Naruto is one of the most iconic anime of all time. For as long as a decade, the series has been a gateway anime. Thousands of fans worldwide dove into the anime verse after getting mesmerized by the journey of the titular character, Naruto Uzumaki, and the colorful cast of characters who joined him regularly to either help protect the ninja world or tear it apart. Naruto never failed to deliver quality entertainment, and a large part of its success is due to the compelling and memorable characters.
As one of shonen anime's Big Three, there are plenty of aspects that make Naruto one of the best anime to ever be produced, including the amazing worldbuilding that easily puts a good bunch of its shonen counterparts to shame and the compelling storylines. Naruto's popular characters are the backbone of the series, and they enhanced the audience's experience. From heartbreaking backstories to shocking endings, there's a reason Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto franchise is still beloved by fans more than two decades after the first episode aired.
Even if many anime fans deride Sakura Haruno for being an annoying and "useless" character, Sakura actually does have a fascinating character arc and got more than one glow-up. Bit by bit, Sakura faced and overcame her many insecurities and doubts, including in her duel against Ino Yamanaka.
Sakura also learned much from Tsunade to become a skilled medical ninja and hard-hitting taijutsu expert, which gave her immense confidence. Sakura also acted like a protective sister for Naruto later on, supporting him however she could in Naruto Shippuden's many episodes.
Obito Uchiha came out of nowhere to become a large part of the Naruto narrative, and fans love him for it. Not only did he have a horribly tragic backstory, but he played a huge part in Kakashi becoming the incredible sensei he was for Team 7. Obito was the source of Kakashi's Sharingan eye, which he gave to him as a congratulatory gift for becoming a genin after he was crushed beneath an avalanche and left for dead by teammates Rin and Kakashi.
Taken in by Madara and Zetsu, Obito Uchiha eventually gave life to the villain Tobi to hide his identity and was easily one of the most entertaining Akatsuki members and Naruto characters overall. He even got to redeem himself instead of simply being defeated, fighting bravely to confront Madara Uchiha and even Kaguya Otsutsuki, in an effort to save his friend and rival, Kakashi.
Naruto Uzumaki's late father,Minato Namikaze , was once the youthful 4th Hokage and Kakashi's team's leader. Minato only appears in flashbacks and illusions in the Naruto anime, and later as an animated corpse, but he still earned a spot among the most popular and respected Naruto characters.
Minato had immense appeal as a handsome, smart, and brave leader who could inspire anyone into action with a few kind words. He was also immensely proud to become a new father when Naruto was born, but only moments later, he had to give his life to protect his son and village from certain doom. Minato's incredible story arc and sheer coolness ensure him a lofty rank among the most popular and beloved Naruto characters, despite his limited screen time.
Growing up, Naruto was a total outcast and pariah who resorted to pranks to get much-desired attention. Shikamaru, meanwhile, didn't mind hanging out with Naruto, even at the expense of being flagged as a weirdo by the village – an action that garnered him respect from fans. Shikamaru was always one of Naruto's closest friends, well into adulthood.
Shikamaru is also beloved for being an eccentric genius. Shikamaru is notoriously lazy and easygoing, and he simply enjoys shogi and watching the clouds pass by. Still, if his village needs him, Shikamaru will fight hard and put his powerful mind to good use. All these traits combine to make a highly compelling character, and it's why Shikamaru Nara ranks so highly among the most popular Naruto characters of all.
The snake-themed villain Orochimaru was once a Leaf ninja and was Tsunade's and Jiraiya's teammate, and he was named as one of the Legendary Sannin. Despite everything they'd been through together, however, his relationship with them couldn't last. Orochimaru's obsession with death and immortality led to his ruthless scientific experiments and self-absorbed nature, and this got him into trouble.
Forced to flee the Hidden Leaf Village to continue his work elsewhere, Orochimaru built up a private empire with his many labs, test subjects, and minions, such as Kabuto and the Sound Four. He has disgusted, horrified, and amazed Naruto fans with his cutting-edge blend of science and creative jutsu, all in the name of true immortality. Orochimaru has even become seemingly softer as a parent to Boruto's teammate, Mitsuke, who is a synthetic, partial clone of Orochimaru, created by Orochimaru as part of his experiments.
Kakashi Hatake may not have been Naruto Uzumaki's first mentor in Team 7, but the toad sage Jiraiya was a true father figure for the boy, making him one of the most loved characters in Naruto. Jiraiya even said that Naruto was like a son to him, which made them a bit more than teacher and student.
Jiraiya is also famous for his formidable toad-themed jutsu, from Sage Mode to summoning Gamabunta. He also taught Naruto the Rasengan jutsu with unconventional but effective teaching methods, and he bravely risked and lost his life fighting Pain.
Sasuke Uchiha is Naruto Uzumaki's shonen-style rival, a cool genius who challenged Naruto like no one else ever could. As polar opposites, Naruto and Sasuke eventually chose different shinobi paths, each with their own conviction and ideals. Much of the Naruto series is built around getting Sasuke to come around to Naruto's point of view.
Sasuke turned evil when he abandoned the Leaf Village and joined Orochimaru, but his sheer coolness and confidence ensured he still had many fans. His ruthless but stylish fighting style and hardened conviction made him a fun antihero to watch, and his relationship with his big brother Itachi made him more relatable and grounded, too.
Kakashi Hatake is a cool, talented kuudere who made a bizarre first impression when he appeared early in the Naruto anime. He ranks among the most popular Naruto characters because he's a classic shonen-style mentor who has a strongly-defined personality, complete with hidden insecurities.
Kakashi wowed Naruto fans with his formidable skills and diverse jutsu, including the Sharingan eye he got from Obito. As a mentor and team leader, Kakashi is almost like a doting uncle, a caring and protective man who would gladly risk his life for Team 7's genin members.
Itachi Uchiha, Anime fans love cool, unshakable anime villains like Bleach's Ulquiorra Schiffer or Berserk's Griffith, and the infamous Itachi Uchiha is Naruto's own cold, aloof villain who fans love. He was initially a brutal villain who wanted to kidnap Naruto, but there's much more to him than that.
Fans soon learned that the terrifying prodigy Itachi was actually an anti-villain who had slaughtered his family not out of contempt, but to protect the Hidden Leaf Village. Itachi also loved his brother, Sasuke, and wished him well in his dying moments as a devoted big brother. That means Itachi Uchiha has a rather mixed legacy as one of the most popular Naruto characters of all, and it makes him that much more intriguing -- and memorable.
The protagonist himself, Naruto Uzumaki, has come a long way since he was first seen defacing the Hokage monument in Episode 1. At first, Naruto was a Goku-inspired boy with colorful clothes and a lot of guts, but he was also determined to overcome his dark past and make something of himself.
Naruto's rise to glory as a shonen hero is legendary, and he became the most popular character in Naruto as an inspiring, emotionally resonant, and brave young hero with everything to prove. Naruto made fans laugh,cry, and cheer in his many adventures, from his heartfelt words to Gaara to his climactic showdown with the Six Paths of Pain. Naruto is number one not just in his own universe, but he helped define a generation of anime in the 2000s.