Narutois one of the most popular shonen anime of all time. Kishimoto had a gem on his hands that he honed to perfection, penning an epic ninja tale spanning multiple years and introducing people to a wealth of characters who would become legendary figures in pop culture. From the eponymous protagonist to his rival and everyone in between, there isa mind-bogglingly high number of characters inNaruto.
Some of these characters are incredibly powerfuland show their strength to fans time and time again. However, while some of the ninja inNarutoenjoy the victories they rightfully deserve, there are others who end up doing nothing important with the sheer wealth of power they have. It’s genuinely unbelievable to try and fathom the fact that some ofNaruto’s toughest characters have never won a single fight on-screen.
Tsunade
She’s The Fourth Hokage… And Doesn’t Win Anything.
Tsunade is easilyone of the most powerful characters in the seriesif one compares pure physical strength. A single punch can crack the ground and shatter rocks with minimal effort, and this power, coupled with her coolheadedness, is why she was chosen to be the new Hokage after the Third’s passing.
However, despite all her credentials, fans have noticed that Tsunade never wins a single battle in the series. In fact, she’s on the receiving end of one of the most humiliating losses in the entire series, when the five Kage end up being ripped apart by Madara in one of the series' goriest moments.
Kaguya
The First Wielder Of Chakra Is Introduced And Taken Down In A Flash
The introduction of Kaguya is easily one of the worst moments in the final act ofNaruto. After Madara has already been established as a tough villain who can easily serve as the final antagonist, Black Zetsu betrays him and reveals the actual plan — Madara was being used as a tool by Black Zetsu, who was waiting for the perfect time to revive the Mother of all Shinobi.
Not only is Kaguya’s addition to the plot completely unnecessary, but it also cheapens the power of someone who is supposed to be the first shinobi to ever exist. She certainlypushes Naruto and Sasuke to their very limits, but the dynamic duo eventually manages to seal the goddess with a bit of help from Sakura.
Konan
Can’t Stop Obito From Stealing Nagato’s Rinnegan
Konan’s paper powers certainly make her seem like a foe to fear, with her unique jutsu being hard to deal with. However, she ends up playing second fiddle to Nagato, which is a common theme for the women in the series. It’s a shame that Kishimoto’s writing of the female gender is so weak, robbing many fans of some great moments and presenting the show’s women in a more positive and competent light.
She makes it a priority to guard Nagato’s grave after he sacrifices his own life to save the people of Konoha from his senseless destruction. When Obito eventually comes for the Rinnegan, Konan fights him to the death in a spectacular battle. Despite putting up a good fight, Konan ends up losing, failing in her quest to protect Nagato’s powers from being abused by evildoers.
Anko Mitarashi
Her Relevancy Declines After Orochimaru Is Replaced By Other, Bigger Threats
If there’s ever a more fitting example of what happens when too many characters are introduced in the plot, then Anko is a great candidate for the same. Her appearance in the Chunin arc is pretty riveting, especially when it’s revealed that she was one of Orochimaru’s test subjects.
However, afterNarutomoved on to bigger and better things, Anko’s character was conveniently forgotten. She barely played any role in later arcs, and fans never got to see her even engage in a proper battle, let alone win one.
Danzo
All His Stolen Sharingan Couldn’t Stop Him From Being Finished By Sasuke
Danzo is easily one of the most heinous characters in the entire series. His one-track mind to be as powerful as possible led to him using politics as a tool, ignoring his responsibilities to the public. He was particularly ruthless when it came to the Uchiha, pushing forth the notion of killing the entire clan while also conducting experiments in secret to replicate the power of the Sharingan.
Given how badly he’d tortured the Uchiha clan, most people expected him to put up more of a fight against Sasuke. However,aside from spamming Izanagiand using his own body to try and seal Sasuke after meeting his end, Danzo doesn’t really do much to impede Sasuke and dies a pathetic death. Even rewriting life itself wasn’t enough to give him an edge against Sasuke.
Tenten
Arguably The Most Unremarkable Character In The Entire Series
Easily one of the most forgettable characters in the entire series, the sheer ineptitude of Tenten’s character is, in a way, impressive. Kishimoto may have a habit of writing poor female characters, but at least he tried for most of them. In the case of Tenten, it seems like she was just introduced to fill a spot in Neji and Lee’s squad.
Being a weapons expert could’ve played in Tenten’s favor, but the show clearly prioritized ninjutsu and unique abilities over the ability to use ninja tools and weaponry after a point. This made Tenten’s power so obsolete that she wasn’t given any time to shine in the spotlight after being defeated in a humiliating manner by Temari during the Chunin Exams.
