Naruto: Unraveling the Byakugan's Evolutionary Journey and Its Ties to the Tenseigan
Unleash the hidden potential of the Byakugan in Naruto: Exploring its evolution and the Hyuga clan's role in the series Discover the untold depths of this powerful dojutsu within 350 characters
Although Naruto is widely successful, there are certain concepts, such as the Hyuga clan and the Byakugan dojutsu, that could have been developed further. Many fans have noted that the Hyuga and the Byakugan seem to have been overshadowed by the Sharingan and the Rinnegan in the original series. This is a valid criticism of how the Byakugan was utilized.
For fans who are not up to date with Boruto or have not seen or read the sequel, there is a pressing question: Can the Byakugan evolve? This question arises as the series continues to progress in terms of power scaling and expands upon elements of the franchise's lore.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Naruto series.
Byakugan can evolve in the Naruto franchise
The Byakugan, found in the Naruto series, is a unique ability attributed to the Hyuga clan. It grants them an expanded field of vision, enhancing their prowess in combat. Despite being initially presented as superior to the Uchiha clan's Sharingan, the Byakugan ultimately paled in comparison as the latter developed distinct abilities and skills, leaving the former overshadowed in the narrative.
The Byakugan does have an evolution, known as the Tenseigan, but it is only attainable by the moon clan of the Otsutsuki. This means that members of the Hyuga family, like Hinata and Neji, would not be able to achieve it. The Tenseigan has similar abilities to the Rinnegan, but is considered to be more powerful.
The movie Naruto the Last introduced the concept of combining the Tenseigan with the chakra of a Hyuga, resulting in a more powerful version. The antagonist of the film used this Chakra Mode, which has since seen variations in the Boruto series.
Why the Hyuga clan was sidelined in Naruto
The sidelining of the Hyuga clan in Naruto is a major point of contention for fans of the original series. Despite being initially touted as equals to the Uchiha, the story ultimately proved otherwise, with characters like Sasuke, Itachi, Obito, and Madara far surpassing any Hyuga member in the series.
In addition to this power imbalance, the two most prominent Hyuga members, Hinata and Neji, were disappointingly underutilized throughout the majority of the original story.
Hinata started off as a shy girl without much fighting spirit, but the story did not allow her much opportunity for growth and improvement beyond a few filler episodes and scenes in the anime, courtesy of Studio Pierrot.
Neji, too, had a lot of potential as a strong ninja, especially after his impressive start in the Chunin Exam. However, the series did not fully develop his character, making him one of the most wasted characters in the series. Many initially saw him as a promising ninja on par with Sasuke and Gaara.
Final thoughts
Neji was also a significant contrast to Naruto in the early part of the story, and his backstory about the Hyuga family branches added depth to his character redemption. However, his potential was not fully realized in Shippuden, and his death in the Fourth Great Ninja War was disappointing.
In short, the Byakugan can undergo evolution within the Otsutsuki clan, but individuals like Hinata or Neji are unable to achieve this advanced state. In the case of the descendants of the moon, this upgraded form is called the Tenseigan.
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Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z fan of Naruto, I have mixed feelings about the portrayal of the Hyuga clan and the Byakugan in the series. While I appreciate the unique abilities and visual prowess of the Byakugan, I can't help but feel that it was overshadowed by the Sharingan and Rinnegan. The Hyuga clan, particularly Hinata and Neji, had so much potential, but they were often sidelined and underutilized in the original series.
It's exciting to learn about the Byakugan's evolutionary potential and the Tenseigan, but it's disappointing that only the Otsutsuki clan can achieve this advanced form. I would have loved to see Hinata or Neji unlock the Tenseigan and showcase its incredible power. Their characters deserved more development and recognition, and it would have been satisfying to see them reach their full potential.
