. Yamato was an old friend of Kakashi’s from his time at the elite ANBU group and introduced with an exceptionally rare ability that few possess. While he did receive a great characterization as an abrupt sensei to Naruto and his team, his role in the series diminished. One of the most prevalent things to come about his that due to the experiment that granted him his abilities, he lost and/or has no memory of his previous life. There had been a theory that he could have been related somehow to Tsunade, a legendary ninja and granddaughter of the Leaf Village’s founder and first leader. While some of it is unlikely, it would have made a great and potentially compelling storyline for him.
2. Sai
Sai was another character who was promptly introduced into the beginning of the second part of the series. Sai was a young man who was trained to be a perfect emotionless ninja. As a result, in his attempts to be sociable, which he gets the information from reading books about it, he comes across as awkward and far too blunt. Sai gets plenty of character development as he learns from the main cast as he learns to become more sociable and relearn the importance of emotions to properly develop connections with them. On the occasional filler, his attempts to be so has resulted in some good slapstick humor. But he doesn’t really get as much characterization due to his primary interaction with the main cast. Sai could have gotten a chance to interact with more characters alongside the woman who would eventually become his wife in the sequel series.
3. Kiba Inuzuka
Kiba Inuzuka is a fairly decent character to say the least. A skilled fighter and something of a wild child, Kiba has plenty going for him from his unique fighting style and enhanced senses to his deep love of his pet and more caring nature; in spite of his brash attitude. Kiba had expressed desire to be the Hokage, the village leader, primarily to make a name for himself. But from the way things have gone within the sequel series, he could have done this in another way. Kiba could have become a skilled version of a ninja veterinarian and dog breeder while still making a name for himself and keeping true to his wild nature.
4. Tenten
Tenten is by no means a bad character. She actually had great characterization in wanting to be a Legendary Ninja like her idol Tsunade, but not excelling in the medical techniques her idol thrived in. She finds her own way by specializing in seals and weapons and being quite skilled in her own right. Tenten even advocates that a female ninja can be as great and skilled as their male counterparts. The main problem is that she rarely gets the time to shine due to her specialization or even a chance to interact with her idol. She’s even a favorite character of the creator, Misashi Kishimoto. She deserved better and more.
5. Iruka Umino
Iruka is one of the first characters to be introduced within the series at large. He encourages the titular protagonist and bonds with him due to their shared hardships. Iruka has an overarching influence due to his bond with Naruto. While he does seem to fade into the background, its not necessary. While he doesn’t have to go on ninja missions, he was introduced as Naruto’s teacher. His role could have expanded to more of a big brother mentor that he cited that he was to his pupil. He could have become a strong supporting character, helping out his former students in their time of need and encouraging them to bring out their potential.
