The Kages are some of the most impressive characters inNaruto’s story. Not only because of how they ran their respective villages and commanded the alliance during theFourth Great Ninja War, but also becausesome of them are so excessively powerful that they even managed to steal the spotlight from Narutosometimes.
The Kages inNarutoare the leaders of the Five Great Hidden Villages of the ninja world, being considered the most powerful ninjas in their respective nations. This is due to their mission to protect their villages and inhabitants, for which they need superior strength that allows them to control those who threaten peace and maintain the balance between all the ninjas and create a better world. With superhuman abilities, imposing presences, and incredible combat IQ that overflows with genius,some of the Kages are stronger than others and exhibit an insane level of power.
10Gaara (Fifth Kazekage)
First Appearance: Naruto Chapter 35 and Naruto Episode 20
Gaara is the fifth Kazekage in the Sand Village and the youngest Kage in history. Despite this, Gaara made up for his lack of experience with his natural leadership and powerful abilities. Gaara’s chakra-infused sand served both as a weapon from a distance and for protecting himself, like using his ultimate defense to block all attacks that come near him, catching a target, crushing them using Sand Coffin and flying. This makesGaara an extremely adaptable opponent.
Even after having Shukaku torn from him, Gaara defeated his father, the Fourth Kazekage, who was originally capable of subduing the One-Tail.Moreover, without Shukaku his abilities and chakra powers didn’t noticeably change. However, as Gaara lacks speed and often stands stationary while using his sand, he is open to attacks from fast enemies.
9Onoki (Third Tsuchikage)
First Appearance: Naruto Chapter 454 and Naruto: Shippuden Episode 199
The oldest of all the active Kages seen inNarutois Onoki. However, this made him one of the biggest problems during the Kage’s fight against Madara, due to his experience and power, being recognized by the Uchiha. Despite his old age,Onoki can use dust release, which is a unique jutsu with great offensive capability, being able to destroy an entire island. This way, He is one of the few users of Kekkei Tota in Naruto.
Also, Onoki was a student of the second Tsuchikage. Although he was inferior to him, this shouldn’t take away his merits, as it was said thatOnoki was as powerful as Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was named a ninja god. Additionally, his performance in the war suggests that,as a young man, Onoki should have been an even more amazing warrior.
8Hiruzen Sarutobi (Third Hokage)
First Appearance: Naruto Chapter 1 and Naruto Episode 1
The Third Hokage has been underestimated by many viewers for having sacrificed himself in his fight against Orochimaru, butin his prime, Hiruzen Sarutobi was recognized as the greatest Hokage. Even in his old age, Hiruzen was respected by the other Kages, having mastered the five basic elements of chakra and being able to use the forbidden technique of sealing his opponent’s soul in exchange for his own life. A veteran ninja with extensive battle experience.
Sadly, as the third Hogake was brought back with the Edo Tensei at the same age as he died, viewers never saw him at his full power. Yet, during his participation in the Fourth Great Ninja War, he demonstrated that he was a veteran ninja with extensive battle experience.
7Tobirama Senju (Second Hokage)
First Appearance: Naruto Chapter 118 and Naruto Episode 69
The second Hokage may be the least nice of all, but he contributed the most in the series.Tobirama Senju is responsible for creating some of the most powerful and dangerous jutsu inNaruto. Creating a space-time jutsu, the Flying Thunder God Technique, which was mastered by Minato the Fourth Hokage and the Shadow Clone Jutsu, which later became Naruto’s trademark skill. Tobirama was also hailed as the fastest shinobi of his time and was able to kill Izuna Uchiha, who was stated to be equal to his brother Madara.
Tobiramais also said to be the greatest water release user of all time, able to flood the battlefield. Tobirama’s superior intellect makes him a great strategist and he was crucial after being revived in the Fourth Ninja War since he put up resistance against the Ten-Tails, Madara, and Obito which helped in the Shinobi Alliance’s victory.
6A (Third Raikage)
First Appearance: Naruto Chapter 494 and Naruto: Shippuden Episode 244
The Third Raikage is considered the strongest leader of the Cloud Village. His power is at such an absurd level that he is able to face an army of twenty thousand ninjas alone and draw incombat with a Tailed Beast. A’s strength and speed are remarkable, but it is his resistance that made him stand out from others as he was able to withstand techniques of any kind without taking much damage.
The Third Raikage demonstrated incredible destructive skills and speed, capable of facing multiple ninjas of the shinobi alliance, kekkei tota users like Mu, and even the 8 tails. So although his son, the Fourth Raikage, was one of the most prominent of his generation of Kages and demonstrated quite remarkable power, he wasn’t strong enough to defeat his father.
5Gengetsu Hozuki (Second Mizukage)
First Appearance: Naruto Chapter 525 and Naruto: Shippuden Episode 267
Gengetsu Hozuki, the second Mizukage, was one of the most powerful users of genjutsu in Naruto. This made Gengetsu skilled enough to face evenSharingan users, andhe was capable of standing his ground against Gaara and Onoki at the same time. As Gengetsu is only seen in battle during the Fourth Shinobi War when he was brought back through Edo Tensei is difficult to accurately determine the extent of his powers.
However, his short participation in the story highlights his position as one of the strongest Kages, as he mocks their opponents by telling them how to defeat him and holding back, and still surpassing them. Among his abilities, Gengetsu can turn his body into liquid and shoot projectiles of something similar to oil. When he was alive, Gengetsuwas said to be the only one to match Mu’s power, with both killing each other during battle.
4Mu (Second Tsuchikage)
First Appearance: Naruto Chapter 515 and Naruto Shippuden Episode 256
Mu, the second Tsuchikage, was the first user of a Kekkei Tota inNaruto’s story, asthe creator of the dust release. Mu was also the strongest Kage of his generation and Onoki’s teacher. Upon being revived by the Edo Tensei, Mu was able to face several ninjas from the shinobi alliance, give problems to his disciple Onoki, and fight Gengetsu one-on-one to decide who was more powerful, since both died in their last fight.
Mu could erase his presence completely, becoming invisible, something very useful in infiltration tasks. In battle, he displayed even more incredible powers, since the Tsuchikage was capable of splitting himself in two, and though his power was also split, his physical strength was remarkable enough that he was able to lift enormous boulders in this separate state.
3Minato Namikaze (Fourth Hokage)
First Appearance: Naruto Chapter 239 and Naruto Episode 1
The fourth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, Minato Namikaze, had undisputed skills and was recognized as a genius. During his tenure, hewas known as the Yellow Lightning of Konoha due to his superhuman speed. Minato possessed a unique teleportation jutsu, the Flying Thunder God Technique, which allowed him to move at extreme speeds. This technique, along with his intelligence and chakra control, made him practically unstoppable in combat, proved by how it surpassed even Obito’s intangibility.
Minato can also use Sage Mode, like Jiraiya and Naruto. Furthermore, after he was revived by Orochimaru,Minato helped the Shinobi Alliance and his son Naruto win the warafter being given access to Baryon modethanks to Kurama’s power, which only increased his already overwhelming strength.
2Hashirama Senju (First Hokage)
Hashirama Senju is known as the god of shinobi, and for good reason. His mastery of his wood-release ninjutsu makes him one of the strongest characters in Naruto with an incredible lifeforce. He was the rival of Madara Uchiha and was able to fight him when he was controlling the Nine Tails. Hashirama had access to Sage Mode, which augmented his abilities and summoned giant wood golems and his True Several Thousand Hands jutsu that made the Nine Tails look small in comparison.
Hashirama further demonstrated his skills in the Fourth Ninja War, battling Madara once again. Additionally,Hashiramawas able to stop the Ten-Tailsfor only a few moments using his wood style and sage mode. Despite succeeding in “killing” Madara at Valley of the End, and although he failed to stop him in the Final Arc, Hashirama was the only character that could match him.
1Naruto Uzumaki (Seventh Hokage)
As one of the nine jinchuriki of the anime and an Uzumaki,Naruto had an incredible chakra pooland could summon hundreds of shadow clones. He is also quite versatile in battle, creating many variants of the Rasengan, a jutsu of high destructive power that concentrates chakra in his hand. Additionally, Naruto managed to befriend Kurama and significantly increase his power by accessing the Nine-Tailed Fox’s chakra, which also allows him to recover faster from wounds. Likewise, Naruto can also use the Sage mode and summon Gamakichi, a giant toad that helps him in combat.
Naruto can use the senjutsu of the 6 paths and is also a master jinchuriki like Killer Bee, since he is able to use the chakra of his biju as an extension of his body. Naruto finally fulfilled his dream by becoming the seventh Hokage, andhis feats throughout the series speak of his strength, like defeating the leader of Akatsuki and user of Rinnegan, Pain, and being essential to winning the Fourth Great Ninja War by fighting Madara and later Kaguya.
Naruto
Naruto is a franchise spawned from the manga series penned by Masashi Kishimoto that began in 1999. Generating several tv series, games, movies, and more, Naruto follows the exploits of a young outcast ninja harboring the spirit of a demon fox who seeks to become the Hokage, the leader of his ninja village, to break the stigma against him. Upon the conclusion of the initial series, Naruto expanded into Boruto, following many series protagonists' children and returning faces.
