"prime" ninja

[Jiraiyathesannin]

We learn about all of these shinobi who died and we look at their "prime"

Prime hiruzen (died past his prime)

Prime jiraiya (died past his prime)

Prime Nagato (died WELL past his prime)

Prime itachi (died past his prime)

etc


But lets look at some shinobi who died BEFORE their prime

The most obvious one that comes to mind is MINATO

He died WELL before his prime. He hadn't mastered rasengan yet but most likely would have. He had PERFECTED sage mode (look at his eyes, if you think he hadn't mastered it you're wrong, it was perfect sage mode). But he hadn't had enough time to get it as good as naruto's. Likely he learned it shortly before his death. Also he could use ma and pa if he wanted. He could have made himself the nine tails jinchuriki whenever he wanted. He could have put it in HIM instead of naruto when kushinas seal was broken (it still sounds like a plot hole that he didn't)

I'm not really a minato fanboy, but he CLEARLY died before his prime.

What about other characters? who died BEFORE their prime?

 

[Ashura San]

Minato died well before his prime, I agree.

But him not making himself the jin isn't a plot hole. He complained how dense and heavy yin kuruma & the chakra was. He could barely take half.

Also, I don't think Itachi had a prime XD if that's possible. He was always at his best.

 

[A v i]

I really don't think Itachi and Nagato reached their primes.

 

[Sasuke The Solo God]

I really don't think Itachi and Nagato reached their primes.

Itachi was going blind when he died and Nagato was crippled when he died, and had to split his power into 6 weaker paths. Therefore, both of them died after there prime.