As the Naruto anime continued, it's safe to say the franchise was anchored heavily on the titular character and Sasuke. There was also a slew of important villains brought into play. They included the Akatsuki, as well as the Uchiha tyrants: Madara and Obito.
They all streamlined the story for the NarutoShippuden series. This built towards the climactic battle with Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, the Rabbit Princess. Unfortunately, this direction left many characters behind. They needed a lot more screen time, so that they could have felt properly developed.
10 Rin Felt Like a Harsh Fridging
Rin Was Only There To Advance Kakashi & Obito's Rivalry
As the Shippuden era revealed more of the ninja world's politics, Nohara Rin was seen in flashbacks where she had the Three Tails Beast forcibly put into her by Kirigakure agents. She was meant to go back to Konoha, implode, unleash the monster, and destroy the region. However, she impaled herself on Kakashi's Chidori — an act that Obito saw and turned evil with. This required more pillars to properly resonate.
Firstly, Rin needed more time to forge a more nuanced love triangle. Obito loved her, but there wasn't much chemistry between her and Kakashi. As such, fans didn't connect to his pain and whether he lost a friend, sister or someone more. Rin didn't even spend as much time with her mentor, Minato (Naruto's father). This continued the franchise's bad habit of underplaying female characters.
9 Kurenai Never Became a Full-Fledged Hero
Kurenai's Treatment Felt A Tad Misogynistic
Kurenai was said to be one of the Hidden Leaf's best fighters. However, her only true battle came in a one-sided loss to Itachi and Kisame. Even her famous genjutsu abilities fell short of the mark. To make things worse, she was quickly shunted off to sire Asuma's child after he died. Kurenai was relegated to the role of housewife, thereafter. It was heartbreaking to see her give up her dream of guarding the Hidden Leaf.
This could have been offset had there been more exploration of the romance between her and Asuma. Having it off-screen left their bond feeling thin. In addition, Kurenai's big decision needed a bigger spotlight to show the effect on her daughter, Mirai. Their dynamic at home would have felt more substantial and addressed why Mirai wants to be a Hokage someday. Instead, not addressing Kurenai as a person molds her into nothing more than a prop to make Asuma's story more tragic.
8 Rock Lee Never Lived Up to Potential
Rock Lee Remains An Untapped Mystery
Rock Lee was the taijutsu expert raised by Might Guy. He was basically a Guy clone, although he was used sparingly in the story. Given how much Naruto liked Rock Lee, fans needed more of him outside the exam brawl with Gaara and how he channeled his chakra gates. There was so much wasted potential, given Rock Lee's powerful arc as an underdog who can't harness the mystical side of being a shinobi.
More episodes could have given him a sense of individuality while tapping into his unwavering resilience and unfettered perseverance. This would have fit well into the Boruto era where fans know he fathered Metal Lee — a teenager with the same grit and determination. However, no one knows who the mother is. Had Rock Lee not just been an ancillary character, this future mystery would have more foundation and been a lot more engaging.
7 Tenten Was Underused & Undercooked
Tenten Lacked Charisma & Identity
Tenten was in the same boat as Rock Lee. It's ironic because they were all on Team Guy. Not even the Naruto fillers established Tenten as a key force to be reckoned with. She was kept for cameos, to ridicule her teacher and Rock Lee, and to mourn Neji when he died. The latter should have been fleshed out better, as it was hinted there was a crush present.
Having Tenten coping yet looking towards a better shinobi world could even have hinted at what many theorize: she is Rock Lee's mother in the Boruto narrative. Tenten, as a mourning solo warrior, or deciding to move on with Rock Lee, both feel like intriguing angles that fell by the wayside for a character who needed impetus and urgency.
6 Shisui Was Used As a Heartbreaking Plot Tool
Fans Wanted More Of Shishui's Personal & Professional Lives
In the Shippuden era, Uchiha Shisui was only seen fighting Danzo and fleeing. He ended up taking his life after revealing to Itachi the truth about the planned Uchiha coup. This was done just to have Itachi awaken his Mangekyō Sharingan and then cull his own clan. More needed to be seen, though, with Shisui and Itachi's brotherhood and code. This would explain fully why Shisui would betray his clan, and what made him and the Third Hokage so close.
The Uchiha arc is rife with family, after all. Yet Shisui didn't have that personal touch with his own kin the way Itachi did to Sasuke and his parents. This would have added torment and emotion to Shisui's story, while informing why Itachi considered him the most stoic, skilled shinobi he knew. By negating Shisui's past, it was tough to latch on to his theme of sacrifice.
5 Kiba Was Another Futile Jester
The 'Dog Master' Needed More Time to Shine With Akamaru
Kiba is a major part of the dog-controlling clan: the Inuzuka tribe. However, as much as they're supposed to be revered as this unique link between man and mongrel, the Naruto era under-utilized them. Seeing as Kiba doesn't use summoning jutsus to control their hounds the way Kakashi does, he needed more time in the limelight. Sadly, Kiba is just kept for comedic relief.
This wastes the opportunity to showcase him as an elite warrior, rather than a jester and supporting staff to Naruto. This would have made Kiba and Akamaru's appearances in the Fourth Great Ninja War all the more impactful. Luckily, the Boruto era would share more into Kiba's bloodline and their rivalry with the cat clans and such. But it does feel like this backstory needed to be told in the Naruto days where Kiba mattered more to the plot.
4 Iruka Sensei Was Wasted As a Father-Figure
Iruka Had Tons of Potential
Jiraiya, Kakashi and Hiruzen Sarutobi got the most credit for being a father-figure to Naruto. Iruka Sensei did most of the teaching and caring for Naruto, in and out of school, however. The anime needed more of their adventures and bonding moments together to galvanize this. Iruka didn't have that many fights in the field, so this would have advanced his character a lot. Plus, it would have informed why his personality rubbed off on Naruto.
Instead, by downplaying the teacher, Iruka — to this day — feels like a footnote in Naruto's life. Given Iruka was given pivotal roles in walking Naruto down the aisle, it felt like the franchise needed to pad his story a lot more. This would have explained why Hiruzen backed him to watch over Naruto, and why Kakashi saw him as the right guy to finesse Naruto's emotions.
3 The Legend of Ōtsutsuki Hamura Felt Short-Sold
Hamura's Brother Got More Appreciation & Reverence
Hamura is the twin brother of Hagoromo (the Sage of the Six Paths). Flashbacks had them sealing away their evil mother, Kaguya. But the franchise would spend more time focusing on Hagoromo as the father of ninshū. He became a legend who sired Indra and Ashura — the souls that would reincarnate as Sasuke and Naruto.
It wasn't until The Last: Naruto the Movie (the prequel to the Boruto era) that fans learned Hamura spent time on the moon, cultivated a Byakugan clan, and kept watch over the Ten Tails Husk. Extra episodes showing this dutiful arc, Hamura finding love, how his clan reacted to the Ten Tails being stolen, and the Kaguya war, would have added depth to the reclusive twin. Instead, TheLast quickly and cheaply indicated he grew old, died and had his clan misappropriated by Toneri. Hamura deserved better, as he was Hagoromo's equal and a true hero.
2 Neji's Development Came Too Little, Too Late
The Hyūga Warrior Was Rushed Off Into Death
Neji died saving his friends in the Kaguya War. Sadly, the franchise squandered his history. There was untapped nuance behind him feeling like he was from a lower caste in the Hyūga clan. The franchise briefly touched on it with his rivalry with Hinata, but it wasn't until the Boruto Time Slip arc that fans saw his true feelings. It sucks that the future narrative had a better, more relatable Neji.
While the Naruto era addressed Neji's angst and helped redeem his bitter side, more episodes would have mapped him out as a friend Naruto wanted, and the brother Hinata needed. Instead, Neji's U-turn felt too rushed and compressed. It was rushed, just to force a grief arc when he perished in the field. Having him as the bridge, encouraging Naruto and Hinata to explore their underlying feelings, would have been such a perfect arc. It would also have explained why Hinata misses him and why Boruto deems him to be the legendary, soulful uncle he never met.
1 Konohamaru Was Nothing More Than Cheap Punch Lines
The Sarutobi Progeny Needed More Gravity
Konohamaru was Hiruzen's grandson and an aspiring Hokage. He kept following Naruto around, challenging the teenager to tacky duels. Other than that, he had one big moment where he dropped a Rasengan on a Pain robot. However, he wasn't done justice around that lone brawl. The Naruto anime should have explained Konohamaru's motivations more than just being a fanboy.
Seeing him and his family grieving after Orochimaru killed Hiruzen would have helped frame his passion for change and protecting the village. They also lost his uncle, Asuma, to the Akatsuki. All of this gave him a journey of loss and tragedy like Naruto, except his moments of gravity were ignored. This approach would have laid the foundation to Konohamaru learning, growing and maturing to the point he became Naruto's Hokage assistant.
