Naruto is one of the most iconic anime of all time. For as long as a decade, the series has been a gateway anime. Thousands of fans worldwide dove into the anime verse after getting mesmerized by the journey of the titular character, Naruto Uzumaki, and the colorful cast of characters who joined him regularly to either help protect the ninja world or tear it apart. Naruto never failed to deliver quality entertainment, and a large part of its success is due to the compelling and memorable charadcters.
As one of shonen anime's Big Three, there are plenty of aspects that make Naruto one of the best anime to ever be produced, including the amazing worldbuilding that easily puts a good bunch of its shonen counterparts to shame and the compelling storylines. Naruto's popular characters are the backbone of the series, and they enhanced the audience's experience. From heartbreaking backstories to shocking endings, there's a reason Misashi Kishimoto's Naruto franchise is still beloved by fans more than two decades after the first episode aired.
Updated on April 9th, 2024, by Sage Ashford: This list has been updated to add more information about the most popular characters in Naruto and Naruto: Shipuuden.
30 Kisame Hoshikage Has One Of The Best Designs In Naruto
Signature Jutsu: Water Release: Five Feeding Sharks
Naruto characters have fairly unique designs, and Kisame Hoshigaki really stands out because of his shark-like appearance. This includes his blue-gray skin, sharp triangular teeth, and gills. Kisame possessed massive chakra reserves, and he wielded Samehada - a sentient blade that consumed the chakra of anyone it cut.
With these traits, Kisame was able to take on the Jinchuriki of the 4-Tails and 8-Tails singlehandedly. This made him one of the strongest members of the Akatsuki and a fearsome foe to anyone who crossed his path. Kisame may have been aggressive, and at times cruel, but this was the result of his backstory, which made him question his place in the world. That said, Kisame wasn't around nearly long enough to become truly memorable to fans, landing him at 30.
29 Zabuza Momochi Was The First Major Challenge For Team 7
Zabuza Momochi was the first threat that Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke encountered, and he helped Naruto to discover his ninja way. He wore bandages like a mask, baggy pants, and mimetic wrist-warmers and leg-warmers. He also wielded the Mist Village's legendary Executioner's Blade.
Zabuza is known as the Demon of the Hidden Mist, and he earned that moniker after killing every single student in the Bloody Mist's ninja academy when he was a child. He was ruthless, but Haku brought out his caring side, and his final stand against Gato and his men is still a sight to behold.
28 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 she quickly became one of the most beloved characters in Naruto. Kushina and Naruto have similar traits, so it makes sense that fans would like her. She was fun-loving and even a bit awkward, and her son inherited her vibrant energy and zest for life.
Kushina was a hot-headed and talkative person, but she was also very loving and caring, and she did everything she could to protect her baby. One of the series' most wholesome scenes came when she learned she was pregnant. Kushina was a strong ninja as well and possessed a technique that could actually restrain a Tailed Beast.
27 Haku Taught The Value Of Using Strength 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 in front of Team 7, he wore full Mist Village Anbu attire, which made him look like a real assassin. His Crystal Ice Mirrors jutsu was a sight to behold. Haku had a very good heart, and he helped to teach Naruto that people become strong when they have someone important to protect.
26 Kiba Inuzuka Relies On Man's Best Friend To Reach His True Potential
Signature Jutsu: Fang Wolf Fang
Like other secondary members of the Konoha 11, Kiba did not get much screen time in the second half of Naruto, but fans still like him, especially those who own dogs. Akamaru is a ninja dog, and he has been Kiba's partner and best friend since he was a puppy.
Kiba is impulsive and short-tempered at times, but he is a great teammate, and he is a superb tracker due to his incredible sense of smell. What makes Kiba really stand out is his fighting style, which incorporates Akamaru, to the point that they can transform into a massive multi-headed beast.
25 Hidan Had A Twisted Sense Of Morality
Signature Jutsu: Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood
Unlike other Akatsuki members, Hidan did not excel in 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 turn himself into a human voodoo doll.
Hidan used this technique to kill Asuma, and he was able to defeat the Two-Tails Jinchuriki with it. Hidan may have been a religious fanatic, but he was a foul-mouthed and disrespectful person, which made him very entertaining, especially when he would get injured.
24 Konan's Unique Jutsu Made Her A Standout
Signature Jutsu: Dance of the Shikigami
Konan was one of the Akatsuki's founding members, as well as the organization's only female member. She was trained by Jiraiya, and during her battle with "Madara," she proved that she was indeed a Kage-level ninja. She would have defeated him if he had not used Izanagi to save himself.
Konan was orphaned because her nation was ravaged by war, and she wished to bring some form of peace to the world. She loved origami, and she used that passion to create her own fighting style known as the Dance of the Shikigami, which converted her chakra into paper. This technique was unique, and in certain ways, quite beautiful.
23 Temari Was Sunagakure's Strongest Wind Ninja
Signature Jutsu: Great Sickle Weasel Technique
Temari debuted alongside her siblings during the Chunin Exam arc. Before Temari married Shikamaru, she was arguably the Sand Village's strongest Wind-Style user. She accompanied Gaara to the Five-Kage Summit, and during the Fourth Great Ninja War, she managed to actually hit the legendary Madara Uchiha with an attack.
Temari was far more prominent in the first half of Naruto where she defeated Tenten with ease, and she gave Shikamaru a challenge during their Chunin Exam match. Her greatest moment came when she defeated Tayuya of the Sound Four, who was in her Cursed Mark level 2 form.
22 Shisui Uchiha Did Whatever He Could To Try To Stop The Uchiha Coup
Signature Jutsu: Kotoamatsukami
Unlike other Naruto characters, Shisui Uchiha had very limited screen time, but he still managed to have a huge impact on the series. He was the most skilled Uchiha of his generation, and his strength was arguably on par with Itachi's. He mastered the Body Flicker Technique, to the point that other nations feared him.
Thanks to his Mangekyo Sharingan, Shisui could use the 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.
21 Sasori Devoted Himself Entirely To His Puppets
Signature Jutsu: Red Secret Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets
Several Akatsuki members rank among the most popular Naruto characters, probably because of their sheer coolness factor as villains. Sasori is a vicious puppet master who had an impressive collection of 298 battle puppets, most of which were based on real people.
Sasori even had the Third Kazekage's puppet, complete with the iron sand jutsu, which made him terrifying in battle. In fact, Sasori turned himself into a puppet, storing his organs and chakra in a special container. Sasori's battle with Sakura and Chiyo is still one of the best fights in all of Naruto.
20 Tsunade's Decisions Altered The Way Ninjas Conducted Missions
Signature Jutsu: Creation Rebirth, Chakra Scalpel
As one of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade is one of the strongest ninja the Leaf Village has ever produced. She is the best medical ninja in Naruto, and she continued her grandfather's legacy when she became the village's 5th Hokage. Tsunade mastered the art of mitotic regeneration, which essentially made her immortal during combat for a short time.
Despite her talents and legacy, her story is tragic. She had to bury her little brother and the man she loved, who both died on the battlefield. She developed a fear of blood as a result, but she was able to overcome it after meeting Naruto. Tsunade didn't just play a major role in the ninja world, but in bringing normalcy back to Konoha after becoming the 5th Hokage. As such, it isn't surprising that she's popular, but she's in the 20th spot because she isn't featured nearly enough towards the end.
19 Deidara Became A Terror Through His Explosive Techniques
Signature Jutsu: Explosive Landmines, C4, C0
Deidara is the Akatsuki's explosion expert, fusing fire and earth release to create clay animals that can explode with extreme force. He was once famous for this in his native Hidden Stone Village, but then he lost to Itachi and ended up joining the Akatsuki.
Even if Deidara was a total villain with fairly thin plot armor, he ranks surprisingly high among the most popular Naruto characters. Perhaps fans loved his unique and bizarre fighting style combined with his cool attitude and his remarkable achievements, such as capturing Gaara alive.
18 Tobi Served As A Form Of Comic Relief In The Series
Signature Jutsu: Kamui
Tobi is how Obito was able to operate without anyone realizing who he was. However, there are fans who prefer Tobi to Obito, largely because of his personality. He relied on some wild abilities as Tobi to keep his identity secret, making each of his fights entertaining.
As Tobi, this character is a total goofball and a real standout among the Akatsuki as a wacky source of comic relief. He was introduced as Sasori's replacement partway through Naruto Shippuden, with an exasperated Deidara wondering what he did to deserve such an obnoxious, tiresome partner.
17 Orochimaru Is The Master Of Mad Ninja Science
Signature Jutsu: Juinjutsu, Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes
The snake-themed villain Orochimaru was once a Leaf ninja and was Tsunade's and Jiraiya's teammate, and he was named as one of the Legendary Sannin. Despite everything they'd been through together, however, his relationship with them couldn't last. Orochimaru's obsession with death and immortality led to his ruthless scientific experiments and self-absorbed nature, and this got him into trouble.
Forced to flee the Hidden Leaf Village to continue his work elsewhere, Orochimaru built up a private empire with his many labs, test subjects, and minions, such as Kabuto and the Sound Four. He has disgusted, horrified, and amazed Naruto fans with his cutting-edge blend of science and creative jutsu, all in the name of true immortality, and has even become seemingly softer as a parent to Boruto's teammate, Mitsuke, who is a synthetic, partial clone of Orochimaru, created by Orochimaru as part of his experiments.
16 Sakura Haruno Experiences A Major Glow-Up Between Series
Signature Jutsu: Cherry Blossom Impact, Creation Rebirth
Even if many anime fans deride Sakura Haruno for being an annoying and "useless" character, Sakura actually does have a fascinating character arc and got more than one glow-up. Bit by bit, Sakura faced and overcame her many insecurities and doubts, including in her duel against Ino Yamanaka.
Sakura also learned much from Tsunade to become a skilled medical ninja and hard-hitting taijutsu expert, which gave her immense confidence. Sakura also acted like a protective sister for Naruto later on, supporting him however she could in Naruto Shippuden's many episodes.
15 Hinata Hyuga Will Do Anything To Protect Her Family
Signature Jutsu: Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm
Hinata Hyuga is the eldest daughter of the main family of the Hyuga clan, and eventually, she married her childhood crush, Naruto Uzumaki. From the moment of her introduction, Hinata swiftly won the favor of the fans – her sweetness and pure personality as a kind dandere made her even more liked.
Anime fans simply adore sweet, honest dandere girls like Hinata Hyuga, Shoko Komi, Miku Nakano, and the like. Unlike most danderes, though, Hinata is also a powerful and brave shinobi who can use taijutsu and her clan's Byakugan to fight and save the day alongside her teammates.
14 Neji Hyuga Was The True Master Of The Gentle Fist
Signature Jutsu: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms
The kuudere Neji Hyuga was a borderline villain when he first appeared in the Chunin Exam arc, verbally abusing his cousin Hinata and harshly doubting Naruto's dreams to become Hokage. Then Neji lost to Naruto, and he began to rethink things. He was still occasionally abrasive, but he definitely became more thoughtful, especially when it came to his relationship with his cousin Hinata.
Neji became a worthy Konoha 11 member with his newfound faith in himself and others, abandoning his bitter determinism in favor of shonen-style hope and love. He even gave his life to shield his friends from harm in the Fourth Great Shinobi War, though fans wonder if his noble sacrifice was really necessary. Neji's death is still one of the most emotional scenes in Naruto: Shippuden.
13 Rock Lee Became A Genius Of Hard Work
Signature Jutsu: Eight Gates
Considering Rock Lee got his own animated spin-off series, it's a little surprising that his popularity isn't better represented. As someone who couldn't perform the more "magical" feats that the other shinobi could, Lee was a shining example of succeeding by perseverance. Quirky and sometimes awkward, his sincerity marks him as one of the most beloved oddballs in anime.
Rock Lee's sheer determination and optimism that the good guys would always prevail was something Naruto really needed when it headed into dark territory. The only strike against Rock Lee is that he was gradually placed on the backburner and rarely had anything important to say or do after his fight with Kimimaro. He was still around, but not near as impactful as his early trials and recovery.
12 Obito Uchiha Had One Of The Best Character Arcs In The Series
Signature Jutsu: Kamui, Izanagi, Infinite Tsukuyomi
Obito came out of nowhere to become a large part of the Naruto narrative, and fans love him for it. Not only did he have a horribly tragic backstory, but he played a huge part in Kakashi becoming the incredible sensei he was for Team 7. Obito was the source of Kakashi's sharingan eye, which he gave to him as a congratulatory gift for becoming a genin after he was crushed beneath an avalanche and left for dead by teammates Rin and Kakashi.
Taken in by Madara and Zetsu, Obito Uchiha eventually gave life to the villain Tobi to hide his identity and was easily one of the most entertaining Akatsuki members and Naruto characters overall. He even got to redeem himself instead of simply being defeated, fighting bravely to confront Madara Uchiha and even Kaguya Otsutsuki, in an effort to save his friend and rival, Kakashi.
11 Might Guy Is One Of Konoha's Strongest Ninja
Signature Jutsu: Leaf Whirlwind
Might Guy is a cheerful, energetic taijutsu master who believes in the power of youth, and he strongly influenced his most devoted student, Rock Lee. Might Guy is almost like an overgrown shonen protagonist with his sheer enthusiasm, optimism, and competitive spirit.
Even if he only plays a supporting role at most, Naruto fans enjoy watching Might Guy in action. His formidable taijutsu, good attitude, and wonderful comic relief all combined to make him one of the most popular characters in Naruto.
