Masashi Kishimoto put in a great deal of effort into creating Naruto Uzumaki. After all, he is the titular character of the Naruto manga. Kishimoto gave Naruto a ton of powerful abilities with which the hero could take down his enemies. Naruto's personality and ideology were another driving factor in his immense popularity among readers.
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Naruto's main characters are among the most iconic in anime, so let's go through their birthdays, heights, and ages.
There's no denying that Naruto is an excellent protagonist, but he has several shortcomings that give other characters the chance to shine. In fact, some individuals would make for better protagonists than Naruto Uzumaki.
This post contains spoilers for Naruto.
6 Itachi Uchiha
Mature Beyond The Years
- Kekkei Genkai: Mangekyou Sharingan
Itachi was a talented ninja who hailed from the Uchiha Clan. After being exposed to so many deaths in his childhood, Itachi realized that the world was brutal and harsh. The experiences shaped Itachi's thinking, and he became a pacifist who actively tried to avoid fighting. His mentality was also the reason why he picked the Hidden Leaf over the Uchiha Clan.
As the protagonist, Itachi would have lived longer, and he wouldn't have had to sacrifice himself fighting Sasuke. Without his illness, Itachi wouldn't have to hold himself back, so he could have taken down any enemies that threatened him or his close ones. Another plus point of having Itachi as the protagonist was that he would offer a different perspective to Naruto's.
5 Minato Namikaze
A Genius Who Scared Entire Armies
Minato Namikaze was the Fourth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf. He was promoted to the position after his exploits in the Third Great Ninja War, during which he struck fear into the hearts of enemy ninjas. The opposing nations were so afraid of him that they issued flee on sight orders to their ninjas.
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Minato would shine as a protagonist for myriad reasons. Firstly, he was a compassionate person who understood emotions even at a young age. Secondly, Minato was a genius who breezed past every exam at the Academy. Finally, he did not come from a noteworthy lineage, unlike most powerful ninjas in the story. A one-shot revolving around Minato was released by Kishimoto not so long ago, so there is a good chance that he might choose the Yellow Flash as the star of a Naruto prequel.
4 Neji Hyuuga
A Genius Born In The Wrong Family
Not many people made as strong a mark as Neji did in the Chunin Exams. The Hyuuga genius lit up the competition with his talent and ruthlessness. Neji dominated most of his opponents, including Naruto. The latter would have lost the fight as well if it weren't for the Nine Tails. Despite his immense display, Neji was sidelined for the remainder of the story, which wouldn't have happened if he were the protagonist.
Neji, being the protagonist, would have shown a different side of the Naruto world, where being born in the wrong family meant living like a slave. Neji was born into the Branch Family of the Hyuuga Clan, and he was treated as an inferior being. A story that would be entirely focused on Neji as he broke through the shackles of the Hyuuga hierarchy would make for an interesting watch. Additionally, Kishimoto could have easily tied Neji's story to the Otsutsuki Clan.
3 Hashirama Senju
Born With One Of The Rarest Powers
Hashirama Senju was the First Hokage of the Hidden Leaf and one of the strongest ninjas in history. In his prime, there was no ninja who could beat him in combat. Even the legendary Madara Uchiha tried to kill him several times but failed. Hashirama's main source of strength was the Wood Release, a Kekkei Genkai that was strong enough to stop the tailed beasts.
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These characters ended up making sacrifices that ended up being completely pointless in Naruto.
As the protagonist of the series, Hashirama would have been given more screen time, allowing fans to learn more about him. Hashirama's past would have been covered in more detail, especially the early parts of his life when the Hidden Leaf hadn't been established. With Hashirama at the helm, the story would also have been shorter and more exciting.
2 Nagato Uzumaki
Had A More Realistic Approach
When it comes to villains, there aren't many who were better than Nagato Uzumaki. His appearance changed everything. He was a phenomenal fighter and leader who took Akatsuki to new heights. Nagato liked to talk a lot, but he could back it up with his monstrous strength.
Nagato had a realistic ideology that people couldn't change without knowing pain themselves. It was a bit radical, but almost everything in Naruto proved that most people didn't feel compassion, not even for a child. A good example is how most people of the Hidden Leaf treated Naruto horribly and wanted him gone, when he hadn't done anything at all. It's safe to say that with his ideology and strength, Nagato would have made for a great protagonist.
1 Jiraiya
Much More Adventurous Than Naruto
Jiraiya served as the mentor to many great ninjas, and he helped them to grow as people and ninjas. Also known as the Toad Sage, Jiraiya traveled across the world completing missions and interacting with people. His travels also helped broaden his perspective and aided him in learning more about the world.
If Kishimoto had picked Jiraiya to lead the series, the story would be a lot different. It wouldn't have one primary setting, so it would let fans understand the culture of other villages, both big and small.
Naruto
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2002 - 2007-00-00
- Showrunner
- Masashi Kishimoto
Cast
-
Junko Takeuchi -
Noriaki Sugiyama
