I’ve watched Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, and Jujutsu Kaisen, and currently, I’m hooked on One Punch Man. And, if you’re an anime lover, you know that these are some legendary shows.
But if I had to choose the best anime of all time, it would be Naruto, for sure. Masashi Kishimoto has created a masterpiece. But, after rewatching it multiple times, I’ve concluded that Masashi could’ve spiced things up, only if he had made a couple of changes in the show’s plot.
Having said that, I wouldn’t take anything away from Naruto’s original storyline. But what’s the harm in twisting reality and discussing how things could turn out if Kishimoto had made some changes?
In this article, I’m going to propose some changes that I believe could’ve made Naruto more interesting and entertaining. But, before I get to that, why don’t I start by explaining where you can watch this entire series, along with its sequel, Boruto?
Where To Watch Naruto And Boruto?
Both anime series are available on Crunchyroll and Netflix. But for me, Netflix works the best. Since I’ve bundled my internet with cable TV via Spectrum Internet offers, I usually download episodes on Netflix for offline streaming.
Plus, with an on-demand anime network on Spectrum TV, I can watch more anime series on cable TV.
5 Changes I Would Love to See in Naruto
If you’ve watched Naruto, then you’d know that some plots and twists feel forced. I personally feel that a slightly different storyline could’ve made the entire show more interesting.
Anyways, let me explain the top five changes, which I believe could’ve made more sense in Naruto.
Replace Sakura With Hinata
Sakura and Hinata are two very prominent female ninjas in Naruto. While Sakura is a formidable part of Team 7, Hinata has Byakugan. However, if it had been up to me, I’d replace Sakura with Hinata in the blink of an eye. Let me tell you why.
Tsunade took Sakura under her wing and made her an exceptional medical ninja. Now, the downside of being a medical ninja is that you don’t fight well, which we often see in Sakura’s case.
On the other hand, Hinata’s Byakugan could’ve been invaluable in medical ninjutsu. For instance, a Byakugan wielder can see the Chakra networks, and hence, it wouldn’t have been a problem for Hinata to quickly find the damaged Chakra networks and fix them.
Also, this change would’ve allowed Sakura to focus more on her fighting skills and not rely on Naruto, Sasuke, or Kakashi for protection in every single fight.
Alliance Between Orochimaru and Madara
Orochimaru was Naruto’s arch-nemesis before Madara arrived in the 4th Great Ninja War. Yes, the Akatsuki and Pain were formidable opponents as well, but did they live long enough to fight in the Great War? No!
Now, I find it extremely difficult to digest how Orochimaru suddenly became a good guy in the middle of the Great War. He even helped Sasuke revive the former Hokage, who then helped Naruto against Madara and Kaguya.
Here, instead of helping Naruto and Sasuke, I would’ve loved to see Orochimaru join the ranks of Madara and Kaguya in the Great War.
It’s because it would be fitting to see Orochimaru alongside Madara, as both of them loathed the Hidden Leaf Village. And, who wouldn’t want to see Orochimaru confronting his former disciple, Sasuke, in the final showdown?
Make Nagato Fight Against Naruto and Sasuke
For me, Nagato is the most mysterious character in Naruto for one simple reason: he awakened the Rinnegan. Besides the tailed beasts and the Sharingan, it was the most powerful weapon a ninja could possess.
So, I believe it’s a pity that we didn’t get to see a fight between these most powerful weapons in the entire show. Having said that, Naruto engaged with Nagato once during Pain’s attack on the Hidden Leaf Village, but it was more of a dialogue than a fight.
Also, do you recall any confrontation between Sasuke and Nagato in the entire series? Because I don’t!
For me, both the ninjas had the most powerful eyes in Naruto. And, all it needed was an epic fight to decide who had the better pair of eyes.
Keep Master Jiraya Alive Till The 4th Great Ninja War
Master Jiraya was one of the three legendary Sannins, including Tsunade and Orochimaru.
Plus, he bravely took down a couple of Pain members before succumbing to his wounds. But, if it had been up to me, I would’ve kept him alive till the 4th Great Ninja War.
There is no doubt that Naruto, Sasuke, and the rest of the ninjas won the Great War.
However, Master Jiraya fighting Orochimaru in the Great War would’ve been a sight to watch. Also, if you partner him with Tsunade, it might’ve been the ultimate showdown between the three legendary Sannins.
Having said that, Jiraya might’ve become the next Hokage as well, leaving Kakashi to lead the ANBU Black Ops.
Make Kakashi and Shikamaru More Impactful
I believe Shikamaru, who is arguably the smartest guy in the entire series, and Kakashi “The Copy Ninja” are highly underutilized.
First, let’s talk about Kakashi.
He knew more than 1,000 Jutsus, but how many of them have we seen him perform? A few chosen ones, right? Then, he also had a Sharingan, an unusual trait for someone who wasn’t a Uchiha. And, considering all the powerful abilities Kakashi had, he never won a fight on his own.
As for Shikamaru, he is well-known for defeating his opponents technically. However, Shikamaru played no significant role when he was needed the most in the Great War.
All in all, these are a few changes I’d love to make in Naruto.
Yes, these changes would’ve certainly twisted the storyline and might’ve changed the outcome of various events. But I’m certain that they would’ve made the entire series more interesting and entertaining.