Naruto: Why Byakugan is underrated compared to Sharingan

Dojutsus are quite important in the Naruto series and it is a concept that has been explored quite thoroughly during the course of the series. There have been numerous characters with different eyes and each of them granted unique abilities. One of the most popular eyes are Sharingan and this belongs exclusively to the Uchiha clan.

There is another eye that might not be as popular, but it certainly gave its users an advantage on the battlefield and that is Byakugan. Ever since these eyes were introduced in the series, fans have participated in numerous discussions about the eyes and their abilities. Let’s take a look at why Byakugan is underrated when we compare it to Sharingan in the Naruto series.

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Why is Byakugan underrated in the Naruto series?

Before we dive into the topic, let's understand what Byakugan and Sharingan are. Byakugan is a dojutsu that can be accessed by the Hyuga clan. It is an eye that is derived from the Otsutsuki clan and is considered as one of the Three Great Dojutsu. This dojutsu in the Naruto series allows the user to view the flow of the chakra, and the chakra points when they’re in a fight. It also gives them a near 360 degree vision which is useful for locating traps and warning the team about the possibility of an ambush.

Sharingan is a dojutsu that is exclusive to the Uchiha clan. Users do not have this eye from birth. When a member of the Uchiha clan experiences extreme negative emotions, their brains release a certain type of chakra that affects the optic nerves and manifests in the form of a Sharingan. Chakra control becomes easier and genjutsu is something most Sharingan users specialize in.

Users can also obtain Mangekyo Sharingan and this occurs when an Uchiha witnesses the death of someone close to them. The Uchihas have constantly misunderstood this and thought that they needed to be the reason for their loved ones’ death, which is not the case.

Masashi Kishimoto has received backlash when it comes to handling certain characters and exploring certain themes. In this case, the Naruto mangaka thoroughly explored Sharingan and not Byakugan. Some of the strongest characters in the Naruto series happen to be Uchiha members, which is why Byakugan can be easy to forget and oftentimes underestimated as well. However, that is not the case because Byakugan makes a shinobi well-rounded as it allows them to utilize its powers for various aspects of a mission.

Byakugan can be used to identify traps, conduct reconnaissance without being caught, find objects on the battlefield that might aid in a fight and utilize the eye to decapitate someone using Gentle Fist. Byakugan might not give its users the same ninjutsu abilities that a Sharingan might give, but it certainly is quite useful. Neji is a perfect example of how well a Byakugan can be used in various missions. For a long time, Neji was one of the best shinobis among his peers and fighting him in a one-on-one situation can be quite challenging to say the least.

The main reason for Byakugan being underrated in Naruto was because it didn’t receive as much screen time and it could have been explored more during the course of the series.