Naruto has no shortage of villains, with many of them being well-written and compelling. From the very start of the series, villains like Zabuza and Orochimaru have been leaving their mark on the heroes and the audience. However, that doesn't mean that everything about Naruto's villains is handled well, with many tidbits about them not making much sense.
There are Naruto villains who don't have a compelling reason for turning evil, while some feel like they're tossed into the series without the proper buildup. Others make powerful villains, but are redeemed in a way that doesn't sit right with fans, especially when some Naruto villains are built up to feel irredeemable.
10 Kaguya Is Added As The Main Villain
For much of Naruto's runtime, Madara is built up to be the series' main antagonist. Fans are overall fine with this, feeling like his buildup and overall inclusion into Naruto's story are done well. However, they then sacrifice him to bring about Kaguya as the true final antagonist.
Kaguya isn't laced throughout Naruto's plot like other major villains are, making her appearance feel like it comes out of nowhere and unsatisfying. Kaguya herself is responsible for bestowing chakra upon humanity, and it doesn't feel right for such a major character to be brought in without any prior mention.
9 Many Villains Are Redeemed Who Don't Deserve It
It's one thing for Naruto's titular character to talk sense into villains who already have something compelling about them, like Zabuza and Gaara. However, not every villain feels like they should have been forgiven for their crimes, with Orochimaru being one of the biggest examples.
Orochimaru performed heinous experiments on children and took countless lives, including the Third Hokage's. His reason for redemption — helping the Leaf during the War — is purely out of his own self-interests as well, rather than something done out of the kindness of his heart.
8 Madara Has So Much Buildup Only To Be Sacrificed
Madara Uchiha was built up to be the seemingly-invincible final boss of Naruto. Kishimoto himself states that he didn't know how any of the heroes could stand up against the threat he posed. Instead of being the ultimate enemy that fans felt he was made to be, Madara is betrayed by Black Zetsu so Kaguya can be summoned.
Black Zetsu is meant to be the reincarnation of Madara's will, making the twist of Madara being manipulated by him feel nonsensical. Not only this, but Kaguya had no satisfying buildup prior to her arrival, which helped Madara become a fan-favorite villain.
7 Itachi's Illness Isn't Explained
It's revealed during Naruto Shippuden that Itachi has been suffering from a terminal illness. It's never fully explained what illness he suffers from or when he contracted it, which has led many to feel as if it was only given to Itachi so that he'd have no choice but to be killed off.
Some believe that Itachi contracted his illness from overusing his Mangekyo Sharingan, but this hasn't been seen with any other Sharingan user. Others think it was caused by the overwhelming emotional pain and trauma Itachi endured by having to play the role of the villain. Either way, Itachi's illness and its cause don't make sense to many fans.
6 Villains Who Do Deserve Redemption Don't Get It
One of the biggest issues with Naruto's villains is how many villains live and get redemption when they don't deserve it. On the other hand, there are many villains with compelling backstories who deserve redemption and are killed off before they can improve the state of their lives.
This has happened since the start of Naruto, with Haku and Zabuza being prime examples. Others, like Kimimaro, simply follow evil characters because they give them purpose. They aren't evil themselves, but they still end up dying unsatisfyingly without any positive growth.
5 Without Filler, Mizuki's Motivations Are Lackluster
Mizuki is the first villain in Naruto. Canonically, he's around for the very first episode. In filler-only episodes, Mizuki swears to obtain the Sacred Scroll of Sealing for Orochimaru, but the two don't have any relation in the actual canon.
This means that, canonically, Mizuki doesn't have any reason to be interested in the scroll. He doesn't have the chakra reserves that enable Naruto to make use of the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, so it's not like Mizuki could have harnessed the scroll's forbidden jutsu himself.
4 Karin Remains In Love With Sasuke
Karin falls hopelessly in love with Sasuke after he saves her during the Chunin Exams. It makes sense for her to become so attached, given her past, but Karin's feelings remain even after Sasuke's darker colors come out, to the dismay of many fans.
Sasuke routinely only uses Karin for the value she brings to the group, such as her healing abilities. Despite this, even after Sasuke calls Karin useless for getting held hostage and leaves her for dead, and commits atrocities right in front of her, Karin's feelings don't change.
3 Gaara Goes From Bloodthirsty Villain To Kazekage
It makes sense that Naruto is able to get through to Gaara and ultimately redeem him, restoring his lost humanity. Being a fellow jinchuriki, shunned by the rest of the world, Naruto's the only one able to understand Gaara's pain and help him work through it.
What fans fail to understand is how Gaara then, by the start of Naruto Shippuden, becomes the Kazekage himself. Not only does it feel like this happens far too fast, but Gaara doesn't express any interest in such a position. It feels more like Gaara is made Kazekage not for his own sake or ideals, but to push Naruto toward his dreams even harder.
2 Sasuke Goes Against Itachi's Wishes By Targeting Konoha
Itachi's final moments are incredibly impactful, not just for the audience, but for Sasuke as well. It's finally revealed that, despite painting himself as a cruel and callous villain, Itachi's always had the Leaf Village's best interests at heart, along with Sasuke's.
After learning the truth about Itachi, Sasuke directs all of his hatred and vengeance toward Konoha and becomes determined to destroy it. Sasuke does this to get revenge on those who had ordered Itachi to kill the Uchiha Clan, but it still feels disrespectful of Itachi's wishes.
1 Great Villains Are Introduced & Then Underutilized
Naruto has a problem with introducing cool, colorful villains and then disposing of them before they're able to be properly utilized. Sasori is a great example of this: a complex villain with a compelling backstory and unique powers. However, he is defeated after only a single battle against Sakura and Chiyo.
The biggest offender, in this case, is Madara. Throughout all of Naruto, Madara is given a phenomenal buildup that sets him up as the series' ultimate villain. When Madara does finally get a chance to face off against the heroes, though, he's quickly sacrificed to summon Kaguya.