Naruto: 5 Strongest Ninjas Who Could’ve Stopped Pain’s Invasion, Ranked

Pain’s assault on the Hidden Leaf turned Konoha into a crater, and even its elite shinobi struggled to survive the Six Paths of Pain. Kakashi fell, the village’s defenders were overwhelmed, and only Naruto’s eventual return changed the battle’s course. But what if different legends had stood in Pain’s way? Could Minato’s Flying Raijin outmaneuver their shared vision, or could Hashirama simply turn the battlefield into a forest of nightmares? What if it’s the Third Raikage who is standing against Pain?

All these “what ifs” are tantalizing and beg us to speculate how each of them would fare against Pain. Or, rather, how would Pain even protect himself from a brutal and utterly humiliating defeat?

This speculative ranking weighs tactical matchups, speed, and battlefield control to determine which 5 shinobi from Naruto had the best chance of stopping the invasion.

5 The Third Raikage Could Make Pain Regret Invading Konoha

The Third Raikage’s extraordinary durability and Hell Stab could make him a nightmare for Pain’s Six Paths. He fought an entire army of 10,000 shinobi for three days, and his strongest form of Hell Stab, the One-Finger Nukite, could pierce even his own near-impenetrable defense. He could potentially tear through individual Paths before the Deva Path could coordinate a counterattack.

However, shared vision, the Preta Path’s chakra absorption, and Shinra Tensei pose serious complications. He ranks fifth because his raw power and endurance make him a formidable invasion-stopper, but he has fewer versatile counters to Pain’s abilities than the shinobi ranked above him.

4 Obito’s Kamui Could Make Pain’s Attacks Useless

Pain’s devastating attacks mean little if they cannot connect, and Obito’s most broken ability, Kamui, lets him phase through incoming strikes while warping targets into another dimension. Coordinated summons and Shinra Tensei would struggle to hit a properly timed intangible Obito. Better still, he could potentially remove individual Paths from the battlefield rather than trade blows with all six.

Obito ranks above the Third Raikage because Kamui offers superior protection against the Six Paths’ combined assault, but surviving Pain is not the same as defeating him. He lacks a guaranteed way to eliminate all six bodies before their numbers and coordination become overwhelming.

3 Tobirama’s Tactical Brilliance Could Bring Nagato to His Knees

Tobirama was practically born to dismantle coordinated threats. His Flying Raijin lets him teleport between marked locations, while his sensory abilities could help trace the chakra controlling Pain’s bodies. His Water Release, capable of producing enormous attacks without an existing water source, adds battlefield control and pressure. Rather than fighting six opponents head-on, he could isolate individual Paths and target the Naraka Path to prevent their restoration.

He ranks above Obito because his teleportation and battlefield analysis offer a more direct route to defeating multiple Paths. However, these are hypothetical applications: Tobirama never fought Pain, and shared vision plus Shinra Tensei could still punish a poorly timed attack.

2 Minato’s Flying Raijin Could Outspeed Every Path of Pain

Minato‘s fight against Obito during the Nine-Tails’ attack proved how lethal Flying Raijin becomes when paired with split-second analysis. By scattering marked kunai, he could teleport around Pain’s formation, exploit openings, and strike vulnerable bodies before they coordinate a counterattack. His mobility could also help him protect civilians while dismantling the invasion’s offensive units.

Minato ranks above Tobirama because his proven combat against Obito showcases particularly effective split-second decision-making against space-time ninjutsu. Still, shared vision makes surprise attacks harder, while summons and Shinra Tensei threaten his movement. His speed gives him a decisive advantage, but not a guaranteed victory.

1 Hashirama’s Wood Release Could Crush Pain’s Entire Invasion

Hashirama takes the top spot because his Wood Release combines overwhelming scale with battlefield control. His gigantic constructs and wood dragons could restrain multiple Paths simultaneously, while his immense chakra reserves support a prolonged fight. His battle against Madara and the Nine-Tails demonstrated his ability to contend with catastrophic threats.

Unlike Tobirama’s brilliance or Minato’s reliance on individual openings, Hashirama could potentially overwhelm Pain’s entire formation and prevent the Paths from supporting one another. The Preta Path could absorb certain chakra-based attacks, and Shinra Tensei could repel his constructs, but Hashirama offers the strongest combination of endurance, restraint, and area-wide domination.

Tell us which shinobi could have stopped Pain’s invasion and defend your ranking in the comments!

Naruto is available on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Hulu.

Naruto: Shippuden is available on Crunchyroll and Hulu.