InNaruto, many of the franchise’s greatest shinobi hail from Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, which is unsurprising, given its foundations include two of the greatest shinobi in history, Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. Still, later generations built upon this legacy to uphold Konoha’s sterling reputation in the ninja world, with the new generation of young shinobi alongside Naruto Uzumaki carving out their legends in the process. Whilethe Konoha Elevenare each exceptional shinobi in power and strength, some stand far taller than others inNaruto.
Technically, the Konoha Eleven has twelve members across its roster throughout the series. Yet,even members who leave should be heavily considered for their strength and combat prowess inNaruto. Considering their roles throughout the series, contributions to and including the climactic Fourth Great Ninja War, and raising the future generation of ninjas inBoruto, they develop along their ninja paths. But only the strongest may stand atop the Konoha Eleven inNaruto.
12Tenten
The Weapon Enthusiast
Tenten is often discussed among the most underdevelopedNarutocharacters, but a lack of measurable feats places her at the bottom rung of the Konoha Eleven. It’s a shame, too, because she has been a versatile image of a fūinjutsu and taijutsu user capable of working well in a unit with Rock Lee and Neji Hyūga under Might Guy. On paper, it seems like she should be far more substantial, yetshe is not given enough space to demonstrate or grow her abilities, and she rarely proves herself when tested in one-on-one combat, unlike others inNaruto’sKonoha Eleven.
11Ino Yamanaka
Konoha’s Gifted Telepath
While Ino is known as the Yamanaka clan’s newest shinobi to bear their mind-related control and transfer abilities, making her an asset on any team, she’s also a talented single combatant and, in a pinch, has executed some incredible feats in battle. While nowhere near Naruto’s level on the Konoha Eleven, Ino stepped up to the plate massively in the Fourth Great Ninja War after her father, Inojin, was killed along with Shikaku Nara. Ino’s feats included subduing and sealing a Nine-Tails-empowered Kinkaku while saving Shikamaru from his attack andeven overtaking Obito Uchiha to stop the Ten-Tails' attacks twice.
10Kiba Inuzuka
Canine Specialist of the Leaf
Kiba’s position as a rival to Naruto may have died off quickly after Part 1. Still,his canine specialties make him indispensable as a tracker for Konohaand a formidable fighter in the Konoha Eleven. Alongside Akamaru, his loyal dog companion, Kiba can surprisingly tear through tough opponents, using his heightened senses to keep up with even the most elusive prey. This includes reading into and subsequently predicting the movements of a disguised Obito and even tearing into opponents like White Zetsu relatively quickly.
9Sai
Root’s Most Lethal Artist
Given that Sai was initially introduced as a replacement for Sasuke in Team 7 after the Uchiha’s defection from the village and that Sai’s place in the Konoha Eleven replaces another significant character departure inNaruto, his position is contentious. Still, Sai is selected as a Root member due to his wide-ranging assassination talents, including being trusted with potentially killing Sasuke. Sai’s talents in battle also extend beyond Super Beast Imitating Drawings, bringing art to violent life, with him being a potent multitasker, able to still fight with his free hand and evenstop Sasuke’s killing blow against Naruto single-handedly.
8Hinata Hyūga
Wielder of the Twin Lion Fists
Despite multiple higher-profile taijutsu users also appearing in the Konoha Eleven, Hinata took Naruto’s underdog influence and ran with it, honing her abilities as a fighter and medical ninja to become an impressive fighter byNaruto Shippuden. This includes the Hyūga Gentle Fist fighting style, empowered by her Byakugan eyes to see chakra pathways and dictate the flow of close combat. As the series continues,she later learns the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms technique and the Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists, enabling her to interrupt chakra and steal it, with feats including standing up to Pain when nobody else could.
7Shino Aburame
Don’t Let Him Under the Skin
Shino is a case of the more underappreciatedNarutocharacters demonstrating excellence early on, never quite getting the spotlight yet remaining proficient throughout the series. In the Chunin Exams, Shino shocked spectators after maiming Zaku using his bugs to fill the Sound ninja’s modified arms' air pipes, causing them to explode.
Shino could also keep up with Kankuro of the Sand,who would become one of the series' earliest Jonins and hold his own against White Zetsus in the Fourth Great Ninja War. He doesn’t get much in the way of prominent roles in the epilogue, but Shino is an upsettingly strong ninja.
6Shikamaru Nara
Konoha’s Brightest Mind
Shikamaru is unsurprisingly among the stronger half of the Konoha Eleven, although certainly not for raw power alone. Shikamaru makes apt use of prep time and keeps a keen eye on his much more limited chakra reserves, allowing strategic use of his Shadow Possession and Strangulation specialties. This has enabled Shikamaru to be recognized early in the Chunin Exams as the Konoha Eleven’s dark horse, outfoxing Kin and Temari andimpressing his superiors enough to make him the only ninja to pass the exam.His most impressive combat feat was defeating Akatsuki’s Hidan inone ofNaruto’sbest fights.
5Chōji Akamichi
Chewing Up the Competition
Chōji ranking among the top of the Konoha Eleven is a potent reminder of the incredible potential every iteration of Team 10 brings to its village. Chōji chakra-consuming abilities are physically taxing, but they make room for possiblythe singular most outstanding example of raw physical strength in his town, thanks to being able to scale his strength to the colossal size he can assume. Chōji joined his father in a particular feat of strength,matching blows with the Gedo Statue in the Fourth Great Ninja War.
4Neji Hyūga
The Branch Family Genius
While Neji was doomed to a more limited life than Hinata due to hailing from the Hyūga clan’s branch family, Neji perfected his taijutsu quickly, honing a perfect defense with the “Rotation” or “Eight Trigrams Palms Rotating Heaven” technique among others.WhenNaruto Shippudenbegan, Neji was the only member of the Konoha Eleven to become a Jonin, showcasing his immediate superiority to most of his peers. Neji heroically sacrificed himself to protect Hinata and Naruto in the Fourth Great Ninja War, buthis legacy is honored inBoruto,and his place in the Konoha Eleven is taken by Sai.
3Rock Lee
Konoha’s Hardest Worker
Immediately upon his introduction in the Chunin Exams Arc, Rock Lee was noteworthy as a powerful physical fighter worthy ofhis shonen spin-off. He attributes his stalwart dedication and hard work, which he prized over raw talent, to his incredible power in theNarutoseries. Although initially sidelined by his fight with Gaara, he bounces back with a vengeance.Lee’s mastery of the Eight Gates only has him reaching the Sixth by the end ofShippuden,which, while an incandescent display of burning fury, falls just short of the Konoha Eleven’s greatest.
