ANBU Shinobi: their skill, relevance forgotten in war.

[Da Best Ever]

You are forgetting the fact that Orochimaru is not your average ninja as well. He is a Sannin next step to Hokage, And his sound ninja 5 were above the average chuunin in the fact they had the curse mark and were enhanced due to all sorts of experiments. Now granted you are somewhat correct in that the ANBU weren't really shown to their potential, but as the OP stated many of the SHinobi we think are badass came from ANBU/ROOT

Kakashi
Itachi
Yamato
Tarune (the bug guy that fought Obito)
Haku (from Kiri's own ANBU)

all of them had special traits/characteristics that uuput them above many other shinobi. The only reason they seemed like fodder is because the story really wasn't centered around anyone within the ANBU ranks.



Then there could be a special ANBU agent who could detect them through other means/jutsu many of the ANBU have "special" abilities. And I said fight I never said win.

It would have been a great opportunity as Itachi was once ANBU as well remember?

Any shinobi could have been blessed with an ability to detect not just anbu. You have this false idea that all anbu have special traits and that's not the case.


Also facing an adult immortal non exhausted itachi is suicide for 98% of v shinobi. They would have fled on sight. But maybe you mean some type of nostalgia affect since he is a former member but let's be real itachi don't give a damn about anbu organization the nostalgia would be from there side only and he was the best anbu when he was a kid and they were amazed by him then.

 

[Aznkidd]

I remember how ANBU Shinobi always looked cool whenever they'd appear in any panel. They were also obviously on another level since you have to be special in some case to be a part of it. Itachi, Kakashi, Yamato are some notable names which show what kind of caliber the ANBU presented.

I'm a bit disappointed that there was literally no trace of them in this war. It might be because of the Alliance, but still, the masks represented the level of skill and relevance in the battle. It would've been better for the morale if the ANBU were shown on their own, not lumped in with the fodders.

Anbu or most jonin in war arc are nothing compared to main fighters. Dude, war arc is about battles between god level. Kishi had to degrade them in order to make villian looks more danger and more badass.
Most anbu always on stealth mode and takes advance of battle ground to success mission. But in war arc, most of the time they fight in wide open landscapes, so they cant do what they are best at.

 

[Meowazziel]

I remember how ANBU Shinobi always looked cool whenever they'd appear in any panel. They were also obviously on another level since you have to be special in some case to be a part of it. Itachi, Kakashi, Yamato are some notable names which show what kind of caliber the ANBU presented.

I'm a bit disappointed that there was literally no trace of them in this war. It might be because of the Alliance, but still, the masks represented the level of skill and relevance in the battle. It would've been better for the morale if the ANBU were shown on their own, not lumped in with the fodders.

Maybe they were among the alliance but this time without their masks.

 

[aimop95]

Problem with the Anbu is that they're more of an assassination group. And during the war, the only people they could assasinate were OP as heck and the best at hiding.

Everyone was fodder before the Akatsuki/Tobi/Madara.