Naruto might have been best developed under Team 10 instead of Team 7

The journey of the titular character in Naruto is one of the most beautiful to behold. To many, it might seem like the archetypical hero’s journey, but for anyone who has seen Naruto, it can be quite emotionally riveting. Viewers follow the Uzumaki from his humble beginnings as an outcast, and those who banked on his character were rewarded with Naruto’s dreams coming to life.

At the end of the series, he achieves his dream of becoming Hokage, and the viewers feel like they have achieved it too. What makes this effect so pronounced can be boiled down to Kishimoto’s masterful writing. It takes the viewers in and gives them an experience worthy of characters in the same fictional universe, tasked with only one job—to observe. Due to this, many viewers create hypotheticals among themselves.

One hypothesis that gets thrown around a lot on the internet deals with Naruto’s training. Some fans think Naruto would have developed better if he had been taught by another ninja. They have suggested Orochimaru, but the most ideal teacher for the Uzumaki would have been Asuma. Team 10’s environment would have put less pressure on Naruto and would have made him grow.

Here are more reasons why Team 10 was a much better fit for Naruto than Team 7.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s views and may contain spoilers.

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Why Team 10 was a better fit for Naruto than Team 7

Naruto would benefit greatly from being in close proximity to Shikamaru (Image via Studio Pierrot)

During the Uzumaki’s early stint in Team 7, he was quite limited. While it is easy to absolve blame from the hands of Kakashi and solely put it on the Nine Tails; Kakashi’s treatment of the Jinchūriki was quite abysmal. From his not-so-subtle doting on Sasuke to his teaching the Uchiha, Jutsu. Sasuke was Team 7’s golden child.

The only time Naruto got Kakashi’s attention was after Sasuke left Konoha. During that period, he taught the ninja basic concepts Jiraiya couldn’t even teach him. He also made a breakthrough with the Uzumaki by teaching him how to combine elemental jutsu with the Rasengan. Kakashi is not a terrible teacher, but as long as Sasuke existed, he would have never given the Uzumaki attention.

Asuma could have been a father figure to the Uzumaki (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Asuma, on the other hand, was an excellent teacher with a hands-free approach. He let the natural talents of Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji blossom without burdening them with difficult jutsu. In temperament, Asuma is the closest Jonin to the Uzummaki; he would serve as an early father figure before Jiraiya came through. He would also teach the Uzumaki how to use weapons and boost their Taijutsu skills.

Another thing that makes Asuma and Team 10 a better environment for the Uzumaki is its low pressure. In Team 10, the Uzumaki will not be burdened with trying to outdo Sasuke or impress Sakura; he will just have to be better. There is also his Wind Jutsu. Asuma is a natural Wind Jutsu and will be better suited to teaching the Uzumaki.

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Final thoughts

The only problem with Asuma being the Uzumaki’s teacher is that his abilities are capped. Unlike other notable Jonin like Guy and Kakashi, who had something they could improve on, Asuma looked stuck. This becomes obvious in his battle with Hidan, where he struggles to take down one of the weakest members of the Akatsuki.

The Uzumaki would be an entirely different ninja if he trained under Team 10. His mentality would be different, and the never-give-up attitude that grew because of the inferiority complex he felt would not be present.

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