TheNarutoseries' reputation speaks volume of its in-depth characters and intricately crafted storyline, and while the series most certainly hit all the right notes, there are a few aspects that deserved a bit more attention from the author’s side. It’s no secret thatwomen in the serieshave played much smaller roles, with most being relegated to supporting positions and love interests. The maltreatment of most female characters is quite apparent, though it’s disappointing to witness the same injustice forNaruto’swell-rounded women.
Konan is a prime example of this unjust treatment, especially considering she was the only female member of the Akatsuki. Despite her position as one of the founding members of the organization, Konan was sidelined for the most parts, tying her entire character toYahiko and Nagato’s goals. Her unique paper-based fighting style was quite unconventional, and apart from her fight with Obito, viewers never got a chance to witness what this distinctive character had to offer.
RELATED:How Kishimoto Failed Naruto’s Female Characters
Konan Lacked Motives of Her Own
Konan is rarely mentioned in the series, but whenever she does make an appearance, her character is immediately overshadowed by Pain. Be it the flashbacks ofthe Hidden Rain Villageor the Pain invasion arc, Konan has shown to have no profound backstory. Consequently, she bears no motives of her own, as she continuously follows the directives of Nagato. Before the formation of Pain, she devoted herself entirely to Yahiko’s ideals, bringing in nothing of her own beliefs.
Once Nagato took over the Akatsuki under the guise of Pain, Konan’s role still remained the same – supporting Nagato from the sidelines. With little to no character development, Konan’s personality begins to seem quite stale, as nothing of her own character stands out. Despite her pivotal role in the Akatsuki, Konan is arguably the least memorable member of the organization.Every other Akatsuki memberreceived ample character development, with specific motives and a complementary backstory – something that Konan lacked entirely.
Similar to other female characters in the series, Konan received the short end of the straw, as Kishimoto chose to focus on Pain’s retribution rather than giving her enough screen time. After Nagato’s sacrifice, Konan simply receded into the background, playing no vital role in the series until her untimely death. Even in her final moments, Konan called herself an ‘indispensable flower,’ clearly denoting herself and her beliefs as inferior to Nagato and Yahiko.
Lack of Fleshed-Out Fight Scenes
Compared to other members of the Akatsuki, Konan’s fight scenes were subpar to say the least. Since she was never theprimary focus of the Pain arc, her fight scenes were given minimal screen time, with no resounding conclusion either. Her battle with Jiraiya in the Hidden Rain showcased some of her strength, though she was subdued shortly after by Jiraiya, with the entire fight lasting less than a minute.
Her fight scenes during the invasion were also rather limited, since she was primarily part of the reconnaissance team. Herskirmish with the Aburame Clanwas given some screen time, though that battle ended up being less than eventful. Overall, Konan’s role in the Pain arc remained minimal, and her fight scenes were entirely sidelined to pave the way for Nagato to take the center stage.
RELATED:Naruto Villains Who Weren’t Always Evil
Konan’s cataclysmic battle with Obito was the only fleshed-out fight that showcased her true potential. None had ever come close to accomplishing what Konan had achieved, with her sea of paper bombs entrapping the untouchable Uchiha, forcing him to sacrifice his Sharingan to alter reality itself. Despite Konan losing both the battle and her life, she went down in a blaze of glory, with the final scene of Konan’s red paper making its way back to their old home paying homage to what the Hidden Rain orphans had gone through. Such a scene would have served Konan and her character better had it taken place much before.
Forgotten After the Pain Arc
Considering the climactic nature of the Pain arc and its corresponding events, one could have imagined Konan to play a major role in the post-invasion scenario, yet she was nowhere to be seen. Her brief appearance during her fatal fight with Obito is the only screen time she receives after the arc – aglaring mistake on Kishimoto’s part. With her distinctive powers and influence over the Hidden Rain, her character had the potential to become a prominent character post-invasion.
Much to everyone’s dismay, Kishimoto promptly forgot about Konan right as the Pain arc ended, along with Naruto’s promise to rehabilitate the Hidden Rain Village. Even duringthe Fourth Great Ninja War, Konan was one of the few members of the Akatsuki that weren’t reanimated, which is a shame considering the potential she had even as a reanimated puppet. Konan, like many others, is clearly a victim of Kishimoto’s inability to write profound female characters, a fact that haunts theNarutoseries to this day.
