Don't you find it weird

[Crucell]

Look at the level kakashi and itachi were at when they were 12 and 13 and compare it to naruto and his class. The strongest was neji and he was only low chunin level. Why do you think shinobi developed faster in the past?

 

[Naaruto]

They were at times of war and were expected to develop faster

 

[Kαmi]

Because they grew up in more dangerous times than Naruto and Sasuke did in their early years. There were wars happening before so ninjas had to be more hardcore growing up otherwise, they wouldn't live to see tomorrow.

 

[LuckyMan]

The new generation is a generation of late bloomers, but they will certainly surpass the old, thats all.

 

[The Necromancer]

They were at times of war and were expected to develop faster

This. Plus the fact that promotions were more easily given out. Even VoTE Sasuke could defeat that Kakashi.

 

[~Ethereal~]

Because, they were brought up during war times...which led them to bloom faster and be cautious of everything.

 

[SenjuOmar]

Kakashi were itachi were prodigies

Kakashi the son of sakumo so he had a lot to live up to

Itachi son of the clan leader and the best uchiha since madara

 

[Tennis Robot]

Obito/Rin progressed at normal rates (or maybe slightly above average). They were chunin at 13. I think it can be assumed that the rest of that class of shinobi were chunin at that point as well since Obito was like Naruto without plot support back then. Kakashi was just special.

And I thought it was made very clear how talented Itachi was compared to pretty much everyone during his childhood.

 

[KingHashirama]

compare itachi and kakashi to hashirama and Madara. lol.

In naruto, the generation of the first Hokage is the strongest (overall shinobi) and then slowly getting weaker along the way.