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Despite its epic showdowns and iconic characters,Narutoisn’t exempt from criticism. Especially when it has to do with nerfing characters. The series had its fair share of iconic and badass characters.
From Might Guy to Neji Hyuga, the characters had their signature jutsu. Kishimoto, however, left no stone unturned in ruining this character. Especially with his underutilization of the character.
Of all the jutsu in the series, Senjutsu is one of the prime abilities. Especially due to the power-up being associated with sage-level prowess. What the mangaka did to the character was absolute injustice.
This is evident with his not giving the character this level of power-up. However, this isn’t the first time Kishimoto played favorites with a character. The mangaka has a long history of underutilizing his characters’ potential.
ThisNarutocharacter was stripped of a sage-mode level powerup
Narutohas had its fair share of iconic and badass characters. Be it Might Guy or Madara, most characters redefined strength in their way. Especially through their perseverance and determination. The series is a reminder of persistence and courage in all forms.
Another impeccable aspect of the anime is the characters’ power-ups. Among all the jutsu in the series, Senjutsu is considered formidable. This is especially true with its reliance on natural chakra instead of physical chakra. And there’s more to it.
Senjutsu orSage Modeis one of the hardest jutsu to master. And only a handful of shinobis are capable of doing so. What adds to the formidability of this jutsu is its rarity. It is only introduced in the Shippuden series and is known by a bunch of individuals.
While Kishimoto gave characters their much-needed transformations, he had his bias. Especially with his side characters. Some of the pivotal characters from part one series were grossly nerfed. What’s worse is that the mangaka completely sidelined this important character as well.
Masashi Kishimoto Let Go of His Inability to Make Sakura a Proper Character in Naruto with Only One Element
ARedditthread pointed to Kishimoto’s wasted potential of Kiba Inuzuka’s character. Many users agree on the fact that he deserved his own Senjutsu-level power-up.
Kiba was undoubtedly one of the pivotal characters in both part one and part two. And like most characters, his abilities were left uncharted and underutilized. This further points toward Kishimoto’s bias towards his favorite characters.
Masashi Kishimoto and the chaotic history of underutilization
Masashi Kishimotois praised thoroughly for his impeccable art style. His brilliance lies in his ability to bring out empathy within readers and viewers. This is evident in his portrayal of the complexities of pain, loss, and loneliness.
That, however, doesn’t exempt him from blatant criticism. Especially when it has to do with his underutilization and sidelining of side characters. From Kiba to Tenten, the mangaka wasted his characters’ potential.
For the most part, the mangaka is inept at writing female characters. Be it Sakura or Ino, his misrepresentation of kunoichis has been a debate for decades. To top it off, he has since then, underutilized his characters. This is mostly evident with theside characters.
Kishimoto’s manga is a treasure trove of potential. Especially when it comes to the side characters. By not exploring their abilities further, he did a major disservice to the characters. And there’s more to it.
Hiro Mashima’s Fairy Tail Might be Too Underrated for Surpassing Masashi Kishimoto in One Trait Naruto Never Nailed
Whether or not Kiba is fit for Sage Mode is uncertain. What we do know is that he deserved his glory as a character. It is a shame Kishimoto didn’t invest much in his character.
Narutois available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
Himanshi Jeswani
Anime Writer
Articles Published :993
Himanshi Jeswani is an anime writer at Fandomwire, with her work spanning over 900 articles. Her articles cover shojo, shonen, seinen, and all things beyond. Her interests, however, aren’t limited to simply anime. She has a penchant for exploring different genres of manga, be it horror, yanki, music, and food. She brings out her specialization and expertise in the performing arts through her articles. As a writer, she strives to bridge the gap between the viewers and the medium itself. To her, anime is a revolutionary medium that is capable of creating communities and stories after all.
