The rapping jinchūriki of eight-tails deserves to be one of the best Naruto characters as his role in the series has been the driving point for many characters, the most important being that of Naruto himself. While he may appear to be a “shinobi”, the man is comical enough to essentially rap alongside battling his foes with a plethora of swords unbefitting of a silent shinobi.

This isn’t to say that Killer Bee isn’t always serious, he is just endearing enough to show more of his lively and outgoing personality, even helping Naruto with his goals and maturing him greatly as a result.

The name “Orochimaru” has been enough to strike terror in the very hearts of the Konohagakure (Hidden Leaf Village) shinobis. Being virtually immortal thanks to his brilliant mind and capable of taking on a tailed beast and surviving.

Orochimaru has been the essential “boogeyman” of the shinobi world, working for his own goals while simultaneously using his otherworldly techniques to immortalize himself, he has been an instrumental force in driving Sasuke towards a path of outer void and rightly deserves his spot as one of the best Naruto characters.

A manipulative and highly cunning individual, Obito Uchiha may have had an obsequious role of a side character at the beginning unbeknownst to everyone, he however managed to outperform all expectations with his manipulations.

Yearning for a world free of death and sorrow, he covertly manages to control the Hidden Leaf Village through his actions. He may have had a late appearance, but it doesn’t mean that he deserves to be any bit less than one of the best Naruto characters.

While he may seem like a goofball at the beginning, Kakashi hides a personality that is far deeper than any other character on this list. From having the title of “copy” ninja to being a great sensei for many, especially Naruto, Kakashi manages to remain a stellar character throughout the series.

Kakashi, just like his appearance, is a man of untold stories and mystery, something that gets revealed slowly through the series of Naruto and therefore serves to make Kakashi one of the most engaging and best Naruto characters.

The first spot for one of the best Naruto characters. Who wouldn’t have gotten a chill up their spines hearing the line “This world shall know pain”? Pain as a character truly lives up to his name, causing unforeseen amounts of tragedy including that of Naruto’s mentor, Jiraiya. Pain serves as a counterfoil to Naruto despite Sasuke being present as a rival.

The most engaging part of Pain is not that he is essentially an unstoppable force of nature that can decimate anything in its path, but rather the fact that the said “force” of nature has been the result of human machinations.

Pain isn’t evil for the sake of just being one, he has to take up that role to change the world. After all, what better is the way to make one understand the meaning of pain than making them experience it firsthand?