Throughout the Naruto series, shinobi have been divided into a unit of three people, with a Jonin leader at the top, commanding them. Distributed on the basis of their skills and to maintain balance throughout the unit, the teams are often sent on various missions, the difficulty of which usually depends on their skill and ninja rank.
This ninja system, while more prominent in Konoha, has also been adopted throughout the five nations. Each generation of shinobi has produced some great teams which have left their mark on history. Some of them have done so through their deeds in battle, while others have gone on to inherit powerful positions in their village.
Updated on April 28th, 2024 by Sage Ashford: Naruto's shinobi teams are one of the main things that separate the series from other ninja anime. Viewers love getting to see how different combinations of ninja interact and learn how to work together. While some ninja might not be very powerful on their own, through developing powerful ninjutsu together they become more than the sum of their parts. This list has been updated to add more information about the most powerful shinobi teams.
15 Team Dosu Were A Short-Lived Team Of Enemy Spies
Team Leader: Dosu
This is a team that is often forgotten by all except the most hardcore fans. They were a team of shinobi organized by Orochimaru to help him infiltrate the Chuunin Exams for Naruto's generation of Genin. They attacked Sasuke and Sakura in the Forest of Death, each wielding different kinds of sound-based ninjutsu, proof of Orochimaru's genius.
However, though they were talented genin, all of them were ultimately killed even before the time skip. Dosu sacrificed himself in an attempt to protect Sasuke in a short fight against Gaara. Meanwhile, Zaku and Kin were killed when used as hosts for the First and Second Hokage when Orochimaru resurrected them to fight the Third Hokage.
14 Team 8 Is An Underrated Specialist Squad
Team Leader: Kurenai Yuhi
Considered one of the most underrated teams in Konoha, Team 8 is quite powerful, specializing in tracking and detection. The group has a prodigy on the squad in Shino, but Kiba and Hinata are no slouches either. Hinata's grasp of the Gentle Fist style might not compete with her cousin Neji's, but she's still good enough to be an impressive close-quarters fighter.
By the conclusion of the Naruto series, Team 8 went on to become very successful, completing a formidable number of missions for Konoha. Even without Kurenai, they played a significant role in the 4th Great Ninja War right to its very end. It goes without saying that Team 8 is one of the strongest in the series. Their only failure is that none of them ever became a genjutsu master on Kurenai's level.
13 Team 5 Is Inexperienced But Capable Of Rapid Growth
Team Leader: Udon Ise
A team introduced in the Boruto filler, Team 5 was formed in Boruto and led by jonin Udon. Of the group, Metal Lee is the only one who has been really expanded upon in the manga, and he is a master of taijutsu like his father, Rock Lee. Unlike his father though, Metal has the ability to use chakra and has started to learn different fuinjutsu and cooperation ninjutsu.
Meanwhile, Iwabee is shown to be a proficient earth-using ninja in the anime, on top of being great at hand-to-hand combat. Originally, Denki starts out as a weak bookworm, but over time he develops his ninjutsu and becomes a competent Lightning Release user. He's also constructed a special combat suit to help him fight better to keep him from holding his team back.
12 Team Samui Have Lots Of Unrealized Potential
Team Leader: Samui
Team Samui hails from the Village Hidden in the Clouds and is made up of Samui, Karui, and Omoi. They were sent as emissaries from the Cloud Village to the Leaf Village after Sasuke's attack on Killer Bee, and later to the Kage Summit. The team is largely skilled in weapon usage, though both Karui and Omoi show the ability to use lighting techniques. While Samui is the clear leader early on, both Karui and Omoi have received training from Killer B, implying their high potential.
By Boruto, viewers still haven't seen much of this team, and probably won't see them fight again. Samui isn't seen post-Naruto Shippuden, while Karui goes off to marry Choji Akamichi. That said, Omoi goes on to become the bodyguard of the fifth Raikage.
11 New Team 10 Reunites The Classic Ino-Shika-Cho In A New Generation
Team Leader: Moegi Kazamatsuri
In Boruto, Team 10 is again the home of the legendary Ino-Shika-Cho formation. The group is led by Moegi, one of Konohamaru's peers growing up. This is the team that has been most expanded upon in Boruto outside the Team 7 of the new generation. Chocho is one of Sarada's closest friends, while Shikadai and Inojin are Boruto's best bros.
The new team of Ino-Shika-Cho has already shown to have power and skill akin to their predecessors, and may yet be able to surpass the former Team 10. For now, viewers have seen Shikadai operate just like his dad, and become the only genin to be promoted to chuunin during the Chuunin Exams. Meanwhile, Chocho and Inojin alike have found different ways to surpass their parents, but their skills aren't quite there to grow beyond them yet.
10 Team 10 Is Forced To Grow Up Faster Than The Other Teams
Team Leader: Asuma Sarutobi
Asuma Sarutobi's Team 10 was one of the best teams in the entire series. As the 16th generation of Ino-Shika-Cho, this team was built upon incredible teamwork and shrewd tactics, which made up for the lack of strength. Viewers got to see more of this team than most teams in the series and got to see them develop into capable young ninjas.
Team 10 gets most of its reputation from being the latest iteration of the Ino-Shika-Cho combination — a special combination of ninja that have worked together throughout the generations. They seem like a comedy act at first, but underestimating them is dangerous. Shikamaru in particular is smart enough to fight well above his weight class alone, becoming even deadlier working with his partners. Ino's body swap jutsu and Choji's raw power make them a great trio. The only thing lacking is they don't have a sensei in Asuma backing them up.
9 Team Tobirama Is Where The Third Hokage Got His Training
Leader: Tobirama Senju
One of the more mysterious teams in Naruto, Team Tobirama existed back during the initial years of Konoha's formation. As suggested by its name, this team was led by Tobirama Senju and its members were Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado. Viewers aren't shown what kind of missions this team goes on, but given they were already being led by one of the strongest Hokage in Tobirama, they were probably fairly impressive.
Later on, Hiruzen became a renowned shinobi and surpassed Tobirama long before he even hit his prime, going on to become the Third Hokage. Meanwhile, both Koharu and Homura went on to become the respected elders of Konohagakure. Unfortunately, their exploits as a team remain unknown, but they were likely one of the strongest of their time, if not the strongest.
8 Gaara's Team Experienced The Most Character Growth
Team Leader: Baki
Gaara's Team from Naruto included Gaara himself, and two of his siblings, Kankuro and Temari. As the children of the 4th Kazekage, Rasa, all three of these shinobi were excellent in combat, especially as a team. Unsurprisingly, Gaara was the strongest of the three, since he is the One-Tail Jinchuriki. Though he couldn't initially control this power, he eventually stepped up to become a true master of the power inside him.
Perhaps most impressive is that despite being the class that caused some of the most trouble, all three of the younger ninja in this group climbed the ranks of the ninja world fast. By the beginning of Naruto Shippuden, Temari, and Kankuro had both acquired the rank of a Jonin, while Gaara achieved the rank of Kazekage, also becoming the youngest Kage ever in the process. This team was full of prodigies who displayed their potential to the maximum.
7 Team Konohamaru Is Quickly Creating A Legend To Rival Naruto's Team 7
Team Leader: Konohamaru Sarutobi
One of the teams from Naruto's new generation, Team Konohamaru is led by the grandson of the Third Hokage, Konohamaru Sarutobi. Its members are quite high-profile as well, including the likes of Boruto Uzumaki, the son of the Seventh Hokage, Sarada Uchiha, Sasuke's daughter, and Mitsuki, Orochimaru's child. All three of these genin are exceptional and their teamwork is pretty good as well.
Originally, it seemed like Mitsuki was the strongest out of the three, especially since he had access to Sage Mode. However, over time Boruto has not only caught up but surpassed him thanks to their multiple field missions and training under Sasuke, plus the power of the Kama. Even Sarada is a heavy-hitter, having developed both the Mangekyo Sharingan and combined it with the super-strength of her mother Sakura. The only thing keeping this team locked into the seventh spot is their relative inexperience, but as Boruto continues, they will become just as powerful as the original Team 7.
6 Team Jiraiya (Ame Orphans)
Team Leader: Jiraiya
Team Jiraiya included the Amegakure orphans that Jiraiya once trained during the second great ninja war. This team included Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato, all orphaned by the incessant war that ravaged their land. Under Jiraiya's tutelage, they become extremely proficient in Ninjutsu, and later on, set up the Akatsuki, with the initial goal of peace in their minds.
The strongest of this team was, undoubtedly, Nagato since he possessed the Rinnegan. Both Konan and Yahiko were also very impressive and had become strong enough to lead a large battalion of ninjas devoted to their cause until Hanzo and Danzo's destroyed them from the inside. Later, Nagato continued to use Yahiko's body as the Deva Path for Pain, allowing him to still be the front face of the Akatsuki.
5 Team Minato Fell Apart After A Dangerous Mission
Team Leader: Minato Namikaze
Team Minato was formed before the Third Great Ninja War and led by the Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze. Under Minato's training, Kakashi learned how to pass the bell test, something he passed on to his other students. Dealing with incredible pressure to surpass his dad, Kakashi didn't take long to become a Chuunin and then Jonin, though the group continued to work together.
Obito and Rin weren't quite as talented as Kakashi, but the two were still more than capable of fighting strong enemies, as seen in the Third Great Ninja War. The truth is, this team never got to reach its full potential after things went wrong during their mission to destroy the Kannabi Bridge. However, given how powerful Obito and Kakashi became, their potential was clearly far higher than what viewers witnessed.
4 Team Guy Featured Some Of Konoha's Strongest Taijutsu Users
Team Leader: Might Guy
Led by one of Konoha's strongest Jonin, Might Guy, Team Guy was full of martial arts masters. The group made their first appearance during the Chuunin Exams and immediately made a splash thanks to the efforts of Rock Lee and Neji Hyuuga. Though neither of them went far in the tournament, they displayed incredible skills and only lost because they faced Gaara and Naruto, two Jinchuriki.
Just like Guy, Rock Lee specializes in the use of Taijutsu and has mastered the Eight Inner Gates, making him nearly impossible to face on a physical level. Neji was a Hyuga prodigy, strong enough to be promoted to the rank of Jonin during the two-year time-skip, while Tenten is an exceptionally skilled Kunoichi. Unfortunately, this team is no longer active after the death of Neji Hyuga during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Nonetheless, it featured some of the fiercest shinobi that viewers have seen in the Naruto series.
3 Taka/Hebi Became Sasuke's Revenge Squad
Team Leader: Sasuke Uchiha
While Taka isn't a team founded by a shinobi village, it still retains the number and structure of an official team. Sasuke, Karin, Suigetsu, and Jugo make up the team, with Sasuke operating in the team leader role. Originally known as Hebi, the group was formed to hunt Itachi. However, the team re-branded itself Taka when it began working with the Akatsuki.
Taka is unquestionably one of the most powerful teams ever assembled in Naruto. The group managed to hunt down Killer Bee and push him to the brink, even if they needed Karin to heal up so they could keep up their barrage. Not long after that, they ambushed the Kage Summit, completely unafraid of the Kage from every village that would be there. Each of them is a prodigy in a different field, and having the power of the most powerful remaining Uchiha turns them into a super threat.
2 Team Hiruzen Revolutionized The Ninja World
Team Leader: Hiruzen Sarutobi
Team Hiruzen was one of the strongest ninja teams ever created, and certainly one of the most powerful. Led by the Third Hokage, the three of them earned the title of the "Legendary Sannin" because of their actions. Tsunade alone revolutionized the three-man squad by highlighting the importance of medical-ninja. Meanwhile, Jiraiya becomes a wanderer who completes the Fourth Hokage's Rasengan. Orochimaru, meanwhile, created countless scientific advancements thanks to his search for immortality.
All three of them were in the position to become Hokage eventually, though everyone except Tsunade turned it down. The three of them were a great team, but their attitude towards war tore them apart. Nonetheless, whether battling each other or working together, they're capable of causing tremendous destruction. There aren't very many ninja at all capable of standing in their way.
1 Team 7 Contained The Children Of Destiny
Team Leader: Kakashi Hatake
The strongest known three-man cell ever shown in Naruto, even Team 7's leader, Kakashi, is incredible. Right from the beginning of the series, this team displayed a level of potential that can only be witnessed once a generation. Of course, some of this comes from the complicated bloodlines that Naruto and Sasuke come from. Naruto is both the son of the Fourth Hokage and the Jinchuriki for the Nine-Tails and the reincarnation of Asura Otsutsuki. Sasuke is part of the Uchiha bloodline and the reincarnation of Indra Otsutsuki. While Sakura takes some time to catch up, training with Tsunade makes her one of the strongest ninja and most talented medic-nin on the planet.
Once they reach their full potential, all of them are nearly unstoppable. And despite having spent so much time apart, the three of them together still have great teamwork, as shown at the end of the series. There, the three of them defeat Kaguya Otsutsuki, a member of the powerful Otsutsuki clan, all by themselves. Without a doubt, Team 7 is the strongest known team in Naruto.
