Naruto: 7 Ninjas That Retired After The Ninja War

The Fourth Great Ninja War was the largest and most devastating conflict in the Naruto universe. It was fought to keep the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails from being captured by the Akatsuki organization and to stop their plan to create an Eye of the Moon. For the first time ever, all five major ninja villages united to fight together, but the war came at a great cost, with many powerful shinobi losing their lives.

Following the Fourth Great Ninja War, many ninjas chose to retire, particularly with a new generation emerging. This included both lesser-known shinobi and highly respected figures, even some who had served as leaders – the Kage – of their villages.

Might Guy

  • Village: Konohagakure

Might Guy led Team Guy and was an incredibly strong ninja during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Although he mostly specialized in hand-to-hand combat, he was a formidable fighter. During the war, he battled Madara Uchiha in his most powerful form and almost defeated him – a rare accomplishment few could achieve.

Guy’s fight with Madara was incredibly costly. He had to use the dangerous Eight Inner Gates, and opening the Gate of Death usually means instant death. While Naruto’s power saved his life, Guy suffered a completely shattered leg that couldn’t be healed. This left him unable to walk normally, and he’s essentially retired from being a ninja, no longer participating in missions for Konoha.

Hinata Hyuga

  • Village: Konohagakure

I’ve always been fascinated by Hinata Hyuga! She was originally set to lead the Hyuga clan, but she was so shy that she struggled to meet her father’s expectations. Ultimately, her sister Hanabi stepped up and became the clan head instead. But you know what’s amazing? Hinata didn’t let that discourage her! She found her own path as a ninja, and she was seriously inspired by Naruto Uzumaki – it’s a really powerful story of finding your own strength.

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Hinata actively contributed to the fight as much as she could. A pivotal moment was Neji’s sacrifice to protect her and help Naruto realize her feelings for him. Afterwards, Hinata and Naruto began a relationship that led to marriage. Following their wedding, she retired from being a ninja to focus on raising their children. While this feels like a natural conclusion to her story, it’s a little sad to think of her immense strength going unused, as she could have continued to be a valuable asset to the village in future conflicts.

Tsunade Senju

  • Village: Konohagakure

Tsunade Senju is considered one of Konoha’s greatest leaders. She became the Fifth Hokage after Hiruzen Sarutobi’s death during the Konoha Crush and successfully defended the village from Pain’s attack. During the Fourth Great Ninja War, she bravely led the fight, even facing powerful opponents like Madara Uchiha. After the war ended, she retired, allowing Kakashi Hatake to become the Sixth Hokage.

After her active years as a ninja, Tsunade settled into a relaxed lifestyle, enjoying her free time. However, she remains incredibly powerful and is still willing to help if a serious crisis arises. Fortunately, the current generation of ninja is so capable that she’s unlikely to be called upon for missions anymore.

Kakashi Hatake

  • Village: Konohagakure

Kakashi Hatake eventually became the Sixth Hokage, leading the village of Konoha for many years. He later stepped down, allowing Naruto Uzumaki to become the Seventh Hokage. After that, Kakashi became less prominent, though the Boruto anime still portrays him as an active ninja.

Kakashi doesn’t appear in the manga, leading many to believe he’s retired from being a ninja. However, like Tsunade, he remains a powerful resource thanks to his incredible strength, knowledge, and wisdom. Many fans hope he’ll make a return in the Boruto series, and would be thrilled to see him do so.

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Onoki

  • Village: Iwagakure

Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage from Iwagakure, was an important figure in the Fourth Great Ninja War. Though he wasn’t introduced until relatively late in the series, Onoki quickly became a fan favorite. He was a truly remarkable character, known for his wisdom, incredible power, and ability to unite ninja from different countries.

After the Fourth Great Ninja War, Onoki stepped down as Tsuchikage, and his granddaughter Kurotsuchi took over. He felt he was too old to continue leading and decided to retire. In the Boruto anime series, Onoki passes away, but his fate is different in the manga, where it’s never revealed what happens to him.

Ay

  • Village: Kumogakure

Man, Lightning Ay was amazing! As the Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure, he’s easily one of the strongest ninjas they’ve ever produced. Seriously, his control over Lightning Release was incredible – you could really see it during the Fourth Great Ninja War. He was right there on the front lines, battling guys like Madara Uchiha, and holding his own! It was awesome to watch.

Ay remained the Raikage for many years after the war ended, but eventually retired and appointed his trusted advisor, Darui, as the Fifth Raikage. Since then, Ay has aged considerably and no longer seems capable of fighting. He’s fully retired from being a ninja, leaving the village under the capable leadership of Darui, who continues to work alongside Killer Bee.

Mei Terumi

  • Village: Kirigakure

Mei Terumi was the Fifth Mizukage, leader of the Hidden Mist Village. She took over after Yagura and rebuilt the village after a period of intense conflict known as the Blood Mist. During the Fourth Great Ninja War, she skillfully led her village in the fight against the Akatsuki.

I remember when Mei stepped down as Mizukage, handing leadership over to Chojuro. She was incredibly powerful, but she seemed content to let him take the reins as the Sixth Mizukage. Since then, she’s mostly stayed out of the picture – I’ve only caught glimpses of her a few times. It’s pretty obvious she’s no longer involved in running the village or participating in battles anymore.

Naruto is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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2026-04-08 17:35