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Despite being the main villains of the second half of Naruto, fans have grown fond of the Akatsuki members throughout the years. No matter how ruthless their methods were, or how evil their goals seemed, fans could not help but empathize and love certain characters.
However, not every member of the Akatsuki is as beloved as the next. While some were made to empathize with, others were made to despise. This is reflected in how much a fan can grow to like certain characters while loathing the rest. On this list, we will rank Naruto's Akatsuki members, from the ones fans like the least to the ones they absolutely love.
Disclaimer: This article was made using various rankings and forums online. It contains spoilers for the Naruto anime and manga series.
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Which Akatsuki member do Naruto fans adore?
12) Zetsu
Before the Shinobi World existed, Zetsu was already scheming in the shadows, thinking of a future in which Kaguya would return. This plant-like creature was created specifically to bring the Mother of all Chakra back to life. To accomplish his task, he manipulated, lied, and betrayed countless individuals throughout history.
The majority of the Naruto fandom loathes Zetsu, not only for his bland personality but also because of the damage he caused. He is the reason why Ashura and Indra began fighting each other, why Obito became evil, and why Kaguya returned.
11) Kakuzu
One half of Akatsuki's Immortal Duo, as well as one of the most selfish men in Naruto. When he was young, Kakuzu was betrayed by his village and was left to die after being defeated by the First Hokage. This moment changed his life forever, turning him into a ruthless killer who only cared about himself and money.
Kakuzu stole a forbidden technique from his village that allowed him to use the hearts of his enemies as his own. Besides that, his personality revolved entirely around making money, prompting many fans to feel a certain disdain for his character.
10) Hidan
The other half of the Immortal Duo and one of the most unstable characters in the show, Hidan was a loyal follower of a deity known as Jashin, a god who demanded human sacrifices from his adepts. In return, he would allow them to live forever, causing as much pain as they wanted.
Hidan’s style and personality are distinctive enough for the fandom to remember him. Sadly, Naruto fans do not remember him very fondly. Not only is he the person who killed Asuma, but he was also extremely arrogant and hard to deal with. His constant talk about his deity could also get tiresome really quick.
9) Sasori
After losing his parents in the Third Great Shinobi War, Sasori began thinking of humans as inferior creatures. He believed that the only way for him and his legacy to live forever was by turning his body into a puppet. Sadly, the death of his family turned him into a cold, calculative, and emotionless assassin.
Despite how incredibly well-designed Sasori is, many Naruto fans cannot get themselves to like him due to his personality. Like the previous two entries on the list, Sasori’s character revolved entirely around his abilities. Still, fans adore his fighting style, as well as how creative his puppets were.
8) Deidara
Deidara was someone who believed that art should be ephemeral, lasting only a minute but leaving a lasting impression. To accomplish this, he used his Explosive Clay, as well as his Kekkei Genkai, to cause chaos everywhere he went by blowing cities and people.
While Naruto fans love Deidara’s fashion sense, explosive sculptures, and overall design, his personality leaves a lot to be desired. He would constantly scream and go on long rants about how perfect his art was. Nevertheless, he is still exponentially more popular than the previous entries.
7) Orochimaru
While he was not a member for very long, Orochimaru was still one of Akatsuki’s most iconic members. The Snake Sanin joined the organization with the hopes of finding interesting Kekkei Genkai and Dojutsu. When Itachi joined the group, he immediately tried to take over his body, enamored with the idea of obtaining a Sharingan. Once his mission failed, he left the organization.
While his stay with the Akatsuki was short, Orochimaru is still one of Naruto’s most beloved villains. He may be cruel and overall creepy, but he is charismatic enough for fans to enjoy his personality.
6) Yahiko
Before becoming the most famous criminal organization in the Shinobi World, Akatsuki was a group of freedom fighters led by Yahiko. Jiraiya’s disciple wished to bring peace and justice back to Amegakure. Sadly, his dreams of a better tomorrow were cut short when Hanzo forced Yahiko to kill himself in front of his friends.
Yahiko was a charismatic, kind, and optimistic young man whom fans immediately felt a connection with. Sadly, he was killed way too early for the Naruto community to form a real bond with him. However, he is still one of the most popular members of the Akatsuki.
5) Kisame
One of the first members of Akatsuki to ever be introduced in the series, as well as one of the most iconic, Kisame Hoshigaki was known for his unique design, which made him look like a shark-human hybrid. He was also famous for having wielded Samehada. Kisame was a man who loved violence and wished to cause as much chaos as possible in the world.
Out of all the Naruto characters, Kisame is one of the hardest to forget. Not only is his personality well-defined, but he also looks like no other cast member. His interactions with Itachi also aided him in achieving a high spot on this list.
4) Tobi/ Obito
When he was first introduced, Tobi acted more like a child than a dangerous criminal. He was erratic, loud, eccentric, and overall strange. Once Obito, the real face behind the mask, revealed himself, he went from a goofy and cheerful jokester to a serious and spiteful warrior.
While not many fans approve of Obito as a villain, he is still a beloved character in the Naruto franchise. His motivation, his backstory, and his design have helped him gain millions of fans from the moment he was first introduced. He is also one of the easiest characters to empathize with in Naruto.
3) Konan
Another one of Jiraiya’s students, as well as the only female member of the Akatsuki. Konan was a founding member of the organization, working alongside Yahiko and Nagato to bring peace to her country. When Yahiko was killed, Konan began seeing the world as a corrupt place that needed to be purged.
Konan has one of the coolest abilities in the Naruto franchise. Her entire body could turn into small pieces of paper, which she could control to cut, distract, or even explode an opponent. Her entire character was designed for fans to love her and that is exactly what they did. Konan is one of the most popular Naruto girls, surpassing many that have appeared in more episodes than her.
2) Nagato
When his best friend died, Nagato took over the Akatsuki organization, intending to unify the world through pain. With the help of his Rinnegan, as well as the six Paths of Pain he acquired through the years, Nagato became the ruler of Amegakure. He believed that the only way to bring peace to the world was by making it suffer.
These ideals led him to become one of the cruelest and most powerful Shinobi in the world. The Naruto fandom loves Nagato for being one of the most relatable villains in the series. Despite his cold attitude, the red-haired man cared deeply for the people around him. Nagato genuinely wanted to create a better world, which is why he takes the number two spot in this ranking.
1) Itachi
Once a prodigy who wanted to make his father and his family proud, Itachi ended up becoming Konoha’s most dangerous outlaw. To prevent a civil war from destroying his home, he had to murder his entire clan, leaving only his brother behind. He went on to join the Akatsuki to act as an informant for the Third Hokage.
Itachi is without a doubt the most popular and beloved Akatsuki member in all of Naruto. His design is stunning and his abilities are awe-inspiring. His charming and kind personality has helped him gain hearts of millions of fans all over the world.
Final thoughts
The Akatsuki will forever remain one of the most iconic organizations in the world of anime. Their unique abilities, intriguing members, and thrilling fights have gained them millions of fans since they were first introduced.
While not all members are equally as charismatic or beloved, they all hold a special place in the hearts of Naruto fans. These tailed-beast hunters are one of the reasons why the Naruto anime and manga series are so popular worldwide.
