Neji and Choji are two of the most iconic side characters in Masashi Kishimoto’s series. They share similarities in one way or the other; both hail from legendary clans in Konoha and made their mark as strong shinobi.
Their specialisation in clan techniques is one such feat. It isn’t a cakewalk to say the least. While this marks their growth as characters, they achieved one of the darkest records early on, but that’s not all.
In other words, this record makes the story all the more disturbing and unsettling. This also connects well with the macabre elements in the series. Naruto avoided it, but what exactly is it? Let’s find out!
Neji Hyuga and Choji Akimichi’s dark and twisted incident in the series
We keep hearing how Masashi Kishimoto abandoned his side characters and whatnot. But little do we realize that he gave us some of the most goated side characters who are downright bada**. They stand out in many aspects.
Neji and Choji, in particular, are the side characters who deserve appreciation. They both belong to notable clans, have unique and interesting abilities, and their own journeys. Their development throughout the series is commendable.
We know by now that Shippuden did both characters dirty. They killed off the Hyuga prodigy and as for our beloved fatso, he was reduced to a fodder character. But there is one fight that skyrocketed their dark record.
It was the Sasuke Retrieval arc, and it was the cherry on the cake. This arc is so memorable yet creepy in its manner. Both characters managed to get a kill at the mere age of 14 against the Sound Four, and here’s how fans responded:
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There are several reasons why this is creepy. We have child soldiers who stake their lives on the line. Children murdering other children? There’s nothing more horrific than that, which is something Naruto avoided.
That is, until he was 16 when he finally ended Yura. We cannot forget that one now, can we? Both fights in the series make one thing clear: The series truly excels in encompassing the grotesque and macabre themes.
The macabre and grotesque elements in Naruto
Be it Sakon and Ukon’s body fusing jutsu or Shikamaru’s bone melting scene, Kishimoto excelled in bringing macabre elements into his story. This also connects well with Jirobo and Kidomaru’s body modification.
Kidomaru’s Cursed Seal state is enough to give the viewers chills to this date. The spider metaphor that Kishimoto used for the character is nothing short of terrifying. And so was his death, where the predator became the prey.
Not to mention, both Jirobo and Kidomaru were confirmed kills. This makes it even more jarring if one were to rewatch it. To have kids engage in an intense combat against other kids is perturbing, to say the least.
On the whole, the Sasuke Retrieval arc will always remain iconic and legendary to this date. Be it battles or macabre, or gore, Kishimoto went the extra mile with his characters. This proves that nothing beats the original.
After all, when it comes to darkness and depth, the mangaka did it so brilliantly!
Naruto is currently available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is currently available for reading on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
