The supporting characters in Naruto are some of the best. They don’t always get the screen time they should have, but when they do, it’s always great to watch. A standout of the secondary cast is Shikamaru and his noted laziness. He provided a personality that was so against the grain from Naruto that it was refreshing.
He also had one of the best character developments of anyone in Konoha, right up there with the title character. He’s grown so much since he was first introduced, all while keeping some of his stand-out traits intact.
10 Stayed The Same: His Devotion To His Friends
An underrated facet to Shikamaru’s character has always been how devoted he is to his friends. Even in Part 1, where he was a noted slacker, he always cared about the well-being of his friends.
It was especially true when it came to Choji, his best friend in the entire Naruto-verse. He was one of the few people who saw past Choji’s weight, seeing the true value that dwelled within his heart. It’s a bond that came front and center after their mentor’s death.
9 Grew Up: He Doesn’t Avoid Conflicts Any Longer
When Shikamaru was younger, he actively tried to avoid conflicts, wanting to live as unremarkable a life as possible. Whenever pressed into it, he’d try to come up with any excuse he could to get out of doing it or even outright saying he didn’t want to do it.
As he’s gotten older, he’s become more willing to risk himself to protect his friends. His friendship with Choji and other shinobi has helped show that he can’t always avoid conflict.
8 Stayed The Same: He Still Clings To His Laziness As Much As He Can
As much as he’s willing to throw himself into the fray now, Shikamaru still tries to cling to his old lazy ways as much as he can. If it were still up to him, he’d waste away most of his day watching the clouds or playing GO.
While his present duties don’t allow for that, he still manages to avoid long-term goals and doesn’t express any enjoyment in anything he does. Under all his responsibilities, he’s still the same slacker he always was.
7 Grew Up: He’s Grown Into A Natural Leader
Shikamaru always had the intelligence to be a leader but never had the drive nor desire before. It took the death of his mentor to make him realize his full potential as a shinobi.
Asuma’s death showed that Shikamaru could be a leader of not only his friends but of all of Konoha. It’s no doubt why Naruto chose him to become his advisor, knowing he could fill in during his absence and make the tough decisions Naruto couldn’t.
6 Stayed The Same: The Embers Of His Will Of Fire Still Burn Bright
It took some coaxing to get it out of him, but the Will of Fire had always been present inside Shikamaru, as it is in most shinobi of Konoha. The Will of Fire is the philosophy where the entire village is like a large family unit, and every Konoha shinobi loves, believes, cherishes, and fights to protect the village.
It’s no more evident than with Mirai where he takes it upon him to act as a fatherly figure to her when Asuma passes away before she could meet him.
5 Grew Up: He Has Actual Goals In Life
His long-term planning still leaves a little to be desired, but Shikamaru does at least have goals in his life now. He doesn’t want to just lay around doing nothing all day. Those were childish views that no longer hold a place in his mind.
Instead, he now wants to ensure that he makes the world a safer place so that his children and grandchildren could take up the lazy mantle, should they choose. He’s all about paving a better path for future generations.
4 Stayed The Same: He’s Lax When It Comes To Punishing His Son
The carefree nature Shikamaru had is still present in much of his life, no more so than in his job as a father to Shikadai. He believes that his son should learn on his own, that all of his acting out is a period of growth that he has to go through.
As such, he’s very lax when it comes to his child’s punishments, never stepping in too much. It’s a stark contrast from his wife, who is the clear disciplinarian in the home, something the two have come into conflict about before.
3 Grew Up: He Got Over His Fear Of Commitment To Marry Temari
One of Shikamaru’s biggest hang-ups in Part 1 is that he has a fear of committing to things. He never wants to fully devote his focus on something as he finds it bothersome.
It’s especially true when it comes to women who he never had any interest in, even asking his dad’s help to understand them. It’s why his Infinite Tsukuyomi was a life without women. Temari helped change that view, allowing him to see how important romantic love was. It forced him to finally find the courage to marry her and start a family.
2 Stayed The Same: He Continues To Fear Strong Willed & Aggressive Women
As far back as his time as a genin, Shikamaru has always had a fear of strong-willed and aggressive women. It all started with his mom and branched out to his teammate Ino and eventual wife Temari.
Even though he ended up marrying her, it didn’t change his mentality at all. He tries to avoid conflict whenever he can and always shrinks when she loses her temper with him. Their relationship resembles the one his father had, showing Nara men prefer a certain type of woman.
1 Grew Up: His Hobbies & Interests Have Shifted
As a kid, his focus was on games or idly staring up at the sky. As he’s matured into an adult, the rampant napping and staring at the clouds have been replaced by Asuma’s old vice of smoking.
In most cases, that would never be a way of showing how someone has matured, but it’s a method of showing what an impact Asuma made on his life. He was as much a father to him as Shikaku was. Given his growing responsibilities, even the amount of time he’s spent playing games has been cut back.