Naruto: 10 Strongest ANBU Members in The Series, Ranked

The ANBU are Naruto‘s masked shadows and Konoha’s mysterious organization. They are the shinobi sent where ordinary ninja cannot afford to fail. Their missions range from assassination and espionage to reconnaissance, tracking, infiltration, and protecting the village from extraordinary threats. Konoha’s ANBU answers to the Hokage, while Kirigakure has its own specialized branches, including the Hunter-nin. Root, meanwhile, operated as a secretive ANBU subdivision under Danzō’s command.

But wearing an ANBU mask does not automatically make someone a top-tier shinobi. This list weighs confirmed ANBU service alongside overall combat ability, signature techniques, battle feats, and influence. From Itachi and Kakashi to Zabuza, Ao, and the terrifying Torune, these are the masked operatives who brought the most danger when the blades came out.

10 Torune Could Turn a Single Touch Into a Death Sentence

Torune might be last here, but his fighting style is nightmare fuel. A high-ranking member of Root, Torune possessed rare rinkaichū: nano-sized insects capable of spreading across an opponent’s body through physical contact and causing severe pain or death. Danzō specifically identified Torune and Fū as Root’s two most skilled ninja. His abilities were particularly nasty in close quarters, where one mistake could become a death sentence. However, compared with the nine shinobi above him, Torune has fewer major combat feats and a much smaller demonstrated overall arsenal, making No. 10 the fairest placement.

9 Sai Was the Emotionless ANBU Assassin Who Could Draw Death Itself

Sai was forged by Root rather than raised as an ordinary shinobi. Danzō’s organization conditioned him to suppress emotions and personal attachments, turning him into an efficient young operative trained for assassination and infiltration. His Super Beast Imitating Drawing gave him a uniquely flexible arsenal: animals could scout, restrain targets, carry messages, or attack enemies. Sai eventually became Konoha’s ANBU Chief, further confirming his credentials. However, his raw combat ceiling is more limited than Yamato’s Wood Release or Zabuza’s lethal close-range expertise, keeping him at No. 9.

8 Yamato Was Konoha’s Wood Style Wild Card

Yamato, also known as Tenzō, was an ANBU operative whose greatest weapon was something almost nobody else could reproduce: Wood Release. His abilities came from being one of the surviving subjects of Orochimaru’s experiments involving Hashirama’s cells. As an ANBU member, Yamato developed the precision and discipline expected of a covert operative before being reassigned to Konoha’s regular forces. His Wood Release could suppress the Nine-Tails’ chakra, making him uniquely valuable around Naruto. He ranks eighth because his direct combat résumé is less impressive, but versatility keeps him comfortably in the upper half.

7 Zabuza Was the Demon of the Mist Who Made Assassination an Art

Zabuza brought the word “assassin” to life. The Demon of the Hidden Mist was a former Kirigakure ANBU who eventually became one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist before defecting. His Silent Killing, Water Release, brutal physical strength, and mastery of the Kubikiribōchō made him terrifying in close combat. Even after becoming a missing-nin, Zabuza remained dangerous enough to push Kakashi into a serious battle during the Land of Waves arc. He ranks seventh because his toolkit lacks the overwhelming hax of a Mangekyō Sharingan, but his assassination pedigree was absolutely legitimate.

6 Byakugan-Wielding Shinobi Ao Made ANBU Look Terrifying

Ao brings something different to this list: veteran battlefield experience combined with a stolen Byakugan. The Kirigakure shinobi was a former ANBU of the village’s Hunter-nin Corps and later became the Fifth Mizukage’s right hand and captain of the Allied Shinobi Forces’ Sensor Division. His Byakugan gave him extraordinary visual perception, while his sensor abilities and combat experience made him a dangerous tracker and counter-ambush specialist. He lacks the overwhelming offensive power of the five above him, but his longevity, tactical skill, and history of surviving encounters with elite shinobi earn him No. 6.

5 Shisui Was the Uchiha Prodigy Who Terrified the Shinobi World

Shisui’s ANBU status came with an unusual catch: he was essentially an ANBU member in name only. As explained in Itachi Shinden: Book of Dark Night, Hiruzen brought the young Uchiha into ANBU specifically to monitor his clan and help prevent the brewing coup, rather than sending him on missions. His assignment was kept secret, making him unlike ordinary masked operatives. That does not diminish his terrifying reputation. Known as “Shisui of the Body Flicker,” he possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan and Kotoamatsukami, making him one of the most dangerous shinobi of his generation. He ranks fifth because his ANBU service was highly unconventional and his documented combat record remains limited.

4 Danzō Was the Ruthless Man Pulling ANBU’s Strings

Danzō didn’t simply operate within Konoha’s shadows. He practically owned them. He founded Root, a secret ANBU subdivision that trained young shinobi for missions outside the Hokage’s direct authority. His own arsenal was equally sinister, combining Wind Release with the Sharingan, Izanagi, Wood Release, and even Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami. Against Sasuke, Danzō survived fatal attacks repeatedly through Izanagi before finally falling. His methods were hardly honorable, but they made him incredibly difficult to kill. He sits at fourth place because his strength depended more heavily on his arsenal and preparation.

3 Orochimaru Was a Genius Who Turned Konoha’s ANBU Dark

Orochimaru‘s ANBU history is easy to overlook because his later reputation as a rogue Sannin completely eclipsed it. After Team Hiruzen disbanded, he became an ANBU member and joined Root under Danzō, placing one of Konoha’s greatest scientific minds inside its darkest machinery. Even before becoming a missing-nin, Orochimaru possessed monstrous talent, enormous knowledge of ninjutsu, and terrifying adaptability. His forbidden research eventually transformed him into an even greater threat. He ranks below Kakashi because his ANBU combat record is less extensively documented, but his overall shinobi power makes No. 3 difficult to dispute.

2 Kakashi Made the ANBU His Personal Playground

Kakashi entered the ANBU after Minato became Hokage and quickly established himself as one of its most formidable operatives. He joined the ANBU at the age of 13, became a Squad Captain at 14, and served in Konoha’s black ops until 24. His reputation was so brutal that he earned the chilling nickname “Cold-blooded Kakashi.” The Copy Ninja already possessed the Sharingan, exceptional tactical intelligence, Lightning Cutter, and years of battlefield experience. That legendary résumé put him above the remaining candidates and in second place. The No.1 ultimately edges Kakashi out in the race to the top spot through greater ocular power and his extraordinary Mangekyō abilities.

1 Itachi Was Konoha’s Deadliest ANBU Prodigy

Itachi was practically built for the ANBU: calm, merciless when necessary, brilliant under pressure, and armed with the Sharingan. He joined Konoha’s ANBU at 11 and became the Captain at 12, taking away the “youngest ever Captain” title from Kakashi, while secretly serving as a double agent during the Uchiha crisis. His Sharingan gave him devastating genjutsu and predictive combat abilities, while his later Mangekyō Sharingan elevated him into another league. Even among this terrifying group, Itachi’s combination of intelligence, assassination experience, ocular abilities, and composure makes him the clearest choice for No. 1.

Think we got the ranking wrong? Tell us which ANBU shinobi deserves a higher spot in the comments!

Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden are available on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Hulu.