Why was Asuma Sarutobi killed off so early in Naruto? Kishimoto's motivations explored

Asuma Sarutobi was a significant character in Naruto, which made his death all the more impactful. The laidback mentor and leader of Team 10, his death came at the end of the battle against Hidan and Kakuzu, proving them as sufficient threats to the protagonists.

Readers may be surprised to learn that he died at only 300 chapters into the 700-chapter manga. This leaves the question of why. His death served many purposes, ultimately, and it's time to dive into all the reasons author Masashi Kishimoto may have had for killing off the popular smoking jōnin.

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Asuma Sarutobi's death in Naruto: Why so early?

Asuma among the allies, on his final mission against the Akatsuki. (Image via Pierrot Co.)

One simple reason Kishimoto may have killed off Asuma relatively early in Naruto is that, from a purely narrative standpoint, the reader cannot believe that absolutely no one would die in the conflict against the vicious Akatsuki.

Sarutobi was a noticeable character but not a particularly important one. His death was tragic, and fans read on to see him be avenged, but it serves as an important punch to the gut for readers to stay invested.

Having died before the birth of his daughter, Mirai Sarutobi, serves as an excellent way for the character of Shikamaru to develop. Asuma told his protege to train his daughter as a shinobi as he bled out from a grievous wound. This also built Shikamaru's character, letting him step into the shoes of his previous mentor.

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Shikamaru, continuing Asuma's legacy

Shikamaru gets vengeance on Hidan. (Image via Pierrot Co.)

Shikamaru’s development as a character is also tied to Asuma’s death. As previously mentioned, Asuma entrusted his daughter’s training to him. It also gave Shikamaru and the rest of Team 10 a goal: avenging their mentor by defeating his killer, Hidan of the Akatsuki.

Shikamaru did this and was congratulated by his mentor’s spirit, who passed on his Will of Fire to his protege. This set up Shikamaru to assist Naruto later, becoming his right-hand man after the protagonist ascends to Hokage. It was fitting for one who trained under the son of a Hokage.

Of course, Asuma’s death made his unwilling resurrection all the more bitingly bitter. Reanimated for the Fourth Shinobi World War, Asuma came face to face with Team 10, getting to see how they developed. Pitting Team 10 and Asuma against each other is another good reason for Asuma’s early death.

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Fascinating fan explanation

Asuma having a smoke. (Image via Pierrot Co.)

Some fans may have an even better reason for Asuma’s death. As Naruto continued, the Sharingan Eyes became increasingly important to the plot. Cigarette smoke can irritate eyes, and fans know that Asuma even smokes mid-battle.

Could it be that Kishimoto killed Asuma to stop his smoking habit from giving a quick solution to the Sharingan eyes? Probably not, but it is a funny theory. It is ultimately a coincidence that Asuma died at the point where the eyes became a more important plot point, as this was also when the story was heating up with the presence of the Akatsuki.

In conclusion, there are many reasons for Asuma’s death in Naruto. It serves story purposes, character development positions, and possibly even to avoid complications with a plot point. It’s a tragic event, but every story needs tragedy.

While the exact reason Kishimoto had for killing Asuma so early in Naruto is something that will likely never be outright confirmed, these speculations are likely as close as an answer that can ever be hoped for.

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