Naruto Fans Out the Franchise's Worst Fumbles

By Megan Peters

Naruto has been around for ages at this point, and the IP stands as one of anime's biggest for a reason. Naruto Uzumaki is one of shonen's greatest heroes, and fans watched the hero go from being a knuckle-headed kid to a man worthy of the Hokage title. However, that does not mean the franchise is without fault, and Naruto fans are outing some of its biggest fouls.

Over on Reddit, a simple question went viral when netizens were asked what things disappointed them the most in Naruto. The thread earned thousands of responses, and some of the picks were more damning than others. If you want to read the full list of sins, you can find it here, but we've highlighted some of the worst letdowns below.

Too Many Filler Storylines

Never let is be said Naruto is a simple story. With hundreds of episodes under its thumb, Naruto experienced a lot, but much of its anime is bloat. The series is an annual one, after all, so Studio Pierrot had to improvise whenever it got too close to Masashi Kishimoto's place in the manga. This is what caused Naruto, and Naruto Shippuden worst of all, to have WAY too many storylines with almost no payoff.

Ignoring the Best Side Arcs

Obviously, Naruto's expansive fillers left fans irate most of the time. What made it even worse was the fact the IP had genuinely interesting side plots to explore but chose not to. From the history of the Land of Iron to Sakumo's past, the series had reason to explore these branches but did not. And instead, we were given silly arcs involving android ninjas and more.

Naruto Missing Homage Ceremony

Ever since Naruto was introduced to the world, we've known the guy was going to become Hokage. He had the will and guts to make it happen from the start. As he grew more powerful, it became clear Naruto would be an excellent Hokage. It was incredibly emotional seeing this change in Naruto, so you can imagine how upset fans were in Boruto that the man didn't make his inauguration ceremony. Sure, it was because he was being a family man, but it stung to see this milestone become comedic relief.

Missing Opportunity with Female Characters

Of course, fans of Naruto know the franchise has a lot of characters, and it was a challenge to juggle them all. Naruto and Sasuke were the clear focus, but even heroes like Kakashi got their due. When it came to female characters, well – let's just say they were brought center stage few and far between. Sakura was given the most growth given her proximity to Team 7 but even the Hokage's apprentice could not catch a break. So obviously, heroines like Tenten and Ino were left in the dust.

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Blank Era Left Off Screen

The start of Naruto Shippuden began with a bang, but sadly, fans cannot say the anime ended in the same way. The series spent ages on the Great Ninja War, and after it was done, the series drifted. We got some much-wanted info about Itachi and Kakashi during this time, but Naruto Shippuden could have done more. In fact, the series could have simply adapted more of the Blank Era's canon light novels as a way to transition into Boruto. But at the very least, it seems the sequel anime is starting to do this even if it is a bit late. 

Where do you think Naruto flubbed the hardest? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.

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