7 Naruto Characters Whose Potential Was Wrathfully Wasted

The popularity of Naruto can be explained not only with the exciting action, but also with the many well-written characters the series. Still, there are some characters we would have liked to have seen more of. We present you here 7 Naruto characters that disappeared too quickly or were never used properly.

For many of you, the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words “wasted potential in Naruto” is Rock Lee. And rightly so: Unlike most other shinobi, Lee does not have the ability to use ninjutsu or genjutsu, but can only rely on his taijutsu. However, that handicap doesn’t stop the “bushy eyebrow” from training hard to achieve his dreams.

Lee’s potential especially flashed during the Chunin competitive exam at his legendary fight against Gaara up when he had his seemingly invincible opponent on the brink of defeat – all thanks to his training and willpower. In Naruto Shippuden, however, Lee was hardly ever used and only played a minor role in the plot.

2. Naruto character whose potential was wasted: Shino Aburame

The good Shino takes a similar line to Lee’s. The mysterious sunglass wearer also caused a stir during the Chunin selection test when he was the only member of Team 8 to advance to the next round and later held Kankuro to a draw.

Shino’s ability control insects, made him both creepy and intriguing. He showed early on that he is probably the strongest member of his team and promised some depth with his mysterious nature. Unfortunately we didn’t see any of that.

3. Naruto character whose potential was wasted: Gaara

As a dark reflection of Naruto and one of the main antagonists, Gaara was introduced during the Chunin competitive exam. He, who also carries a demon, should show what could have become of Naruto.

After his fight against Naruto, he sees the light in life and goes through a strong development. Gaara is eventually made Kazekage, the head of his village. The first arc in Shippuuden was also about his rescue. Still, more could have been gotten out of Gaara.

Unfortunately, we have never really been able to observe how his own transformation took place. Also, we weren’t allowed to see how his village changed its own attitude towards Gaara. This would certainly have been interesting for the fans and would have added more depth to the fifth Kazekage.

4. Naruto character whose potential was wasted: Sakura Haruno

Sakura is a much more interesting character than is often suggested on internet forums, but it cannot be denied that more could have been possible with her. As the third member of Team 7, Sakura stands in the shadow of the two main characters, Naruto and Sasuke.

Sakura is the Fifth Hokage’s student, and actually a very strong fighter, which unfortunately is seen far too seldom. Her concern about not being able to do anything compared to Naruto or Sasuke should have been told much more presently in order to better shed light on her complex inner life. Unfortunately, as a character, she looks a bit pale.

5. Naruto character whose potential was wasted: Tobirama Senju

The Second Hokage is the chief of Konoha that we know the least about. We get to know Tobirama as a grumpy and sometimes even cold-hearted person who is notorious for his distrust of the Uchiha clan.

It would be interesting to see how Tobirama personally dealt with the Consequences of the war against the Uchiha, his personal losses and the responsibility after Hashirama’s death. However, we learn very little about his tenure as Hokage.

Why was Tobirama so distant? Was he really that cold-hearted? How was he viewed by those close to him? And how strong was he compared to his brother or Madara if he did become the second Hokage after all? There are so many questions we ask ourselves about Tobirama that we will probably never get answered.

6. Naruto character whose potential was wasted: Anko Mitarashi

Anko is another character that promised so much but ended up seeing disappointingly little of. As a student of Orochimaru, one of the main antagonists in the story, she offered many opportunities.

From her perspective we would have even more about Orochimaru and maybe from his good points as a master can experience. It would also be exciting to see how he formed his pupil and what conflicts this may have led to.

With Anko, mangaka Masashi Kishimoto could have written a complex and torn character that would have opened up many new perspectives. A missed opportunity!

7. Naruto character whose potential was wasted: Madara Uchiha

Okay, calm down: Madara is one of the best constructed antagonists in anime history. Considering how early on he was teased and how he ended up being actively introduced into the storyline, you’d think Kishimoto would have done the right thing with Madara, right? Well, almost!

Madara has a problem: He should have been the boss! His motivation, his character, his power – everything was practically perfect, but then he suddenly became irrelevant.

We don’t want to reveal exactly what happens here, but it’s clear to us that Madara would have been an all-round successful antagonist and a great character overall if Kishimoto hadn’t robbed him of his relevance and gravitas in the end. A real shame!

What Naruto characters can you think of whose potential was wasted?