Let's be real: Kurenai got completely robbed. Why do "one-trick" Special Jonin get more hype than a Genjutsu Master?
Fun fact: In the official Naruto Databooks, Kurenai has a perfect 5/5 score in Genjutsu, tying her stat directly with Itachi Uchiha!
It still blows my mind how dirty they did Kurenai. She’s a fully-fledged Jonin, literally the exact same elite rank as Kakashi, Guy, and Asuma. So why do we see Special Jonin (who are basically just one-trick ponies by definition) get way more screen time and cool moments? I know everyone loves to meme on her for trying to put Itachi in a genjutsu, but honestly, 99% of the verse is losing that fight. We never actually got to see her flex why she was Konoha’s top genjutsu specialist and really dominate.
And the most annoying part? The second she gets pregnant and Asuma dies, she’s completely benched for the rest of the series. Being a mom to Mirai is great, but Kishimoto basically just retired one of the only elite kunoichi in the village. Imagine how cool it would have been to see her bounce back and help Shikamaru avenge Asuma instead of just being permanently relegated to "mom duty." It just feels like a massive wasted opportunity for a badass character.