In a world as immersive and vast as Naruto, it's only natural that some characters will fall behind the main protagonists or be underappreciated by fans. As characters Like Naruto, Sasuke, and Obito find themselves as the center of monumental battles left and right, others such as the classic characters from the original Naruto lose traction before Shippuden, and even those appearing first in Shippuden find themselves never getting an opportunity to shine.
Some of these characters within the shinobi world were fantastic, even though they lacked the fights that would inevitably put them in conversations of the most powerful. However, these characters are still the favorites of many fans and served overlooked roles in some of the anime's best arcs.
10 Rin
When watching Naruto: Shippuden, fans are immersed in the Third Ninja War, the biggest story-arc within the anime. And at the center of it were Kakashi and Obito, two old friends that battled through life only to be on opposite sides of the war.
The glue that kept them together was none other than Rin, the medical ninja of their old squad, and that connection is what brought Obito back to his senses as he would rejoin the ranks of the Hidden Leaf. Sure, fans know little about Rin outside of her medical skills and, ultimately, her death, but her influence in the relationship between the two Sharingan users proves Rin is a character deserving of more attention.
9 Shino
Lurking in the shadows and controlling bugs, Shino is one of those "cool" characters that never got the attention he deserved. A quiet shinobi, Shino is almost always there for the majority of story arcs in Naruto but rarely gets to display his skills. Sure, he has a few shorter fights, but they're mostly minor and lack major significance to the larger plot.
However, with that little screen time, Shino has displayed his brilliant tactical skills along with a cold personality that keeps him in the same league as the few powerful opponents he has defeated.
8 Zabuza
The ninja known as the "Rogue Ninja of the Mist" is one of the legendary swordsmen and Naruto's first memorable antagonist in both the anime and manga. All of Team Seven wouldn't be who they are without Zabuza, and most of all, neither would the viewers. The world of Naruto was created to drive sadness and empathy out of its fans, using Zabuza's relationship with Haku as a tone-setter for the entire show.
It's a shame that Zabuza only appeared twice, once in Naruto and the other in Shippuden, but both were memorable because of the heartwarming relationship between Zabuza and Haku. Then, there's the agonizing sorrow surrounding them as Zabuza regrets a large portion of his life. Fans watch Zabuza's pain of being revived for the Third Ninja War after finally being allowed to rest, producing a character that carries a mountain of sorrow on his shoulders.
7 Neji
Neji was a character that showed promise early on. He was strong, smart, and had an intriguing motivation to push on as a young shinobi wishing to prove himself to the Hyuga clan. With his byakugan, Neji could see almost everything before him— except for his death.
His death is incredibly emotional as he bleeds out in the arms of his comrades during a war. However, it also draws frustration from some fans because it can make the character seem like a martyr. Nonetheless, Neji had some cool moments and battles as he proved himself worthy to be considered an elite within the Hyuga.
6 Sakumo Hatake/White Fang
Father of Kakashi and suicide victim, the White Fang is a legend within the Hidden Leaf Village, but fans know little about the character. He served as a weight on Kakashi's shoulder as the future Jonin came upon his father dead in their home, and since then, Kakashi found himself engulfed by a black cloud. Commonly mistaken as the White Fang, Kakashi has lived in his father's shadow for most of his life, but that shadow is as mysterious as the Fang's death.
As a legend, the White Fang was one of the strongest shinobi in the Hidden Leaf Village once, meaning he had to be a force to be reckoned with, right? Unfortunately, fans may never know the limit to this character's potential.
5 Fourth Raikage
The Fourth Raikage was a beast in every battle he was seen in, but his potential flopped after losing an arm in a brawl against Sasuke. As the Raikage, his pure strength is unmatched, and his speed was only matched by that of Naruto and his father, Minato.
The Raikage is an insanely powerful shinobi displaying brute strength and unbelievable speed that made fans wish they had seen more of him in battle, especially after hearing about the brutalizing fight he had with Minato, the Fourth Hokage.
4 Kimimaro
Before Sasuke, Kimimaro was Orochimaru's best student and his preferred vessel after losing his arms in the battle against the Third Hokage, Sarutobi. However, Kimimaro grew sick and began to suffer, but before dying, battled against Rock Lee and Gaara. A minor antagonist, Kimimaro only fought in one memorable fight and isn't even all that powerful, but what makes the character awesome is his Kekkai genkai called Shikotsumyaku, giving him the ability to manipulate his bones.
Shikotsumyaku makes him difficult to battle in addition to making the character look both intimidating and stunning to look at. There isn't another ability in the world of shinobi quite like it, and it makes Kimimaro stand out even if he only served a minor role in the anime.
3 Konan
Konan versus Obito was heart-wrenching after the death of Nagato. Growing up, Konan had lost everything to war and was found by Jiraiya, along with Nagato and Yahiko, the only two that mattered to her. And after losing everything, who was it that came knocking on her door? Well, it was none other than Obito seeking out the now-dead Nagato's Rinnegan.
So, after losing everything she held dear, Konan raged against Obito and mourned for the loved ones she had lost. From the beginning, Konan never fought a moment for herself, but rather for those around her that she loved. She fought for Yahiko and Nagito, the only two she had in her life, challenging Obito for disgracing the organization they had created, as well as attempting to tamper with Nagato's corpse.
2 Danzo
Danzo is one of those "secret" characters that appear old and insignificant but possess immense power. As an aspiring Hokage, Danzo has spent years collecting Sharingans from the Uchiha clan and transplanting them into his body, giving him some of the most lethal abilities of the Leaf's strongest bloodline.
He went toe-to-toe with Sasuke in a battle that seemed more even than it should've been as Danzo revealed that both his appearance and intelligence are deceiving. Leader of the elite Anbu Black Ops, Danzo has used the position to manipulate those in power as he tried to control the future of his village, and it worked for the most part as Danzo shows he's a character possessing great intelligence as well as power
1 Rock Lee
Lee is a disappointment to many fans, lacking any memorable feats after Naruto. In Shippuden, the character fills the benchwarmer role as he sits idle, watching the other heavy hitters battling for their lives. However, at the end of the war, fans watch as Guy Sensei opens all Eight Inner Gates, essentially turning the character into one of godlike power. And fans are left yearning for Lee, with seven gates open, fighting alongside Guy Sensei's last battle before he dies due to using every gate.
It puts Lee's potential into view, making him perhaps the most underutilized character in the world of Naruto. He's a character with the potential to use that same unfathomable power, but for now, Lee is simply a supporting character.