Every Akatsuki Member in Naruto, Ranked by Intelligence

The Akatsuki stands as the most iconic antagonist group in the history of Naruto. Composed of S-rank missing-nin who deserted their respective villages, this elite organization was initially formed by Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato to bring peace to the war-torn Land of Rain. However, following Yahiko’s death, the organization gradually became a tool for Obito and Madara’s Eye of the Moon Plan.

Each member brought a unique brand of lethality to the table, but brute force alone didn’t make them legendary. It was their tactical brilliance, scientific innovation, and long-term planning that nearly brought the shinobi world to its knees. Aside from ranking them from weakest to strongest, we have ranked every member based on their intellectual prowess.

Title	Naruto	Naruto: Shippuden
Author	Masashi Kishimoto	Masashi Kishimoto
Production Studio	Studio Pierrot	Studio Pierrot
IMDb Rating (as of May 13, 2026)	8.4 / 10	8.7 / 10
MAL Rating (as of May 13, 2026)	8.02 / 10	8.29 / 10
Streaming	Crunchyroll, Netflix	Crunchyroll, Netflix

14 Juzo Biwa Lived as Akatsuki’s Most Forgotten Strategist

Juzo Biwa rarely gets mentioned in Akatsuki discussions because he only appeared in the Naruto: Shippuden anime and was never part of the original manga storyline. Before Kisame became Itachi’s partner, Juzo handled dangerous missions alongside one of the smartest shinobi in the series without slowing him down. As a former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Juzo clearly possessed enough tactical intelligence to survive in one of the deadliest criminal groups in Naruto.

13 Hidan Relied More on Immortality Than Intelligence

Hidan ranks low on the list because he relied almost entirely on his immortality and the mechanics of his Jashin ritual. Unlike his partner Kakuzu, Hidan was frequently impulsive and easily baited. While the ritual itself required a specific set of steps and a degree of focus, Hidan lacked the tactical depth to adapt when his immortality was bypassed. His defeat at the hands of Shikamaru was a direct result of his inability to see through a complex trap, proving that while he was a terrifying force of nature, he was not a strategist.

12 Deidara Turned Every Explosion Into Tactical Perfection

Deidara viewed his explosions as a high art form, but they were backed by significant tactical ingenuity. His fight against Gaara showcased his ability to exploit an opponent’s environment, while his battle against Sasuke revealed his C4 Karura, which are microscopic bombs designed to destroy an enemy from the inside out. While his hot-headed nature often clouded his judgment, Deidara’s ability to create diverse explosive strategies on the fly made him a dangerous and inventive opponent on any battlefield.

11 Kisame Hid a Sharp Tactical Mind Behind Brutality

Known as the “Tail-less Tailed Beast,” Kisame was far more than just a brute. He was an expert in information gathering and infiltration. His most clever moment was his infiltration of the Hidden Cloud by hiding inside his sword, Samehada, for an extended period to spy on Killer B. Kisame was also highly proficient at reading chakra signatures and understanding the mechanics of high-level ninjutsu. Even in his final moments, he chose to summon sharks to consume him rather than allow his secrets to be extracted via interrogation.

10 Konan Nearly Killed Obito With One Perfect Plan

Konan’s intelligence is often overlooked, but her battle against Obito proves she was a tactical genius. She spent years observing Obito’s “Kamui” ability, eventually deducing its five-minute time limit and physical vulnerability. To exploit this, she prepared 600 billion paper bombs to explode continuously for ten minutes, a plan so perfect it would have killed Obito if not for his use of the Izanagi.

9 Kakuzu Survived Decades Through Ruthless Calculation

Having lived since the era of the First Hokage, Kakuzu used his decades of survival to accumulate vast knowledge of shinobi tactics. He served as the Akatsuki’s treasurer, recognizing that a global revolution requires immense funding. In battle, he was highly analytical, using his five hearts to cover all elemental weaknesses. His ability to adapt to a changing world for nearly a century makes him one of the group’s most seasoned thinkers.

8 Sasuke Was Untouchable Due to His On-the-Spot Battle IQ

Sasuke Uchiha only briefly aligned himself with the Akatsuki, but his intelligence during that period was extraordinary. His battles against Deidara, Itachi, Killer B, and Danzo highlighted his ability to process enemy abilities instantly while creating counter-strategies mid-fight. Sasuke excelled in reactive intelligence. His battle IQ allowed him to survive situations where most shinobi would have died immediately.

7 Sasori Turned Human Bodies Into Deadly Masterpieces

Sasori transformed puppetry into one of the deadliest sciences in Naruto. His intelligence was rooted in experimentation, engineering, and precision. He developed human puppets capable of retaining chakra and jutsu abilities after death, something no puppeteer before him had achieved. He also created poisons so advanced that even elite medical ninja struggled to produce antidotes. Sasori’s brilliance was horrifying because he treated people as materials for artistic innovation.

6 Pain (Nagato) Ruled Akatsuki Through Fear and Strategy

Nagato, operating through the Six Paths of Pain, controlled six different bodies simultaneously, each with a shared field of vision, which requires a level of mental processing power that few humans could achieve. His invasion of Konoha was a masterclass in strategic destruction, using each Path’s specific abilities to dismantle the village’s defenses systematically.

5 Obito Controlled the World From Behind a Mask

Operating under the guise of Tobi, Obito managed to control the Akatsuki and the entire shinobi world for years. His intelligence lay in infiltration and manipulation. He successfully masqueraded as Madara, convincing world leaders and his own subordinates of his god-like authority. Obito was a master strategist who orchestrated the Nine-Tails attack on Konoha and manipulated the Fourth Mizukage to control the Hidden Mist.

4 Orochimaru Became Naruto’s Most Dangerous Scientific Genius

Orochimaru is arguably the most brilliant scientific mind in the Naruto universe. His intelligence is rooted in his obsession with learning every jutsu in existence, which led him to pioneer groundbreaking research in genetics and forbidden jutsu. He mastered the Living Corpse Reincarnation to achieve functional immortality and further developed and refined the Impure World Resurrection (Edo Tensei) into a far deadlier technique. It was a feat that changed the tides of war.

3 Itachi Read Every Battle Before It Even Began

Itachi’s intelligence was described by Hiruzen Sarutobi as “having the logic of a Hokage” even as a child. He was a master of psychological warfare and foresight. During his time in the Akatsuki, he acted as a double agent, carefully balancing his loyalty to Konoha with his facade as a criminal. In battle, Itachi was unrivaled in reading opponents. His most brilliant move was his final encounter with Sasuke, where he managed to seal Orochimaru and program a Kotoamatsukami crow to protect his brother from beyond the grave.

2 Madara Outsmarted an Entire Generation of Shinobi

Madara is the true architect of the modern Akatsuki. Though he spent years in the shadows, it was Madara who conceptualized the “Project Tsuki no Me” (Eye of the Moon). He successfully used the Izanagi to rewrite his own death after his fight with Hashirama Senju. By grooming Obito and implanting his Rinnegan into Nagato, Madara ensured his eventual resurrection. His tactical mind allowed him to fight an entire army at once, anticipating every counter-move.

1 Black Zetsu Manipulated Shinobi History for Centuries

Black Zetsu is the undisputed pinnacle of intelligence within the Akatsuki. While others played checkers, Zetsu played a game of chess that lasted over a millennium. As the physical manifestation of Kaguya Otsutsuki’s will, his sole purpose was her revival. He achieved this by rewriting the Uchiha Stone Tablet, tricking generations of Uchiha (including Madara) into following a false prophecy. Every major conflict in the series, from the Warring States period to the Fourth Shinobi World War, was a byproduct of his shadow puppetry.

RankCharacterIntelligence Specialty

1	Black Zetsu	Long-term manipulation and historical deception
2	Madara	Strategic foresight and war planning
3	Itachi	Tactical combat IQ and psychological warfare
4	Orochimaru	Scientific research and forbidden jutsu
5	Obito	Manipulation and infiltration
6	Pain	Leadership and battlefield coordination
7	Sasori	Engineering and poison science
8	Sasuke	Reactive battle IQ and adaptability
9	Kakuzu	Survival strategy and combat analysis
10	Konan	Preparation and tactical planning
11	Kisame	Espionage and battlefield tactics
12	Deidara	Creative combat strategy
13	Hidan	Ritual combat execution
14	Jūzō Biwa	Stealth and survival instincts

Which Akatsuki member do you think was the smartest mastermind in Naruto? Drop your ranking in the comments below!

Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden are streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix globally.