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Anime has always been a truly hardcore fan-centric universe. Each and every major series out there boasts an aggressive fan following and Naruto is no exception. As one of the major Shonen series out there, it includes some of the most ardent fans globally. While Naruto's plot is one of the best amongst the category, its characters are what truly make it shine.
The popular anime (and by extension, most other Shonen series) developed owing to the radical evolution and maturity of characters, as there are very few of them who are flat or one-dimensional. The character pool in Naruto is so diverse that almost every fan out there has one or more characters they favor and will get into heated arguments for over the slightest provocation.
Disclaimer: This article purely reflects the author's opinions, which are subjective. It also contains spoilers from the Naruto series.
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From Pain to Kurama: Fan-crazy characters of Naruto ranked
10. Minato Namikaze
Starting the list, we have Konoha’s own Yellow Flash and Naruto’s father, the Fourth Hokage -- Minato Namikaze. Frankly, the only reason he is occupying this position on the list is owing to his limited appearance within the series owing to the fact that he is already dead when the series begins.
A gifted prodigy and apprentice of Jiraiya of the Legendary Sanins, Minato was a natural when it came to the Shinobi arts, grasping the nuances of Ninjutsu with ease. He later went on to invent his own jutsu, the Rasengan, the ultimate manifestation of chakra-shaped manipulation.
Minato became a formidable force in the Third Shinobi World War when he mastered the Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique). It was a space-time technique which allowed him to teleport great distances instantaneously with ease.
Minato fans consider him to be the fastest Shinobi to have ever lived. Whenever it came to a speed contest, there was no one who could match up to the likes of him
9. Nagato Uzumaki/Pain
At the penultimate position on this list is the Akatsuki’s figurehead, Pain. While he was not shown in his entirety in Naruto and was only depicted as a silhouette, his eyes are what caught viewer’s attention. It was not until the events of Naruto: Shippuden during Pain’s faceoff with Jiraiya, that fans discovered the potential of those eyes — the legendary Rinnegan.
Also known as the ‘Samsara Eyes,’ fans went wild when they discovered the amount of abilities the Rinnegan grants its wielder. Ranging from instantaneous creation to summoning unique creatures to aid someone in a battle, the Rinnegan is a very versatile dōjutsu and surpasses the Sharingan in several aspects. But perhaps its control over aspects of gravity through the Deva Path is what truly makes it a force to be reckoned with.
As a character, Pain drew almost every viewer/reader’s attention. With his philosophical view on life that one must experience pain in order to value peace, it served as a sharp contrast to that of Naruto, who always strived to protect his comrades and village to the best of his abilities.
Fans were stunned when Jiraiya discovered Pain’s true identity, Nagato Uzumaki, his student from the Village Hidden by Rain. It came as more of a shock when the former proceeded to kill the latter, leaving all Jiraiya fans (and by extent, almost the entirety of the fandom) mourning his death.
But it was only during Pain’s showdown with Naruto shortly after that viewers came to learn of the former’s own experiences. Despite eventually being defeated by Naruto in his final moments, Pain performed the Heavenly Rebirth Technique to revive everyone who had been killed when the Hidden Leaf village was destroyed by his Almighty Push. Thus, Nagato Uzumaki died with a smile on his face as he recognized his mistakes and realized that he could leave the responsibility of the world’s safety to Naruto, whom he recognized as the ‘Child of Prophecy’.
Pain fans are devout in their treatment of the character and regard him as a "villain with a purpose."
8. Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox
The only non-human entrant on this list is none other than the Nine-Tailed Fox in Naruto, Kurama. Despite being a creature of malevolent energy, Kurama’s character develops significantly throughout the entirety of the series as he partners with his Jinchuriki and wins every follower’s heart.
Kurama was sealed with it ever since childhood, thus earning him the ire of his village. He had witnessed Naruto up-close owing to this particular fact only and had seen him at his best and worst. Of course, he tried to capitalize on his worst moments in order to break free of the seal, which binded him to Naruto. But the latter managed to regain control each time, much to the fox demon’s irritation.
It was eventually during the events of the Fourth Shinobi World War that he finally agreed to team up with Naruto and became his partner. His fist bump resonated with both his Jinchuriki and the hearts of fans globally.
7. Might Guy, the Leaf’s noble green beast
Might Guy occupies the seventh position on this list owing to the very fact that amongst all his fans, he embodies the spirit of youth. As a child, he had declared himself as Kakashi’s "eternal rival." Guy never specialized in Ninjutsu or Genjutsu and focused solely on Taijutsu.
So much so, that he mastered it at the highest level and unlocked the Eight Gates Technique, a technique which boosted his physical prowess by several levels for a limited amount of time.
Guy won everyone’s heart when he faced-off against Madara after he became the Ten Tails Jinchuriki. Activating the Eighth Gate, the Gate of Death, he donned the red aura of ‘Night Guy’ and almost beat Madara to a pulp. It was only due to the healing abilities endowed upon him by his Jinchuriki abilities which allowed him to recover.
Guy activated the Eighth Gate knowing fully well that he wouldn’t survive its activation. Yet, he willingly chose to do so, as the ‘Will of Fire’ burned brightly within him. He didn’t care tuppence whether he would live or die. It is this willingness to go beyond oneself and sacrifice oneself for the sake of others that won the hearts of many.
6. Jiraiya, the Legendary Sanin
Jiraiya's portrayal displays a type of humor that not all viewers find amusing, which is why some fans are torn about him. However, Jiraiya is still adored due to his flair for drama and his dedication to mentor Naruto to improve the world.
Regardless of what fans think of his humor, it goes without saying that Jiraiya was one of the most esteemed Shinobis of his era, having been dubbed a ‘Sanin’ by Hanzo, the Salamander. He was also the first character within the series to deploy Sage Mode.
Despite being an incomplete version, it still boosted his abilities to a great extent, so much so that Pain was forced to get serious in the fight. Although he was defeated, Jiraiya's hopes that his mentee, Naruto, would go on to change the world for the better never waived fans.
Those who adore Jiraiya do so because of the profound impact he had on Naruto. It is quite evident that the titular character's life would have been starkly different had Jiraiya never been in the picture.
5. Kakashi, the Copy Ninja
Kakashi Hatake was perhaps the first central character introduced outside of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. On Team Seven’s first C-rank mission in the Land of Waves, Kakashi faced-off against a Swordsman of the Mist, Zabuza Momochi. It was herein that he raised his headband, unveiling his left eye, a Sharingan.
Fans soon understood why he gained the moniker of 'Copy Ninja' as he copied over a thousand jutsus in his life with its use. Kakashi gained quite a reputation across the ninja countries as a user of multiple jutsus. His grasp over lightning style in particular allowed him to develop his own jutsu, the Chidori, a deadly Lightning Style jutsu.
But his proficiency in Ninjutsu was only one of the aspects that fans love. Kakashi was the only living disciple of Minato and he imbibed all his Sensei’s teachings. He took special care of his students and regarded each of them as team members, going so far as to say that those who abandon missions were considered trash, but those who abandon their team members were worse than trash.
Kakashi is one that most fans have an unanimous liking for. His laid-back style, his grasp over Ninjutsu, and his ideals make him a regular fan-favorite.
4. Gaara of the Sand
Gaara was initially introduced as a cold, ruthless, and murderous ninja. With his fine control over sand, he was capable of using it both for defensive and offensive purposes. When he encountered Team Seven, he was completely disinterested in Naruto and took an interest in Sasuke.
During the events of the Chunin Exam, following Orochimaru’s invasion, Naruto faced-off against a partially-transformed Gaara. In the battle that follows, he managed to wake up the comatose character, thus eliminating the One Tail’s control. Gaara came to recognize Naruto as a friend, a concept which he had been unfamiliar with earlier.
Owing to the stark similarities between Naruto and Gaara, the two developed a close friendship and most Gaara fans love him owing to the same reasons that they love Naruto: despite being a hated and ostracized Jinchuriki, he goes on to become the Fifth Kagekaze showing Naruto that it is indeed possible to change people’s perceptions.
3. Itachi Uchiha
It is pretty obvious that Itachi Uchiha has a massive fan following. His calm demeanor and his skills in Ninjutsu and Genjutsu make him a fierce opponent. His graduation from the Ninja Academy at a very young age was the first marker of his genius nature. He later went on to join the Anbu, becoming its captain at 12.
Yet, these are only a few of the reasons why fans love him. Much like Kakashi, Itachi is loved owing to his nature. Having witnessed a lot of violence during the events of the Third Shinobi World War, Itachi became a proponent of peace and strived to do everything in his power to achieve that end.
Following the events of the Uchiha Massacre, he joined Akatsuki simply to keep an eye on their operations. Above all, despite his love for his village, he prioritized his younger brother Sasuke over and above everything else.
Much like every other fan, Itachi was misunderstood by most of the fanbase until his past was revealed in Naruto: Shippuden. Following this reveal, most fans came to understand his motives, with his final interaction with Sasuke leaving several in tears.
2. Sasuke Uchiha
Despite the popular notion, Sasuke Uchiha actually has a wide fan following in the Naruto universe. Introduced as a detached and single-minded individual, he was initially disliked by most of the fanbase owing to his rude and often callous behavior towards the rest of Team Seven. As the story developed, Sasuke came under the influence of the traitor, Orochimaru, and defected from the village, much to the shock of his fellow team members.
Fans began developing a liking for Sasuke much later in Shippuden. Owing to understanding the reasons behind Itachi’s action and following his final interaction with him and the reanimated Kages, Sasuke’s character evolved considerably, so much so that Sasuke decided to assist the Allied Shinobi Forces in their battle against Obito and Madara.
After successfully defeating both Madara and Kaguya, Sasuke dueled it out one last time against Naruto. Most fans viewed this battle as a clash of ideals and Sasuke finally realized Naruto’s objective—that he still regarded him as his friend and he wouldn’t give up on him, no matter the costs.
Following the events of the Fourth Shinobi World War, Sasuke served his time in prison and was later pardoned by the then Sixth Hokage, Kakashi. Deciding that he needed time to introspect on his actions, Sasuke decided to leave the Village and roam the rest of the nation in order to understand what it truly meant to be a ninja. He bid both the yellow-haired Shinobi and Sakura goodbye but promised to return one day.
1. Naruto Uzumaki
It comes as no surprise that the titular protagonist himself would have the widest fan following. While Naruto began as a far weaker-than-average Shonen protagonist, his heart was always in the right place. He gradually began developing into his own under the tutelage of Kakshi and Jiraiya. Mastering the Rasengan under the latter and inventing the Rasenshuriken under the former, he went on to become a formidable Shinobi.
Yet, much like a few others on this list, the titular character was far more significant than his jutsu arsenal. In fact, there is a running joke within the community that his most frequently used jutsus were the Shadow Clone Jutsu and the Rasengan.
But it was his strive to become better and improve significantly which actually endeared him to fans. His determination was never waived, despite enduring the hatred of most of the village. His basic virtues such as ethics, loyalty, and grit remained throughout the series and shine through to others as well.
In conclusion
Naruto fans are some of the most aggressive fans out there who will vehemently defend their characters and justify their actions to people willing to lend them an ear. Indeed, this is the crowning glory of all of Kishimoto’s works till date.
