A long-standing Shonen anime like Naruto is bound to have a few deaths. After all, it’s a series about the fight for the Shinobi’s way of life and not just a comedy anime. Masashi Kishimoto develops his characters to the point that fans can relate to all of them.
So when a character dies, they are genuinely mourned. However, some deaths could have been avoided in Naruto and fans think Neji’s is one of them.
This powerful and loyal shinobi died trying to protect Hinata and Naruto, but was it necessary to kill him? Here are some of the explanations why fans think Neji was brought up just to get killed.
Neji Sacrificed Himself to Solidify Naruto and Hinata’s Relationship
As stated earlier, Neji died while protecting Naruto and Hinata from an attack by Obito. With his dying breath, he reminded Naruto that he was responsible for more than one life, as Hinata was also ready to save Naruto.
Fans think that Neji had no reason to die other than to support a mere relationship. Masashi Kishimoto himself admitted this in an interview. Neji, who grew up as an underdog and had significant achievements in the anime, deserved a better life or at least a better death.
Many believe that Obito’s attack was not that serious and that Neji or Naruto could have handled it. If he had died during the fight with Kidomaru, it would have been more meaningful.
Neji’s Absence in Naruto Shippuden
Another point that frustrates fans is that Neji was barely present in Naruto Shippuden. He had phenomenal development and growth and even an awesome fight with Kidomaru in Naruto. However, he was barely present in the sequel, not counting the fillers.
He fought Kisame and assisted Team 7 in the Gaara arc, but his buildup was paused. There was no constant nourishing of the character, that could at least serve as a warning flag.
After forgetting to develop Neiji in most of Naruto Shippuden, Masashi Kishimoto brought him out from the ‘character attic’ just to kill him in an unnatural manner.
Naruto was Designed to Prevail Over Neiji
Neiji was born in a Hyuga clan branch and had natural talent, which ultimately bound him to serve the main house. He was an underdog, just like Naruto, but with different ideologies. After his battle with Naruto, he finally began seeing the latter’s perspective.
Naruto, on the other hand, is an Uzumaki and thus related to the Senju clan. His father is the Fourth Hokage. The Third Hokage and the future Sixth Hokage were his teachers. That is a very privileged background, no matter how much he was shown to have suffered as an orphan.
If you account for the bloodline, connections, and Kurama, Naruto was basically above any common ninja. He did work hard to gain his position, but he rose too far above the others. While he tried to deter Neji from his grudge against the main family, Neji ultimately had to sacrifice his life for a person hailing from a privileged background.
The zero buildup, along with the minimal mourning for Neji as well as his wasted character development, make Neji’s death extremely controversial in the minds of Naruto fans.
You can watch Naruto on Crunchyroll and read the manga on Viz Media.
