From space bending Taijutsu masters to godlike beings who first wielded the power of chakras, Naruto is an ever expanding story chock full of incredibly intimidating warriors. But it is curious to know which of these fighters sits on top as some of the most powerful characters in the franchise. In this ranking, we’re running through the top 10 strongest characters in Naruto.

10. Kakashi Hatake

Even in the earliest days of Naruto’s narrative, it was clear that Kakashi was a step above his contemporaries. A wielder of the Sharingan, this sensei’s claim to fame comes in his vaunted Copy ability, which he uses to infuriate, bewilder and overwhelm his opponents.

His range of jutsu is broad and versatile, allowing him to strike from any distance he chooses to control the battlefield, and his unflappable nature keeps him cool and level-headed. He is an aspirational jack-of-all-trades with an enviably analytical combat acumen, which also made him perfectly equipped to deal with Naruto’s nonsense for all those years.

9. Pain

The man formerly known as Nagato certainly didn’t have an easy childhood, and his tragic upbringing shaped him in more ways than one. He would rise to become leader of the Akatsuki, possessing a pool of chakra so deep, you would be hard pressed to find its limits.

Not only did he take possession of the Rinnegan, but he was able to wield it almost effortlessly, accessing a wealth of valuable Paths that make him a formidable fighter in any situation. His perception is peerless, and overall, he really just makes for a tough matchup for all but the mightiest of ninja.

You know you don’t want to mess with a guy whose adopted nickname is literally Pain.

8. Obito Uchiha

Obito is a close friend of Kakashi and the essential key to controlling the overly powerful Ten Tailed Beast. After being revived, he was used to pull off a plan in creating and controlling a monster that was so fearsome, it took all of the Tailed Beasts’ efforts alongside Naruto before they could put him down.

Even after Obito’s defeat, he used the last remnants of his power to give Kakashi even more of a boost. If you gave the main character this much of a problem, then you know might is not a problem for him. With this much monstrous strength held by one man, it is no wonder why Obito is in this list.

7. Itachi Uchiha

Itachi slayed the entire Uchiha clan, so that he could stop a coup d’etat from their village from happening under the order of his superiors. This feat alone shows that Itachi himself is more powerful than most of his kin.

Itachi also possess a power that exceeds the Sharingan itself, the infinite Tsukuyomi. Itachi’s prowess with the technique has allowed him to alter the perception of time with ease within the Genjutsu to make a few seconds seem like many days as a means to torture the target.

6. Sasuke Uchiha

Sasuke is the younger brother of Itachi, and the last of the Uchiha clan. He grew up driven by vengeance and the goal to become stronger to avenge his family. Throughout his endeavors, Sasuke only became more and more powerful, eventually unlocking his Mangekyou Sharingan, obtaining the Rinnegan and getting a boost of power to his already impressive Susanoo.

Even after his fight with his friend Naruto, losing an arm did not slow Sasuke down, but continued to improve more on his technique, fighting style and team strategy during battles.

5. Naruto Uzumaki

As the titular hero, Naruto is the main character and the eventual Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village. Naruto became leader of the village despite his past actions when he was young — throughout the entirety of the series we see him progress from an obnoxious and impatient brat, to a well calculated and responsible warrior.

Naruto was already a pretty gifted Ninjutsu student since day one with the help of the absurd amount of chakra he possesses from the Nine Tailed Beast within him. At a young age he did not only master the Kage Bunshin No Jutsu but was able to use it to the hundreds and can easily overwhelm his enemies. Eventually as he grew, he learned numerous techniques like the various versions of the Rasengan, Sage mode and he was able to control the Nine Tailed Beast within him.

4. Hashirama Senju

You can’t base everything on a nickname, but when someone is heralded as the “God of Shinobi”, you can expect that they’ll be able to back up such a lofty title. A benevolent leader who would be anointed as the First Hokage of Konohagakure, even Madara himself fell short of Hashirama’s mastery when he was at his peak.

His adeptness in all things ninjutsu make reeling off his techniques an unwieldy proposition, but it is at least worth highlighting his access to Sage Mode, augmenting all of his abilities by instilling them with senjutsu chakra.

Had he gone down a darker path, perhaps even siding with Madara in his quest for power, the world of ninjutsu would have assuredly been brought to its knees. We can only thank our lucky stars that this grim timeline never took place!

3. Madara Uchiha

Madara is the big baddy who showed us what limits a single ninja can possess with the right amount of effort. Madara Uchiha was a friend turned foe by the first Hokage after trying to claim power over the Hidden Leaf Village which birthed the first Shinobi War.

That war alone already showcased Madara’s city levelling power before he was defeated. But during the fourth Shinobi War, after being revived By Kabuto, Madara gained new and even more powerful techniques like the ability to casually bring down two mountain sized meteors, a Susanoo that can casually slice mountains, create clones of himself that can use said Susanoo, and create a wave of forests in an instant. All that while having a Mangekyou Sharingan and a Rinnegan as cherry on top.

2. Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki

Hagoromo is the son of the first wielder of Chakra, and the first to understand it. Also known as the Sage of the Six Paths by his followers, he is the person responsible for spreading and teaching the ways of the Ninja.

Hagoromo was the first of many; he and his brother stopped their mother after transforming into a terrifying Ten Tailed beast by sealing the monster within himself and therein making him the first ever Jinchūriki. His exploits are the stuff of legend, and even when considering the wealth of talented ninja who have come and gone, he still stands the test of time as one of the most impressive warriors to have ever lived.

1. Kaguya

After eating the fruit of the god tree, Kaguya obtained mastery of all five major transformations and is able to use Yin Yang Release. She also possesses the Byakugan on both of her eyes and a Rinne Sharingan on her third eye giving her the edge in almost every kind of situation.

With her gifts she used her powers to grant peace and end wars, and with this she was worshiped as a goddess. She did however become obsessed with gaining even more strength, years after giving birth to her two sons. She was outsmarted by her offspring and was then sealed away and remembered as the devil, serving as a grim reminder that even ambition should have its limits.