Naruto: Why is Shikamaru Nara said to be a powerful shinobi? His abilities, explained

Naruto features several popular characters, but Shikamaru Nara stands out from the rest due to his peculiar personality and abilities, which make him so unique. While the series saw a considerable amount of power creep as it went on, Shikamaru always stood out because he managed to fight many strong characters through intelligence and strategy.

Furthermore, Shikamaru was also a very loyal friend to a lot of people in the series, including Naruto, and was a very capable ally as a shinobi. Many new fans may be unfamiliar with this character's multifaceted nature because he is not one of the strongest in the series, but many reasons solidify the Eighth Hokage as one of the best shinobi anybody can have on their side.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.

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Explaining why Shikamaru Nara is such a capable shinobi in Naruto

Shikamaru's Shadow Jutsu, which belongs to the Nara clan, is his most unique ability. He can manipulate his own shadow and extend it such that it may reach out to targets, and if it makes contact, he can force the target to mimic his gestures, although this depends on the level of strength the opposition wields.

Furthermore, Shikamaru's intellect, which has been demonstrated numerous times in the original series, particularly during his clashes with Temari, Tayuya, and Hidan, makes him a formidable opponent.

Shikamaru has the foresight and concentration to get the most out of his abilities and exploit his opponent's weaknesses, which he has compared to playing board games throughout the series. He is widely regarded as the smartest shinobi of his generation, and his sensei, Asuma, mentioned how much potential he has and how much he could achieve if he wasn't so lazy, which seems to be his major flaw.

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Shikamaru's legacy in the series

Shikamaru in Naruto Shippuden (Image via Studio Pierrot).

It is fair to say that Shikamaru is one of the most popular characters in the entire franchise, and there are several reasons for that, including the aforementioned strategic mindset he applies in combat. He has also proven to be a valuable friend and ally to those around him, becoming a serious and reliable shinobi who went on to become the Eighth Hokage, much to the amazement of the fandom in general.

Shikamaru is also appreciated for being the one character who had an arc dedicated to him despite not being Naruto Uzumaki or Sasuke Uchiha. The Hidan arc is widely viewed as a welcome departure from the series' usual approach, since it allowed Shikamaru to shine against an Akatsuki member while simultaneously avenging his mentor, Asuma.

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Final thoughts

Shikamaru Nara has been considered a powerful character in Naruto not because of his sheer strength but rather because he has learned to make up for it through intelligence and strategies. That is something that has become a classic staple of his battles and is one of the many reasons he is so loved in the fandom.

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