The cast of the Naruto series often stole the show from the titular ninja, and it’s partly due to the beginning of the story’s brilliant introductions that did more favors for some than others. A retrospection of the Naruto series has proven it’s better and worse than some fans may remember. While Naruto‘s first chapters introduced some bonds that failed to stay relevant to the overarching plot, it eventually added characters that helped sharpen the series.

Before Naruto’s ultimate rival, Sasuke Uchiha is introduced to the plot, Naruto forms his seemingly first strong bond with his sensei Iruka. While the bond was pivotal in the manga’s first chapter, for being such an essential character in Naruto’s life, Iruka failed to have much relevance to the series. And he was not the only other character who seemed to receive less focus than their introductions may have eluded to.

Konohamaru Sarutobi had all the features of being the main character of a manga story. As the honored grandson of the Third Hokage, his entire introduction focused on his desire to step out of his successful grandfather’s footsteps and be acknowledged for his actions. After a hard lesson from Naruto, he learned that he had to put in the work to become the Hokage and that they’d be competing for the role. Still, series fans know that their rivalry would fail to live up to the iconic heights of another in the franchise.

Konohamaru Was A Less Interesting Main Character

Naruto manga written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto

The Third Hokage’s grandson does have an occasional moment to shine, like in one of the best Naruto arcs, the Pain arc, and the Boruto series, but nowhere near the amount someone would expect for a prominent character that was introduced in the second chapter of a long-running series. After he and Naruto proclaimed that they would be rivals to become the Hokage, it seemed apparent that Konohamaru would be a more vital character in the overarching storyline. It’s also possible that the design and concept of his character were once supposed to play a more significant role.

Konohamaru felt like he could have been Masashi Kishimoto’s prototype for a young ninja main character who ultimately fell to the wayside when the more colorful and memorable Naruto presented himself. The series had no trouble introducing even more characters in later arcs, but so little time was devoted to developing Konohamaru that his inclusion in the story feels unnecessary. Perhaps because the characters introduced in the following chapters outshined almost everything the manga had explored so far.

It All Started With Naruto’s First Kiss

Sasuke and Sakura are introduced in chapter #3 of the Naruto manga

Everything changed once Masashi Kishimoto put Naruto into a team and introduced Sakura and Sasuke in chapter #3. Not only did it give Naruto’s vibrant personality others to bounce off of, but it also helped the story find a direction that’d eventually lead to Naruto becoming the most popular series in the world. Before the first chidori and Team 7’s first true test, Naruto and Sasuke shared their hilarious kiss. The accidental smooch helped set an uneasy tone for the trio, who’d need to learn to work together despite their incredibly different personalities and goals.

Thanks to the comedy-driven introduction to Team 7 in the classroom, the dynamic between the trio was well established before they formally introduced themselves in the following chapter. However, at the risk of making Naruto an incredibly unlikable character, chapter #3 features the prankster’s worst ploy when he restrains Sasuke and pretends to be him to try to get a kiss Sakura. Before the deception can be completed, Naruto has a sudden bathroom emergency that threatens to undo his disguise. Sakura never learns about the deceit, but it almost makes the main character challenging to root for.

Naruto’s Terrible Moment Gets Worse With Time

Thankfully, Naruto’s pervy behavior subsided

Naruto had a crush on Sakura and thought the best way to get closer to her was to use a transformation jutsu to transform into Sasuke. The entire encounter stands out because Naruto never stoops to such a low tactic of lying and trying to take advantage of his classmates again in the series. It also saw Naruto instantly become proficient with the Transformation Jutsu, an ability he recently proved terrible at, unless it was in the form of attractive women with the Sexy Jutsu.

Much like the tired manga trend of having perverted characters casually sexually assaulting young girls, Naruto’s trick in chapter #3 continues to look worse as time progresses. The moment proved that the main character had a lot of growing up to do, but it also gave Sasuke an opportunity to show that he was more than a moody opposite of Naruto. At the same time, it began a tarnished relationship with Sakura.

Chapter #3 of the Naruto manga features a lot of terrible traits for the main character that thankfully do not become mainstays of his personality. However, the chapter does a great job of showcasing Sakura and Sasuke’s personalities in a short amount of time. Sakura’s infatuation with Sasuke proves to be her main driving force, which looks extra childish compared to her teammates’ goals. She seems incredibly foolish when the real Sasuke shows up to a confused Sakura who ignorantly mocks Naruto for being an orphan, instantly putting her on the wrong side of the boy of her dreams.

Sasuke And Sakura Dramatically Helped Make Naruto Something Special

The third chapter of Naruto was the worst portrayal of the main character, making it difficult to care for him, which is not ideal for the beginning of a Shōnen Jump manga. However, the strong showing and personalities of the rest of Team 7 not only saved the chapter but also provided essential dynamics that’d help set the story’s path going forward. Besides being the brooding and mysterious character that got on Naruto’s nerves, Sasuke’s frustration with Sakura’s short-sided comment provided a sneak peek at the complexity of Naruto‘s character writing.

With the full context of the series and the later reveal that Naruto and Sasuke had begun to form a bond before the series started, Sasuke’s response to Sakura’s comment feels even more biting, as if he was almost defending someone he already considered a friend to some degree. It was only the beginning of the Naruto series, but within its first few chapters, Masashi Kishimoto’s story introduced seemingly vital characters whose overall impact on the story would be disappointing, while others would become characters fans will always remember.