You can’t talk about the top anime shows without ever mentioning about Naruto anime series because it happens to be one of the most popular anime franchises ever. And since it is so popular, fans love to debate about the strongest Naruto characters in the show, which also happens to be the topic of this article.
The shinobi world of Naruto is packed with tons of powerful characters who can breathe fire, summon water, reshape the land, warp space-time, and even resurrect the dead. So, making this list was no easy task because I couldn’t exactly include all of these powerful characters on this list. All the main characters in the show showcase a range of abilities and levels of power, making it really tough to compare them properly.
But even so, I think once you have gone through this entire article, you will agree with all the choices I made and all the characters I included.
One thing that I want to mention, though, before we start, is that I haven’t included any Ōtsutsuki clan members in this list because of obvious reasons. Also, note that this list is based solely on my opinions; you might feel differently about the rankings. We can’t do anything about that because only the creator of these characters can comment on who is the strongest of them all!
That said, let’s not waste any more time and get to the list and see who are the most powerful characters in Naruto!
The Strongest Naruto Characters Ever (2023)
23. Kabuto Yakushi
Kabuto Yakushi can be referred to as a scientist that worked under Orochimaru, assisting him with most of his experiments. Unknown to Orochimaru, Kabuto had a hidden agenda of his own which involved the acquisition of significant shinobi parts to increase his power level. Luckily, the plan worked out, and he became a very strong character.
Originally, he could use water, earth, and wind nature transformation, which was unique among most ninjas. Later on, he could use the techniques of other ninjas, such as Ukon’s Kekkei Genkai, Kidomaru’s Spider Techniques, Tayuya’s Genjutsu, which was quite powerful, and Suigetsu’s Hydrification Technique, among others. After gaining his new powers, he still had his original abilities and skills in medical ninjutsu, which made him a formidable villain.
22. Sakura Haruno
Sakura Haruno grew up in the village of Konoha and was close friends and teammates with the protagonist, Naruto Uzumaki, and the infamous Sasuke Uchiha. She is a kunoichi that was assigned to Team 7. Initially, she could be considered a weakling due to the nature of her powers.
However, Sakura trained her body and mind over time, gradually learning what it truly means to be a ninja. Sakura is popularly known for her superhuman strength and medical ninjutsu, which she learned from her mentor, Lady Tsunade, a legendary Sannin. Toward the anime’s ending, this pink-haired girl becomes one of the strongest and greatest medical ninjas in the Naruto universe.
21. Gaara
Gaara is from the village hidden in the Sand that was considered a threat in the original Naruto series but transformed into a great ally in the Shippuuden series. At a point, Gaara, a Kazekage, was a Jinchuriki who had the one-tailed beast, Shukaku, sealed within him.
Being a Jinchuriki automatically meant he was much stronger than an average ninja. With his ability to control sand, Gaara was a powerful character until the one-tailed beast was removed from him. Despite this, in Naruto Shippuden, he still proved that he was a powerful ninja and became one of the key characters that assisted in ending the Fourth Great Ninja War.
20. Yamato
Yamato was the substitute teacher of Team 7, which included Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha. Yamato possesses a unique ability that ranks him among the strongest Naruto characters. He has an ability similar to that of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju. He possesses the First Hokage’s signature wood release Kekkei Genkai.
Yamato was formerly a member of the ANBU that worked directly under Danzo, which proves his proficiency as a ninja. Additionally, he was also one of the few characters in the anime that could seal the nine-tailed beast, the Kyuubi, within Naruto when he goes berserk.
19. Kisame Hoshigaki
Kisame Hoshigaki was formerly a shinobi belonging to the Kirigakure (Hidden Mist) Hoshigaki clan. He was feared as the “Monster of the Hidden Mist” because of his tremendous strengths and abilities. After joining the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and attaining various skills, he left to become a member of the Akatsuki and partnered with Itachi Uchiha.
Kisame has enormous chakra compared to most other ninjas. His immense chakra enabled him to wield the Samehada, a chakra-thirsty and powerful sword, and also earned him the moniker “Tailless Tailed Beast.” Due to his chakra reserves, his fighting prowess, and his powerful abilities, Kisame is undoubtedly one of the strongest Naruto characters of all time!
18. Might Guy
Might Guy is a character that embodies the very concept of hard work and determination when you want to reach your goals. As a young shinobi, Might Guy was weak and a poor ninjutsu user. As time passed, he trained a ton and became proficient at Taijutsu, and his attack power and speed were clearly on the high side. Later on, he became a Jonin and was a rival to Kakashi Hatake himself.
Might Guy was always strong, but his strength was proven in the Fourth Great Ninja War, where he unlocked the eighth gate in battle, making him a great ally and a foe with tremendous power. Even Madara Uchiha, one of the strongest villains in the anime, acknowledged him as the most powerful Taijutsu user. The only reason he is so low on this list is that opening the 8th gate wreaks havoc on a user’s body, ultimately leading to their death!
17. Kakashi Hatake
Kakashi Hatake is a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf village, popularly known as Kakashi of the Sharingan. Kakashi was the teacher of Team 7 and is one of the most talented ninjas in the entire anime. He is famous for his copy Sharingan ability which allows him to copy and use the abilities of other ninjas as his own.
During the Fourth Great Ninja War era, Kakashi encounters his childhood friend, Obito, who he assumed to be dead. After a deadly clash between these two characters, Kakashi obtains another Sharingan, which makes him a powerful character, especially with his ability to create the “perfect Susanoo.” At the end of the series, Kakashi becomes Konoha’s sixth Hokage, which proves his strength as a ninja!
16. Orochimaru
Orochimaru, a legendary Sannin, was formerly the leader of the Sound Village and was considered the strongest antagonist at the beginning of the anime. Orochimaru can be described as a scientist with his knowledge of ninjutsu and his constant experiments with different purposes.
He is a formidable ninja that can perform several types of jutsus, and unlike most characters in Naruto, he possesses vast amounts of chakra and is virtually immortal.
15. Lady Tsunade
Lady Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage and granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, is referred to as the strongest Kunoichi. She can be referred to as a well-rounded ninja that possesses both smarts and skills. She is also part of the legendary Sannin, which proves that Tsunade is no ordinary ninja. She created the medical ninja system in Konoha and made it exceptional due to her proficiency in medical ninjutsu.
She is a powerful shinobi whose physical strength is unparalleled, even among the strongest characters on this list. In the Fourth Great Ninja War, she revealed one of her abilities, “The 100 Healings Jutsu” or “Creation Rebirth,” which is the pinnacle of chakra control.
14. Obito Uchiha
Obito Uchiha is a character whose power level varied at different times during the entire anime series. Obito’s abilities were almost average as a genin, and he worked hard to improve himself before becoming a Chuunin. Later in the anime, he was presumed to be dead, but in reality, he was under the tutelage of Madara Uchiha.
He became so good at using his abilities that people easily accepted that he was Madara himself, one of the strongest villains in the anime when he started masquerading as him. However, Obito arguably became the strongest character in Naruto for a short time after he became the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.
13. A (Fourth Raikage)
As the name suggests, he was the Raikage, i.e., the leader of the Hidden Cloud Village. He was among the strongest ninjas who could stop the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki if he ever went out of control, which was enough proof of his strength. At one point in the anime, he broke through part of Sasuke’s Susanoo with just his fists proving that he had excellent physical abilities.
Additionally, even with one hand, he was made the Supreme Commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces, which played a key role in the Fourth Great Ninja War and thus cementing his position as one of the strongest Naruto characters ever!
12. Itachi Uchiha
Itachi Uchiha is a fighting genius, one of the most talented characters in the Naruto verse, and one of the most popular anime characters ever. At a very young age, Itachi unlocked his Sharingan and, later on, his Mangekyou Sharingan. After killing all the members of the Uchiha clan at just the age of 13, he went on to become a member of the Akatsuki, the most feared villain group in the anime series.
As for his abilities, he was easily the best genjutsu user in the anime, and his ability to create Amaterasu was unparalleled. Also, during the great ninja war, he was responsible for removing the jutsu that was cast by Kabuto, giving the Allied Shinobi Forces the upper hand in battle.
11. Jiraiya
Jiraiya was part of the legendary Sannin, which shows that he was stronger than the average ninja in skills and abilities. He was Naruto’s mentor, and he trained him on how to use his abilities. Jiraiya’s strength is easily Kage level. He was even offered the role of the Fifth Hokage, which he flat-out rejected.
Kisame, a member of the Akatsuki, acknowledged Jiraiya’s strength by admitting that he was on another level in terms of fighting prowess. He could use Sage Jutsu effectively, but not perfectly like Naruto was able to, and had Fire, Wind, Earth & Water release as well as Yin and Yang release.
10. Tobirama Senju
Tobirama Senju was the Second Hokage of the village of Konoha, and he can easily be ranked among the strongest Naruto characters in the anime. His chakra control and skill were known throughout the lands, and he was the inventor of the “Shadow Clone” ability, which the show’s protagonist, Naruto, frequently used. He is one of the most powerful water-style users who is also capable of using all 5 nature transformations, along with the Yin and Yang release.
His chakra control was also advanced enough to perform complex techniques using just one-hand seals. He is also extremely intelligent because he invented techniques like Reanimation Jutsu, Flying Raijin Jutsu, and the Shadow Clone Jutsu!
9. Killer Bee
Killer Bee is a shinobi from the Hidden Cloud Village and a Jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails, but unlike any other Jinchuriki, he was able to befriend the Eight-Tails and use its power very well. He is a very powerful shinobi who showed us that he could easily handle the likes of Team Taka. His strength was recognized by the Fourth Raikage, who decided to make him his brother.
One of his strongest abilities, transforming into the full-tailed beast mode, makes him powerful enough to level a city. Due to his immense chakra, he can fight for an extended period without being exhausted, making him an essential character in the Fourth Great Ninja War.
8. Minato Kamikaze
Minato Kamikaze was the Fourth Hokage of the village of Konoha. He was nicknamed “Konoha’s Yellow Flash” because of his unparalleled speed. He was one of the fastest characters in the series due to his unique ability, and he was so skilled at it that the ninjas from the other villages were instructed to flee the battlefield if they saw him.
He was called the hero of the Third Great Ninja War, attained the pinnacle of chakra control, and even invented Rasengan. His teleportation skills were second to none, and this was seen when he transported Kurama (the nine-tailed beast) in the blink of an eye, and we got to see him show off his fighting prowess during the Fourth Great Ninja War as well!
7. Pain / Nagato Uzumaki
Nagato was a shinobi of the Village Hidden by Rain and a descendant of the Uzumaki clan. He was the founder of the Akatsuki, the most feared villain group in the anime, which is visible proof of how powerful he is. After his friend’s death, he adopted the alias Pain. He possessed a Rinnegan, which boosted his abilities and made him one of the strongest Naruto characters.
He was not only able to defeat Jiraiya, whose strength is at Kage level but also was able to destroy Konoha with ease. Also, he easily overwhelmed and immobilized the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, and he could control various Pains from a distance. However, what makes Pain formidable is his ability to use Rinne Rebirth, a power that can revive dead souls.
6. Hiruzen Sarutobi
Hiruzen Sarutobi was the Third Hokage, who was nicknamed “God of Shinobi,” and that alone proves just how strong of a ninja he was. Although there are few feats that show his strength in his prime, there are other instances that show how strong Sarutobi is.
He was a master of all five Chakra natures, and he was able to use them all in the Fourth Great Ninja War. He knows thousands of Jutsus, including Genjutsu, Fuinjutsu, and even forbidden Jutsu. I would personally question him as a person, considering how he secluded Naruto and didn’t do anything for him during his childhood, it’s still safe to say that Hiruzen was one of the most powerful characters in the show!
5. A (Third Raikage)
A is the Third Raikage, the leader of the Hidden Cloud Village and one of the greatest and strongest Raikage ever. Like his son, the Fourth Raikage, his power was lightning-related, and he was powerful enough to take on thousands of ninjas without breaking a sweat.
His abilities boosted his speed, strength, and endurance to the extent that he was referred to as the “strongest shield.” He was strong enough to go toe-to-toe with the Eight-Tails and battle the beast to a draw. Even the Eight-Tailed Beast acknowledged the Third Raikage as a strong and resilient man, further proving his proficiency.
4. Sasuke Uchiha
Sasuke Uchiha is a member of Team 7, headed by Kakashi Hatake and one of the show’s main characters. As a genin, Sasuke was already quite strong as he was able to repel two assassins and outmaneuver Haku, a powerful ninja. He was under the tutelage of Orochimaru for a short while, and during that time, Orochimaru was so impressed that he decided to make Sasuke his vessel, which didn’t exactly happen.
Sasuke clashed with several Kages, and he dealt a lot of damage. By the end of the series, he unlocked a Rinnegan, one of the most powerful dojutsu in the series, in one eye and became one of the strongest characters in the Naruto verse!
3. Naruto Uzumaki
Naruto Uzumaki is the titular character and the main protagonist of the show. Through constant hard work and training, Naruto became one of the most powerful anime characters of all time. Being an Uzumaki, he already had vast chakra reserves, way more than any average shinobi, but with the Nine-Tailed beast, Kurama, residing within him, he has access to a near-limitless chakra pool that he uses in battle.
Despite this, Naruto learned Sage Jutsu and used it to defeat Pain when he attacked Konoha. Once Naruto befriended Kurama, he achieved the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, which made him extremely powerful, and by the end of the show, he even received the Sage of Six Paths power and became one of the strongest characters in the show.
2. Madara Uchiha
Madara Uchiha is a name that has always been feared throughout the series. He was an extremely powerful villain that could fight on equal footing with Hashirama Senju. Just his name alone was enough to trigger the Fourth Great Ninja War, and during said war, he took on thousands of shinobis and even defeated all the Five Kages on his own.
After mixing his DNA with that of Hashirama’s and recovering his Rinnegan, he became an almost unbeatable character who was feared by friends and foes alike. In other words, Madara was the strongest villain in the anime, and I really hated how he was treated by the end of the show.
1. Hashirama Senju
Hashirama Senju was the First Hokage who was born into a war-ravaged era. So, right from childhood, he was constantly exposed to the intricacies of war. He was referred to as the “God of Shinobi,” and during his time as the Hokage, Madara was leagues below him in terms of strength.
He didn’t just defeat the Nine-Tailed Beast and seal it into his wife, Mito Uzumaki, but he also captured other Tailed Beasts and distributed them among other villages to establish peace. He had near-limitless chakra reserves, could regenerate from wounds instantly, and had his own Kekkei Genkai, Mokuton (Wood Style), which no one else naturally possessed. His Sage mode was also perfect, as he could enter the mode instantaneously.
Conclusion
The only reason why Hashirama and Madara are on top and not Naruto and Sasuke is that, unlike Naruto, Hashirama didn’t have a Tailed Beast within him who helped him out during dangerous situations, and unlike Sasuke, Madara didn’t have a Rinnegan for the most of his life. He could still go against the Allied Shinobi Force on his own, and once he awakened the Rinnegan, he fought the Five Kages and defeated them without breaking a sweat.
This is only my opinion, but I think that Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha stand at the top among the strongest Naruto characters, but you might feel that Naruto and Sasuke are the strongest, and that’s perfectly fine!
So, what did you think about this article? Do you agree with my rankings and think that I made a good list featuring the most powerful characters in Naruto or not? Let me know in the comments section below.
Also Read: How Many Volumes of Naruto Are There?