The world of Naruto is one filled with powerful men and women who can breathe fire and rain death down upon their foes. But what about those who can shape the very land, warp space and time, or resurrect the dead? This list will showcase 25 of the strongest Naruto characters in the series.
Please note that the order of the list is the writer’s personal opinion.
25. Kakuzu
Needling his way into the list at Rank 25, Kakuzu is among the strongest Naruto characters for not only being a powerful combatant, but also being one of the hardest to kill by stealing the hearts of his enemies to stockpile lives. He’s survived for nearly a century, having fought the First Hokage, and earned his place here as a member of Akatsuki—a powerful organization of shinobi criminals that hunt Tailed-Beasts throughout the course of the series.
24. Kisame Hoshigaki
Swimming in at Rank 24 is Kisame Hoshigaki, a member of Akatsuki that possesses a massive reserve of chakra and enough brute strength to knock around lesser shinobi with ease. Pairing that up with his chakra-draining sword (which he can merge with to become more shark-like), and fearsome water-based techniques allows him to overwhelm some of the strongest shinobi around.
23. Sakura Haruno
At Rank 23 we have Sakura Haruno, a central Naruto character, member of Team 7, and teammate of Naruto and Sasuke when they were fresh graduates under Kakashi. To keep up with them she becomes the apprentice of the legendary Tsunade and gains access to her mentor’s personal techniques, allowing her to shatter obstacles in her way with super-human strength and heal everything short of death.
22. Oonoki (Third Tsuchikage)
Being one of the most powerful members of his village, this Naruto character has held his position as the ruler of the Hidden Stone Village for a long time and for good reason. Not only does he possess the ability to lower the effect of gravity on himself or others, allowing for flight, he also possesses a Bloodline Selection (an ability that uses three different elements) that combines Fire, Wind, and Earth to create Dust Element techniques that reduces all caught within it to… well, dust.
21. Hiruzen Sarutobi (Third Hokage)
At Rank 21 we have the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. A veteran shinobi who has studied under the first two Hokages, he is the one who trained Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade, all of whom would go on to be legends in their own right. He is skilled in all forms of the ninja arts and chakra elements, which contributed to his nickname, the “God of Shinobi”.
20. Mei Terumi (Fifth Mizukage)
A skilled kunoichi that came into power after the death of the Fourth Mizukage, this Naruto character possesses not one, but two Bloodline Limits (abilities that can normally only be passed down through bloodlines)—one that allows her to combine Fire and Water to create the acidic Boil Element, and another that combines Fire and Earth to create the molten Lava Element. During the Fourth Shinobi World War, she put them to great use in facing off against Madara, a powerful shinobi of the Uchiha Clan, with the other Kages.
19. Kakashi Hatake (Sixth Hokage)
A prodigy shinobi that eventually became the teacher of Team 7 (Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke), Kakashi has accompanied his students in nearly every major battle throughout the series and watched over their growth. His talent and prowess in combat are so greatly recognized that, by the time of The Last: Naruto the Movie, he becomes the Sixth Hokage after Tsunade.
18. Kabuto Yakushi
Kabuto Yakushi, a spy and right-hand man of Orochimaru, slithers into Rank 18 of this list. He is a skilled medic who eventually becomes one of the primary antagonists during the Fourth Shinobi World War. Among his many talents is the ability to resurrect the dead with a necromancy technique, incorporating the DNA of others into himself to gain their powers, and the use of Sage Mode (a state where the user draws in Natural Energy from the world around them to become more powerful), similar to Naruto.
17. Gaara (Fifth Kazekage)
Despite the hardships that he faced growing up due to being the host for the Tailed-Beast Shukaku, he eventually becomes the Fifth Kazekage and leader of the joint Shinobi Alliance during the Fourth Shinobi World War. His mastery over sand is so great that he can trap his opponents in it and literally squeeze the life out of them, sense hidden enemies with ease, and fly through the air. While he's definitely a lot...nicer compared to his earlier days, this is one Naruto character you don't want to have on your bad side.
16. Killer Bee
At a young age Killer Bee became the host of Gyuuki and was partnered with A, the Fourth Raikage. Not only is he skilled with his unique sword-style and lightning techniques, but being completely in sync with his Tailed-Beast allows him to use a destructive technique capable of destroying a mountain known as a Tailed-Beast Bomb.
15. A (Third Raikage)
In Rank 15 of this list of powerful Naruto characters, we have the Third Raikage of the Hidden Cloud Village. Considered the most powerful Raikage in history, his first death came from exhaustion at fending off over ten-thousand shinobi and he easily withstands the most powerful forces that can be mustered against him in the Fourth Shinobi World War. It is only by using his own technique against him that he is defeated.
14. Minato Namikaze (Forth Hokage)
Arriving in a flash at Rank 14 among the powerful Naruto characters is Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village. He is the father of Naruto, the apprentice of Jiraiya, and the man who trained Kakashi, Obito and Rin. During the Third Shinobi World War, he earned the title of the Yellow Flash for the ability to teleport between marked kunai and is the one who created the Rasengan, which would be passed along to his master (Jiraiya) and son.
13. Tsunade Senju (Fifth Hokage)
Taking Rank 13 in this list is Tsunade Senju, the Fifth Hokage. The granddaughter of the First Hokage, student of the Third Hokage, and one of the three Sannin (a title given to the three shinobi by a legendary shinobi named Hanzou), Tsunade has been trained and surrounded by some of the best shinobi in the world, but stands out on her own due to her prodigious medical skills. She has perfected the art to the extent that she is not only considered the best medic among all the Naruto characters, but has attained super-strength and a healing technique that renders her nearly immortal.
12. Nagato (Pain)
Of the many Naruto characters in this list, Nagato (Pain) is easily one of the most powerful. Thanks to his Rinnegan eyes, he can perform amazing feats that most shinobi can only dream of—including controlling gravity and returning the souls of the dead to the land of the living. It is for this reason that he is the leader of Akatsuki, which contains numerous powerful shinobi and hunts down Tailed-Beasts throughout the series, and holds the Rank 12 position.
11. Obito Uchiha
In Rank 11 we have Obito Uchiha, an antagonist who is a former student of the Fourth Hokage and friend to Kakashi. Losing the love of his life drives him mad with grief and leaves him seeking the strength to bring Madara Uchiha’s dream to fruition, enveloping the world in an eternal illusion. By the time the Fourth Shinobi World War takes place, he is one of the most powerful Naruto characters in existence and thus has earned a high place on this list.
10. Guy Might
Mentor to Rock Lee, Guy Might is physically one of strongest Naruto characters. This is due to the fact that he trained relentlessly to hone his physical strength and mastered the ability to open the Eight Gates (gateways that limit the flow of chakra within the body). This allows him to reach a state where his strength rivals even that of the strongest of foes and secures his spot in Rank 10.
9. Itachi Uchiha
One of the most prominent members of Akatsuki and the brother of Sasuke, Itachi Uchiha is a noted prodigy and widely known as the one responsible for the destruction of the Uchiha Clan. He is a master of illusions with the use of his Sharingan, a skilled swordsman, and master tactician of combat. Very few can match him in battle and are as calculating and battle-hardened as he is — hence why he holds Rank 9 in this list.
8. Orochimaru
Another student of the Third Hokage and member of the three Sannin alongside Tsunade and Jiraiya, Orochimaru is a villain that causes no shortage of trouble. He is a prodigy of his age who seeks to unravel all the secrets of the world, and has committed many crimes against humanity for the sake of knowledge. His position at Rank 8 in this list accounts for not only his mastery of the ninja arts and intelligence, but also the fact that he has actually attained a form of immortality.
7. Jiraiya
The final student of the Third Hokage and one of the three Sannin alongside his former teammates Orochimaru and Tsunade, Jiraiya is a renowned figure among the shinobi of the Hidden Leaf. He mentors Minato Namikaze (the Fourth Hokage), Nagato (who came to be known as Pain), and Naruto Uzumaki (the main protagonist of the series), all of whom become great shinobi in their own right. His abilities as a sage and prowess as a shinobi have earned him the title of the legendary Toad Sage and secured his spot at Rank 7 in this list.
6. Madara Uchiha
Co-founder of the Hidden Leaf Village and rival to Hashirama Senju, Madara Uchiha is acknowledged in-universe as one of the most powerful Naruto characters in the series. Hailing from an age before ninja villages were established, his legendary strength required the combined forces of the current leaders of the Hidden Villages simply to match him for a time. It is for this reason that he holds Rank 6 in this list.
5. Hashirama Senju (First Hokage)
Hashirama Senju, the co-founder of the Hidden Leaf Village and First Hokage, holds the Rank 5 spot in this list. In his youth, he faced off against his former best friend Madara Uchiha a number of times before the two joined forces to help form the Hidden Leaf Village. However, things between them grew tense and the two inevitably clashed once more, with the battle carving out the waterfall that would become known as the Valley of the End. Hashirama possess great strength and skill with his ability to manipulate wood, enough to make even the arrogant Madara consider him his true equal.
4. Kaguya Ootsutsuki
The mother of Hagoromo (who would later become the Sage of Six Paths) and Hamura, she became the first being to use chakra and attained god-like power to bring about peace. Sadly, she is corrupted by all that power and turns into the Ten-Tails until her children defeat and seal her away. When she returns at the climax of the Fourth Shinobi World War, her numerous abilities help demonstrate just how powerful she is.
3. Sasuke Uchiha
Taking Rank 3 in the list by storm is Sasuke Uchiha, a member of Team 7 along with Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi. Having been orphaned at a young age by his brother’s 'betrayal', he dedicated himself to becoming strong enough to kill him. While he makes many questionable decisions over the course of the series, he undeniably becomes one of the most powerful characters in the franchise with his skills, along with both the Sharingan and Rinnegan eyes.
2. Naruto Uzumaki (Seventh Hokage)
Coming in at Rank 2 is none other than the titular character of the series, Naruto Uzumaki. Son of the Fourth Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki, he became the next host of Kurama shortly after his birth. Since then he has fought and grown stronger to overcome every obstacle in his way and protect his loved ones. By the time of Boruto: Naruto the Movie, Naruto achieves his dream of becoming Hokage.
1. Hagoromo Ootsutsuki (Sage of Six Paths)
Topping out the list of the most powerful Naruto characters is none other than Hagoromo Ootsutsuki. As the man who became known as the Sage of Six Paths, he is the one who created the original form of the ninja arts, possesses both the Sharingan and Rinnegan, became the first jinchuuriki by holding the Ten-Tailed Beast within him, created the other nine Tailed-Beasts, and defeated his mother, Kaguya, alongside his brother. Everything that made the other entrants special has already been done by Hagoromo, hence why he holds the place of Rank 1.
