Shikamaru’s Lazy-Genius Persona Makes Him One of Naruto’s Most Intriguing Characters

There are many great characters in Masashi Kishimoto’s beloved shonen classic, Naruto. With such a large ensemble cast, each with their own unique character arcs and abilities, it comes as no surprise that the Naruto fandom is filled with ample discussion on which cast member is written the best.

One such character that often appears in fan discussions is the relaxed, lethargic Shikamaru Nara. Being an expert strategist and one of Naruto’s best friends, the character quickly became one of the more popular cast members. Here’s how Shikamaru’s lazy-genius attitude makes him one of Naruto’s most complex and fascinating characters.During the Sasuke Recovery Mission arc, Shikamaru is tasked by the new Hokage, the powerful Tsunade, with leading a team of genin to chase after Sasuke and bring him back to the Hidden Leaf Village. To most viewers, this likely seems like a suicide mission — and Shikamaru probably wouldn’t be most people’s first choice as a leader. But, he’s a newly established chunin and Tsunade wants to test his leadership abilities. Many viewers likely expected Naruto to be tasked with the mission as he’s the main character of the series, bu, Shikamaru proves everyone wrong as the story arc explores Shikamaru’s hidden strategic abilities.