Team filler describes them to a T and I wish I could say that it was a tragedy and that it bothered me but I can't, they just aren't interesting to me, all of them are vapid and bland in personality.
Even within the Chunin Exam Arc when they were introduced they didn't get to do anything of value, Kiba was kind of a rival for Naruto but outside of a few passing mentions that never amounted to anything, Shino had a brief (very brief) rivalry with Kankuro which has never been brought up again and Hinata could have been an interesting foil to Neji, someone who represented a different ideology to him but instead that role fell to Naruto and Hinata just became a tool to develop Naruto's character.
Apparently Kurenai is to Hinata what Asuma was to Shikamaru or Guy is to Lee but we have never seen that, and Kurenai now has more of a connection to Shikamaru then she ever had to her own team, in a way he stole all importance that Team 8 could have had, not that I'm complaining seeing as Shikamaru is my favourite character.
If you think about it all of the Rookie Teams have had an arc in Part 2 where they play the secondary role. Team Guy had the Rescue the Kazekage arc, Team 10 had the Hidan and Kakuzu arc (and Shikamaru had the starring role) and Team 8 had the Itachi Pursuit arc but unlike the other 2 they are by far the least important part of that arc.
I guess thats one thing that the anime does try and give importance to minor characters, even if they over do it with Hinata (not Team 8 just Hinata).
As for the episode, meh, standard filler episode, some interesting concepts and expands upon some ideas presented in the manga but just kind of empty.
Edited by neoshadow, 15 September 2012 - 07:23 AM.
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