7 Strongest Kage In Naruto (Not Including Hokage)

In the world of Naruto, the Kage are widely considered the most powerful ninjas. Each of the main villages has a Kage as its leader, and they are typically strong enough to protect their village from any danger. While all Kage are incredibly skilled, Konoha consistently boasts the strongest leaders. In fact, most of the most powerful Kage throughout the series have come from Konoha.

It’s not that the Kage from other villages aren’t compelling – quite the opposite! Aside from the Kage of Konoha, there are many incredibly powerful leaders who don’t get enough recognition for their accomplishments. Some can easily defeat strong ninja, while others are even more powerful than the Tailed Beasts.

Third Kazekage

Special Ability: Magnet Release
Successor: Rasa

The Third Kazekage was famously one of the most powerful ninjas Sunagakure had ever produced, and some even considered him their strongest. He led the village throughout the Third Great Ninja War, but was ultimately defeated by Sasori.

He was a powerful ninja with the rare ability to control Magnet Release, a highly sought-after Kekkei Genkai. This allowed him to manipulate iron sand, a skill many desired. However, he was defeated by Sasori, which prevents him from ranking higher among other powerful ninjas.

Mei Terumi

Special Ability: Lava Release, Boil Release
Succeeded By: Chojuro

Mei Terumi, also known as the Fifth Mizukage of Kirigakure, is an incredibly skilled ninja with two unique abilities. She can use both Lava Release and Boil Release, powers she demonstrated during the Five Kage Summit and the war. These abilities even made her a formidable opponent against someone as powerful as Madara Uchiha.

Mei is a remarkably talented user of Water Release techniques, making her one of the most formidable – and surprisingly overlooked – ninjas of all time.

Fourth Raikage

Special Ability: Lightning Release Chakra Mode
Succeeded By: Darui

The Fourth Raikage was an incredibly powerful ninja, and many considered him the strongest Kage during the Fourth Great Ninja War. He was known for his immense strength, often compared to that of B, and specialized in Lightning Release techniques. Before Sasuke awakened his Six Paths powers, the Fourth Raikage was arguably the most skilled user of Lightning Release in the series.

He was incredibly durable in battle thanks to his quick-acting armor, and his speed was comparable to the legendary Minato Namikaze. The Fourth Raikage was powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with a Tailed Beast, which speaks volumes about his strength.

Gaara

Special Ability: Sand Manipulation
Succeeded By: None

Gaara is a well-known character in the Naruto series. After a period of time passed in the story, he became the Fifth Kazekage, the leader of Sunagakure. Following this, Gaara’s power greatly increased, making him strong enough to defeat formidable opponents like Deidara and Sasori.

Gaara became a powerful and intelligent leader, proving to be a formidable commander during the war. He was incredibly skilled at controlling sand, and surprisingly, his power didn’t decrease even after removing the One-Tail Beast from his body.

Onoki

Special Ability: Dust Release
Succeeded By: Kurotsuchi

Considered one of the strongest and most formidable Kage in history, Onoki served as the Third Tsuchkage of Iwagakure. He possessed a unique ability called Dust Release, which allowed him to break down matter at its core, effectively defeating opponents with a single attack. Onoki wasn’t just powerful; he was also known for his wisdom.

All of his skills and power made him an incredibly formidable opponent. Madara Uchiha himself saw him as the biggest danger during the Fourth Great Ninja War, which is the ultimate recognition anyone could hope for.

Third Raikage

Special Ability: Lightning Release Chakra Mode
Succeeded By: Lightning Ay

The Third Raikage was just as formidable as the Fourth, and many considered him even more frightening. Like his successor, he used the Lightning Release Armor, but his version was significantly more powerful. Legend says no attack ever pierced his armor, and he only sustained one injury throughout his career—one he inflicted on himself.

During the Third Great Ninja War, he battled tirelessly against ten thousand ninjas for days, ultimately succumbing to exhaustion. Remarkably, he was also capable of single-handedly fighting and sealing a Tailed Beast – an incredible accomplishment for any ninja.

Mu/Second Mizukage

Special Ability: Dust Release, Genjutsu Respectively
Succeeded By: Onoki And Third Mizukage

I’ve always considered Mu and the Second Mizukage to be the most powerful Kage outside of Konoha. Mu was actually Onoki’s teacher, and by all accounts, even surpassed him in strength. Like Onoki, he wielded the Dust Release ability, but with greater mastery. What really set Mu apart was his incredible versatility – he could split himself apart, completely mask his chakra, and even turn invisible. It made him a truly formidable opponent. He eventually fought the Second Mizukage, and it was a battle to the death; they both ended up killing each other, which, in my opinion, puts them on equal footing.

The Second Mizukage was incredibly talented in both illusion techniques (Genjutsu) and water-based attacks. While we saw a brief demonstration of his Genjutsu during the war, he hasn’t gotten the recognition he deserves. He was clearly on par with Mu, and together, they were the strongest of the Kage – excluding the Hokage. However, most Hokage ultimately proved to be even more powerful, highlighting the difference in strength when comparing these legendary leaders in the Naruto universe.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is the continuation of the Boruto story, created by Mikio Ikemoto with supervision from Masashi Kishimoto. Picking up three years after the events of the Omnipotence arc, the series focuses on Boruto Uzumaki’s quest to protect the world, alongside his complicated relationship with Kawaki. Chapter 30 is scheduled to be released on January 20, 2026, at 10 AM EST / 3 PM UTC. Fans can read it for free on the Manga Plus and Shonen Jump apps.

2026-01-16 03:06