Naruto is divided into two parts: the Original, and Shippuden. The original part or Part I is the very beginning of the series, and it follows Naruto as he joins a new team and makes new friends. On the other hand, Naruto Shippuden is set after the time, Naruto comes back to the village.
The two parts are quite different in their approach to certain characters. Some characters managed to impress the fans in Part I, while others only became good once Shippuden came out. These characters needed extra time to develop and become better characters. With that in mind, we have made a list of all the characters that developed and became better in Naruto Shippuden.
8 Sakura Haruno
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Sakura is a member of the famed Team 7. When she joined the team, she barely had any power. To make things worse, she also had a very toxic personality, which made her an extremely hated character. Sakura always picked on Naruto, while the latter went out of his way to protect her and make her happy.
Thankfully, Sakura became much better in Naruto Shippuden. She trained under Tsunade and learned everything about medical ninjutsu. Her medical skills came in handy in the Fourth Great Ninja War, where she saved tons of lives.
7 Might Guy
Labeled "Konoha's Sublime Green Beast of Prey," Might Guy was already impressive in Part I, but he developed into an even better character in the next part. Might Guy had shown flashes of brilliance in several fights, and everyone in the village was aware of his strength, but he never got a chance to show off his abilities in Part I.
It was in Naruto Shippuden that he truly demonstrated his strength. Might Guy had two epic fights-one against Kisame and the second against Madara Uchiha. In particular, his fight against Madara showed Guy's resolve as he used the eighth and final gate to protect his comrades. The legendary Uchiha even praised Guy and called him the greatest taijutsu user that he had ever faced.
6 Itachi Uchiha
Itachi Uchiha is considered by many to be the best character in the series. When he was introduced, Itachi came off as an extremely evil person, who had not only killed his entire clan but also tortured his younger brother. Despite his notorious reputation, Itachi managed to earn the admiration of the fans because of his immensely cool nature and strong abilities.
Shortly after his death, it was revealed that Itachi was carrying a huge burden on his back, and he purposely created a bad reputation so that he could protect the Hidden Leaf and his younger brother. With such an incredible backstory and fighting skills, it is tough to argue that he is not the best character in Naruto Shippuden.
5 Jiraiya
Jiraiya was a part of the Legendary Sannin, and he was respected throughout the world. In Part I, Jiraiya was mainly focused on helping Naruto train and the only time that he was involved in a serious fight, he was drugged by Tsunade.
Needless to say, Jiraiya solidified his position as an all-time great in Naruto Shippuden when he faced the Six Paths of Pain. The fight was pivotal to Jiraiya's development as a character and as a teacher. Seeing him adhering to his principles even in death is truly magnificent, and Jiraiya showed his class in the fight when he was more concerned about his student back in the village.
4 Gaara
When Gaara fought in the Chunin Exams, nobody expected him to become a character filled with empathy. In the Chunin Exams arc, he demolished opponents without showing them any kind of mercy. He was so fearsome that his own siblings feared him and didn't dare to cross him.
Gaara's perception entirely changed after being beaten by Naruto, who made him realize that there was still hope for people like them. Gaara had not felt love or any similar emotion in a very long time, and watching Naruto continue to fight for his loved ones changed him. As the position of Kazekage was vacant, Gaara decided to take it, and he tirelessly worked to help the villagers. In time, he became loved by his subjects.
3 Sasuke Uchiha
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Sasuke is the deuteragonist of the Naruto series. In the first part, all Sasuke wanted was revenge and to achieve his goal, he even left behind his entire team. Sasuke managed to accomplish his goal in the subsequent part, but he wasn't happy for long as Obito revealed the tragic truth about Itachi's life.
With a new goal in mind, Sasuke started hunting the people who had caused problems for his brother. Sasuke's hatred knew no bounds and if he hadn't met Itachi in the Fourth Great Ninja War, then things might have turned out to be very rather different. By the end of the series, Sasuke had become a proud man, who saved the ninja world from annihilation.
2 Shikamaru Nara
Shikamaru Nara is an exceptional character with a ridiculously high IQ. His smart decision-making has saved the Hidden Leaf on numerous occasions.
In Naruto Shippuden, Shikamaru had to go through the traumatic experience of witnessing his teacher's death. This event helped him to become a better person and enabled him to tackle much more serious problems in the future.
1 Naruto Uzumaki
Naruto is the main protagonist of the series. In both parts, Naruto improved his physical attributes, but it was only in the second part that he managed to become emotionally strong.
Naruto lost Jiraiya, but he did not stop and whine. Instead, he continued to train, so that he could fulfill his late teacher's dream of having a peaceful world. Naruto also saved the Hidden Leaf from the Six Paths of Pain, and he went on to defeat many more characters in the Fourth Great Ninja War. Finally, in the end, he brought Sasuke back to the village.