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Over the years, Naruto has given us countless moments to remember. While some of them are considered to be the show's peak moments, others are deemed questionable even today. Despite being a modern masterpiece consisting of more than 500 episodes, certain aspects did not feel appropriate during the show's runtime and have aged like milk.
Owing to the author's meticulous plotlines, each character has shaped the story one way or another. However, some either failed to grab viewers' attention or divorced themselves from popular opinion.
While a few characters were simply irredeemable, others were the victims of poor writing. The following article lists ten Naruto characters who have aged poorly.
Disclaimer: This article is subjective and relies solely on the writer's opinion.
Sakura and nine other Naruto characters have aged poorly with time
1) Kabuto
Kabuto has been portrayed as one of the most inhumane and irredeemable villains in the main Naruto series. Working for Orochimaru, Madara Uchiha and ultimately for himself, Kabuto performs gruesome experiments on innocents, including children, to satisfy his curiosity.
Aside from resurrecting every renowned Shinobi from all five nations, Kabuto was culpable for multiple evil deeds during his time as a double agent. With that being said, he currently runs an orphanage and remains unpunished.
2) Orochimaru
Orochimaru was the first major antagonist of the series and a mentor to Kabuto. Their crimes include kidnapping children for experimentation and genetic modification, creating living corpses, reincarnations and more. Despite committing several atrocities from within the Konoha village, Orochimaru received a pardon and now helps Naruto and Sasuke in battling the Otsutsukis.
No matter how much Orochimaru is shown in a good light, they're inextricably linked to horrific crimes against humanity.
3) Sakura Haruno
As one of the main characters in the series, Sakura did get many windows to redeem herself. However, a few moments stand out from her early days, which now count as bullying and mental harassment. Being Naruto's first crush, her attitude towards the protagonist was enough to deter any normal kid from chasing their dreams.
Shown to fawn over Sasuke and spewing hate on Naruto, her portrayal is a glaring indicator of Kishimoto's initial struggles with incorporating women into his narrative.
4) Shino
Shino was introduced in the series as the wielder of one of the most disturbing but effective and unique techniques in Konoha. During his days as a Genin, when he held out against Kankuro on his own, the audience was hopeful about his development.
However, as the days progressed, Shino's ability in other departments, such as Taijutsu and Genjutsu, remained stagnant. From being depicted as one of the most interesting characters in the series, Shino became a generic sidepiece who acts as a mentor to the next generation.
5) Anko
Introduced as one of the stronger Shinobis who would rebel against Orochimaru in the series' early days, Anko's ambition seems to have collapsed out of nowhere. From being one of the most interesting female characters in the series, Anko Mitarashi's personality drastically declined in the current timeline.
Aside from changing her physical appearance, Anko seems to be weirdly content when it comes to being in the same room as someone she hated her entire life.
6) Killer Bee
Japanese history has a shortage of diversity compared to other Western countries. Therefore, authors and animators often resort to stereotypes when it comes to representing characters that are not of Japanese origin.
Although Killer Bee became a fan-favourite right after his introduction, his dialect and rapping are considered racist and offensive. This was also because he was one of the few dark-skinned characters in the series.
7) Choji
Originally part of the Konoha 11 and Shikamaru's squad, Choji's jutsus and power came from being obese. In his days in the Konoha 11 and even the Fourth Shinobi Ninja War, Choji was feared due to his attire. He was also considered a force to be reckoned with, especially with his hit jutsu, Calorie Control.
However, in the current timeline, his design and looks fall somewhat short compared to his former team members. Furthermore, he is shown balding while going outside in shorts and a t-shirt.
Although Choji is doing well for himself by having a wonderful wife and a strong daughter, his personality and design feel underwhelming.
8) Hiruzen
Hiruzen's rash decisions gave birth to several atrocities within the village during the series' early days. These include the Uchiha massacre, Naruto's miserable childhood, turning a blind eye to Orochimaru's experiments and many more. After sacrificing himself for his village, he was shown as a hero in the first arc.
However, Hiruzen's incompetence as a Hokage was exposed much later, infuriating many fans.
9) Karin
Karin was introduced as nothing but another female character who fawned over Sasuke during his time in Taka. Despite being from the esteemed Uzumaki clan, Karin's involvement in the story was confined to being a useful object for Sasuke.
Although she was left for dead by her muse, Karin further accepted the abuse, insults and trauma constantly inflicted on her. This makes it hard for fans to relate to her character even today.
10) Sai
Sai's role in Naruto has constantly felt out of place, even more so as time has passed. Introduced as a spy and a replacement for Sasuke, his lack of emotions alienated him from viewers.
While the show depicted him having ties to Danzo, it never seemed like that was the case. This made him stand out further as a rushed and frivolous character.
With that being said, most of these characters became dispensable and perfunctory owing to the author's vision.
