Naruto power scaling is tricky because battle outcomes depend on matchups, counters, and context. This countdown looks at peak forms shown on screen or stated in canon, with war arc and movie feats considered when they are consistent. It starts at #20 and builds to #1.
Each entry focuses on signature abilities, combat showings, and battlefield impact. When ranking close calls, wider influence and chakra output matter. If a character has multiple forms, the peak version that appeared in the story is used with clear notes for what that form can do.
#20. Orochimaru
Orochimaru’s toolkit is vast. He has body modification, snake summons, and the Oral Rebirth technique that lets him survive fatal wounds. His biggest edge is Edo Tensei, which can bring powerful shinobi back to the field. In straight duels he loses to top gods, but his survivability and intellect keep him dangerous.
He endured losing his arms to the Dead Demon Consuming Seal and still worked around it with experiments. During the war he restored the Hokage with Edo Tensei, proving his control over forbidden jutsu. He may not be the best raw duelist, yet his resources swing battles.
Orochimaru also trained Sasuke and helped create Mitsuki, showing he can produce elite fighters. As a schemer with hidden bases and research, he changes the map in ways brute force cannot. His ceiling is limited, but his impact is not.
#19. Onoki
The Third Tsuchikage wields Dust Release (Jinton), a kekkei tota that disassembles targets at a molecular level. He can shrink, expand, and shape the cube or cone to erase defenses. Even high-level opponents treat Jinton with fear because few can block it cleanly.
Onoki’s Weight Manipulation saved the Allied Shinobi Forces from the meteor Madara dropped, lightening an entire formation and then making an enemy as heavy as stone. His stamina is poor due to age, but his burst power is special.
At the Kage Summit and in the war he made fast decisions and backed them with decisive blasts. Jinton gives him a puncher’s chance on any field. Without it, he drops quickly, yet one clean hit is often enough. That keeps him in the top twenty.
He is also a rare leader who stood up to Madara twice. That grit and his unique bloodline put him ahead of many Kage-tier fighters, even if his body could not keep up for long. The limits are clear, but so are the peaks.
#18. Third Raikage
The Third Raikage is a wall. He fought for three days against ten thousand shinobi and survived, a feat of durability that few can claim. His Lightning Release Chakra Mode makes him fast and hard to cut, and his Hell Stab can pierce almost anything.
His armor let him tank Rasenshuriken-level attacks and keep going. The known counter to his defense was turned against him with his own piercing spear. That shows his kit is focused more on attack and tanking than versatility.
He lacks ranged options and hax, which hurts him against top reality benders. Still, if a fight becomes a sprint straight ahead, the Third Raikage’s speed and toughness win most races. He is a pure stat monster with a simple, lethal style.
When reanimated, he forced unusual methods to bring him down. That speaks to a power that was not tied to a single era. His legend as the strongest Raikage stands for good reason, even in a world full of eye powers and sages.
Put simply, few can take his punch. Even fewer can land a clean one back. That is why he sits here, just inside the upper tier, with an iron reputation.
#17. Jiraiya
Jiraiya’s peak is Sage Mode with the Toad Sages, which boosts strength, speed, and sensory power. He fought the Paths of Pain, collected intel mid-battle, and nearly won once he learned the secret. His mix of ninjutsu, summons, and seals makes him a complete threat.
His oil and fire combinations create huge area denial. The Barrier: Toad Gourd Prison and sound-based genjutsu with Fukasaku and Shima give control tools most brawlers do not have. He can start a fight at range, then close with strong melee.
Jiraiya’s character shows in his resolve. He left a code for Konoha after facing Pain, turning defeat into key intel. That is a rare win condition. He opened the door for Naruto to master Sage Mode and change the war’s path. That legacy adds weight to his rank.
#16. Itachi Uchiha
Itachi is known for genjutsu, speed, and battlefield reading. Even while ill he outplayed strong foes, and when reanimated he showed clean, efficient fights. His Susanoo wields the Yata Mirror and Totsuka Blade, a defense and sealing combo that ends duels fast if it catches you.
Amaterasu gives a ranged kill tool and crowd control, while Tsukuyomi can end a fight by crushing a target’s mind. He also used Izanami to trap Kabuto in a loop, a different kind of victory that shows his skill with Uchiha lore. His style is precision, not brute force.
Despite limited stamina, his decision making is top class. He saves chakra, strikes at key times, and avoids wasted motion. In the war he supported allies while shutting down threats, proving that with the right window an Itachi plan lands every time.
“Those who cannot acknowledge themselves will eventually fail.”
#15. Kabuto Yakushi
Dragon Sage Kabuto is a problem. In Sage Mode he gains enhanced sensing, body mods from sound and serpent styles, and medical jutsu that reshape fights. He kept pace with Itachi and Sasuke until Izanami forced a reset, which shows how complete his kit became.
His White Rage light-sound blast paralyzes everything in range, a huge control tool. He also used liquefaction and body shedding to avoid damage, and chakra scalpel for surgical strikes. Kabuto wins by layering abilities until defense breaks.
He is an Edo Tensei expert as well, fielding a roster of revived fighters that shook the war. As a single combatant he is elite, and as a summoner he is terrifying. His struggle with identity held him back more than lack of power.
When freed from the loop, he chose to heal and help. That shows growth, but it also reminds us that if Kabuto commits to a plan, he has the tools to carry it out. Few mid-rankers can out-think him when the field gets messy.
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“I am no one, and I do not want to be anyone.”
#14. Killer B
Killer B is a perfect Jinchuriki who works in full sync with Gyuki. He has eight-sword kenjutsu, massive chakra, and bijuu forms that combine tailed beast bombs with mobility. Against Sasuke he showed how a good matchup can flip a fight in seconds.
His durability is high, and his mood never drops in battle. The octopus clones, ink seals, and Gyuki’s reach give him answers to many threats. As a team fighter he is invaluable because he can output sustained firepower while covering allies.
B is not a top-tier hax user. Still, the raw power of a complete Jinchuriki and his battle sense keep him above most Kage level opponents. In a straight clash, he usually has more chakra than the other side can handle.
#13. Minato Namikaze
The Fourth Hokage is the fastest tag-based teleporter in the series. Flying Raijin lets him place seals and jump at will, which creates instant flanks and counters. He sealed the Nine Tails, fought Obito, and later returned with Kurama Chakra Mode when reanimated.
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Minato’s precision separates him. He chains seals, Rasengan, and kunai in a clean loop that overwhelms foes who cannot track him. Even when outgunned he can isolate the real body and land the finishing blow with perfect timing.
As a leader he made hard calls and saved the village during a crisis. His toolkit scales well in teams because he can move allies with Flying Raijin, which turns any squad into a blitz unit. Few shinobi feel as safe to follow into a fight as Minato.
“There are things only I can do.”
#12. Nagato
Nagato is the true wielder of the Rinnegan that animated the Six Paths of Pain. Through the Paths he split his powers into a remote network: gravity control, summons, soul extraction, mechanical upgrades, healing, and the Naraka King for restoration. It is a full toolbox that scales with numbers.
He leveled Konoha with Shinra Tensei, then tried to trap Naruto with Chibaku Tensei. The gravity kit is hard to answer without great speed or sealing. His summons and revival options make him resilient even after setbacks.
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When restored to his prime during the war, he showed how much raw power he had in one body. He could pull targets in, rip out souls, and block attacks with Preta Path. The flaw is mobility if cornered, but the ceiling is high.
Nagato’s belief in pain shaped his actions. After hearing Naruto, he chose to revive the village, showing a rare change of heart powered by Rinne Tensei. It was a costly choice, and it reminds us that his power was never only about force.
“Feel pain. Accept pain. Know pain.”
#11. Hashirama Senju
Hashirama is the God of Shinobi from the first era. His Wood Release and Sage Mode give crowd control, healing, and binding that counters tailed beasts. He fought Madara and the Nine Tails at once and won, which sets a very high bar for physical and chakra strength.
His giant wood constructs and the Thousand-Armed Kannon overwhelm most defenses. The Deity Gates can pin bijuu and suppress their chakra, a direct answer to monster forms. Against most Kage, Hashirama’s pressure is too much to outlast.
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In the war he showed fast regeneration and massive range. He also had the respect of allies and foes alike. When people say someone is “Hashirama level,” they are talking about a fighter who can shape a battlefield with sheer output.
#10. Might Guy
Guy opens the Eight Gates to trade life for power. In the Eighth Gate he becomes the Night Guy, fast enough to bend space with a kick that crushed Ten-Tails Madara’s body. It is the best short burst of physical damage in the series, with a clear timer.
His taijutsu is elite even without gates, and with each gate he stacks speed and force. The cost is severe. The final gate burns him out, which means he is a one-fight weapon. Used at the right time, he can turn a war.
Madara called him the strongest taijutsu user he had faced. That line matters because it came from a walking calamity. If Guy sees an opening, he can break almost any body. The trade is everything he has for one decisive moment.
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“A dropout will beat a genius through hard work.”
#9. Kakashi Hatake
Kakashi is a complete shinobi with deep jutsu knowledge, tactics, and leadership. Early on he used single Mangekyo for Kamui snipes, which removed targets from reality. In the final battles he briefly gained a double Mangekyo power-up, forming a Susanoo that kept pace in god-tier fights.
His battle IQ is special. He sets traps, reads habits, and turns a match with small edges. Even without eye power he remains dangerous because of Raikiri, clones, and creative use of basic tools. He wins many fights before the first strike lands.
Kakashi’s ceiling at his peak is high because dual Kamui is hard to counter. The form was temporary, but it showed what his mind could do with the right engine. In team play, his calm control often adds more value than raw output.
“In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum.”
#8. Toneri Otsutsuki
Toneri awakened the Tenseigan and moved the moon. He carved the lunar surface with an energy blade and planned to crash the moon into Earth. That scale of power puts him above most earthbound shinobi, with a clear range and energy advantage.
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In his fight with Naruto he used chakra arms, cutting techniques, and flight. The Tenseigan grants control over attractive and repulsive forces similar to Rinnegan gravity, along with Truth-Seeking Orbs in his mode. He is a pure raid boss when fully charged.
He lacks the combat seasoning of veterans like Madara or Sasuke, which shows in exchanges. Still, on a clean field, that much chakra and a full transformation make him a top threat. The Tenseigan Cloak gives both offense and defense in one package.
#7. Obito Uchiha (Ten-Tails Jinchuriki)
As the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, Obito gained Truth-Seeking Balls, regeneration, and world-breaking power. He used the God Tree to change the battlefield and fought multiple Kage-level opponents at once. His earlier Kamui intangibility already made him a nightmare to pin down.
The best way to beat him was teamwork and precise timing, which is what the alliance pulled off. Obito’s resilience kept him going after heavy hits, and his control over the Jubi gave him pressure from every angle. Few can wear him down in a duel.
He struggled with his own choices. When he turned and helped the heroes, he still used god-tier power to protect them. That swing shows how much influence he had on the war. At peak, he sits firmly in the upper god tier.
“I am no one. I don’t want to be anyone.”
#6. Hamura Otsutsuki
