“His death had more impact than life”: How Masashi Kishimoto Treated the Biggest Threat in Naruto’s Chunnin Exams Arc Proves Eiichiro Oda is a Better Writer

SUMMARY

• Masashi Kishimoto has wasted characters' potential on many occasions.
• Neji is only an addition to a growing list of Naruto characters.
• He is known more for his death during the Fourth Shinobi war than anything else.

Show More▼

Masashi Kishimoto is no stranger to creating stories that can push Naruto fans to tears. The act of denying in itself hits differently when the journey to reach that very moment can successfully grip the audience. It takes not only a good writer to do so, but also someone who understands the readers and what they want. No character would work until and unless there is something that can connect them to the audience.

Naruto Uzumaki | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Out of the various arcs introduced, it was through the Chuunin Exams arc that the series picked up any fame. There were numerous characters introduced, many of whom ended up holding immense value in the events that took place later on in the series. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they all got the best treatment.

Masashi Kishimoto Couldn’t Have Done More with Neji

There are many characters who deserved more in Naruto but got less instead. Masashi Kishimoto got his fair share of hatred for how things went for Sakura and Rock Lee. The way they were treated made it seem as if their potential simply didn’t matter as much as the others. On the other hand, there was another character who was more often overlooked by the fans, one that got the short end of the stick.

Neji Hyuga | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Neji Hyuuga was one of the characters who deserved his own journey that should have felt more impactful. While he was a character who got to develop over time, it was through great difficulty that his potential was ever even minutely used. For someone who had access to the Byakugan, his powers were on another level and so were his wits.

His beliefs came shattering down after having made them his destiny. The difference between fate and destiny is a big one and to believe that one’s life is already written arises the illusion of fate and free will. It was Neji who was blinded by that very thought.

Neji’s Life Needed More

Neji’s Death | Credit: Studio Pierrot

During the Chuunin Exams Arc, Naruto’s beliefs help Neji understand that fate cannot bind one’s destiny. Life is a path written by those living it. It cannot be predetermined, devoid of choices. There was much that his character could have done afterward, giving him the potential to find himself in ways that did not make him do exactly what he wanted to in the first place, die as his father did.

He was a character who held his own against one of the Sound Four. Unfortunately, though, that was the only time fans saw him shine before his death. His death during the Fourth Shinobi War is something fans know him for the most. That is not something that makes a character well-written. A good death alone does not justify a character’s good journey.

Mangaka like Eiichiro Oda hasn’t necessarily let characters and their potential go to waste. Their deaths alone do not define them. For Neji, there was so much more he could have done, but all he became was someone who sacrificed himself for his friends, just like his father.

Naruto is available to watch on Netflix.

Written by Adya Godboley

Articles Published: 1711

An avid writer fluent in everything Marvel, Adya Godboley is an Assistant Anime Content Lead for FandomWire. She has rich experience in critically analyzing all that is said in between the lines. Hopelessly obsessed with Greek Mythology, she is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in English. Adya has written over 1400 articles on various topics expressing her passion and love for all things entertainment, from superheroes to anime and the occasional gacha games.