All of Naruto Uzumaki's teachers, ranked by power

Tenacious and unpredictable, Naruto Uzumaki overcame a lot of hardships, until he gained the trust of the Nine Tails, which he had sealed in his body since he was born. Upon fulfilling his potential, the young ninja achieved unreal accomplishments that eventually earned him the role of the Seventh Hokage.

From a troublesome kid considered a failure, he obtained everyone's acknowledgment and realized his dream of becoming the Hokage. While Naruto's unwavering determination was pivotal for his improvement, he also owes a lot to the various teachers who helped him throughout the story.

The complete list of Naruto Uzumaki's sensei, ranked from weakest to strongest

8) Ebisu

Konohamaru Sarutobi's personal instructor, Ebisu, is a Special Jonin with great knowledge of ninja skills. As such, he is a highly specialized trainer. Kakashi praised Ebisu as one of the Hidden Leaf's best teachers and personally chose him to train Naruto in sight of the Chunin Exams.

Especially skilled at chakra control and hand seals, Ebisu tried to foster Naruto's improvement but to no avail, as they didn't get along. When Pain attacked the Hidden Leaf, Ebisu drew one of the Six Paths of Pain's attention to himself but was overpowered after a brief confrontation.

As the Naraka Path asked him for Naruto's location, threatening to kill him otherwise, Ebisu, who had come to appreciate the future Seventh Hokage's guts and determination, refused to sell him. Luckily, Konohamaru arrived in time to save Ebisu.

7) Iruka Umino

Iruka's past was similar to Naruto's, as his parents also died when the Nine Tails attacked the Hidden Leaf. Having experienced loneliness, Iruka understood the protagonist's sadness for being the subject of prejudice from his mates and fellow citizens.

Iruka failed Naruto at his final exam in the academy but, shortly after, rushed in to protect him from Mizuki's schemes. When Iruka put his life on the line to save the young boy, the latter unleashed a portion of the Nine Tails' chakra, performing an impressive technique that allowed him to beat Mizuki brutally.

The first person in the story to acknowledge Naruto as a worthy ninja and human being, Iruka never stopped believing in his former student. In turn, Naruto showed him great fondness, considering him a father-like figure.

Ranked a Chunin, Iruka can perform Fire and Water Style techniques and employ Yin Release. A good barrier ninjutsu user, he can cast the String Light Formation Jutsu, a technique whose binding power Naruto couldn't overcome without using Sage Mode.

6) Asuma Sarutobi

A former Land of Fire's Twelve Guardian Ninjas member, Asuma was the leader of the Hidden Leaf's Team 10, which included Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino. As the son of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Asuma developed himself into a very strong Jonin.

Very skilled in close-range melee combat, Asuma could empower his trench knives via Wind Style, rendering them sharp enough to slice through huge trees, rock, and metal. He could also extend the range of his slashes out of the weapons's physical range, creating chakra blades.

A Wind Style specialist, Asuma taught Naruto the basis of this elemental chakra affinity. Asuma was also a notable Fire Style user, as he could perform the Ash Pile Burning Technique to generate a cloud of gunpowder-infused ash, creating a tremendous explosion.

A testament to his battle prowess, even though he was ultimately overwhelmed and killed by Hidan, Asuma was able to compete with the latter, a member of Akatsuki, while also protecting his comrades at the same time.

5) Yamato

Yamato, also known as "Tenzo," can be considered Kakashi's right-hand man. A major Anbu Captain and Jonin from the Hidden Leaf, Yamato, was injected with Hashirama Senju's DNA, which enabled him to use Wood Release. By his own admission, however, he pales in comparison to the unparalleled First Hokage.

Still, Yamato's proficiency with Wood Release is enough to make him a notable ninjutsu user. Although on a much lower scale than Hashirama, Yamato can sprout vegetation from any surface, which he can use for offensive and defensive purposes.

He can create wooden domes and cages, grow trees from his arms, and bind or crush his foes with vegetation. He can also make highly performing clones of himself out of wood and turn them into seed to track targets. Moreover, he can perform Water and Earth Style techniques.

With Kakashi's absence from Team 7, Yamato, whose Wood Release could suppress the Nine Tails, was temporarily chosen to lead the squad in the Sharingan wielder's place. Eventually, Yamato stayed in the team to assist Kakashi and Naruto as needed.

4) Fukasaku

Hailed as the "Two Great Sage Toads," Fukasaku and his wife, Shima, are very experienced and skilled Sage Mode users. As such, Fukasaku can flawlessly gather natural energy and combine it with his own chakra to create senjutsu chakra, which is stronger than the common one.

This technique boosts his speed and grants him insane physical strength and durability. Despite his very small size, as well as his old age, Fukasaku can move a gigantic statue or lift and throw Gamabunta, a giant toad. Together with Shima, he can perform a dreadful sound-based genjutsu.

Fukasaku once taught Jiraiya, and after the latter's tragic death, he guided Naruto in his place, training him to learn Sage Mode. This included the Frog Kata martial arts style, which made him much stronger than before. He also assisted him during the tough battle against the Six Paths of Pain.

3) Jiraiya

Jiraiya was one of the most important figures in Naruto's life. The teacher of his father, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, Jiraiya, can be considered a family member of Naruto, whom he sincerely cared for, treating him as his godson.

He taught Minato and Kushina's son the Rasengan, which became his signature jutsu, setting him up for all the stronger techniques he eventually developed. Jiraiya also passed him the ability to summon toads and, more importantly, his beliefs concerning what it means to be a shinobi.

Sadly, Jiraiya died fighting against Pain, but his legacy guided Naruto into becoming the admirable person he is. The young ninja turned out to be the Child of Prophecy, a pupil of Jiraiya, who, depending on what the latter taught him, may have saved the world or caused its destruction.

One of the Hidden Leaf's Three Legendary Ninjas, Jiraiya was a great shinobi who was even offered the role of Hokage. His techniques were versatile, and he could boost them via Sage Mode. Jiraiya, lacked mastery over this advanced ability, but even without it, he was strong enough to subdue Konan, an Akatsuki member.

2) Killer B

As the perfect jinchuriki of the Eight Tails, Killer B can work together with the mighty Tailed Beast. A skilled martial artist, Lightning Release user, and swordsman, B can empower his moves, such as the Lariat, by releasing the Eight Tails' chakra through various forms.

In his mightiest form, B can generate tornadoes, use ink-based moves, and perform the highly destructive Tailed Beast Bomb. A testament to his combat prowess, B was able to pressure Akatsuki member Kisame, and corner Mangekyo Sharingan Sasuke despite fighting him and his team in 1v4.

Also, owing to Kushina's help, who appeared in her son's subconscious, B taught Naruto how to draw out the power of his own Tailed Beast without risking to be possessed, helping him create the Nine Tails Chakra Mode, which he will later evolve into the full Tailed Beast Mode.

After mentoring Naruto, B also helped him in the fight against Obito. Even though B wasn't very effective during that battle, as he ended up getting into trouble several times without obtaining any major achievement, he tried his best to assist the young ninja, acting as an older brother to him.

1) Kakashi Hatake

Feared worldwide as the "Copy Ninja," Kakashi is a sharp fighter who stands out for speed, smartness, and versatility. A fearsome Lightning Release user, Kakashi mastered the Mangekyo Sharingan, becoming able to warp any target into the Kamui dimension with enough proficiency to impress even Madara Uchiha.

Naruto's primary mentor and trainer, Kakashi, taught him the importance of teamwork and fostered his improvement on the battlefield, putting him through harsh challenges early on so that he could realize the brutality of the ninja world. Seemingly stern, Kakashi deeply cares for his students.

Kakashi, who can use the Rasengan, assisted Naruto to create a stronger version of the jutsu, the Rasenshuriken, which would become one of the latter's mightiest techniques. During the Fourth Ninja War, Kakashi came to the aid of Naruto, giving him essential help in the fight against Obito and his jinchuriki.

Kakashi then decisively helped Naruto and Sasuke in the battle against Kaguya. Owing to Obito's Six Paths chakra and full-powered Mangekyo Sharingan, which granted him unparalleled offensive and defensive abilities, Kakashi fended off the goddess, enabling his students to finally seal her.

At his peak, Kakashi was the strongest Sharingan and space-time ninjutsu user in the series. Even the Sage of Six Paths called his feats godly. After losing the Sharingan, Kakashi developed new powerful techniques to make up for the loss, and went on becoming the Sixth Hokage. Upon retiring, he appointed Naruto as the Seventh.

Final thoughts

Naruto's teachers in descending order of strength, from left to right (Image via Studio Pierrot)

From the most average ninjas to legendary individuals who earned worldwide fame, all Seventh Hokage's teachers played a significant in his extraordinary growth.

True to the concept that the next generation will surpass the previous one, Minato and Kushina's son earned exceptional powers throughout his path, emphasizing hos determination and willpower.