Naruto: 7 Characters Who Were Severely Nerfed in Shippuden, Ranked

Naruto has one of shonen’s deepest supporting casts, introducing prodigies, monsters, and tactical geniuses who felt just as exciting as the series’ main heroes. But as Naruto: Shippuden escalated into a battle of gods, prophecy, and world-ending threats, the spotlight narrowed almost entirely to Naruto, Sasuke, and a select few. Along the way, several beloved shinobi with incredible abilities and massive potential quietly faded into the background.

Here’s our ranking of the seven characters who were hit hardest by Shippuden‘s biggest missed opportunities:

Title	Naruto	Naruto: Shippuden
Author	Masashi Kishimoto	Masashi Kishimoto
Anime Studio	Studio Pierrot	Studio Pierrot
Seasons & Movies	5 seasons, 3 movies	21 seasons, 7 movies
Total Episodes	220 episodes	500 episodes
IMDb Rating (as of Aug 4, 2025)	8.4 / 10	8.7 / 10
MAL Rating (as of Aug 4, 2025)	8.02 / 10	8.29 / 10
Streaming	Crunchyroll, Netflix	Crunchyroll, Netflix

7 The Legendary Sannin Orochimaru Was Sealed Away by the Story

Orochimaru assassinated the Third Hokage, terrorized the Hidden Leaf, and manipulated Sasuke with forbidden power, making him one of the series’ most unpredictable threats. That aura began to fade when Sasuke absorbed him after their confrontation, trapping Orochimaru’s consciousness and chakra within his own body. He briefly resurfaced during Sasuke’s battle against Itachi after Sasuke exhausted his chakra, only for Itachi to seal him using the Totsuka Blade permanently.

Although Sasuke later revived him using Anko Mitarashi’s Cursed Seal during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Orochimaru returned as a far more subdued figure. Rounding out our list here, he still played an important supporting role by reviving the previous Hokage with Edo Tensei, but the terrifying mastermind who once drove the story’s tension was largely gone, making this more of a narrative downgrade than a true loss of power.

6 Sasori’s Successor Kankuro Never Reached His Full Potential

Kankuro spent much of the original series in Gaara’s shadow, but Shippuden hinted that he was finally ready to become Sunagakure’s next great puppet master. His solo battle against Sasori outside the village gates demonstrated both his tactical intelligence and bravery, even though he was ultimately defeated and nearly killed by Sasori’s poison. After the Akatsuki member’s death, Kankuro inherited Sasori’s iconic puppet, a major upgrade that significantly expanded his arsenal.

He later showcased its potential during the Fourth Great Ninja War, defeating Edo Tensei Shin alongside the Allied Shinobi Forces. Despite those flashes of brilliance, Shippuden rarely explored his growth or gave him battles worthy of his new abilities, leaving Sasori’s successor feeling like an unfinished success story, which is why he sits at the sixth spot.

5 Temari Became a Background Character & Shippuden‘s Most Overlooked Kunoichi

Ranking at fifth, Temari entered Shippuden as one of the most accomplished shinobi of her generation. Her mastery of Wind Release combined overwhelming range, precision, and battlefield control, making her one of the Sand Village’s greatest assets. She famously rescued Shikamaru by effortlessly defeating Tayuya during the Sasuke Retrieval arc and later displayed her destructive power against the White Zetsu Army during the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Despite consistently proving herself, Temari rarely received meaningful one-on-one battles or character-focused arcs in Shippuden. Instead, she was largely relegated to support roles while many of her peers continued to evolve. Compared to Kankuro, whose expanded arsenal went underused, Temari herself gradually faded into the background despite remaining one of the series’ strongest kunoichi.

4 The Copy Ninja Kakashi Rarely Used His Signature Talent

Kakashi earned the legendary title of “Copy Ninja” and “Kakashi of the Sharingan” by using the Sharingan to copy over a thousand techniques, a reputation that made him feared across the shinobi world long before the main story began. His first battle with Zabuza perfectly established why he was so feared, as he copied Zabuza’s Water Dragon Jutsu in real time before repeatedly outsmarting him.

Yet Shippuden gradually shifted his fighting style toward Kamui, Raikiri variants, and Mangekyo Sharingan abilities. While those powers made him even stronger, they also sidelined the creative adaptability that originally made Kakashi unique. Unlike Temari, who simply lost relevance, Kakashi remained central to the story, but the “Copy Ninja” stayed limited even though Kishimoto flexed his favoritism for Kakashi a little too hard, which makes him occupy the fourth position.

3 Shino Aburame Became Naruto’s Most Forgotten Tactical Shinobi

Shino Aburame never lost a canonical fight in the original series, defeating Zaku and Kankuro through calm planning and devastating insect techniques. His kikaichū could drain chakra, gather intelligence, and overwhelm opponents in countless creative ways.

Yet Shippuden barely gave him meaningful combat despite endless opportunities during the Akatsuki conflict and Fourth Great Ninja War. Unlike Kakashi, whose role remained crucial, Shino simply vanished from the narrative, wasting one of Konoha’s smartest and most unique fighters. This is exactly what earns him the third spot.

2 Byakugan Prodigy Neji Was Wasted Potential in Shippuden

Taking second place, it’s Neji, who entered the series as the Hyuga Clan’s greatest prodigy, mastering the Gentle Fist, Eight Trigrams techniques, and the Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation despite belonging to the branch family. His fight against Kidomaru showcased elite tactical thinking and incredible resilience.

Shippuden, however, rarely expanded his abilities or explored the Hyuga’s untapped potential before ending his journey with a controversial sacrifice. While Shino disappeared, Neji’s fall hurts even more because the story repeatedly reminded fans how extraordinary he was before leaving that promise unfulfilled.

1 The Taijutsu Genius Rock Lee Never Got His Moment to Shine

Rock Lee embodied one of Naruto‘s most inspiring themes: hard work overcoming impossible odds. His unforgettable battle against Gaara (Chunin Exam), where he removed his ankle weights and opened the Fifth Gate, remains one of the franchise’s defining moments. Shippuden initially suggested an even brighter future, showing Lee’s continued mastery of the Eight Gates and impressive taijutsu during missions and the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Yet he never received the career-defining solo fight or emotional storyline many fans expected. As the series increasingly revolved around god-like powers, Lee’s relentless dedication and close-range combat were pushed aside. More than anyone else on this list, he had the potential to become one of Shippuden‘s greatest heroes (to us, he is), which is why his underutilization remains the series’ biggest and most frustrating missed opportunity, making him sit at the top of our list.

Here is a ranking table:

RankCharacterWhy They Were Nerfed

1	Rock Lee	Never received a defining solo battle despite his Eight Gates potential.
2	Neji Hyuga	Hyuga prodigy whose growth and story ended far too soon.
3	Shino Aburame	Tactical genius who virtually disappeared from major conflicts.
4	Kakashi Hatake	The “Copy Ninja” rarely showcased his trademark copied jutsu.
5	Temari	One of the strongest kunoichi, yet largely relegated to the background.
6	Kankuro	Sasori’s successor whose upgraded puppet arsenal was barely explored.
7	Orochimaru	Lost his terrifying villain status after being sealed and later revived as a passive ally.

Which Naruto character do you think Shippuden wasted the most? Let us know in the comments!