It is inevitable. Allow a series to go for a long enough time and, eventually, the characters will grow to the point that they are too strong. Every new villain and every new arc raises the stakes. The main characters respond by getting stronger and stronger till the fans cannot even recognize the character from their original design. This power race is inevitable in most cases, and, honestly, the whole idea of it is not bad.
Take Naruto for example. The series started out with knucklehead ninja incapable of doing the simplest jutsu. By the end of the show, Naruto is able to do god-level jutsu as he fights Kaguya. The series is not alone in this trend, and, when done right, it makes the series more exciting. The best part of Naruto is that the other characters around him were equally overpowered. Many of the shinobi that appear across the manga/show are also pumped up fighters with power beyond the normal ninja’s ability.
With so many overpowered shinobi out there, it becomes worth taking a look at which characters in the series are the most overpowered. After all, no two ninjas are created equally. The term overpowered, in this list, means merely way more powerful than any normal ninja. The entries in this list are not intended to be solid rankings. The number 25 entry could be more powerful than the number 1 entry. Finally, strength is considered by the shinobi’s proficiency in chakra control/stamina as well as jutsu mastery. The entry only needs to be overpowered in one of those fields.
With all those rules out of the way lets (Shonen) jump into Naruto: 25 Characters That Are Completely Overpowered.
Might Guy
Guy is a beast. Although he never showed a talent for genjutsu or ninjutsu, Guy is able to become one of the greatest taijutsu masters of all time. Most shinobi cannot match his speed and power.
Kakashi and Madara both remark that Might Guy is an intense force. In fact, Guy is able to almost defeat Madara Uchiha with his Night Guy kick. That is right; a single kick nearly ends one of the greatest Uchiha ever born. Guy can open all eight gates which give him unimaginable power and makes him a worthy entry on this list.
Shisui Uchiha
This entry is a bit unfair because fans do not see Shisui in combat a lot in the series. Most of his power is from other stories. Shisui is more of a legend than an actual character in the manga, but that does not mean he is not worth a spot on this list. After all, Itachi believes he is one of the most influential members of the Uchiha clan.
Shisui mastered the body flicker technique that showed off his speed and physical ability. On top of this, Shisui is a wielder of the Mangekyo Sharingan and one of the few clan members to unlock that power. On top of this, Kabuto could not find the proper DNA sample to reincarnate Shisui which may hint at just how gifted this Uchiha was before his passing.
Tsunade
Characters do not become a kage by accident. So, when Tsunade is offered the fifth Hokage position in the story, fans knew she must possess crazy levels of power. Those fans were not wrong.
Tsunade is the single-greatest medical-nin in the entire manga and show. She holds the ability to revive herself from near-fatal wounds, and perform medical techniques beyond most ninja’s capability. On top of this, Tsunade is stronger than the average ninja. After seeing her lead the Konoha village, it became apparent why Tsunade is considered a legendary Sannin and amazing Hokage.
Obito Uchiha
Obito is a schemer. He is tactical and intelligent enough to know when to show his cards, and when to lay low. This intellect is half of the reason that Obito becomes such a challenging villain in the series.
The other reason is that he is strong as heck. Obito lacked the talent early on, but, with time, he grew into a nearly unstoppable force. At one point, Obito is able to defend himself against Naruto, Killer B, Kakashi, and Guy all at once. That ability is no joke.
Hiruzen Sarutobi
Fans missed out on the prime years of the third Hokage’s life. Sarutobi showed promise early on in his life, and that promise helped him garner training from the first and second Hokage. That training would go one to make him one of the most powerful ninjas during his time.
A character capable of training the three legendary Sannin is undoubtedly powerful. The fact that Sarutobi is able to almost defeat Orochimaru, even in his old age, puts him on a whole other level of strength. Sarutobi is a master of natural releases and jutsu, and that ability allowed him to rise above his peers and achieve such high status.
Kakashi Hatake
Kakashi is one of the first overpowered ninja fans see in the series. His Sharingan combined with his full scope of jutsus made him a dominating force. On top of this, he shows a sharp intelligence and an ability to lead.
All of this combines into further proof that Kakashi earned his spot as the sixth Hokage. He protects the village with pride and masterfull fulfills his duty like only a truly powerful ninja can. Without Kakashi, the prospect of others entries achieving great power goes out the window.
Kisame
Kisame may not be some fans first choice for a spot on this list, but the case is there. For starters, Kisame is one of the legendary swordsmen from the Village Hidden in the Mist. So, being a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist gets Kisame points in the overpowered book already.
On top of this, Kisame’s chakra reserves are off the charts. He is considered the “tailed beast with no tail” by some because of that ability. Kisame proved to be a tough opponent, and he had the power to match the reputation.
Itachi Uchiha
Fans knew that Itachi was going to be powerful before they even saw the character on screen. The logic is simple: a character does not swear revenge on a man who eliminated his entire clan if that man is weak. Being overpowered is the way Itachi was designed.
Itachi shows a talent for all things Uchiha. He holds the Mangekyo Sharingan and wields the Susanoo with sheer skill. To top off this onslaught of overpowered diatribe, Itachi is one of the greatest genjutsu users to appear in the series. All of this makes Itachi one powerful shinobi.
Orochimaru
It is not easy to eliminate one kage. That alone makes Orochimaru worthy of inclusion on this list. However, this sneaky snake took down two kages (the kazekage was eliminated with the help of the sound five).
Orochimaru creates new jutsu and masters many of the techniques from all over the ninja world. He also finds a way to remain youthful and prolong his life. Orochimaru is a master of the ninja arts, and that makes him worthy of an entry spot.
Third Raikage
Sometimes, fans overlook the third Raikage. The oversight is understandable though because A is not frequently involved in the main story arcs. The legendary kage is able to make use of his screen time when it is afforded to him though.
A is considered the greatest Raikage. He is known for his incredible durability and the way he fought against the eight-tailed beast. A shows immense chakra control and the necessary talent to be considered not just the greatest Raikage ever, but one of the most powerful kage.
Madara Uchiha
Being one of the most significant challenges to the protagonists will quickly earn a character a spot on this list. Madara Uchiha is one of the legendary shinobi whose power is a legend for most of the series. Finally, when Kabuto reincarnates the master of the Sharingan, fans got to see what the hype was about.
Madara’s power is so feared that the villages start the fourth great shinobi war based on the fear that he is alive (thanks for that one Obito). When Madara does come back, he gains the wood release technique and is able to fight off all five village leaders at once. That kind of power is one of a kind.
Minato
Konoha’s Yellow Flash earned the nickname. Minato Namikaze is one of the fastest ninjas ever to grace the ninja world. He is one of the few ninjas who can move through time and space.
On top of this speed, Minato proved to be one of the greatest Hokage’s ever to live. Sadly, he sacrificed his life to save the village from the nine-tailed beast, but that ability to seal the beast and stop it shows remarkable power. Kakashi and Jiraiya both believe Minato is the strongest ninja ever to live and the facts show they may be right.
Tobirama Senju
Tobirama Senju is one of the most exceptional members of that legendary clan. He is granted the title of Second Hokage during his lifetime and built much of the infrastructure that made the Leaf Village successful.
Tobirama is a gifted genjutsu ninja with mastery of other skills as well. However, his genjutsu is his strongest assets because one of his techniques puts the opponent in perpetual darkness (not even Hiruzen Sarutobi could escape it). Tobirama’s legacy and power seem to be put on the backburner by the first Hokage, but that does not mean he was a pushover.
Nagato (Pain)
Nagato is powerful enough to wipe out Konoha nearly. That feat does not seem like much, because lots of villains are able to make their mark that way. However, Nagato and his six paths of pain are one of the biggest threats to the village, and his strike proves to be the most powerful.
Kabuto considers him the second most powerful reincarnated ninja (the first is Madara). Plus, Nagato, though frail, has immense chakra reserves due to his Uzumaki bloodline, and his jutsu talent is off the charts.
Hagoromo
Including Hagoromo almost feels like cheating. He and his brother, Hamura, were the first two people born with chakra thanks to their mother, Kaguya. This fact means they had a god-level ability.
Hagoromo is the first jinchuuriki, and his power is so high that he is able to defeat the ten-tailed beast (his mom). Being one of the first people with chakra means Hagoromo had a lot of it. In fact, he had so much that he is able to share it with people around the world. As he went sharing his gift, he also taught people about the early form of ninjutsu. All of this makes Hagoromo a god-like figure and clearly overpowered.
Naruto Uzumaki
The main character always ends up overpowered in this kind of story. Watching it happen is a like watching a slowed down bat swing, fans know the conclusion, but that does not mean they will not watch the whole thing. Naruto builds his power over time, but it is safe to say by the end of the series he is one heck of a shinobi.
The logic of this entry is simple: many of the enemies Naruto faces are on this list, and Naruto defeats those enemies. Therefore, Naruto is more powerful than some of the most overpowered characters. The build-up to that conclusion is a joy to watch, and his path to becoming the number one overpowered knucklehead ninja is worth the ride.
Hamura
Just like Hagoromo, Hamura, his brother, is a mighty god-like figure. Hamura has similar chakra reserves and also assisted in the defeat of their mother as the ten-tailed beast. All of this power means Hamura is worthy of a spot on this list.
However, Hamura admits his brother is stronger than him. So, while not the strongest character on this list, Hamura uses his power well. Hamura gives his descendants the power of the Byakugan, and Hamura uses his ability to transcend space and time to help the protagonist. That willingness to support the forces of good makes him an excellent overpowered ninja who cannot be said for some of the other entries.
Hidan
Hidan is a bit of a prick in the show. He enjoys showboating, and he lacks real tactical awareness. However, all of this is understandable because Hidan is immortal.
Being immortal automatically means that a character is overpowered. If the ninja cannot be defeated, then no battle with them is fair. All Hidan needs is a bit of blood from the opponent, and the fight is over. This talent and ability are nearly impossible to defeat and takes every bit of Shikamaru’s effort to finish him off. Immortality is a technicality, but Hidan is still worthy of a spot on the list.
Jiraiya
The toad sage is one of the most influential mentors to Naruto in the show. Jiraiya exhibits a knack for some powerful jutsu and remarkably high endurance. All of this goes underestimated due to the Sannin’s tendency towards a goofy demeanor, but Jiraiya is at his best when opponents underestimate him.
Jiraiya is the master of all things toad and his techniques include a lot of toad themed attacks. On the surface that does not sound powerful, but the series shows fans just how powerful toads can be time and time again. The mentor to both Minato and Naruto clearly deserves a spot on this list.
Kaguya
So, if Haruma and Hagoromo felt like cheating, then this entry is going to feel like a stagecoach robbery. Kaguya is the first person ever to be endowed with chakra after she consumes fruit from the god tree. That point means that if Haruma and Hagoromo are god-like, then Kaguya is an actual god.
The rabbit goddess becomes the ten-tailed beast and her appearance on earth is nearly unstoppable without the power of her two sons present to stop her. Kaguya’s place on this list is clear. If it takes two god-like figures, or their ability, to stop a character, then that character is overpowered.