Summary
The ninja world is packed full of mythical figures and legends, many of whom are spoken about at great length by those who were lucky enough to see them in action. Considering Naruto is only a boy at the beginning of his epic story to becoming Hokage, he’s constantly being caught up to speed by other characters who are able to describe just how insanely powerful these powerhouses were back in their day, which is why it’s always such a joy being able to see them return in one form or another to prove their worth to onlookers.
In a series likeNaruto, where people can easily be reanimated and brought back from the dead using a Jutsu technique, it has allowed several reputable characters to show up once again, giving fans a glimpse at the best that the ninja have to offer. On other occasions, some of these characters were never even dead to begin with, but just spoken of so highly that they come across as untouchable legends. With all that being said, these are theNarutocharacters who, despite it all, lived up to their mighty reputations.
8Minato Namikaze
Naruto’s Father Proves Why He Was Deemed Worthy Of Becoming Hokage
Everyone in Konoha knows who the Fourth Hokage is. He’s undoubtedly the most well-known of the village’s former leaders, primarily because he achieved what nobody else could: quelling the fiery rage of theNine Tailed Foxwhen it began trampling over Konoha. Because Minato is no longer around by the time that the main story kicks off, fans only get given small descriptions of who he was from characters like Jiraiya and Kakashi.
Minato, freshly reanimated, becomes a crucial part of the final resistance against Kabuto’s army of zombies, and it quickly becomes clear why he is seen as a god-like entity by so many aspiring ninjas. Minato can move at lightning speed, and his mastery over the Rasengan allows him to dish out tons of damage. The Yellow Flash is given one final opportunity in the Fourth Great Ninja War to show everyone why he earned the nickname in the first place.
7Raikage Ay
The Man Who Could Keep Up With The Legendary Minato
Though Minato was considered the fastest ninja alive when he was still alive, one man who was able to keep up with him, or at least come closer than anyone else, was Ay. The modern-day Raikage in the story doesn’t officially show up until theFive Kage Summit arc, but it’s not long before he decides to demonstrate why people consider the Hidden Cloud leader such a legend.
Ay would push Sasuke to his limit, managing to blast through his Susano defenses without much worry. During the final war, Ay would once again show his stuff when he stood up against Madara and his endless hordes of undead ninja.
6Kurama
Nauto’s Raging Demon Gradually Reveals Its Underlying Power Throughout The Story
At the very beginning of the series, fans are given a quick glimpse at the destruction that the Nine Tailed Fox, also known as Kurama, dealt to Konoha not long before the story officially kicks off. While the stories of Kurama’s full power had always felt like folk tales and legends, over the course of the story, the beast begins proving to viewers why he is such a feared entity within the ninja world.
In Naruto’s brutal fight with Pain, for example, Naruto unleashes eight tails of Kurama’s power, turning him into a gigantic mutant-like brute who could easily decimate a city if it were let loose. Near the end of the story, after Naruto makes peace with Kurama, he learns to tap intoits Chakra, making him virtually unstoppable thanks to the beast’s unlimited power.
5Madara Uchiha
The Legendary Uchiha Leaves A Lasting Impression With His Unrivaled Strength
Madara is spoken about as if he’s some kind of boogeyman for much of the series. Tobi and Black Zetsu describe the former head of theUchiha clanas one of the strongest ninja to have ever lived, possessing unrivaled hand-to-hand skills and devastating eye techniques. When Madara made his return in the final war after being reanimated, he single-handedly managed to take down an entire army of ninja, but this was only the beginning of his carnage.
Later in the war, Madara holds his own against all the Kage at once, and would even call down two meteorites, just to show off his absurd level of power. He may have been hyped up to the heavens, but Madara somehow managed to not only live up to, but exceed expectations. The legendary Uchiha proved more than worthy of his infamous reputation as a ninja.
4Might Guy
Guy’s True Power Is Unleashed In His Epic Duel Against Madara
Admittedly, Guy can come across as little more than a goofy teacher when he debuts in the Chunin Exam arc. Despite his wisecracking persona, though, Guy is heralded by characters like Kakashi and even Itachi as someone who should never be underestimated, primarily because of his taijutsu skills, making him one of the most formidable fighters in all of Konoha.
Because Guy only gets a limited amount of screentime, fans don’t get to see him go all out until near the very end of the story, where he decides to unleash all eight of his inner gates to overwhelm Madara. This was a truly incredible display of strength from Guy, which managed to surprise a lot of people, despite the fact that many in Konoha were already aware of his true potential.
3Itachi Uchiha
Itachi Makes It Clear Why His Name Sends Chills Down People’s Spines
Itachi is mentioned very early on in the series, with Sasuke making a passing reference to his brother in the first episode. As the man who slaughtered the entirety of the Uchiha in a single night, it was no secret that Itachi was as strong as they come, but it’s not until he infiltrates Konoha and confronts Kakashi that fans get to understand why people think of Itachi as such a monster.
Itachi was able to use his TsukuyomiGenjutsu on Kakashi, trapping him in a nightmarish illusion which essentially kept him in a state of torture with him being unable to even fight back. Itachi’s Battle against Sasuke is another fight where the Uchiha demonstrates his ferocious powers, throwing out everything he has to push his brother as far as he can go.
2Kakashi Hatake
Team 7’s Teacher Only Rarely Shows Off The True Potential Of His Power
Though Kakashi is often touted as one of Konoha’s finest ninja who is capable of using a wide array of deadly Jutsu techniques, it can be hard to tell, given how carefree and casual he always is. In the first few episodes, Kakashi can be found either sleeping, getting pranked, or reading one of his dirty novels, giving the impression that he’s someone who has seemingly stumbled his way into the high-ranking Jonin position by accident.
However, Kakashi’s fight against the Seven Mist Swordsmen member, Zabuza, emphasized that his becoming a Jonin wasn’t a fluke. While he’s already a brilliant physical fighter,his Sharinganhelps to give Kakashi a leg up over many of his opponents, becoming his most valuable asset in his toughest fights.
1Tsunade
It Turns Out Jiraiya’s Intuitions Were Right, As Tsunade Would End Up Becoming A Great Leader
After Orochimaru invades Konoha and promptly executes theThird Hokage, the village is without a leader, and though Jiraiya turns down the position, he states that one of his fellow Sannin, Tsunade, would be more suited for the job. Jiraiya claimed Tsunade would make a great and reliable leader, though she definitely doesn’t set a great first impression, with Naruto despising her relaxed and lazy attitude.
Once she eventually decides to become Hokage though, it quickly becomes clear that Jiraiya was right to put his faith in his longtime friend, as she turns into a very efficient and dependable leader. A clear example of this can be shown in the Pain arc where she analyzed the situation and acted appropriately. While a clever tactician, Tsunade also wouldn’t be afraid to get her own hands dirty to protect her people, as demonstrated when she joined the fray in the final war to help take down Madara.
