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Naruto’s world has no shortage of powerful and amazing characters. The world of Shinobi has a wide selection of beings with abilities and skills beyond what most of us can imagine. And we have seen a lot of characters shine throughout the series.
However, with such a large ensemble of characters, there were some who did not get enough screen time to demonstrate their full potential. So, in this list, we'll look at 10 Naruto characters who were never given the opportunity to demonstrate their true potential.
Disclaimer: This list is not in any particular order and is based on the author's own opinion. It contains spoilers from Naruto and Naruto Shippuden.
Minato Namikaze and 9 other Naruto characters who were unable to reach their full potential
1) Shisui Uchiha
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The clan Uchiha is famous for producing some of the most powerful prodigies in the entirety of Konoha. One of those prodigies was Shisui Uchiha, one of the youngest members of the clan to awaken the Mangekyou Sharingan and a master of Genjutsu.
Shisui was never able to demonstrate his strength since Danzo saw him as a potential threat to his goals. He planned an ambush and stole one of his eyeballs, taking the Sharingan with it.
Shisui decided to give his second eye to Itachi, his best friend, and die by suicide to prevent Danzo from obtaining his second eye. If he was still alive during the series, he could have been one of the most powerful Shinobi in Konoha.
2) Orochimaru
Orochimaru was a member of the Legendary Sannin, ninjas so powerful they were able to take on Hanzo, who was considered invincible. But Orochimaru still thirsted for power, and he decided to betray his friends and his village to obtain it.
He is probably the strongest of the three Sannin. Unfortunately, we were never able to see him demonstrate this power. He was always looking for a perfect vessel for his soul, as most of them would not last long, so his power was never at its peak during the series.
After his fight against his former master Hiruzen, he got his arms sealed, limiting his power even further. We'll never know how much more havoc Orochimaru could have wreaked if he'd been at his peak during Naruto.
3) Sakumo Hatake
The White Fang of Konoha and one of the most kind and caring souls in the village, Sakumo was Kakashi’s father and was a respected and beloved Jonin. He was said to be at a level similar to the Sannin, meaning he was one of the most powerful leaf ninjas.
After a mission went wrong and Sakumo decided to save his teammates over completing his goal, he was humiliated and disgraced. He ultimately decided to take his own life to restore his family's honor, leaving behind a confused and scared son.
We were never able to see Sakumo in his prime, but he was most likely a force to be reckoned with.
4) Rock Lee
When Lee first appeared in the series, he was presented as one of the strongest fighters among the 11 Genin of Konoha. His fight with Gaara and his later confrontation against Kimimaro are still some of the most iconic matches during the beginning of Naruto.
Lee was supposed to surpass his master, Mighty Guy, and was on his way to achieving this goal, but we never saw this materializing. After Guy’s fight against Madara, Lee was relegated to being by his master's side. Maybe in the future Lee will prove that he has become stronger than his teacher, but we have not seen much of him for a long time.
5) Haku
Haku was the first real threat Naruto and Sasuke ever faced. Zabusa was mostly trying to defeat Kakashi, as he never saw the kids as a problem, so Haku took it in his hands to defeat the Genin. His powerful Kekkei Genkai Ice Release was only destroyed after Naruto accessed the Kyuubi’s Chakra.
We never got to see Haku display his full abilities. He was kind and hated hurting others, so he held himself back during his fight. And when Kakashi was about to kill Zabusa, Haku took his place and sacrificed himself. We never got to see the full extent of his power.
6) Nagato
Nagato suffered greatly since he was a small child. He lost his parents during the Third Shinobi War, lost his dog and his best friend because of Hanzo, and became obsessed with the idea of unifying the world through pain after that.
He was given the Rinnegan during his childhood by Madara, who wanted to use him as a tool for his plans. After his organization Akatsuki became popular, Hanzo decided they were a threat to his rule and tried to kill them.
They were able to kill Nagato's best friend and he became furious and summoned the Demonic Statue to kill him, getting severely injured in the process. With Jiraiya’s training and the Rinnegan, Nagato would have been one of the strongest ninjas in the world if he was left uninjured.
7) Hiruzen Sarutobi
The third Hokage had the appearance of a grouchy old grandpa during the beginning of the series, but he was actually a powerful and deadly fighter. Known around the Shinobi World as the God of Shinobi, Hiruzen was one of the strongest ninjas in the world.
But we were never able to see him in his prime. We met him as an older gentleman, so his fighting skills were not as honed as they were during his youth. But even with his advanced age, he was not weak, able to take Orochimaru and the reanimated corpses of the first two Hokages. He didn't get his moniker by accident.
8) Minato Namikaze
The Yellow Flash of the Leaf and the Fourth Hokage, Minato was one of the best Shinobi Konohagakure ever had. He was said to be even stronger than all the previous Hokage, and from the brief displays of power we saw from him, it appears to be true.
But unfortunately, he had to sacrifice himself to save his village. Because of his young and premature death, we never saw how powerful he could have been at his peak. He had the potential to become the next Shinobi God.
9) Hanzo
During the Third Shinobi War, Hanzo was regarded as an invincible adversary. Even the legendary Sannin, three of the most powerful ninjas in history, were only able to survive against him, not defeat him.
He was only defeated with the combined effort of the Six Paths of Pain. But like most side characters, his screentime was very limited, so we never got to see that invincible monster that legends talked about.
10) Neji Hyuga
Neji was a prodigy amongst the 11 Genin during Naruto. A member of the secondary Hyuga branch, Neji grew up resenting his destiny and the main branch because of the death of his father. But after his fight against Naruto, he understood that destiny is not all there is to life.
He later became one of Hinata’s most loyal friends and guards and gained strength beyond what he could have imagined before. His death was a shock to both fans and characters on the show.
He sacrificed himself to save Naruto from the attack of the Juubi and was never able to reach the peak of his power. Neji could have been one of Konoha’s most powerful ninjas ever, but his trajectory was cut short.
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