The final Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm game was 2016's Ultimate Ninja Storm 4. It was followed by a collection that contained Ultimate Ninja Storm 1 through 3 but lacked Ultimate Ninja Storm: Generations and Ultimate Ninja Storm: Revolution. Generations and Revolution were not the most substantial additions to the series but still contained some original content that would have been welcome additions to the collection.
The Ultimate Ninja Storm series was known for its expansive roster of over 100 playable characters. Despite the huge roster, there were still notable Naruto characters who were not playable and would make great additions to a hypothetical Ultimate Ninja Storm 5.
10 Most Of The Seven Swordsmen Of The Mist Were Never Playable.
Like the already playable Zabuza and Kisame, the other Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist wielded legendary blades. The Village Hidden in the Mist always had seven swordsmen at a time but were replaced upon a member's death, and their swords were passed on as well. Very few of the swordsmen were ever playable in Ultimate Ninja Storm, but more should have been on the roster.
Mangetsu Hōzuki could liquify his body and proficiently wield every one of the seven legendary swords but personally used the Hiramekarei. Fuguki Suikazan wielded Samehada before it was in possession of Kisame. Kushimaru Kuriarare owned a unique, needlelike blade that would have offered players a quick and precise playstyle. There are many other Swordsmen of the Mist, and each of them would have been great additions to Ultimate Ninja Storm.
9 The Kage's Escorts Should Not Have Been Just Support Characters
During the Five Kage Summit arc, each of the five Kage were joined by a bodyguard/escort. Each of the Kage's assistants were support-only characters in Generations but did not return in Ultimate Ninja Storm 4.
Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi joined the Tsuchikage and were both skilled in defensive jutsu. C was a medical ninja and the Raikage's support. Ao used a Byakugan in battle and was the attendant of the Mizukage. Finally, Fū Yamanaka and Torune Aburame joined the Hokage, and each mastered the typical abilities of their clans.
8 Chojuro Would Have Been A Popular Character
Chojuro was a member of The Seven Swordsmen and one of the bodyguard characters from the Five Kage Summit. Despite being a member of two important groups in Naruto, and being a support-only character in Generations, Chojuro always missed his chances to be playable.
Chojuro's blade was Hiramekarei, which was passed on to him from Mangetsu. It could be split into two blades and infused with chakra to become more powerful. Chojuro eventually became the sixth Mizukage, so he had an impressive and prolific life for a non-playable character.
7 Kurenai Yūhi Was Important For A Support-Only Character
Kurenai was a Jōnin and the leader of Team 8, consisting of Hinata, Shino, Kiba, and Akamaru. Although she was never playable in Ultimate Ninja Storm, Kurenai was from the same generation as the other Part 1 Jonin, meaning she was of comparable strength to Asuma, Might Guy, and Kakashi.
Kurenai was able to travel through solid, natural surfaces, much like Yamato could. Like Itachi, Kurenai was proficient in Genjutsu and could use illusions better than most ninja in Konoha. Kurenai was a support-only character in three Ultimate Ninja Storm games but was never actually playable.
6 Anko Was Too Cool To Not Be Playable
Anko was a Leaf Jonin who trained under Orochimaru before he betrayed Konoha. Anko had a curse mark like Sasuke and knew many of Orochimaru's techniques, including Hidden Shadow Snake Hands.
Anko was a support-only character in Revolution but would have excelled as a playable character since her skills included many similarities to Orochimaru's own. Anko never fully transformed with the curse mark as Sasuke did, but Ultimate Ninja Storm might have shown what her transformation looked like for a finishing move.
5 Why Not Bring Back Some Movie and Filler Episode Characters?
The Naruto movies and filler episodes usually weren't as important as the episodes adapted directly from the manga. However, they still introduced many characters that would have been great for Ultimate Ninja Storm. Toneri from Naruto: The Last could use all Nature Transformations. Mondai and Potcha from the filler episodes would have made funny joke characters, and Mukade from the time-traveling Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Lost Tower was a puppet master like Sasori. Each of these movie and filler characters would have suited Ultimate Ninja Storm.
Using non-canon characters is not unheard of in anime fighting games. The Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi games included many underrepresented movie characters and served as a fitting way to utilize them again.
4 Shizune (And Tonton) Showed Up Way Too Much To Not Be Playable
Shizune might be the ninja who appeared the most in Naruto to still not make it into the Ultimate Ninja Storm roster. Shizune is mostly known for being Tsunade’s valued assistant, being almost always at Tsunade’s side.
She may have been a medical ninja, but Shizune was still highly proficient at combat, using hidden weapons, poisons, and scalpels as weapons. In Ultimate Ninja Storm, Shizune could have been joined by the Ninja Pig, Tonton, similarly to how Akamaru joins Kiba in battle.
3 Lars Was The Series' Only Crossover Character And Should Have Crossed Over Again
Lars was a guest character exclusive to Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 who came from another Bandai Namco series of fighting games - Tekken. In Tekken, Lars utilized a quick and close-to-the-ground fighting style common of the Tekken Force. Likewise, his appearance in Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 featured a fighting style similar to his Tekken one but enhanced by ninjutsu.
Even though he resembled his Tekken version, his enhanced movement made him fit in with the rest of the Naruto cast, and Masashi Kishimoto even gave him a fitting redesign.
2 Some Ninja Animals Could Have Been Playable By Themselves
Some fighting games feature minor characters being upgraded into fully playable characters. Bleach: Dark Souls let players use Ganju Shiba's pet boar, Bonnie, as a fighter. Capcom's Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo featured the tiny talisman from Hsien-Ko's hat, known as Mei-Ling, as playable with a cheat code. If those sidekicks got to be playable, then why not the Ninja Animals from Naruto?
There were many ninja dogs in Naruto, like Pakkun's team or those raised by the Inuzuka Clan. If just one of those dogs became playable, then Akamaru would have been a great choice. Other animals like the human-sized ninja toads or the monkey king, Enma, would have been worthy opponents to the human ninja.
1 Any Characters From Boruto Would Have Been Welcome
Although Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is still an ongoing series, it has featured a wealth of viable characters for Ultimate Ninja Storm 5. Most of the Konoha 11 had children that went on to become ninja with their own stories and skills, which would make any of them great playable characters.
Some plausible additions to the Ninja Storm cast include Chōchō Akimichi, Mirai Sarutobi, or any of the Ōtsutsuki Clan members introduced in Boruto.