Summary

• Neji Hyūga is a powerful ninja with incredible vision and precise combat skills, making him a formidable opponent.
• Kimimaro's unique abilities and hand-to-hand combat skills made him strong, but his illness weakened him in battle.
• Sasori's puppetry skills and ability to control puppets, including turning victims into puppets, made him a powerful fighter in the Naruto franchise.

Since 1999, the most powerful Naruto characters featured in over 70 manga volumes and 700+ animated television episodes. Over the course of two decades, creator Masashi Kishimoto introduced fans to many memorable characters. Some of these characters were goofy and endearing, while others were incredibly threatening – and they all had various levels of powers and abilities. Discerning a Naruto power ranking is no easy task. With a range of abilities and different strengths, it is hard to determine precisely whether one character was more capable in battle than another.

The most powerful characters in the Naruto franchise are those who can stand alone against a sea of enemies. Training, natural talent, and inherited skills from specific bloodlines all made for some seriously formidable fighters, including the titular Naruto himself. Of course, just because the franchise features his story doesn't necessarily mean Naruto is the most powerful character.

35 Neji Hyūga the Silent Fist

Debuted Chapter #36 of the Manga & Episode #21 of Naruto

Neji was regarded as Konoha's strongest student when he was first introduced. His Byakugan eyes allowed him to see nearly everything around him within 800 meters, enemy weak points, and even through walls. Neji's mastery of the Byakugan, combined with his incredible Taijutsu skills, enabled the Hyuga shinobi to perform brutally precise strikes with his Gentle Fist fighting style. With Gentle Fist and his eyes, Neji could potentially shut down any ninja's chakra pathways and deal fatal damage to internal organs with his Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms within seconds.

34 Kimimaro, Sole Survivor of the Kaguya Clan

Debuted Chapter #199 of the Manga & Episode #118 of Naruto

Kimimaro’s unique abilities, which involved bone protruding from his skin to use as weapons, made him extremely strong in a fight. He’s got incredible hand-to-hand combat skills as well. Unfortunately, the bulk of the time that the Naruto audience knew Kimimaro was when he was afflicted by an unknown illness that made it nearly impossible for him to last in a fight.

Kimimaro was able, even while sick, to battle a young Naruto, then Rock Lee, and then Gaara. At the time, the three of them weren’t nearly as powerful as they would become - or as experienced in a fight. He died in the middle of battle though as his illness has weakened him so much that prior to the confrontation he was mostly bedridden.

33 Sasori of the Red Sand

Debuted chapter #246 of the Manga & Episode #2 of Shippuden

Puppetry was one of the strangest specialties in the Naruto franchise. It involved literally controlling puppets to battle enemies. Sasori was, quite possibly, the most powerful puppet master in Naruto. He’s so effective against his enemies that he has the nickname “Sasori of the Red Sand” for the blood his puppets have spilled. He didn’t just use puppets of his own creation either. Sasori turned some of his victims into puppets, like the Third Kazekage. Of course, he’s not the strongest fighter in the franchise as he did lose to Konan in a fight, which is how he ended up a member of the Akatsuki in the first place. His abilities seemed largely uneven throughout his appearances.

32 Kisame Hoshigaki Monster of the Hidden Mist

Debuted Chapter #139 of the Manga & Episode #80 of Naruto

As a member of both the Seven Ninja Swordsmen Of The Mist and the Akatsuki, it’s clear that Kisame was a strong villain in the Naruto franchise. He started his time as a shinobi as a guard, but was forced to kill the very people he was guarding to prevent any intelligence from leaking to enemies - only to discover that the person who encouraged him to do just that lied to him and sold information the entire time.

Kisame’s rage at the world not being a truthful place was largely what fueled him. He mastered swordplay in addition to the more typical shinobi abilities, giving him an edge over some of the more skilled hand-to-hand combatants in the series. He might not be the most powerful Naruto fighter in the franchise, but his fight scenes were certainly fun to watch.

31 Kakuzu, Akatsuki's Master of threads

Debuted chapter #312 of the Manga & Episode #71 of Shippuden

Half of Akatsuki's "Zombie Combo," Kakuzu was one of the organization's most robust and oldest members who'd found a way to live forever. The rogue ninja from the rarely mentioned Takigakure (Village Hidden in the Waterfall) manipulated strange black threads that could be used for excellent mobility and deadly combinations in combat. Kakuzu's threads could pierce enemies and even steal their organs for the ancient mercenaries' use. By stealing a strong shinobi's heart, he could use their techniques from multiple chakra natures. He easily overpowered Kakashi and even survived a battle against the First Hokage. Brilliant strategy and Naruto's Rasenshuriken technique eventually brought Kakuzu and his multiple hearts down though.

30 Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki

Debuted Chapter #454 of the Manga & Episode #199 of Shippuden

It’s an unwritten rule that if a shinobi became a village leader, they must have been a powerful Naruto character. Onoki was the leader of the Village Hidden In The Stones, and he excelled in Earth Style ninjutsu. Of course, he also excelled in Particle Style, or Dust Release, ninjutsu, which was what allowed him to rank among the most powerful Naruto characters.

Someone as adept at Dust Release as Onoki could actually destroy objects (or enemies) at a molecular level. He could also make himself light enough to fly or even cause his enemies to become heavy enough to sink. His unique skills made it hard for anyone who didn’t have the same nature type to fight him. Of course, Onoki was entirely too reliant on Dust Release and didn’t have many other combat skills.

29 Kabuto Yakushi, Orochimaru's Duplicitous Right-Hand Man

Debuted chapter #39 of the Manga & Episode #23 of Naruto

Initially, Kabuto seemed like he might be one of the good guys. He offered up advice to Team 7 on more than one occasion and even helped to save Hinata Hyuga at one point. Of course, that's all to cover up that he's really an apprentice to Orochimaru. Kabuto proved himself a formidable opponent. He used a lot of the same skills as his teacher, even leaning on snakes for support in a fight. It's Kabuto's ability to sniff out other people's insecurities and use them to his advantage in battle — like Tsunade's fear of blood — that made him a particularly powerful Naruto character. When it comes to raw power, however, a lot of other characters have him beat.

28 Hidan The Immortal Butcher

Debuted Chapter #312 of the Manga & Episode #71 of Shippuden

Hidan is one of the Naruto series' most broken characters because he has literally achieved what so many villains strive to gain: immortality. The Akatsuki member can survive being impaled, exploded, and even beheaded. He uses a huge triple-bladed scythe with a large chain attached to it, which makes it easy to make opponents bleed, a pivotal component to Hidan's secret curse technique: Death Possession Blood. The attack essentially turns Hidan's body into a Voodoo doll that shares damage with his opponent, a brutal trick when the caster is immortal.

27 Shikamaru Nara, Konoha's Greatest Tactician

Debuted Chapter #34 of the Manga & Episode #1 of Naruto

When Naruto first began, Shikamaru Nara was, by his own admission, the laziest student at the shinobi academy. He found school boring as he picked up skills quickly, and he very quickly mastered his family's specialty - controlling shadows. Shikamaru used his own shadow to quite literally reach out to his opponents and control them. It's a feat he's able to control for long periods of time despite not having the immense chakra reserves of others. That isn't, however, why he's so powerful. Instead, it's how he used his abilities.

Shikamaru was one of the most strategic shinobi. His intelligence was legendary. Always several steps ahead of everyone else, Shikamaru knew exactly when to pull his punches, conserve his energy, and how to use the surrounding environment to his advantage. That's why he's able to take on Hidan by himself when no one else could. He became so adept that he's eventually advisor to the Hokage, though Shikamaru would make a great Hokage himself.

26 Yamato is a Fitting Replacement for Kakashi

Debuted Chapter #284 of the Manga & Episode #4 of Shippuden

When Kakashi was away from his students for an extended mission, Yamato took over as a mentor for Naruto and Sakura (and the added Sai). He might not have had all of Kakashi's skills, but he's chosen for one very big reason. Yamato had the skills to actually tame the nine-tailed beast inside of Naruto. When Naruto started to lose control during training, Yamato was the only one able to reign him in. That, along with his ability to use Wood Release, something very few shinobi ever do, made him an incredibly powerful character in Naruto.

25 Fifth Mizukage Mei Terumī

Debuted Chapter #454 of the Manga & Episode #199 of Shippuden

When Mei Terumi became the Mizukage of the Village Hidden in the Mist, she inherited its very bloody history. While she didn't want to repeat the mistakes of the leaders that came before her, she was still one tough shinobi in a position of power. Mei also inherited some pretty powerful abilities thanks to having ancestry from two different prominent clans.

Her bloodline meant she not only used Vapor Style, but also Lava Style. Either of those skills would be powerful on its own. An acidic mist that can melt through anything in its path and the ability to expel actual lava are already impressive. Add to that the fact that she mastered lightning, fire, earth, and water chakra natures, and she's a seriously powerful opponent in Naruto.

24 Sakura Haruno is Physically Konoha's Strongest Ninja

Debuted chapter #3 of the Manga & Episode #1 of Naruto

As a member of Kakashi’s Team 7, Sakura Haruno has become the subject of many memes and received a lot of flack from the fan community for being weak in comparison to her two super-powered teammates. By the end of the series, Naruto and Sasuke were built up to be two of the strongest ninjas ever to walk the Earth. Unfortunately, Sakura’s teammates’ immense power only made her look weak by comparison, but this strong female should not be taken lightly.

After being trained under Lady Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin and the Hidden Leaf Village’s fifth Hokage, Sakura became a force to be reckoned with and a respected medical ninja. Sakura was successful in bringing down puppet master Sasori. All in all, Sakura is not only one of the more underrated forces in the Naruto universe, but she also stands tall among some of the strongest characters from the entire series.

23 Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze the Yellow Flash

Debuted Chapter #122 of the Manga & Episode #1 of Naruto

Tales of the Fourth Hokage’s brave endeavors have been told long after his demise. His sacrifice to bring down the Nine-Tailed Fox was not only an important plot device for the animated series, but it is also part of the reason he's actually one of the most powerful Naruto characters. Being trained under Jiraiya, a member of the legendary Sannin trio, Minato quickly grew into one of the greatest ninjas of all time.

Due to his performance during the Great Ninja War, as well as his overall demeanor and leadership capabilities, Minato was chosen as the Leaf Village’s Fourth Hokage over a member of the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru. Known as the Yellow Flash of the Leaf, the Fourth Hokage is easily one of the fastest ninjas in the series as a whole. On his own, Minato easily ranks among Naruto's strongest heroes.

22 Fifth Kazekage Gaara of the Sand

Debuted Chapter #35 of the Manga & Episode #20 of Naruto

Gaara of the Sand had arguably the most heart-breaking backstory of any character in the anime. Like Naruto, Gaara was a jinchūriki — someone with a tailed beast spirit sealed within them. However, he wa not nearly as upbeat as the titular, knucklehead ninja. It was not until after an incredible battle with the series’ protagonist, as well as some wise words from Naruto himself, that Gaara realized his duty to protect his own village. After a change of heart, the sand ninja quickly became Suna’s Fifth Kazekage at an incredibly young age.

Cased in an armor of sand, Gaara was nearly impenetrable. While he began his journey as a villain sent to attack the Village Hidden in the Leaves, he quickly became a valued ally, saving the day on more than one occasion. Even without drawing on the tailed beast's power inside him, his control of sand made him a hugely powerful Naruto character.

21 Sixth Hokage Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja

Debuted Chapter #3 of the Manga & Episode #3 of Naruto

Before he ever received his Sharingan eye from former teammate Obito, Kakashi Hatake was a standout shinobi trained by the Fourth Hokage himself. After receiving the eye, however, he became regarded far and wide as “The Copy Ninja,” a warrior known for his ability to learn Jutsu from other ninjas and repeat them virtually immediately. In fact, Kakashi was referred to as “the ninja who copied over 1000 Jutsu” in the anime.

As the leader of Team 7, Kakashi trained Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto. Not to mention, this shinobi was a longtime member of the Anbu Black Ops, an elite tactical unit of ninjas, and remains one of the strongest Naruto characters. His master of skills earned him the spot of Sixth Hokage.

20 Fifth Hokage Tsunade, Legendary Sannin

Debuted Chapter #139 of the Manga & Episode #83 of Naruto

Tsunade was widely regarded as the world’s strongest kunoichi — a female ninja — as well as one of the greatest medical ninja of all time, despite her crippling fear of blood (a fear that she later overcomes). After years of aimless wandering and gambling, becoming just as widely regarded as “The Legendary Sucker,” Tsunade was persuaded by Naruto and her former teammate Jiraiya to return to the Hidden Leaf and become the village’s Fifth Hokage.

Granddaughter to Hashirama Senju — known as the First Hokage and one of the Hidden Leaf’s founders — Lady Tsunade was virtually shinobi royalty. However, the kunoichi did not simply rest on her laurels. During the Second Shinobi World War, her team (Jiraiya and Orochimaru) were anointed with the title of “Legendary Sannin,” given their great performance in battle.

19 Eight-Tails Jinchūriki Killer Bee

Debuted Chapter #408 of the Manga & Episode #142 of Shippuden

Killer B is another jinchūriki. Harnessing the power of the Eight-Tailed beast, B did not see himself as cursed like the other shinobi with demons sealed within them. After years of struggling, B eventually befriended his demon. In fact, it was B who taught Naruto how to utilize the power of his own demon in order to become stronger.

Despite his immense power, B’s dream was not to become a great shinobi like Naruto’s, but rather, he wished to become the world’s greatest rapper. Rhymes and rhythms can be heard during his countless battles as well as his everyday conversation. While he was strong enough on his own, B later gained the power of Kisame Hoshigaki’s sharkskin blade, Samehada — a sword that sucks chakra from its victims.

18 Deidara, The Akatsuki's Explosives Expert

Debuted Chapter #247 of the Manga & Episode #2 of Shippuden

The deadly Akatsuki organization contained some mentally unstable characters, but few were as eccentric as the explosive artist Deidara. He makes a dramatic entrance when he appears early in Naruto Shippuden and single-handedly defeats Gaara in the Sand Village. By using the disturbing mouths on his hands, Deidara creates what he passionately describes as art: clay creatures of varying sizes that can disguise themselves, fight, fly, and explode at will. Deidara's ultimate attacks saw Akasuki's youngest member creating explosive clay bombs at the microscopic level that could kill someone from the inside. He could also blow himself up with his largest CO bomb that delivers a blast radius of over 12 miles.

17 Jiraiya the Gallant

Debuted chapter #90 of the Manga & Episode #52 of Naruto

Jiraiya was not only one of the strongest characters in the anime, but he was also one of the Hidden Leaf’s finest teachers. Jiraiya was responsible for training some of the anime’s greatest shinobi: Naruto, the Fourth Hokage, Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko, among others. In fact, one of the few teachers arguably on the same level as Jiraiya was his own sensei, the Third Hokage.

Jiraiya’s power and leadership abilities were so great that he was first approached to serve as the Hidden Leaf’s Hokage, but he insisted that another Sannin, Tsunade, take up the mantle instead. As the self-anointed Toad Sage, this legendary warrior is remembered for his wild antics and his humorously perverted nature, but make no mistake, Jiraiya was one of Naruto's most powerful characters, bar none.

16 Might Guy, The Leaf's Noble Beast

Debuted Chapter #38 of the Manga & Episode #21 of Naruto

Might Guy may fall into the same category as Jiraiya — a shinobi who appeared to be extremely silly on the surface, but was immensely powerful. Guy Sensei is a fan-favorite ninja whose hijinks make him appear as a less formidable opponent than he is, but being underestimated by his foes might only made him all the more dangerous.

Being a master of taijutsu, Guy was simply unmatched in fighting ability among the Naruto characters. However, with little skill in ninjutsu or genjutsu to speak of, he always needed to work twice as hard in order to succeed as a Leaf Village shinobi. Guy’s ability to open all Eight Gates — points within the body that limit the overall flow of chakra — set him apart from the rest, and, as a result, this ninja was able to take the likes of Madara Uchiha to the brink in their head-to-head battle.