Perhaps one of the most popular anime shows ever created, Naruto has managed to accumulate a huge number of fans since its premiere in 2002. Fans can’t help but feel connected to our hilariously quirky hero as he goes on his journey to becoming the acclaimed Hokage. What makes Naruto so enthralling is the intricately woven stories that Naruto and other characters deal with throughout the show. Though a lot of people might complain about filler episodes in the show, it can't be argued that Naruto's overarching story is just top-notch for an anime. The show is enthralling and interesting, and there's a reason why so many people really love this series.

As Naruto goes about his adventures in the various lands, he runs into many characters that we, as fans, love, and hate. Even though we pick and choose our favorite characters as a result of their style, unique Jutsu, back-story, or even personality, there’s no denying that some are stronger than others. That's just the nature of things. Here is a list ranking those characters from weakest to strongest. The rankings might surprise you a bit and are obviously subjective, but we think this is pretty accurate! If you agree or disagree with any of these rankings, please let us know in the comments. So, buckle up and get comfortable. Here we go!

20 Lady Tsunade, "Grandma Tsunade"

Lady Tsunade was immensely strong. She is able to smash boulders with ease with her ferocious punches. Lady Tsunade is a highly skilled medical ninja. She has incredible control over her chakra, so much so that she has manifested the Strength of a Hundred seal on her forehead. That's a feat that only those who have amazing chakra control can achieve. Lady Tsunade's hallmark comes from her ability to heal herself instantly with the use of Creation Rebirth. Creation Rebirth requires no conscious effort for her to heal herself, allowing Tsunade to focus on battle and not worry about injury. While she might not be the strongest one on this list, there's no denying that she's definitely in the top percentage of all the characters on the show.

19 Orochimaru, "The Great White Snake"

For a large part of the show, Orochimaru was regarded as the biggest threat to the Hidden Leaf Village, for good reason. Orochimaru was driven to find a way to achieve immortality and during his quest, he has stumbled upon so many other forbidden jutsu and techniques, making him highly intelligent. Orochimaru was a member of the Legendary Sanine, a group consisting of three elite ninjas. Among his abilities, Orochimaru is able to summon a giant snake, quickly heal himself, and even take the form of a snake. This allows him to close out on great distances by stretching his head. Orochimaru isn't the most powerful, but he is very intelligent and deliberate in his actions. This makes him a fearsome opponent since he seems like he always has another trick up his sleeve.

18 Kisame, "The Tailless Tailed Beast"

Kisame's nickname says it all. This guy has so much power, he has garnered the title of "tailless tailed beast." Think about how much power and chakra a Jinchuriki has when they are in their tailed beast form. For a shinobi who doesn't harbor a tailed beast, Kisame is still able to match their ferocity with natural strength alone. Kisame is a water nature user who conveniently uses a lot of shark-themed attacks to wreak havoc on his foes. He wields a deadly sword, Samehada, that fed on the chakra of others to gain more power. He's a strong and scary person to have to face, for sure, but he's definitely not the strongest guy in the Naruto universe.

17 Shisui Uchiha, "Shisui Of The Body Flicker"

Although we only get to catch a small glimpse of Shisui Uchiha, it is clear that he belongs on this list. From a young age, Shisui was seen as a child prodigy among the Uchiha clan with his early talent as a shinobi. What makes Shisui so powerful is his unique Mangekyo Sharingan ability, Kotoamatsukami. Kotoamatsukami puts people under a Genjutsu where the victim doesn't know they're not in control. This makes the victim believe that all the decisions they're making are of their own accord. Itachi used this same Genjutsu on himself in anticipation of Kabuto reincarnating him. The Kotoamatsukami allowed Itachi to disobey Kabuto's orders even after death! Oh, did I mention that this Genjutsu can only be used once a decade? It's sad how the life of Shisui ended. With the abilities he had, he could have been a legendary shinobi.

16 Kabuto Yakushi, "Orochimaru's Successor"

Kabuto made it on my list because of his wit with medical findings, as well as his ability to put them into action. After modifying his own body with cells from Orochimaru, he becomes a lot stronger. His chakra reserves increase substantially. After a while, the body modifications completely change his appearance to that of a snake. He gets the ability to quickly slither, shed skin, and even use his snake-like mouth to swallow and capture targets. Among these abilities, Kabuto can regenerate health quickly, take cells from others, and use their Jutsu for his own purposes. It's clear this guy meticulously plans things down to the most intricate of details. Also, taking on the Uchiha brothers, Sasuke and Itachi, at once is a notable feat. If not for Itachi's Izanami, an Uchiha clan hidden technique, who knows how things would've ended up.

15 Guy, "Hot-Blooded Youth!"

Guy-sensei can be a fierce competitor. The goofy, green-jumpsuit-wearing taijutsu master is one of the most talented shinobi ever. With his immense speed and pure ambition to never back down, the Leaf Green Beast has struck fear in his opponents. There are few who can compete with Might Guy when he is in battle mode. With only taijutsu capabilities, Guy is limited in his ability in combat. Viewed as handicapped when he was a child, Guy spent an immense amount of time training his taijutsu skills. Guy's father, Duy, showed him how to open the Eight Gates. With the opening of each gate, Guy becomes stronger, faster, and able to horde more chakra. Guy is so powerful with the Gates open he is able to match up with Madara Uchiha during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Guy has earned his spot on this list.

14 Killer Bee, "Fool ya, Fool"

At first glance, Killer Bee might not seem like the most powerful Shinobi. I didn't expect him to be as strong as he was with his dorky rhymes he used to form sentences. After giving him a second chance, it's clear that Killer Bee is quite strong. I mean, the guy fights with like 7 swords during his battle with Sasuke. Although Bee is a skilled shinobi, his true power comes from the Eight-Tails that locked within him. Killer Bee and the Eight-Tails, Kumogakure, have a great relationship. Bee is able to gather chakra from the Eight-Tails at will and can assume the tailed-beast form when needed. After facing Kisame, Killer Bee was chosen by Samehada, Kisame's sword, because it liked the taste of Killer Bee's chakra. With this sword, Killer Bee is even more powerful, making him a difficult opponent to face.

13 Jiraiya, "The Gross Sage"

What does one have to do to garner the nickname, "The Gross Sage?" Jiraiya spent a lot of his free time reading and writing erotic novels and ogling big chested women throughout the leaf village. Despite his flirtatious, and kinda creepy, ways he was still revered as one of the most powerful shinobi to ever inhabit the leaf village, so much so, that he was offered the position of Hokage 3 times, and each time he turned down the position. When Jiraiya was young, he found Mount Myoboku, where he eventually learned Sage Mode, a great source in his power. Sage Mode allows the user to become physically stronger, faster and have more stamina. With Sage mode, Jiraiya had increased reserves of chakra, couple this with his intelligence and raw skill and you have yourselves an almost unbeatable opponent.

12 Tobirama Senju, "The Second Hokage"

During his time, Tobirama was viewed as one of the most powerful Shinobi in history. He was faster and stronger than anyone who fell victim to his wrath. Tobirama was adept at sensing targets, with the use of one finger, he could detect the chakra of those a great distance away. Tobirama's speed came from his Flying Thunder God technique, where he could mark objects and teleport to them, like a few other ninjas in the Naruto universe. Tobirama was a calculated fighter, striking only when necessary and when he felt confident in the success of his next attack. Tobirama's gift was the use of water nature chakra. He was able to use water techniques and create bodies of water on his own accord, granting him the title of most skilled in water energy in history.

11 Minato, "Yellow Flash Of The Leaf"

Minato Namikaze is regarded as the fastest ninja to ever inhabit the shinobi world. In battle, Minato had his own special kunai, that consisted of three prongs rather than the traditional one. The kunai that Minato used were marked with the Flying Thunder God seal, which allowed Minato to teleport to each Kunai whenever they were thrown. Minato could also detect chakra from large distances, giving him the edge over enemies in battle. Minato was a partial Jinchuriki to the Nine-Tails, he sealed part of the Nine-Tails within himself, while the other half into his son, Naruto Uzumaki. The Nine-Tails never resisted Minato, allowing him to tap into the Nine-Tails chakra reserves with ease. During the third great ninja war, enemies were given the order to flee when they saw Minato. Wow, that just goes to show you how feared he was!

10 Itachi Uchiha, "The Clan Killer"

The sacrifices that Itachi made throughout his entire life are a testament to what a true ninja should be. Itachi was very intelligent and calculated. At a young age, he learned to do what was necessary and acted with thought and not emotions. Itachi's wit alone is enough to put him in the rankings of the top ninja. Add in his immense talent with the Sharingan, and you have a deadly foe. Genjutsu was Itachi's main method of fighting. With his skill, victims could fall under his Genjutsu without even realizing it. Itachi was able to use the Susanoo. He could conjure extra limbs so he could protect himself and add extra offensive options during battle. Itachi was ill during a large part of the show, decreasing his chakra reserves. Even with this disadvantage, it's debated that Itachi could have defeated Sasuke with ease during their battle.

9 Nagato "Know Pain!"

When Nagato was a boy, burglars broke into his home, killing his parents. Infuriated, Nagato awakened his rinnegan and killed the two burglars. The rinnegan is considered to be the most powerful of the Three Great Dojutsu. With the rinnegan, Nagato was able to distribute his chakra evenly with the use of black receivers, which he used to create the Six Paths of Pain. Pain is the name that Nagato gave to himself after the death of his friend Yahiko. Nagato used his chakra to control the body of Yahiko and five other bodies and led an attack on the leaf village. Pain was a devastating foe. He was able to level half of the leaf village with his signature attack, Almighty Push. After his defeat, Pain was moved by Naruto's compassion and decided to bring those he killed back from the dead in exchange for his own life.

8 Obito Uchiha, "The Masked Man"

As a child, Obito was nothing special. As an adult, he was the one to start the Fourth Great Ninja War. After his assumed death, Obito was saved by Madara Uchiha and was taken under his wing, where he learned Madara's philosophy of the world and eventually agreed to move along with his plan of the Infinite Tsukuyomi. In order to save Obito, Madara used matter from white Zetsu to save him and as a result, Obito's chakra reserves were enhanced allowing him to store more energy. Obito has the Sharingan in his right eye and the rinnegan in his left. This gives him two of the three Great Dojutsu, which grant him immense power and abilities.

7 Kakashi Hatake, "The Sixth Hokage"

Kakashi, also known as the Copy Ninja, was a skilled ninja from childhood. He was revered as an intelligent leader and lead many missions at a young age. When his friend, Obito, was crushed by a huge boulder completely smashing the left side of his body, Obito gave Kakashi his right eye, which granted him use of the Sharingan. With this, Kakashi became even stronger. During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Obito gave Kakashi his second eye, unlocking the full capabilities of the Sharingan for Kakashi. With the full potential of the Sharingan in use, Kakashi was is able to use the Susanoo, and Kamui, which allows the user to transfer opponents to another dimension, a technique that surpasses that of the Flying Thunder God Seal. With Kakashi's intelligence, leadership, and enhanced abilities from his Sharingan, he has managed to grab the number 7 spot on our list.

6 Madara Uchiha, "Ghost Of The Uchiha"

Madara Uchiha is one of the most feared shinobi in the Naruto world. With his ruthlessness, combat intelligence, and physical power, there are few who can defeat him in battle. Madara possesses the Sharingan and is perhaps, one of the most skilled and knowledgeable about its true power. It is said that Madara is able to detect others chakra from countries away with the use of his Sharingan. Madara's chakra reserves were unmatched by others. He was able to keep his Sharingan active nearly all the time and he could summon the powerful Susanoo when needed. With the use of the Rinne Sharingan, Madara was able to summon massive meteorites, capable of demolishing the land and killing anyone unfortunate enough to be near it. Madara was highly skilled with taijutsu and ninjutsu, but he was even more so with Genjutsu. Madara's visual prowess was unmatched during his time.

5 Hashirama Senju, "The First Hokage"

The God of Shinobi: that's the title that was given to Hashirama for his unmatched skill and physical prowess. Hashirama had unbelievable chakra reserves and combat intelligence only fit for a true master of the shinobi way. He grew up during a time of constant battle with his clan's rivals, the Uchiha. Hashirama met Madara Uchiha and a rivalry was formed. Throughout their lifetime, Hashirama and Madara fought many times, and Madara could never best him in battle even with the help of the Nine-Tails. Hashirama's most notable ability was his blend of water and earth chakra. Wood style jutsu was a technique that could not be replicated by others. Hashirama was able to create huge humanoid creatures powerful enough to battle Madara's Susanoo. Hashirama was also able to go into Sage Mode, giving him even more chakra and making him virtually unstoppable.

4 Naruto Uzumaki, "Number One Hyperactive Knucklehead Ninja!"

After years of training with aspirations of one day becoming the Hokage, Naruto was able to turn himself into one of the strongest ninjas ever. At his prime, Naruto is able to cooperate with the Nine-tails, as they have managed to work out a good relationship. Naruto is able to create limbs generated from the Nine-Tails chakra that can be used as defense or offense, whenever Naruto needs them. Naruto is also able to create hundreds of shadow clones, which open up significant options for him during battle. Like his master, Naruto is able to go into Sage Mode and is able to do it so well that he surpassed his teacher. Naruto is also able to enter the tailed beast state, where he is devastatingly powerful. The trials and tribulations we see Naruto go through are a testament to his strength, courage, and kind-heartedness.

3 Sasuke Uchiha, "Revenge"

It was difficult to put Sasuke above Naruto on this list, but I give Sasuke a bit more points for his Rinne Sharingan. Sasuke was always seen as a gifted student. He was able to out-perform everyone in his class with ease. Sasuke's story is that of tragedy and hate, and yet our friend is able to find his way to the good side with the help of Naruto. Sasuke is a terrifying foe. With his Sharingan, he is able to use Amaterasu and summon the Susanoo where he has become quite proficient in its use in battle. During the Fourth Great Ninja war, Sasuke was gifted the Rinnegan by Hagoromo Otsutsuki. With it, he's able to use a number of new techniques, like the infamous All Might Push. After his battle with Naruto, Sasuke lost his left arm. Even after that, Sasuke is still a devastating foe.

2 Hagoromo Otsutsuki, "Sage Of The Six Paths"

The man who started it all! Hagoromo is the creator of the ninja world as we know it. Both he and his brother Hamura were able to utilize chakra as a result of their mother eating the forbidden fruit from the God tree. Hagormo possessed the power of the Sharingan and the Rinnegan and went on to create the basis of ninja training, ninjutsu. With his wisdom and physical capabilities, he was revered to be the strongest being in history, second only to his mother Kaguya. Hagoromo needed little training to use his chakra and he could perform Jutsus without the use of hand signs. Hagoromo was the first to master and use all five nature elements through the use of his Rinnegan. Needless to say, Hagoromo is a powerful being, well-deserving of this spot on the list.

1 Kaguya Otsutsuki, "Mother Of Chakra"

So at the number one spot, we have Kaguya Otsutsuki (which is kind of obvious). Kaguya was the first being to ever wield the enormous power of chakra after biting a piece of fruit from the God Tree. Kaguya has unique abilities. With the power of Byakugan and the Rinne Sharingan, Kaguya is almost impossible to beat. Her enormous amount of chakra and the power to wield all of the 4 different nature types make Kaguya makes her impossible to defeat alone. Kaguya's main goal was peace. She wanted to achieve this goal by putting all the people in the world under a powerful Genjutsu, The Infinite Tsukuyomi. Thankfully, the ninja world lives on thanks to the efforts of Team 7 and hundreds, if not thousands, of ninja who gave their lives in the battle. We'll miss you! *sniff, sniff*.

Now that this list is over, there's something that I want you to do. Share this article with your friends and see what they think of my list. Ready, set, go! Let the debates begin!!