10 Naruto characters with the most tragic origins, ranked

When fans were introduced to the world of Naruto for the first time, it was depicted as a place filled with injustice, where individuals possessing extraordinary abilities were frequently punished by society. This is a world that not only granted people with powers beyond comprehension, but also treated them as monsters, resulting in numerous tragic childhoods and moments throughout the series, which have deeply moved fans.

However, the beauty of the series lies in the moments when these characters, despite being labeled as monsters, choose to resist evil or abandon their wicked ways, proving that there is always an alternative. Further, to support them, there are characters like Teuchi and Ayame, who show kindness and warmth that have often touched fans.

Without further ado, here is a list of ten individuals with the most devastating origin stories in Naruto, ranked by the depth of their tragedy.

Disclaimer: This list is curated based on the writer’s personal opinion.

Haku, Itachi, and 8 other characters from Naruto who suffered early in life

10) Kabuto

Kabuto as seen in the Naruto anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

As a young boy, Kabuto experienced a brain injury that resulted in memory loss, making him forget about his parents. He was adopted by Nono and raised in the Konoha Orphanage. To support the orphanage, he joined Root and was trained in espionage. His assignments often required him to impersonate ninjas from different villages to collect information.

During a mission in Iwa, he unknowingly killed Nono. Even though he realized his mistake and apologized, she did not recognize him because Danzo had shared with her doctored photos of Kabuto. This was part of Danzo's plan for them to eliminate each other.

9) Kimimaro

Kimimaro as seen in the Naruto anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Kimimaro was feared and imprisoned by the Kaguya clan for his Shikotsumyaku kekkei genkai. However, when his clan was massacred during the raid on Kirigakure, he was left as the sole survivor. Orochimaru found him and sensed his potential, so he took him under his wing with the intention of using him as a vessel.

Kimimaro accepted this fate because it gave his life a new meaning, which fans have found rather depressing. Moreover, Orochimaru stopped caring for him once he contracted a mysterious ailment.

8) Kakashi

Kakashi as seen in the Naruto anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Kakashi, at a tender age, suffered the loss of his parents, with his father committing suicide after being shunned for prioritizing his teammates over his mission. This led Kakashi to become extremely strict about following the rules. As a genin, Kakashi chose to abandon his teammate Rin to complete his mission.

However, Obito decided to rescue Rin, and Kakashi eventually followed him. Unfortunately, Obito seemingly died after the cave where Rin was being held collapsed. In a later mission, Rin also died, leaving Kakashi unable to fulfill his promise to Obito to protect her, which plunged him into depression.

7) Obito

Obito as seen in the Naruto anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Growing up without knowing who his parents were, Obito wanted to be Hokage because he desired recognition from the villagers. However, he felt overshadowed by the highly popular and prodigious Kakashi. Meanwhile, he developed feelings for Rin, and tried to rescue her when she was abducted.

In the process, he was trapped under a collapsed cave. He decided to embrace death and left his left Sharingan with Kakashi, effectively mending their friendship. While everyone believed Obito died, he was rescued by White Zetsu. Yet, his second chance at life turned tragic as he witnessed Rin's death, which left him devastated.

6) Haku

Haku as seen in the Naruto anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Haku was born to humble farmers in a village located in the Land of Water. His mother, who possessed the Ice Release, had kept this a secret from everyone. However, Haku inherited this kekkei genkai and his father discovered it.

The villagers, who had bitter memories of war and viewed possessors of kekkei genkai negatively, were led by Haku's father, who ended up killing his wife. He then turned towards Haku, forcing the latter to kill his own father in self-defense. Left without any purpose in life, Haku chose to become a tool for Zabuza. His life was tragically cut short when he sacrificed himself to defend Zabuza from Kakashi.

5) Nagato

Nagato as seen in the Naruto anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Nagato had lived through the Second Shinobi World War and was orphaned as a result of it. He went on to take the lives of the shinobi who murdered his parents. Then, he became friends with fellow orphans Yahiko and Konan, and together they sought to restore peace to the shinobi world, which led to the foundation of the Akatsuki.

However, Yahiko's death changed Nagato completely. He assumed the name Pain and took charge of Akatsuki, with the goal of enforcing peace by inflicting pain and misery.

4) Itachi

Itachi as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Itachi had been a witness to the horrors of the Third Shinobi World War, a war that laid waste to countless lives. This experience turned him into a pacifist, and he became a shinobi for his ideals.

However, he was forced to choose a path of violence when the Uchiha clan plotted a coup d'état. Aware that this would inevitably lead to another war, Itachi informed the Third Hokage and the Konoha Council about the clan’s plan, hoping they would offer a peaceful solution. Instead, he was tasked with assassinating his entire clan, save for his brother.

3) Sasuke

Sasuke as seen in the Naruto anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

While Itachi had a noble cause for carrying out the violence against his own clan, his younger brother Sasuke, who was spared, remained unaware of it for a major portion of Naruto. Witnessing his clan's annihilation robbed him of his innocence, and he was left determined to dedicate his life to seeking vengeance.

Thus, he would go on to become quite the menace for the shinobi world, for which he would again have to perform penance when he realized that he was in the wrong.

2) Naruto

Naruto as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Naruto, born to Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, had a terrible childhood as he was orphaned because his parents died after sealing Nine-Tails inside him.

He was hated by everyone in Konoha as Nine-Tails had wreaked havoc on the village, and survived on a monthly income from the village in order to afford daily necessities, while not knowing about his parents’ identity or the fact that he had a godfather.

1) Gaara

Gaara as seen in the Naruto anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Born in Sunagakure, Gaara was chosen to be the host of the One-Tailed beast before his birth, because the village needed a formidable weapon. His mother passed away during childbirth, but her spirit lived on as Sand, shielding him from every pain. As a result, he was feared by the villagers, with his uncle Yashamaru being his only companion.

However, Gaara’s father, Rasa, ordered Yashamaru to assassinate Gaara, as he had become a threat to the villagers. This incident, along with other attempts on his life, made Gaara bitter, but also helped him master his powers. Once he proved useful to Suna, the assassination attempts stopped.