Published May 31, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
Branson is a Senior Writer for ScreenRant. Anime has been a major part of his life since he was able to raise his hands in the air for a Spirit Bomb. As a journalist, Branson focuses heavily on listicles and op-eds detailing the industry’s greatest shonen series.
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The Hokage are some of the strongest characters in *Naruto, *and that’s saying something. In a world filled with ninja who can perform jutsu that can change the landscape around them, Konoha is lucky to have always had such relentlessly powerful leaders.
Every Kage is strong in their own right, but it always feels like the Hokage are in a league of their own. From Hashirama to Shikamaru, each of the Hokage have brought something unique to the table, cementing themselves as legends in their own right.
Out of every Hokage, however, there’s one in particular who doesn’t get nearly enough credit. He’s one of the strongest characters in the franchise, a downright genius, and a force to be reckoned with every time he’s on-screen.
All eight of the Hokage are top-tier in one regard or another. Hashirama, the First Hokage, is a reincarnation of Ashura and widely considered to be the “God of Shinobi,” an absurd title that shows just how powerful he is. When he was reanimated during the Fourth Great Ninja War, his help was essential in turning the tide of battle.
Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, is an expert at close-combat and a ninja regarded as “The Professor.” He’s a student of both the first and second Hokage and the teacher of the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. He was pivotal in defending the village from his student, fighting both of his teachers in a brutal battle.
Naruto’s characters are common fodder for powerscalers, so it’s important to take stock of its most powerful main figures.
Minato, the Fourth Hokage, is considered to be the fastest ninja in history, nicknamed “The Yellow Flash.” His feats in battle are second to none, and during the Third Great Ninja War rival ninja were told to flee on sight, as his lethality was ever present.
Naruto, the Seventh Hokage, is the strongest of them all. He is truly in a league of his own, even when compared to Hashirama and Minato. Every Hokage listed so far has gotten their fair share of praise and then some, but there’s one Hokage that doesn’t get the respect that he absolutely deserves.
Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage, is the most underrated Hokage, and it’s not even close. He did so much for every ninja and the Hidden Leaf Village that it’s absurd, and he only gets overlooked because of how ridiculously powerful his brother is.
Tobirama invented three of the most iconic jutsu in *Naruto: *Shadow Clone Jutsu, Flying Thunder God Jutsu, and the Reanimation Jutsu. Beyond creating some of the strongest jutsu in the franchise, Tobirama built the Hidden Leaf into the booming metropolis that it is today.
He created the Chunin Exams, the Konoha Police Force, the ANBU Black Ops, and more. He’s the pillar of Konoha in more ways than one, and he only gets remembered as being Hashirama’s little brother. Before Konoha was formed, he was able to kill Madara’s brother, Izuna, one of the strongest Uchiha members of his time.
***Naruto ***is filled with amazing characters, and it’s a shame that Tobirama doesn’t get the respect he deserves. He loved his village deeply and was willing to kill Sasuke immediately after his reanimation because Sasuke was considering destroying the village. He’s a great character and a Hokage who deserves way more credit for his actions.
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Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
Video Game(s)
Naruto: Clash Of Ninja Revolution 3, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja (2003), Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4, Naruto: Rise Of A Ninja, Naruto: The Broken Bond, Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker, Naruto Shippuden Dragon Blade Chronicles, Naruto: Path Of The Ninja, Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections
Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow
First TV Show
Junko Takeuchi, Maile Flanagan, Noriaki Sugiyama, Chie Nakamura, Kazuhiko Inoue, Nana Mizuki, Hideo Ishikawa, Yûko Sanpei
Latest Film
Boruto: Naruto the Movie