According to this Naruto theory, Kishimoto wrote Neji as a potential Akatsuki member but dropped the ideas due to his similarities with Sasuke.

Naruto's villains, barring the series' final adversary, share one fascinating trait that plays into much of their respective backstories.

Sasuke Uchiha is by far one of the most powerful ninjas the world of Naruto has ever introduced. Although he began the series as a regular, if stronger than average, Genin, his journey transformed him ...