Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (2024)

Table of Contents
20 Kakashi Hatake Is a Master of Countless Ninjutsu and Battle Tactics First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 3, "Sasuke and Sakura: Friends or Foes?" 19 Might Guy Is the Most Proficient Taijutsu User in the Ninja World First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 21, "Identify Yourself: Powerful New Rivals" 18 Orochimaru Went to the Furthest Lengths To Attain Ultimate Power First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 27, "The Chūnin Exam Stage 2: The Forest of Death" 17 Kabuto Yakushi Became a Devious Villain After Being Orochimaru's Underling First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 27, "Genin Takedown! All Nine Rookies Face Off!" 16 Onoki's Dust Release Jutsu Makes Him One of the Mightiest Kage First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 199, "Enter the Five Kage!" 15 Gaara Earned Sunagakure's Respect by Protecting It With His Vast Power First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 20, "A New Chapter Begins: The Chūnin Exam!" 14 Killer B Mirrored Naruto's Ability to Communicate With his Tailed Beast First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 142, "Battle of Valley of Clouds and Lightning" 13 The Fourth Raikage Was Trained From Birth to Lead His Village First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 152, "Sombre News" 12 Minato Namikaze Was the Fourth Hokage and Is the Fastest Ninja Ever First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 1, "Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!" 11 Hashirama Senju's Power Earned Him the Role of the First Hokage First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 69, "Village in Distress: A New A-Ranked Mission!" 10 Itachi Uchiha Was a Prodigy of the Uchiha Clan First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 80, "The Third Hokage, Forever…" 9 Tobirama Senju Co-founded Konohagakure and Created Many Powerful Jutsu First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 69, "Village in Distress: A New A-Ranked Mission!" 8 Nagato Used His Six Paths of Pain to Become a Formidable Menace First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 128, "Tales of a Gutsy Ninja ~Jiraiya Ninja Scroll~ Part 2" 7 Obito Uchiha Was Setting Everything In Motion From the Beginning First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 32, "Return of the Kazekage" 6 Hamura Otsutsuki Was One of Kaguya's Two Powerful Children First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 420, "Eight Gates Release Formation" 5 Madara Uchiha Was the Greatest Threat During the Fourth Shinobi World War First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 130, "The Man Who Became God" 4 Hagoromo Otsutsuki Created the Ninja World and Spread Chakra to All First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 329, "Two-Man Team" 3 Sasuke Uchiha Carries On The Name Of The Proud Uchiha Clan First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 1, "Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!" 2 Naruto Uzumaki Has Mastered The Power Of The Nine-Tails First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 1, "Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!" 1 Kaguya Otsutsuki Was The Original Wielder Of Chakra First Anime Appearance - Naruto Shippuden Episode 458, "Truth" FAQs References
Naruto

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (1)

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (2)

By Sage Ashford & Jeremy Devoe

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Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (3)

It's impossible to discuss the greatest shōnen shows of all time without mentioning the massively popular series Naruto. From the beginning, Naruto captivated readers everywhere in the pages of Weekly Shōnen Jump, proving itself to be one of the more innovative shōnen titles at the time by crafting an intricate world of super-powered ninja. With Naruto Uzumaki leading the charge, manga and anime fans watched as the titular character and his friends grew as ninja, with some of them standing among the most powerful in the Ninja World at the end of it all.

Naruto starts fairly tame in terms of power, with most ninja having access to only a handful of elemental-based jutsu unless they were also gifted with a kekkei genkai or other special technique. However, beyond the time skip to Naruto: Shippuden and after the Fourth Great Ninja War, power creep has led to some characters becoming astronomically powerful. By the end, there was a clear gap between the most powerful ninja on the show and everyone else.

Updated by Jeremy Devoe on August 19, 2024: While there's no doubt that Naruto and Sasuke are some of the strongest characters in Naruto, the roster of Naruto is quite large and chock-full of immensely powerful ninja and mighty beings alike. We wanted to add another five of the strongest characters from Naruto to the article and add some additional analysis to each character's entry, showing just how powerful these characters were by the end of the series.

20 Kakashi Hatake Is a Master of Countless Ninjutsu and Battle Tactics

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 3, "Sasuke and Sakura: Friends or Foes?"

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 3, "Sasuke Uchiha!!"

Nature Type:

Lightning, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Yin, Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Chidori, Lightning Cutter, Kamui

Kekkei Genkai:

Sharingan, Mangekyō Sharingan

Related

The 10 Strongest Villains Kakashi Never Fought In Naruto

As one of the strongest ninja in Naruto, Kakashi had plenty of epic showdowns, but there are several villains he never saw in battle.

Like Naruto, Kakashi Hatake overcame a troubled childhood and became a beloved and admired figure in the Hidden Leaf Village, becoming one of the strongest ninja from the village and eventually one of its Hokage. He excelled at the Ninja Academy and trained under Minato Namikaze to sharpen his skills. However, his legend began in earnest once he had his childhood friend's (Obito Uchiha) Sharingan implanted in place of his missing left eye. Kakashi would go on from there to become known as Kakashi of the Sharingan, or the "Copy-Ninja," using his Sharingan to learn "thousands" of Ninjutsu just by watching them be performed.

While Kakashi admits to having fairly average chakra reserves, it's clear that through training and trial by fire over the years, Kakashi has come to surpass that limitation because of the Four Shinobi World War. He's shown to surpass his previous limits of just a few significant jutsu like lightning cutter a handful of times a day, to similar numbers within just a few hours or less. Kakashi has proved his status among the strongest throughout the Naruto series as he battled the Akatsuki, Madara, Obito and, eventually, Kaguya Otsutsuki.

19 Might Guy Is the Most Proficient Taijutsu User in the Ninja World

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 21, "Identify Yourself: Powerful New Rivals"

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (5)

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 38, "Start...!!"

Nature Type:

Fire, Lightning

Signature Jutsu:

Dynamic Entry, Leaf Strong Whirlwind, Morning Peacock, Evening Elephant, Daytime Tiger, Night Guy

Kekkei Genkai:

None, but he is able to open all Eight Inner Gates, a powerful set of chakra and body modifications based around the pressure points from which chakra is released.

Arguably Kakashi's best friend, Might Guy is one of the most powerful ninja in the Naruto series on the strength of his taijutsu alone, showing the capability he has to keep up with the strongest characters in the series with the raw prowess of his close quarters combat alone. This is pushed even further by his ability to open various gates of the Eight Inner Gates, with the opening of the latter gates like the Sixth and Seventh allowing Guy to defeat Kisame and stand with the others against Obito before he reveals his identity.

Once Madara rejoins the fray with the power of the Ten-Tails sealed within him, Guy opens the Eighth Inner Gate, at the near-certain risk of his own life, and proceeds to actually make a significant assault against Madara. Before the side effects of opening the Eighth Gate cause Guy to be rendered unconscious, he is one of the first to put significant damage onto Madara. Though Madara is able to regenerate from the injuries Guy inflicted on him, Madara acknoweldges Guy's power directly, which was not something he did for just anyone he stood off against.

18 Orochimaru Went to the Furthest Lengths To Attain Ultimate Power

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 27, "The Chūnin Exam Stage 2: The Forest of Death"

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 45, "The Second Exam!!"

Nature Type:

Wind, Lightning, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Yin, Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Juinjutsu, Binding Snake Glare Spell, Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation

Kekkei Genkai:

Juugo Clan's kekkei genkai, Sakon and Ukon's kekki genkai, Shikotsumyaku, Wood Release

Orochimaru initially seemed like the main villain of Naruto, but ultimately becomes more of a manipulative force in the background, working alongside Kabuto to research ninja abilities and absorb their powers for himself. That said, Orochimaru is still notably powerful on his own merits. Orochimaru is one of the Hidden Leaf Village's 3 Sannin alongside Tsunade and Jiraiya; he's highly knowledgeable about the inner workings of ninjutsu, various kekkei genkai, and human biology from his studies.

Orochimaru proves capable of fighting with some of the strongest characters, keeping pace with Sasuke after the Uchiha mastered the Cursed Seal's power and battling Naruto when the boy manifested multiple of his nine tails. Later, during the closing stretches of the Fourth Shinobi World War, Sasuke revives Orochimaru, with the Sanin ultimately having a change of heart and serving as a notable member of the lengthy effort to take down Madara before being trapped in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Were it not for Third Hokage and Sasuke's overwhelming abilities at various stages earlier in the Naruto series, Orochimaru's ploys and thirst for power could have had far worse consequences.

17 Kabuto Yakushi Became a Devious Villain After Being Orochimaru's Underling

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 27, "Genin Takedown! All Nine Rookies Face Off!"

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (6)

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 39, "The Challengers!!"

Nature Type:

Earth, Water, Wind, Yin, Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Chakra Scalpel, Dead Soul Technique, Sage Mode, Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation

Kekkei Genkai:

Juugo Clan's kekkei genkai, Sakon and Ukon's kekki genkai, Shikotsumyaku

While even Orochimaru had become a looming threat in the background after his initial showing against the Third Hokage, Kabuto was there beside him every step of the way, using his medical ninjutsu talents to help Orochimaru research and study everything they could on how ninja operate in a biological sense. With Orochimaru's apparent death at Sasuke's hand, Kabuto picked up where the Sanin left off, gaining a slew of powers which allowed him to shape the progress of the Fourth Shinobi World War in his pursuit of Sasuke.

Most notably, is Kabuto's self-proclaimed perfection of Impure World Reincarnation, which allows him to summon dozens of individuals at once, something not even Tobirama Senju could accomplish, despite being the one to create it. Beyond this, with Juugo's kekkei genkai, which lets Kabuto sap chakra from surrounding ambient energy, Kabuto is capable of indefinitely maintaining Sage Mode. Kabuto's sage mode is also unique in that it is more representative of a dragon rather than a snake or toad, and it comes with brille that renders him immune to nearly all genjutsu and other vision-based attacks.

16 Onoki's Dust Release Jutsu Makes Him One of the Mightiest Kage

First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 199, "Enter the Five Kage!"

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (7)

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 454, "Enter the Five Kage…!!"

Nature Type:

Dust, Earth, Fire, Wind, Lightning, Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Fist Rock, Detachment of the Primitive World, Ultra-Added-Weight Rock, Ultralight-Weight Rock

Kekkei Genkai:

Dust Release (For Onoki, it is a Kekkei Tota, a more powerful form of a Kekkei Genkai)

Despite his age, Onoki is still one of the strongest warriors the Hidden Stone Village has ever created and was their Third Tsuchikage. Though he looks tiny and unimposing, his mastery of the elements he wields makes him fearsome. Merging Earth, Fire, and Wind Release grants him Dust Release, the only Kekkai Tota that exists in the Naruto series. With Dust Release, Onoki can use the Detachment of the Primitive World Technique to vaporize nearly anything he successfully targets, leaving nothing but dust in the aftermath; though, he's also shown to be highly capable of effectively using strong Earth Release jutsu.

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Onoki's Dust Release technique was invaluable, with even Madara himself recognizing what a danger he could be. During the battle, his Dust Release technique saves the ninja army several times, including reducing Madara's army of Susanoo-covered clones to nothing. Onoki's main limitation is that it's difficult for him to fight for extended periods because of his advanced age, further compounded by the powerful nature of his Dust Release requiring high amounts of stamina and chakra to fuel.

15 Gaara Earned Sunagakure's Respect by Protecting It With His Vast Power

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 20, "A New Chapter Begins: The Chūnin Exam!"

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 35, "Iruka vs. Kakashi?!"

Nature Type:

Wind, Earth, Lightning

Signature Jutsu:

Armor of Sand, Shield of Sand, Sand Binding Coffin, Sand Waterfall Funeral, Quicksand Waterfall Flow, Third Eye

Kekkei Genkai:

None, but Gaara was the former Jinchuriki of the One-Tail Beast, Shukaku. Gaara's gourd is also made of, and holds, special sand that's infused with his chakra.

Related

Gaara's 10 Biggest Achievements In Naruto

Gaara has one of the best character development arcs not just in Naruto, but in all of anime.

Originally shown as an example of how Jinchuriki are mistreated despite their power, Gaara went on to experience one of the best character arcs in Naruto. His first appearance comes in the Chunin Exams as a prodigy ninja, where Gaara was shown to be one of the more powerful ninja overall early on, defeating several of Konoha's best genin at the time in Rock Lee and Sasuke Uchiha, the latter unable to keep up with Garra's progressive transformation into Shukaku after their battle spills out of the confines of the arena it takes place in.

After the time skip to Naruto: Shippuden, Gaara grew in power and used the lessons learned from his battle with Naruto to become the fifth Kazekage of the Village Hidden in the Sand. Even after repelling most of Deidara's attacks on his village and losing Shukaku in the aftermath, Gaara's skills grow to rival many of the most powerful ninja of his time. During the Fourth Shinobi War, his defensive sand jutsu and transportation skills were invaluable in the battle with the other Kage against Madara, saving Onoki and Might Guy after their respective efforts to hold back Madara's assault.

14 Killer B Mirrored Naruto's Ability to Communicate With his Tailed Beast

First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 142, "Battle of Valley of Clouds and Lightning"

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (9)

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 408, "Fukasaku's Proposal"

Nature Type:

Lightning, Water, Fire, Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Ink Clone, Sealing Technique: Octopus Hold, Lariat, Double Lariat, Tailed Beast Lariat

Kekkei Genkai:

None, but Killer B is the Eight-Tailed Beast Jinchuriki.

As the Jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails Beast, it's no surprise that Killer B is one of the strongest ninja in the Naruto series. Though he might act sillier than people expect from a world-class ninja, it allows him to catch his opponents off-guard much more easily. His unconventional fighting style allows him to use eight different swords at once, and with it, he excels at confusing and misleading opponents before making decisive strikes on them. B's first appearance in Naruto: Shippuden involved him easily handling Sasuke and the rest of Taka by himself; the only reason any of them survived is because of Karin's proficiency with healing jutsu.

Killer B has shown speed that's not far off from Minato's and strength that surpasses that of his brother, A, who is among the physically strongest ninja in Naruto: Shippuden. B's close relationship and synergy with the Eight-Tails Beast, Gyuki, make B one of the strongest Jinchuriki in the Naruto series, able to transform partially or entirely into Gyuki at will. Killer B and Gyuki's bond was vital to their combined ability to battle other Tailed Beasts during the awakening of the Ten-Tails Beast.

13 The Fourth Raikage Was Trained From Birth to Lead His Village

First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 152, "Sombre News"

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 416, "The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi"

Nature Type:

Lightning, Earth, Water

Signature Jutsu:

Lariat, Double Lariat, Body Flicker, Lightning Release Chakra Mode, Liger Bomb

Kekkei Genkai:

None

The Fourth Raikage, A, is among some of the most dangerous warriors of any village in Naruto: Shippuden. The son of the third Raikage, A is a strict leader and fiercely relentless warrior who challenges both Naruto and Sasuke at separate points. A proved to be more than a challenge for Sasuke too, overwhelming the Uchiha with his lightning techniques and powerful wrestling-like taijutsu. He was able to break through Sasuke's Susanoo even at the cost of his left arm due to Amaterasu.

Despite lacking an arm, A was still one of the most formidable fighters during the Fourth Shinobi World War, aiding the Kage against Madara in multiple instances. Despite being temporarily struck down, he jumped right back into the fight without hesitation after being healed once more. A was among the last ninja standing when Madara is revived for a second time, still holding out after that point until the Infinite Tsukuyomi traps all but the most powerful individuals present.

12 Minato Namikaze Was the Fourth Hokage and Is the Fastest Ninja Ever

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 1, "Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!"

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (10)

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 239, "Side Story 1: Mission Start…!!"

Nature Type:

Fire, Wind, Lightning, Yin, Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Flying Thunder God, Flying Thunder God Slash, Rasengan, Tailed Beast Ball

Kekkei Genkai:

None, but he was the Jinchuriki of the Yin half of Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Beast

Known as the "Yellow Flash," Minato Namikaze is another legendary warrior from the Hidden Leaf Village. Though his son eventually surpasses him in power, Minato is still recognized as one of the most powerful ninja of all time. Minato's mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique surpassed even the Second Hokage's, Tobirama, who invented the Flying Thunder God Technique. Minato is also the creator of the iconic Rasengan, which Minato based upon the Tailed Beast Ball. With his powers and talent, Minato proved himself capable of fighting the Nine-Tails Beast, Kurama, head-on, something only a handful of ninja could ever hope to do, let alone face off with any Tailed Beast one-on-one.

Later, Minato also revealed that he had merged with half of the Nine-Tails power, and was capable of instantly accessing the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, placing Minato among the ranks of the strongest Jinchuriki on top of his incredible aptitude for jutsu. Minato, while resurrected in the Fourth Shinobi World War, was vital in the fight against Madara, and eventually helped with the other Kage to free Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Sakura, Madara and the Tailed Beasts out of Kaguya's dimension.

11 Hashirama Senju's Power Earned Him the Role of the First Hokage

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 69, "Village in Distress: A New A-Ranked Mission!"

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (11)

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 118, "Confinement…!!"

Nature Type:

Wood, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Lightning, Yin, Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Sage Art Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands, Wood Dragon, Great Forrest

Kekkei Genkai:

Wood Release

Hashirama Senju was the original Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village and a reincarnation of Asura Otsutsuki, proving to be one of the most powerful ninja ever in Naruto, maintaining this distinction even after being revived for the Fourth Shinobi World War. Hashirama is also the original wielder of the Wood Release nature transformation, a mixture of Water Release and Earth Release that no other ninja could replicate without Hashirama's DNA. With these powers, Hashirama not only fought the Tailed Beasts but sealed off most of them entirely on his own.

Hashirama is also the only ninja that Madara admits to being unable to defeat without help, with Hashirama shown to be capable of fighting for a day straight without tiring. The First Hokage can also utilize Sage Mode's power without any assistance required. Hashirama's Sage Mode Wood Release grows even more impressive, allowing him to perform the stunning True Several Thousand Hands jutsu which creates a massive wooden statue that can attack simultaneously with thousands of hands. Like Minato, he was vital in battling against both Obito and Madara, as well as freeing the main cast of heroes and Madara from Kaguya's dimension.

10 Itachi Uchiha Was a Prodigy of the Uchiha Clan

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 80, "The Third Hokage, Forever…"

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 139, "That Person's Name is…!!"

Nature Type:

Fire, Wind, Water, Yin, Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Amaterasu, Izanami, Susanoo, Tsukuyomi, Crow Clone

Kekkei Genkai:

Sharingan, Mangekyo Sharingan

Related

Itachi Uchiha's Moral Ambiguity in Naruto, Explained

Uchiha Itachi has a very checkered past in the Naruto franchise which has led to many wondering if he is a hero or if he is a sympathetic villain.

The Uchiha clan has given rise to some of the most powerful fighters in Naruto. However, few others are as impressive as Itachi Uchiha, a prodigy who set records as the youngest ninja ever to graduate Ninja Academy and the youngest member to be accepted into the Anbu. With his natural talent and his recently awakened Mangekyo Sharingan, Itachi dispatched the entire Uchiha clan with some aid from Tobi, who he believed to be Madara Uchiha at the time. He steadily grew even more powerful from this point, with only illness and his pacifist nature stopping him from obtaining even more power.

Itachi proved strong enough to stand against Kakashi, Kunerai and Asuma with minimal assistance from Kisame. Later, Itachi was one of the few to essentially defeat Sasuke, who had significantly increased the potency of his abilities, with Itachi only falling by the end of the encounter due to his illness finally being too much to bear. When he was revived later by Kabuto for the Fourth Shinobi World War, Itachi could stand against Naruto while the protagonist used his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, and later joined forces with Sasuke to defeat Kabuto, who had become startlingly powerful himself.

9 Tobirama Senju Co-founded Konohagakure and Created Many Powerful Jutsu

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 69, "Village in Distress: A New A-Ranked Mission!"

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (13)

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 118, "Confinement…!!"

Nature Type:

Water, Fire, Lightning, Wind, Earth, Yin, Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Shadow Clone, Water Dragon Bullet, Water Severing Wave, Flying Thunder God, Flying Thunder God Slash, Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation

Kekkei Genkai:

None, but he was known for the stregnth and size of his chakra reserves, as well as for creating various potent jutsu.

Hashirama Senju's younger brother and the Second Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, Tobirama Senju was hailed as the fastest ninja ever prior to Minato and was known for his prowess as a ninja that was only rivaled by Madara Uchiha. Tobirama invented both the Flying Thunder God Technique and Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation techniques, which would later lend to the immense power of both Minato Namikaze and Kabuto Yakushi. Beyond that, he was also known for his formidable talent with Water Release jutsu, able to conjure massive amounts of water from the moisture in the air itself with just a singular hand sign.

He would use his speed in tandem with the Sword of the Thunder god to be an absolute force to be reckoned with during his initial life, and he was a vital asset after reasserting control of himself after being reincarnated during the Fourth Shinobi World War. One of Tobirama's most impressive feats was the use of his Water Severing Wave to pierce through multiple roots of the God Tree, proving that the potency of his jutsu had not weakened in the slightest.

8 Nagato Used His Six Paths of Pain to Become a Formidable Menace

First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 128, "Tales of a Gutsy Ninja ~Jiraiya Ninja Scroll~ Part 2"

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (14)

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 372, "The Crying Country!!"

Nature Type:

Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Water, Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Six Paths of Pain, Outer Path – Samsara of Heavenly Life, Shinra Tensei, Chibaku Tensei

Kekkei Genkai:

Rinnegan

Before the Fourth Shinobi World War, the greatest threat to the ninja world was Nagato acting through the Six Paths of Pain, on his quest to obtain every one of the Tailed Beasts in order to enforce a warped sense of peace. As it turns out, Nagato is also a descendant of the Uzumaki clan, making his unsually large chakra reserves naturally more potent than average, which was only further made an asset by training from Jiraiya, which Nagato took to swimmingly; covering all the nature transformations and the yang release by the time his training was complete.

With the immense power the six bodies Nagato controlled using his Six Paths of Pain, he had access to a library of incredible jutsu and was able to overwhelm many powerful characters in combat, including killing off Jiraiya permanently and causing Kakashi Hatake's temporary death due to exhaustion from the effort it took for Kakashi to defend himself against Nagato's Six Paths of Pain. Ultimately, Naruto's newly acquired Sage Mode and an even more vicious partial Tailed Beast transformation that sees Naruto almost incarnate all nine of Kurama's tails are required to finally put down the Six Paths of Pain for good.

7 Obito Uchiha Was Setting Everything In Motion From the Beginning

First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 32, "Return of the Kazekage"

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 239, "Side Story 1: Mission Start…!!"

Nature Type:

Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Water, Wood, Yin, Yang, Yin-Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Blast Wave Wild Dance, Izanagi, Kamui, Infinite Tsukuyomi, Truth-Seeking Ball, Truth-Seeking Body Flicker

Kekkei Genkai:

Sharingan, Mangekyo Sharingan, Rinnegan, Wood Release

Few people could've predicted that the main antagonist of the Naruto series was Kakashi's childhood friend, Obito Uchiha. Training under Madara allowed Obito to excel significantly, establishing him as one of the most powerful ninja in Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden. While posing as "Tobi," Obito tended to avoid combat and used Kamui to warp allies away from danger. Once he began to fight and drop the charade, however, it was clear he had surpassed his former friend Kakashi, proving capable of fighting him and Naruto simultaneously.

While part of Obito's power does come from the extra chakra reserves of having a White Zetsu on his body, it only fuels Obito's already impressive natural ability. With the Ten-Tails under his control, Obito's power became all but limitless, able to individually fend off each of the past Hokage in combat, fighting off several of them at once. It required Naruto to finally get through to Obito after a toiling and exhaustive stretch of combat to get the Uchiha to come around. He winds up prevailing long enough to save Kakashi, Sasuke and Naruto from Kaguya's All-Killing Ash Bones as well, putting his strength to good use before his death.

6 Hamura Otsutsuki Was One of Kaguya's Two Powerful Children

First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 420, "Eight Gates Release Formation"

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (15)

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 670, "The Incipient...!!"

Nature Type:

Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Water, Yin, Yang, Yin-Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Six Paths Senjutsu, Chibaku Tensei, Truth-Seeking Ball

Kekkei Genkai:

Byakugan, Tenseigan

Hamura Otsuktsuki is Hagoromo's brother, the primary ancestor of the Hyuga clan and the founder of the shinobi of the moon. While many of his exploits are not directly seen in Naruto: Shippuden, he was just as important to the ninja world, helping Hagoromo to seal away their mother, Kaguya, after a month's long battle. In battle, he uses a sword and shakujo alongside the Truth-Seeking Balls and Six Paths Yin Power, amplified by his Byakugan, to imposingly impressive effect. Hamura's powerful chakra also lets him manifest the Tenseigan on his own, which is a more complete form of the Byakugan.

After Kaguya was sealed, Hamura remained on the moon while Hagoromo went to the earth to begin sculpting the ninja world, a position he would hold until dying peacefully on his own surrounded by members of his clan. That said, his powers are strong enough that centuries later, he is still able to manifest himself using the strength of his chakra alone, appearing to Hinata Hyuga during the events of The Last: Naruto the Movie, giving her his powers so she could do battle against his descendant, Toneri Otsutsuki.

5 Madara Uchiha Was the Greatest Threat During the Fourth Shinobi World War

First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 130, "The Man Who Became God"

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 370, "Unease"

Nature Type:

Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Water, Wood, Storm, Yin, Yang, Yin-Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Great Fire Destruction, Izanagi, Tengai Shinsei, Susanoo, Truth-Seeking Ball, Limbo Clones, Infinite Tsukuyomi

Kekkei Genkai:

Sharingan, Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, Rinnegan, Wood Release, Storm Release, as well as Kekkei Mora of Rinne Sharingan (A unique jutsu from Kaguya Otsusuki herself)

Related

10 Reasons Why Naruto's Madara is the Greatest Shonen Villain

Madara is widely beloved in the Naruto Fandom for his iconic quotes, vibrant aesthetic, and power, which make him one of the strongest shinobi.

3

Madara Uchiha is one of the most infamous figures in the world of Naruto. Though he was co-founder of the Hidden Leaf Village, Madara was known more for his twisted aims afterward, including being responsible for unleashing the Nine-Tails on the very same village he helped to create. At Madara's apex, there was only one ninja capable of fighting at Madara's level: the original Hokage, Hashirama Senju. Madara's charka was partially inherited from Indra, and above that of even the other Uchiha, described as incredibly foul and nefarious in nature by default. When Kabuto brought Madara back, he improved Madara to make him even stronger than he was before.

With his youth restored and even further increased chakra reserves, Madara single-handedly battled against armies of Jonin and higher-ranked ninja from all the villages without breaking a sweat, eventually defeating the five acting Kage who stood against him at the same time as well. Once Madara gained the power of the Ten-Tails Beast, his defeat required a lengthy campaign of multiple fights with Naruto's strongest characters; though, that came after he had already succeeded in producing the Infinite Tsukuyomi, which was nearly a complete victory.

4 Hagoromo Otsutsuki Created the Ninja World and Spread Chakra to All

First Anime Appearance - Naruto: Shippuden Episode 329, "Two-Man Team"

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (17)

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 572, "Nine Names"

Nature Type:

Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Water, Yin, Yang, Yin-Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Six Paths Senjutsu, Chibaku Tensei, Truth-Seeking Ball

Kekkei Genkai:

Sharingan, Magekyo Sharingan (Anime only and Kekkei Mora), Rinnegan (Kekkei Mora)

It's impossible to discuss the strongest ninja in Naruto and not mention the Sage of the Six Paths, Hagoromo Otsutsuki. The first human born with chakra, on account of being Kaguya's child, Hagoromo Otsutsuki founded the various arts of ninjutsu and created the ninja world itself. After Hagoromo and his brother, Hamura, defeated the Ten-Tails Beast and Hagoromo became its jinchuriki, he single-handedly figured out how to create jutsu, able to use it without the need for hand signs. Moreover, he created the ninshu religion, which was meant to connect other people through the power of chakra, the latter of which he spread to everyone that he met.

Near the end of Naruto: Shippuden, Hagoromo approaches both Naruto and Sasuke during their hour of need, allowing them to also reach new heights of power by granting each the Six Paths Sage Mode and the Rinnegan. After Kaguya's resealing, it's with Hagoromo's lead and aid that the other Hokage could recover Team 7, the Tailed Beasts and Madara Uchiha from Kaguya's dimension, and he trusts Naruto to set the course of the ninja world right in the end.

3 Sasuke Uchiha Carries On The Name Of The Proud Uchiha Clan

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 1, "Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!"

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Episode 1, "Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!"

Nature Type:

Lightning, Fire, Earth, Wind, Water, Yin

Signature Jutsu:

Great Fireball, Chidori, Kirin, Susanoo, Amaterasu, Kagutsuchi

Kekkei Genkai:

Sharingan, Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, Rinnegan

The last member of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke makes it a point to become one of the most powerful ninja that ever lived. First, to be strong enough to defeat his brother, Itachi, and later, to bring down the Hidden Leaf Village and the ninja world for forcing Itachi to destroy his own family. Sasuke's quest for power drove him to extreme depths, even risking himself by seeking out Orochimaru to gain whatever abilities he could to achieve his goals. Sasuke's dark quest paid off, however. Sasuke masters all the techniques of the Sharingan, reaching a level that only the most powerful Uchiha before him, Madara, had attained.

Sasuke has faced bumps on the road to sharpening his skills, but there's no doubt that by the time of the Foruth Shinobi World War, he was the only character left that was truly strong enough to fight Naruto on even footing. By then, Sasuke had mastered many jutsu and even created his own immensely powerful jutsu, like Kirin and more deadly variations of Kakashi's Chidori. With Hagoromo's gift given to Sasuke and Naruto, it only furthered his status as Naruto's only near-equal, the gap between them and other ninja becoming notably vast.

2 Naruto Uzumaki Has Mastered The Power Of The Nine-Tails

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Episode 1, "Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!"

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Episode 1, "Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!"

Nature Type:

Wind, Lightning, Earth, Water, Fire, Lava, Magnet, Boil, Yin, Yang, Yin-Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, Rasengan, Rasenshuriken, Planetary Rasengan, Sage Mode, Nine-Tails Chakra Mode

Kekkei Genkai:

Lava Release, Magnet Release, Boil Release

Naruto's titular protagonist has seen astronomical levels of development — both physical and emotional — since the very start of the series, growing into a character with immense power, strong emotions and ironclad values that would see him through every battle he ever took part in. His rivalry with Sasuke is the stuff of legends, and it peaks mutliple times with some of the greatest battles in the shōnen genre. Just as important to Naruto's growth was his growning bond and understanding of Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Beast sealed within him.

By the end of Naruto: Shippuden, Naruto and Kurama have become allies, allowing him to draw on the power of the Nine-Tails whenever he wants. He has access to multiple Jinchuriki forms, including the incredibly powerful Nine-Tails Chakra Kurama Mode, which lets him use the Nine-Tails chakra even in human form. On top of his innovate mastery of Shadow Clone Jutsu, and creating mutliple variations of the Rasengan, Naruto's also taken on the power of Sage mode and eventually the Six Paths Sage mode to bolster his already immense power.

1 Kaguya Otsutsuki Was The Original Wielder Of Chakra

First Anime Appearance - Naruto Shippuden Episode 458, "Truth"

First Appearance (Manga):

Naruto Chapter 679, "The Incipient"

Nature Type:

Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Water, Yin, Yang, Yin-Yang

Signature Jutsu:

Infinite Tsukuyomi, Expansive Truth-Seeking Ball, All-killing Ash Bones, Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack

Kekkei Genkai:

Byakugan, Rinne Sharingan (Both are Kekkei Mora)

The original wielder of chakra on Earth, Kaguya Otsutsuki is the most powerful character to grace the Naruto universe. Having existed for centuries, she came to Earth for the purpose of developing the God Tree for her people, only to consume its fruit herself. With that power, Kaguya ended all conflict on Earth and was revered as a goddess for years. Still though, her greed for power caused her to turn on her own children, Hagoromo and Hamura, after realizing they had been born with chakra themselves.

Her power is virtually limitless with her being able to absorb the full knowledge of any jutsu after encountering them just once, and in combat, she's shown herself capable of handily fighting both Naruto and Sasuke evenly. Prior to the events of the Naruto series, Kaguya fought both her children for months on end as the Ten-Tails Beast jinchuriki before they figured out a method of sealing her away in a terrestial prison that would become the moon to the ninja world. Naruto and Sasuke must do the same to defeat her as well, leaving her sealed away in a separate dimension rather than being able to outright dispatch her.

Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (18)
Naruto

Naruto Uzumaki, a mischievous adolescent ninja, struggles as he searches for recognition and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the village's leader and strongest ninja.

Created by
Masashi Kishimoto

First Film
Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash In the Land of Snow

Latest Film
Boruto: Naruto the Movie

First TV Show
Naruto
Latest TV Show
Boruto

First Episode Air Date
September 21, 1999

Cast
Junko Takeuchi , Maile Flanagan , Noriaki Sugiyama , Yuri Lowenthal , Chie Nakamura , Kazuhiko Inoue , Dave Wittenberg
Spin-offs
Boruto
TV Show(s)
Naruto , Naruto: Shippuden

Video Game(s)
Naruto Ninja Council 3 , Naruto: Rise Of A Ninja , Naruto: Path Of The Ninja , Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm , Naruto x Boruto: Ninja Voltage , Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Impact

Manga Release Date
August 6, 2003

Manga Volumes
72
Genre
Shonen , Anime , Manga , Action-Adventure
  • Anime
  • Naruto
  • Naruto: Shippuden (2007)

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Naruto's Strongest Characters of All Time (2024)

FAQs

Who is the strongest Naruto characters of all time? ›

1. Kaguya Otsutsuki (Ten-Tails Jinchuriki) Kaguya Otsutsuki, in her Ten-Tails Jinchuriki form, is the most powerful character in the series. She possesses the Rinne Sharingan, a powerful eye technique that allows her to use the All-Killing Ash Bones and the Expansive Truth-Seeking Ball.

Who is the strongest person to ever live in Naruto? ›

Hashirama was the original Hokage, and rightfully earned that title by being one of the strongest ninja to have ever lived. The reincarnation of Asura Otsutsuki, Hashirama was the wielder of the Wood Release nature transformation, a mixture of Water and Earth that no other human was able to figure out.

Who can defeat Naruto? ›

Simon with Gurren Lagann from 'Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann' At the helm of the mech Gurren Lagann, Simon's power escalates to cosmic levels, potentially eclipsing Naruto's capabilities in both scale and magnitude.

Who is the undefeatable character in Naruto? ›

Madara Uchiha (Naruto)

Madara Uchiha is one of the most iconic and powerful characters in the Naruto franchise. He is a legendary Uchiha warrior who has mastered a variety of powerful techniques, including the Sharingan and the Rinnegan. Madara is also immortal, which makes him even more difficult to defeat.

Can Naruto beat Itachi? ›

Naruto can beat Itachi from the time he Mastered Sage mode and upwards. However Naruto always stupidly falls Into Itachis genjutsu traps. So it would depend if Naruto is really focused and a bit more Sensible.

Who killed Itachi? ›

At some point, Itachi contracted a terminal illness. He kept himself alive through the years with medicine and sheer willpower so that he could live long enough to die by Sasuke's hand.

Can Luffy beat Naruto? ›

For Luffy to be able to match Naruto's power, it would take at least 10-15 Gears to get him to a level that's competitive enough for a close fight. As the manga and anime series stand, fans don't know if Luffy will ever see that many Gears during his journey, making a Naruto defeat a distant pipedream.

Can Goku beat Naruto? ›

The simplest answer, according to many animanga fans, is yes. Sure, Goku might not have Naruto's Tailed Beast Chakra and all the jutsu he happens to cumulate, but he has Zenkai and Hakai. One cannot forget that these techniques have the potential to destroy the realm of space and time.

Who would win Naruto vs Hulk? ›

If we take Hulk's typical performance in storylines where he's on a team, he is at least as fast as, and is far, far stronger than Naruto. Naruto may be able to destroy moons, but Hulk has held stars together with brute strength...

Who was Naruto's toughest opponent? ›

1 Kaguya Otsutsuki

Undoubtedly, Kaguya is the strongest enemy that Naruto fought in the Naruto series. She returned when Black Zetsu used Madara's body as a vessel. As soon as Kaguya returned, the difference in strength between Naruto and her was clear.

Who is the fearless Uchiha? ›

7 Itachi Uchiha's Eyes Struck Fear Into His Enemies

Just a gaze into his eyes was enough to defeat even the strongest of enemies, like Kakashi Hatake. Itachi never feared anyone and even when he was reanimated, he showed his fearlessness and saved the world once again.

Who is strongest than Naruto? ›

Shibai Otsutsuki is, by far, the strongest character to ever appear in the story and, for him, dealing with someone as strong as Naruto wouldn't be an issue at all. Even if Naruto had not lost Kurama, his powers would still be inferior to Shibai Otsutsuki.

Who can beat Madara? ›

The legendary First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, was known as the "God of Shinobi" for a reason in the pre-village era. He was the only one capable of defeating Madara Uchiha during the latter's early life. After his death and resurrection, Madara gained access to powers he could never gain in life.

Who is the strongest anime character ever? ›

Top 10 Strongest Anime Characters
  1. Zeno (Dragon Ball) ...
  2. Haruhi Suzumiya (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya) ...
  3. Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon) ...
  4. Son Goku (Dragon Ball Z) ...
  5. Satoru Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen) ...
  6. Saitama (One-Punch Man) ...
  7. Lain Iwakura (Serial Experiments Lain) ...
  8. Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
Apr 17, 2024

Is Kakashi stronger than Naruto? ›

Naruto surpassed Kakashi in terms of Raw Strength and power as a Ninja, when he mastered the Wind Style: Rasenshuriken. This is proven by the fact that he defeats a Ninja Kakashi had trouble with in his 2nd attack and pretty much one shots him.

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