Naruto: The Plot Holes Surrounding Obito, Explained

Key Takeaways

Obito’s Mangekyo Sharingan never lost its light despite the usual drawbacks.
Obito survived being crushed by a boulder in a controversial plot hole.
Obito’s war for the Nine-Tails and Eight-Tails chakra was rendered pointless due to new information.

As a long-time fan of Naruto, I find myself often pondering over the intricacies and inconsistencies that occasionally crop up in the series. One such issue that has always perplexed me is the character of Obito Uchiha, a figure who, despite his significant role in the story, seems to have been plagued by certain plot holes.

The Naruto series is often criticized for having numerous plot inconsistencies and retcons during its run. Among these discrepancies, the ones surrounding Obito Uchiha, a controversial final antagonist, stand out most prominently. While Obito debuted as himself during the Fourth Great Ninja War, he was initially portrayed as a mysterious figure named Tobi at the start of Shippuden. Given Obito’s significant impact on Naruto’s storyline, some inconsistencies were inevitable.

It’s troubling that there are numerous unresolved questions about Obito’s storyline. From his mysterious survival to the eternal glow of his Mangekyo Sharingan, Obito’s character appears riddled with inconsistencies, some more obvious than others. Whether this is due to Kishimoto rushing through certain aspects or piling on too many complexities for a single character, these plot gaps have left a blemish on the overall impact of Naruto.

Obito’s Mangekyo Sharingan Never Lost Its light

The Mangekyo Sharingan Leaves Its Users Blind Over Time

Naruto: The Plot Holes Surrounding Obito, Explained

In any powerful ability, there’s always a corresponding challenging downside that keeps it in check. For instance, the Mangekyo Sharingan – one of the most potent dojutsu from the Naruto series – comes with a heavy price. This drawback primarily affects the user’s vision. The more frequently the Mangekyo is activated, the more its light diminishes, leading to progressive blindness. Each Mangekyo Sharingan user has experienced this debilitating consequence; Itachi, for example, went blind just prior to his death.

Rather than experiencing the typical drawbacks associated with the Mangekyo Sharingan, Obito appears to have managed to avoid them entirely. From his initial debut as Tobi up until his death during the Fourth Great Ninja War, Obito’s Mangekyo Sharingan has consistently remained active without incurring the usual chakra drain or eye strain and blindness that typically occur with its use.

As a hardcore Naruto fan, I’ve always been intrigued by Kakashi and Obito’s shared Mangekyo Sharingan, but there’s something unusual about it. You see, Kakashi experiences eye strain and blurriness after prolonged use, while Obito doesn’t seem to have that issue. The Naruto series never delved into why this is, leaving us fans in the dark. It’s been speculated that perhaps the cells of the First Hokage granted him the ability to use his Mangekyo Sharingan without end, but Obito’s immunity to its strain still feels like an unresolved plot hole. The series didn’t explore this oddity enough for me.

Obito Evaded the Byakugan’s Vision

The Byakugan Can Distinguish Chakras and Different Dojutsu

In the storyline of Naruto Shippuden, the real identity of Obito remained a significant mystery for much of the series. His mask enabled him to initially assume the character of Tobi and later pretend to be Madara Uchiha. Although most shinobi might have been tricked by Obito’s disguise, it was the Hyuga clan members who could potentially see through his deception – thanks to their Byakugan ability. However, during the Itachi Pursuit Arc, Hinata had a chance to use her Byakugan on Tobi but failed to uncover Obito’s true identity behind the mask.

It’s evident that the Byakugan has the ability to detect various kinds of chakra and unique powers hidden behind masks. This was demonstrated during Ao’s meeting with Danzo, where he could sense Shisui’s Mangekyo Sharingan within Danzo’s eye. In a similar manner, Hinata, or any member of the Hyuga Clan, should have been capable of identifying that the enigmatic figure named Tobi possessed a Mangekyo Sharingan in one eye. However, for the sake of the storyline, neither Hinata nor any other Hyuga Clan member was ever able to see through Obito’s mask, which could be considered as a minor oversight in the narrative of Naruto created by Kishimoto.

Obito Survived Being Crushed By a Boulder

The Boulder Crushed Obito’s Entire Right Side

Arguably the most controversial plot hole surrounding Obito’s character is his survival. The Naruto series merely explained that Obito was saved by Madara, instead of actually presenting the scene. Obito’s body was entirely crushed by a boulder, including his Sharingan eye, and the rest of his body was buried deep under rubble from the collapsing cave. However, he was miraculously saved by Madara, even resuscitated and healed via Hashirama’s cells.

I’m amazed you weren’t completely crushed under those boulders.

Given the severe nature of Obito’s wounds and the apparent destruction of half his face, it seemed unlikely that he could survive. Furthermore, since one side of his brain and his Sharingan eye were shown to be damaged or destroyed, it would make sense for him to exhibit some sort of dysfunction following such injuries. However, after being revived by Madara, Obito showed no signs of impairment, even regaining the use of his Sharingan and a single eye.

It’s been proposed that Madara might have resurrected Obito using the Rinnegan’s Rinne Rebirth method combined with the vast chakra of the Gedo Statue. Yet, these are just theories since the Naruto series has never explicitly explained how Obito managed to recover from such a severe wound, leaving this as one of the most debated plot points in his character’s storyline.

Discrepancy in Obito’s Appearance

Obito Was Depicted to be Much Older During His Fight Against Minato

A small inconsistency regarding Obito’s character emerges during his invasion of the Hidden Leaf Village. By the time Obito engaged Minato in a personal battle, Obito had significantly matured, not only in age but also in height. Interestingly, during this same period, Obito’s companions like Kakashi and Guy were depicted as teenagers rather than grown adults.

Although Obito’s appearance inconsistency might seem minor compared to other character flaws, it remains significant within the storyline. Regrettably, Masashi Kishimoto didn’t make enough effort to distinguish between young Obito and his older version, leading to an uneven portrayal compared to his friends when it comes to physical appearance.

The Gedo Statue Only Required a Fraction of Each Tailed Beast

Obito Never Needed To Start A War for Nine-Tails and Eight-Tails Chakra

In simpler terms, Obito started a war against the Five Great Nations in order to gain control over both the Nine-Tails and Eight-Tails so he could activate the Eye of the Moon Plan. However, it was revealed that just a piece of either Tailed Beast was enough to trigger the Ten-Tails’ transformation. This meant Obito didn’t need to wage an entire war; instead, he could have obtained the necessary chakra from Kinkaku and Ginkaku (who were hosts to the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails respectively) to summon the Ten-Tails, making his war against the Five Great Nations unnecessary.

Instead, it was actually Obito who brought together all shinobi forces to thwart him. If the Eye of the Moon Plan didn’t necessitate Naruto and Killer Bee’s Tailed Beasts, then Obito’s efforts in inciting war were essentially futile. This implies that the Fourth Great Ninja War was a sequence of events without purpose. Yet, it appears that the war served as a catalyst for the plot’s advancement. However, the retcon stating only a portion of the Tailed Beasts’ chakra was required seemed to undermine the significance of the entire war. This inconsistency made Obito appear somewhat foolish, as his unwarranted declaration of war ultimately led to his own downfall.

The Strength of Obito’s Genjutsu

Obito Was Able to Place the Mizukage Under a Genjutsu

Obito is not typically known as a master of genjutsu, but one of his most impressive achievements involves this skill. During the rule of the Fourth Mizukage, Obito managed to put Yagura, the host of the Three-Tails, under a genjutsu. This allowed him full control over the Hidden Mist Village without needing to make a single move himself.

As a gamer, I had my doubts that our Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, might not be acting on his own. It crossed my mind that perhaps the Akatsuki were orchestrating things behind the scenes.

This raises an intrigue: Why didn’t Obito employ his exceptional genjutsu abilities against other adversaries, given that he effortlessly controlled someone as potent as Yagura? With such mastery over genjutsu, Obito could have avoided waging war against the Five Great Nations, instead subduing their leaders (Kage) or Jinchuriki under his genjutsu control.

Naruto is available to stream on Prime Video.

2024-10-27 19:34