Naruto is one of the most iconic anime of all time. For a decade, the series has been a gateway anime. Thousands of fans around the world immersed themselves in the anime-verse after becoming fascinated by the journey of the main character, Naruto Uzumaki, and the colorful group of characters who regularly joined him to help protect the ninja world or to destroy it. Naruto has never failed to provide quality entertainment, and much of its success is due to its captivating and memorable characters.

As one of the big three of Shonen anime, there are many aspects that make Naruto one of the best anime ever produced, including the incredible world-building that easily puts many of its shonen counterparts to shame and the compelling plots. Naruto’s popular characters are the backbone of the series, And they improved the audience experience. From heartbreaking stories to shocking endings, there’s a reason why Masashi Kishimoto Naruto the franchise is still loved by fans more than two decades after the first episode aired.

Updated on December 12, 2024 by Louis Kemner: This list of the most popular Naruto characters of all time has been expanded to include five more delightful characters, and it now matches CBR’s current publishing standards and formatting.

35 Kankuro is Gaara’s puppet-loving brother

Signature Jutsu: Puppet Technique

Gaara and his siblings were introduced around the same time during the Chunin Exam, and even though Gaara was the center of attention, Naruto fans also couldn’t help but remember Kankuro’s face. He stood out with his black outfit and fierce face paint, and as that look suggested, he was an antagonist at first. However, Kankuro was not a terrible person at heart and was bought out the moment Shikamaru’s team needed help against the Sound Four.

Kankuro might rank low among the most popular Naruto characters of all since so many other cool characters overshadow him, but fans can still appreciate what a supportive brother Kankuro is to Gaara. He also shined in a big way with his puppet jutsu, adding more weapon-laden puppets to his arsenal and even taking control of Sasori’s body at one point, an impressive feat. Kankuro is ultimately only a secondary character with limited development, which is why he ranks last among the best. Naruto characters, but he has his fans.

34 Kiba Inuzuka counts on man’s best friend

Signature Jutsu: Fang Wolf Fang

Like the other secondary members of Konoha 11, Kiba did not have much screen time in the second half of Narutobut fans still love him, especially those who own dogs. Akamaru is a dog ninja, and he has been Kiba’s partner and best friend since he was a puppy.

Kiba is sometimes impulsive and short-tempered, but he is an excellent teammate and a superb tracker due to his incredible sense of smell. What really sets Kiba apart is his fighting style, which incorporates Akamaru, to the point where they can transform into a massive, multi-headed beast.

33 Ino Yamanaka is Sakura’s friend and rival

Signature Jutsu: Mind Transfer Jutsu

At first, blonde Ino Yamanaka of Team 10 felt like a pest as she and Sakura antagonized each other in petty ways, but these girls had a much deeper connection than fighting over Sasuke. Years ago, as shown in a flashback sequence, Ino was a confident and friendly child who happily supported an insecure Sakura by saying that the latter was a flower bud waiting to bloom one day.

When Ino and Sakura fought to a draw in the Chunin Exam, they repaired their friendship, which brought out the best in them. Since then, Ino has been a charming supporting character who may find her teammates infuriating but will happily support them against any threat, including Akatsuki. Ino also expanded her skills by learning medical jutsu, which was useful during the Fourth Great Shinobi War.

32 Zabuza Momochi was Team 7’s first major challenge

Signature Jutsu: Hidden Mist Jutsu

Zabuza Momochi was the first threat faced by Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke, and he helped Naruto discover his ninja path. He wore bandages like a mask, baggy pants, and mimicking mittens and leggings. He also wielded the legendary Executioner’s Blade of Mist Village.

Zabuza is known as the Demon of the Hidden Mist. He earned this nickname after killing all the students at the Bloody Mist Ninja Academy as a child. He was ruthless, but Haku brought out his caring side, and his final confrontation against Gato and his men is still a sight to behold.

31 Asuma Sarutobi was like a father to Team 10

Signature Jutsu: Burn a pile of ashes

Jonin only need to train and lead their genin mentees on missions, but some jonin like Asuma Sarutobi go above and beyond. He was more of a father figure to Team 10, especially when Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino were just rowdy, uncooperative preteens who tended to get on each other’s nerves. They definitely needed a mature and stabilizing element like Asuma on the team.

Apart from that, Naruto fans can appreciate the astute Asuma for testing Shikamaru’s IQ with camouflaged tests, including a game of shogi, to gauge this boy’s true potential. As a true leader, Asuma cared about Shikamaru and wanted to harness his potential, but first he needed to know what kind of genius he was dealing with. Few other jonins have gone this far to understand and appreciate what their genin followers are truly like.

30 Hidan had a twisted sense of morality

Signature Jutsu: Curse Technique: Death Controls Possessed Blood

Unlike the other members of Akatsuki, Hidan did not excel at ninjutsu, but he was still an extremely dangerous ninja. He unlocked a form of immortality by studying the forbidden techniques of the Jashin religion. Jashin is also responsible for the curse that allowed Hidan to transform into a human voodoo doll.

Hidan used this technique to kill Asuma, and he was also able to defeat the Two-Tailed Jinchuriki with it. Hidan may have been a religious fanatic, but he was a rude and disrespectful person, which made him very amusing, especially when he got hurt. Hidan is modestly popular not because of his personality, but because of the sheer novelty of his design as a brutal and extreme member of Akatsuki, so he has earned a rank among the most popular. Naruto characters, although weak.

29 Konohamaru Sarutobi grew up quickly as Naruto’s rival

Signature Jutsu: Rasengan

When he first appeared very early in Naruto anime, Konohamaru Sarutobi seemed like an obnoxious child, but in reality, he was a young hero who just wanted to stand out and become someone the village could be proud of. There were high expectations for him, but Ebisu couldn’t bring out his potential – yet Naruto Uzumaki could.

Konohamaru instantly became more likeable and sympathetic when he agreed to be Naruto’s friendly rival, and he even learned new jutsu from Naruto, including both appropriate and inappropriate jutsu. In many ways, Komohamaru became a miniature Naruto Uzumaki, a brave shinobi who even risked his life by attacking Pain with a Rasengan to save Ebisu’s life.

28 Shino Aburame is calm and cool

Signature Jutsu: Insect Sphere

Anime fans often like the “cool and aloof” type, and although Itachi Uchiha dominates this archetype in Narutofans can still enjoy other cool characters like Shino Aburame from Team 10. He showed off his unique skills during the Chunin Exam, using his chakra beetles to easily defeat Zaku Abumi in their duel. Then, Shino used these same beetles to fight Kankuro during Operation Konoha Crush.

Since then, Shino has not that a lot to stand out in the anime, but everyone who loved his cool character saw no reason to abandon this character. He is also one of the coolest and calmest members of the Konoha 11 team, a stabilizing force with his intelligent maturity and calm character, unlike characters like Ino, Naruto and Kiba.

27 Kushina Uzumaki’s fiery personality made her easy to love

Signature Jutsu: Adamantine Sealing Chains

Kushina was once the Jinchuriki of the 9-Tails. Kushina was also Minato’s wife and Naruto’s mother. She first appeared in a flashback and quickly became one of the series’ most beloved characters. Naruto. Kushina and Naruto have similar traits, so it makes sense why fans would like her. She was fun-loving and even a little goofy, and her son inherited her vibrant energy and zest for life.

Kushina was a brash and talkative person, but she was also very loving and caring, and she did everything she could to protect her baby. One of the most wholesome scenes on the show happened when she found out she was pregnant. Kushina was also a strong ninja and possessed a technique that could actually restrain a tailed beast.

26 Haku taught the importance of using force to protect someone else

Signature Jutsu: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death

Haku was part of the Yuki clan and he inherited their ability to use the Ice Release kekkei genkai. Kekkei genkai users were persecuted in the Land of Water and Haku’s father attempted to kill him because of his abilities. Fortunately, Zabuza found and raised Haku.

Haku was an Anbu-level ninja, and when he first appeared before Team 7, he was wearing the full Anbu outfit from Mist Village.which made him look like a real assassin. Her Crystal Ice Mirrors jutsu was a sight to behold. Haku had a very good heart and he helped teach Naruto that people become strong when they have someone important to protect.

25 Konan’s Unique Jutsu Made Her Stand Out

Signature Jutsu: Shikigami Dance

Konan was one of the founding members of Akatsuki, as well as the only female member of the organization. She was trained by Jiraiya and during her fight against “Madara”, she proved that she was indeed a Kage level ninja. She would have defeated him if he hadn’t used Izanagi to save himself.

Konan was an orphan because her nation was ravaged by war and she wanted to bring some form of peace to the world. She loved origami and she used this passion to create her own fighting style known as the Shikigami Dance, which converted her chakra into paper. This technique was unique and, in some ways, very beautiful. Naruto Fans admire Konan for being brave and idealistic enough to stand up to “Tobi” to defend Naruto’s dream, hence her place among the most popular characters, but her limited role holds her back somewhat.

24 Kisame Hoshikage has one of the best Naruto designs

Signature Jutsu: Water Release: Five Sharks Feed

Naruto the characters have some pretty unique designs, and Kisame Hoshigaki really stands out with his shark appearance. This includes its blue-gray skin, sharp triangular teeth, and gills. Kisame possessed enormous chakra reserves and he wielded Samehada – a sentient blade that consumed the chakra of anyone cut.

Thanks to these characteristics, Kisame was able to single-handedly take on the Jinchuriki of the 4-Tails and 8-Tails. That did it one of the strongest members of Akatsuki and a formidable enemy to anyone who crossed his path. Kisame may have been aggressive and sometimes cruel, but that was the result of his history, which made him question his place in the world. That said, Kisame didn’t stick around long enough to become truly memorable to fans, so he has a somewhat lowly rank.

23 Temari was the most powerful wind ninja in Sunagakure

Signature Jutsu: Great Weasel Sickle Technique

Temari debuted alongside her siblings during the Chunin Exam arc. Before Temari married Shikamaru, she was arguably the biggest user of Wind-Style in Sand Village. She accompanied Gaara to the Five Kage Summit, and during the Fourth Great Ninja War, she managed to hit the legendary Madara Uchiha with an attack.

Temari was much more important in the first half of Naruto where she defeated Tenten with ease, and she challenged Shikamaru during their Chunin Exam match. Her biggest moment came when she defeated Tayuya of the Sound Four, who was in her Cursed Mark level 2 form. This was Temari’s first major victory as a hero Narutoinstantly strengthening his sympathy among fans.

22 Shisui died to stop the Uchiha coup

Signature Jutsu: Kotoamatsukami

Unlike the others Naruto characters, Shisui Uchiha had very limited screen time, but he still managed to make a huge impact on the series. He was the most talented Uchiha of his generation, and his strength was arguably comparable to Itachi’s. He mastered the Body Flicker technique, to the point that other nations feared him.

Thanks to his Mangekyo Sharingan, Shisui could use Susanoo, as well as the mind-controlling genjutsu known as Kotoamatsukami. Deep down, Shisui was a pacifist and he was willing to use Kotoamatsukami to stop the Uchiha coup. All of this makes Shisui quite similar to Itachi in many ways and is popular for similar reasons.

21 Sasori devoted himself entirely to his puppets

Signature Jutsu: Red secret technique: representation of a hundred puppets

Several Akatsuki members are among the most popular Naruto characters, probably because of their sheer coolness factor as villains. Sasori is a vicious puppeteer who had an impressive collection of 298 battle puppets, most of which were based on real people.

Sasori even possessed the puppet of the Third Kazekage, with the iron sand jutsu, which made him terrifying in battle. In fact, Sasori transformed himself into a puppet, storing his organs and chakra in a special container. Sasori’s fight against Sakura and Chiyo remains one of the best fights of all time. Naruto.

20 Tsunade’s decisions changed the way ninjas carried out their missions

Signature Jutsu: Rebirth of Creation, Chakra Scalpel

As a legendary Sannin, Tsunade is one of the most powerful ninja Leaf Village has ever produced. She is the best medical ninja in the world. Narutoand she continued her grandfather’s legacy when she became the village’s 5th Hokage. Tsunade had mastered the art of mitotic regeneration, making her essentially immortal during combat for a short time.

Despite his talents and legacy, his story is tragic. She had to bury her little brother and the man she loved, both of whom died on the battlefield. As a result, she developed a fear of blood, but she was able to overcome it after meeting Naruto. Tsunade not only played a major role in the ninja world, but also in returning Konoha to normal after becoming the 5th Hokage. As such, it’s no surprise that she’s popular, but she ranks 20th because she isn’t featured enough towards the end.

19 Deidara became a terror thanks to his explosive techniques

Signature Jutsu: Explosive Land Mines, C4, C0

Deidara is Akatsuki’s explosion expert, fusing fire and earth to create clay animals that can explode with extreme force. He was once famous for this in his native Hidden Stone Village, but then lost to Itachi and ended up joining Akatsuki.

Even though Deidara was a total villain with pretty thin plot armor, he ranks surprisingly high among the most popular characters. Naruto characters. Perhaps fans loved his unique and bizarre fighting style combined with his cool attitude and notable accomplishments, like capturing Gaara alive. After all, he made a strong first impression as the first Akatsuki member seen capturing a jinchuriki, and he didn’t even need help doing it.

18 Tobi served as a form of comic relief

Signature Jutsu: Kamui

Tobi is how Obito was able to operate without anyone realizing who he was. However, some fans prefer Tobi over Obito, largely because of his personality. He relied on some of Tobi’s wild abilities to keep his identity a secret, making each of his fights entertaining.

As Tobi, this character is a total idiot and really stands out among the Akatsuki as a wacky source of comic relief. He was introduced as Sasori’s replacement midway through. Naruto Shippudenwith an exasperated Deidara wondering what he did to deserve such an obnoxious and annoying partner.

17 Orochimaru is the master of dark ninja science

Signature Jutsu: Juinjutsu, Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes

The snake-themed villain, Orochimaru, was once a Leaf ninja and was the teammate of Tsunade and Jiraiya, and he was named as one of the Legendary Sannin. Despite everything they had been through together, his relationship with them couldn’t last. Orochimaru’s obsession with death and immortality led to his ruthless scientific experiments and self-centered nature, which got him into trouble.

Forced to flee the Hidden Leaf Village to pursue his work elsewhere, Orochimaru built a private empire with his many laboratories, test subjects, and servants, such as Kabuto and the Sound Four. He disgusted, horrified and amazed Naruto fans with his cutting-edge blend of science and creative jutsu, all in the name of true immortality. Orochimaru has even apparently become softer as the parent of Boruto’s teammate Mitsuke, who is a partial synthetic clone of Orochimaru, created by Orochimaru as part of his experiments.

16 Sakura Haruno experiences a major breakout between series

Signature Jutsu: Impact of Cherry Blossoms, Renaissance of Creation

Even though many anime fans make fun of Sakura Haruno, calling her a boring and “useless” character, Sakura actually has a fascinating character arc and has had more than one shine. Little by little, Sakura faced and overcame her many insecurities and doubts, including during her duel against Ino Yamanaka.

Sakura also learned a lot from Tsunade to become a competent medical ninja and an impactful taijutsu expert, which gave her immense confidence. Sakura also acted as a protective sister to Naruto later, supporting him as much as she could. Naruto ShippudenThere are many episodes.