Naruto is a franchise with no shortage of compelling and terrifying villains, but out of the large list of strong antagonists the titular hero faced, none are as iconic as Madara Uchiha. Born into an era of death and conflict, Hashirama’s former best friend and nemesis dreamt of a world where no one would have to die, and pain was a thing of the past. His goal, while somewhat noble, pushed him to become a ruthless warrior, willing to sacrifice anything and everyone to achieve it.
As one of the main antagonists of the Great Four Ninja War arc, it is no surprise that Madara fought some of the strongest opponents, from Naruto himself to the 5 Kages. Yet, despite his major role in the series, there are more than a few worthy warriors that the Uchiha patriarch never fought. Either because they were born and died before his resurrection, or because they never had the chance during the final arc.
Naruto: 7 Shinobi That Surpassed Hashirama Senju, Ranked
Hashirama Senju was powerful Kage, but quite a few shinobi surpassed him in Naruto.
Hanzo
Long before the birth of the protagonist, the world of Naruto saw the rise of a ninja whose power can only be described as monstrous: Hanzo. This imposing figure ruled over Amegakure, the Hidden Rain Village, with an iron fist, imposing his will over the people by pure force. Hanzo was known for his superhuman strength, mastery over several types of Jutsu, and having the endurance to last in battle for weeks on end. His signature summon, a salamander named Ibuse, is objectively one of the most powerful in the series.
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The following characters managed to overpower Naruto, at least temporarily!
Due to the venomous properties of his animal partner, Hanzo could overwhelm entire armies, weakening them with the poison and using his might to end the job. He was the one who gave the Three Legendary Sannin their title after they survived a lengthy battle against them, despite not emerging victorious. He was killed by Nagato several years before Madara’s resurrection, after becoming paranoid of assassins and allowing himself to grow weak.
Orochimaru
Once a proud and beloved member of Konoha’s ninja force, Orochimaru was known throughout the Shinobi World for being a cruel and power-hungry scientist. He was trained by the Third Hokage and was a part of the Three Legendary Sannin before betraying his home to search for a way to learn all Jutsu in the world. His journey led him down a dark path filled with death and destruction, a price he was more than willing to pay.
Rearrange the covers into the correct Japanese release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct Japanese release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
Although arguably one of the most ruthless villains in anime, Orochimaru was a true master of his craft, able to fight against the most fearsome of opponents. He might not have been a physically strong opponent, but his cunning mind, agile body, and arsenal of some of the deadliest Jutsu in the series made Hiruzen’s star pupil an opponent that even Madara would have struggled with if they had ever crossed paths.
Jiraiya
Before Naruto could become the hero of the Ninja World fans know and love today, he had to learn from some of the best teachers, but none of them influenced his life more than his godfather, Jiraiya. His demeanor might not have showcased his abilities, but the Toad Sage of Konoha was a warrior capable of making entire villages shake in fear of his arrival. Jiraiya was not only a master of Chakra control, being the one who completed the Rasengan, but he was also a natural Sage Mode user.
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Madara was a powerhouse in Naruto, but Jura from Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has already surpassed him.
Combined with his proficiency in Taijutsu, Naruto’s godfather had almost no discernible weaknesses in combat. He was powerful enough to keep Orochimaru at bay, as well as face the 6 Paths of Pain in one of the most brutal fights in the series. Lamentably, this brave ninja died at the hands of one of his best students, Nagato, months before Madara made his return.
Sakumo Hatake
As most Naruto fans know, many of the most powerful ninjas in history were born in Konoha. From the titular protagonist, who would go on to save the world, to the strongest Uchiha, Sasuke. Yet, there is a character often forgotten by fans who had the potential to be the best, Sakumo Hatake. Kakashi’s father was a beloved and respected Jonin, famous for his efficiency during missions and his kind personality.
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Madara Uchiha is a legendary villain, but he might have some competition from this Boruto villain.
His time on screen was limited, only appearing in flashbacks to Kakashi’s tragic backstory and his eventual reunion with his son’s soul in the other world. Nonetheless, his small screentime was enough for fans to learn that Sakumo was said to be more powerful than the Legendary Sanin, which was not an easy thing to achieve in his time. Woefully, neither the Shinobi World nor the fans will ever know what his true power might have looked like, as he took his own life to save his son from disgrace.
Minato Uzumaki
The Third Great Ninja War brought with it the opportunity for many new legends of the Shinobi World to be born, and among them, the Yellow Lightning of Konoha is perhaps the most famous. Minato Namikaze, father of the titular protagonist and Fourth Hokage, became celebrated among ninjas of all Hidden Villages for his resilience, superior strategy, and speed.
He was given that nickname thanks to his special kunai, which were engraved with the seals necessary to activate the perfected Flying Thunder God Jutsu, making him able to instantly teleport to any location where the knives were. Naruto’s father uses this ability to defeat entire squadrons in seconds, as well as breach the defenses of any enemy camp. Minato was indeed a participant during the Fourth Great Ninja War, but he never faced Madara, to the disappointment of fans.
Nagato / Pain
Before the birth of Naruto, Jiraiya believed that he had found the one who would grow up to be the Child of Legend, said to bring peace and prosperity to the Shinobi World. This promising ninja was Nagato, a quiet but strong youngster from Amegakure who possessed one of the Three Great Dojutsu known as the Rinnegan. The death of his dear friend, Yahiko, broke the man, turning him from a freedom fighter into a terrorist who wished to see the Shinobi World burn.
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Madara’s awakening of the Rinnegan was a long and calculated pursuit of ultimate power.
His domain over the Rinnegan granted Nagato a plethora of abilities, most of which far outclassed any regular ninja. From mastery over gravity itself to the control of corpses implanted with his black rods, Pain was a force of nature made human, and the Assault arc, considered one of the best by fans, proves why. Even though Nagato supposedly worked for Madara, who in reality was Obito in disguise, he never engaged the real Uchiha in a fight, as he died shortly after being defeated by Naruto.
Hamura Otsutsuki
The less famous brother of the Sage of Six Paths, Hamura, was a brave and noble warrior who was pivotal for the survival of Earth after his mother, Kaguya, went insane with power. While often overlooked in favor of his twin, Hamura was not a man one should ever underestimate, as he was just as powerful as Hagoromo. His nature as a member of the Otsutsuki clan granted him access to techniques that no regular human can use.
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Madara Uchiha is one of the most fearsome characters to have ever appeared in Naruto. He could potentially be making a comeback in Boruto.
From absolute control over Chakra to the manipulation of Truth Seeking Orbs, powerful artifacts that can erase any matter they touch, Hamura could easily defeat almost any ninja in the series. Nonetheless, he was a man of peace, opting to believe in others before encouraging violence. He died of old age, following his brother’s request to guard the husk of the Ten-Tails trapped in the moon, preventing him from ever coming into contact with Madara.
Hagoromo Otsutsuki
The famed and beloved Sage of Six Paths, known as the father of Ninjas and the savior of the world, is among the most influential figures in the world of Naruto. Like his brother Hamura, he was born with the superhuman abilities innate to the Otsutsuki clan, making him several times more powerful than most other characters. Still, his true might came from the fact that he was a Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails, the most dangerous of all Tail-Beasts.
After absorbing the creature and taking control of its unique Chakra, Hagoromo gained access to the Yin and Yang natures of energy, giving him command over life, death, and reality itself. Hagoromo used these powers to make sure the Shinobi World enjoyed a long period of peace, which ended shortly after his death. Given that Hagoromo died centuries before the return of Madara, they never had the chance to prove their strength against one another.
