Naruto: 7 Characters Who Can Defeat Madara Uchiha (& 7 Who Can't)

Madara Uchiha is, undoubtedly, one of the strongest characters in the entire Naruto universe. As the leader of the legendary Uchiha Clan, Madara was an exceptionally talented shinobi, the likes of which could only be matched by Hashirama Senju during their era. Although Madara was already strong, his thirst for power saw him craft an elaborate plan that would ultimately lead to him becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.

With tremendous power at his disposal, including Hashirama's own wood release style, few could've possibly stood against Madara in battle and even fewer could've defeated him. Madara could easily vanquish almost any shinobi who challenged him, but not even he was truly unbeatable. With the right justsu and tactics, there's a small handful of Naruto shinobi who could trounce him.

Updated on Feb 18th, 2025 by Ari Night: With the hierarchy of power in the Naruto universe changing drastically with recent chapters of Boruto: Two Vortexes, this list has been updated to include new shinobi capable of taking down Madara Uchiha. This art and copy has also been updated to fit CBR's current editorial standards.

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Characters Who Would Wipe the Floor With Madara Uchiha

Hashirama Senju Can Overcome Madara With His Wood Release

Image via Pierrot

The legendary First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, was known as the "God of Shinobi" for a reason in the pre-village era. He was the only one capable of defeating Madara Uchiha during the latter's early life. After his death and resurrection, Madara gained access to powers he could never gain in life.

However, the First Hokage did famously beat and seemingly kill Madara in a duel at the Final Valley. This, of course, was proven to be a fake death, but it certainly counts in the First Hokage's favor. Hashirama Senju made history when he helped found the Hidden Leaf Village, but that's not all he's known for. His wood release jutsu is a rare and poweful art that only a few characters like Yamato could use in later years, mostly by borrowing Hashirama's cells.

Kaguya's Immense Chakra Makes Her Nigh-Indestructible

Image Via Studio Pierrot

Kaguya Otsutsuki‎ came from seemingly nowhere to become the true final boss of Naruto: Shippuden, effectively usurping Madara's shot at dominance as the Fourth Great Shinobi War reached its ultimate climax. Kaguya is a celestial being with nigh-limitless power, chakra, and abilities. She has access to the Byakugan, Rinnegan, and Sharingan.

In battle, Kaguya can use some truly outlandish jutsu that not even Madara Uchiha can use. For example, she can warp both herself and her opponents to wherever she wishes in an instant. Kaguya was also the first to wield chakra and become the Ten-Tailed Beast. Kaguya and her clan have attained immeasurable power, and her legacy includes the creation of the ninja world. Madara wouldn't stand much of a chance fighting such a being, whether he intended to destroy or capture her.

Naruto Beat Madara Once. He Can Surely Do it Again

One of the strongest shinobi to have ever existed, Naruto Uzumaki is one of the few characters in the entire series who can defeat Madara Uchiha, and he has come a long way since his days of the entire Leaf Village hating him. During the 4th Great Ninja War, Naruto Uzumaki and Madara Uchiha clashed for a long time and Naruto was, more or less, able to keep up with him without any significant problems.

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Over the years, Naruto Uzumaki has grown several times stronger than that, and the power he has now ensures that he surpasses Madara Uchiha in terms of strength. There's no doubt that Madara is an exceptionally powerful character, but Naruto eclipses him in nearly every way as the world's mightiest jinchuriki.

Sasuke's Prodigious Talent Presents a Problem for His Powerful Forebear

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Sasuke Uchiha is the strongest known Uchiha to ever exist in Naruto, which makes him stronger than Madara. Sasuke asserted his dominance over Madara Uchiha during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Over the years, Sasuke honed his abilities considerably and was able to grow to a level where he was equal to Naruto in terms of combat. As a testament to his prodigious strength, Sasuke Uchiha fought and matched the likes of Momoshiki Otsutsuki in a fight.

While some fans believe Madara to be the strongest known Uchiha, that's nothing but a misconception because Sasuke is certainly stronger than him. Sasuke already had a strong start as Naruto's gifted shonen-style rival, and he only got stronger from there, using a stunning variety of jutsu, weapons, and even summoned animals like Manda to become a true powerhouse. It's fortunate that unlike his forebear Madara, Sasuke eventually became good again.

Jigen's Enhanced Talents Eclipse Madara By Leagues

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As Isshiki Otsutsuki's vessel, there are few characters in Naruto capable of standing up to Jigen in the Boruto era of the Naruto franchise. The undisputed strongest character in the entire Narutoverse, Jigen stands tall as an antagonist that even Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha couldn't defeat.

Naruto and Sasuke can easily defeat Momoshiki Otsutsuki, but Jigen is much stronger than both of them combined. Further, Jigen's highly modified body further enhances his already formidable prowess and chakra. In fact, Jigen has survived over a millennium simply because he's too strong to be put down. Jigen can defeat Madara without much effort, proving that the power scaling in the Boruto era has become even more aggressive with villains like this.

Momoshiki Would Bring New Dimensions of Pain to Madara

Momoshiki Otsutsuki is one of the most powerful characters in both Naruto and Boruto. Although he might not have been among the strongest initially, his powers grew dramatically after consuming his partner Kinshiki. Momoshiki is, indisputably, a character capable of matching Naruto and Sasuke in battle.

Momoshiki is someone comparable to Kaguya Otsutsuki herself, whose power was said to be several times greater than Madara's. Although Momoshiki can defeat Madara Uchiha, it goes without saying that this fight certainly won't be easy for him. Just giving an Otsutsuki a serious fight shows how formidable Madara Uchiha is as a mere human being compared to that celestial clan.

The Father of Ninjutsu Could Demolish Madura Without Much Effort

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Hagoromo Otsutsuki is quite easily one of the strongest characters to ever exist in Naruto. Being Kaguya Otsutsuki's son, Hagoromo has great powers that can only be compared to a few characters in the series. He has enough stamina to fight against his mother for months without resting, demonstrating his relentless attitude and limitless endurance.

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What's more, his powers further increased after beating Kaguya Otsutsuki, thanks to becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki. Hagoromo is someone Madara Uchiha can't beat, no matter how much stronger he gets. Characters of legend like him tend to be in a league of their own, serving more as plot devices than a proper part of the combat system.

Sakura Haruno Earned Her Place as One of the Hidden Leaf's Top Heroes

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By most metrics, Sakura Haruno sought to gain nothing from the shinobi world. Born to a regular family, she possessed neither the specific dojutsu nor the expansive chakra reserves of her teammates. The moxy and grit she brought to her responsibilities, however, allowed her to hone a legendary technique into a weapon with unparalleled destructive potential.

Based on Tsunade's rules, medical ninja's are only allowed to move into battle after developing the 100 healings jutsu. Sakura developed her jutsu much younger than her legendary mentor, and doesn't have to worry about segmenting a piece of her chakra to keep a youthful experience. While this battle may be an uphill climb for her, Sakura has the potential to present a real challenge to Madara.

Boruto's Genius Matches his Endless Chakra Reserves

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Thanks to his father's work, Boruto was born into a world that seemed ready to move on from Shinobi traditions. With the emerging threat presented by the intergalactic Ōtsutsuki Clan however, Boruto and his classmates were forced to evolve their ninjutsu to compete in a world of top class threats. Though it took a considerable amount of time for Boruto to come to terms with his abilities, his entrance into young adulthood presented him with talents that allowed him to surpass his parents.

In his extremely versatile arsenal, Boruto wields enhanced versions of his father's rasengan combined with a dojutsu derived from his connection to the great sage Hagoromo. His greatest ability is an implanted mark that allows him to access the jutsu and fighting power of Momoskiki Ōtsutsuki, a powerful enemy who himself surpasses Madara. These powers, combined with his large chakra reserves and a genius that combines the best parts of his father and grandfather, make Boruto a threat that would frustrate Madara to no end.

Ada Unconsciously Wields Reality Itself Against Her Enemies

Ada is a cyborg modified by a combination of Scientific Ninja Tools and Ōtsutsuki DNA. While she's only capable of using taijutsu, her potential strength is on the same level as Jigen's. Most impressively, however, is Ada's Shinjutsu, which is possibly the most overpowered jutsu showcased in all of Naruto.

Thanks to the addition of Otsusuki DNA, Ada is able to activate the Senrigan, a special Dojutsu that allows her to see the future. She's also able to manifest an ability called Omnipotence, which allows her to program the universe with her desires. Though she's unable to manifest this power to its fullest capabilities, her power would allow her to enchant Madara even with his Rinnegan.

Naruto Characters Who Can't Beat Madara Even On Their Best Day

In his Reincarnated Form, Hashirama is Half the Shinobi he Once was

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Although Hashirama Senju could beat Madara at first, he proved unable to stand against the revived Madara Uchiha during the Fourth Great Shinobi War. Madara proved to be Hashirama's superior in single combat and went on to attain, however briefly, increasingly greater powers between the Mangekyo, Rinnegan, and Ten-Tailed Beast.

The First Hokage is one of the most powerful shinobi to have ever lived, but Madara kept improving himself in life and after his resurrection. Madara became like a god, and Hashirama was left in the dust, feeling more like an obsolete relic than ever in that form.

Pain's Rinnegan is Powerful, But it's Not Enough

Despite the power of the Rinnegan as well as the access to five different bodies, Nagato, more commonly known as Pain, would be no match for Madara Uchiha. Between Madara's own Rinnegan, Mangekyo Sharingan, and the Susano'o, Madara has powers that Pain could never attain.

While Pain is certainly overpowered when compared to most fighters in Naruto, any battle against Madara would turn into a war of planetary devastation and mini-fights between summoned beasts. All things considered, Madara would ultimately win the day with his various ninjutsu, cunning, and ruthlessness. Still, even if Pain loses this fight, Naruto fans still admire him a the centerpiece of the best story arc in the anime, the Pain arc.

The Second Hokage's Strength Never Matched His Predecessor

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Tobirama Senju was the second Hokage of the Hidden Laef Village, taking up the leader's role following the death of Hashirama Senju. Tobirama was an incredibly powerful shinobi for his time. In fact, he was able to slay Izuna Uchiha in combat pretty easily, demonstrating just how powerful he really was. Fans should also note that it was Tobirama Senju who invented the famed Shadow Clone jutsu, which helped him leave his mark on history.

Even though Tobirama Senju was strong, there was a considerable power gap between him and his brothers. Consequently, there would be a drastic difference between his and Madara Uchiha's abilities as well. To put it simply, Tobirama was certainly not powerful enough to defeat Madara Uchiha.

Itachi Uchiha Doesn't Quite Reach His Ancestor's Power

Sasuke's gifted older brother, Itachi Uchiha, was just as great a shinobi as Sasuke is today, albeit not nearly as powerful. While Itachi was strong in his own right, he certainly wasn't even close to Madara's level. With the Six Paths Powers at his disposal, there's absolutely no way for Madara to lose to Itachi, no matter what happens during their fight.

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Although some viewers believe that Itachi is stronger than Madara Uchiha, there's hardly anything in the series that backs this claim up. Itachi may be powerful, but he doesn't have even half of Madara's godly powers, no matter his prowess with the Mangekyo Sharingan's abilities, such as his powerful Susano'o.

Even Kabuto Would Recognize He Didn't Have a Chance Against Madara

Image by Studio Pierrot.

A man who nearly achieved the power of the Sage of Six Paths, Kabuto Yakushi acquired powers that even Orochimaru failed to gain. He was strong enough to fight against Itachi Uchiha during the Great Ninja War, cementing him as one of Naruto's greatest combatants. What's funny is that when Kabuto made his debut in the Chunin Exam story arc, everyone thought he was a mediocre Leaf Village ninja with few special powers. No one realized just how powerful and villainous he really was until it was too late.

Although defeating Itachi could've been possible for him, beating Madara was certainly not something that he could've ever achieved in the series. When it comes to Madara Uchiha, the difference in power between the two is just way too massive. Nonetheless, Kabuto could've at least provided a decent fight for Madara in Naruto Shippuden, especially after he started using Orochimaru's own forms and jutsu to power up.

Even When He Put His Life on the Line, Might Guy Could Only go so Far

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Might Guy is a master at hand-to-hand combat, and he's shown that countless times throughout Naruto. Not only has Guy fought against the likes of Kisame and absolutely decimated them in battle, but he's also clashed against Madara Uchiha during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Using the Eight Inner Gates, Guy was able to overwhelm Madara in a fight, not giving him even an inch.

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In fact, Might Guy nearly killed Madara with his Night Guy technique, which is an astonishing feat by any measure. Unfortunately, the toll that the Eight Inner Gates take on Guy's body is way too much for him to use this technique for long, which is why it inevitably fell short. Like his student Rock Lee, Might Guy proved that intense training with taijutsu alone could bridge the gap between those with talent and those without talent, but some forms of talent require more than kicks to overcome.

The Fourth Hokage is Ill-Equipped to Take On the Legendary Uchiha

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Also known as Konoha's Yellow Flash, Minato was a once-in-a-generation prodigy who went on to become the Hokage of his village at a very young age. Using his skills, he was single-handedly able to end the Third Great Ninja War, which goes to show how impressive his abilities were.

Despite all that, Minato's skills are far inferior to Madara Uchiha's and this was proven multiple times during the war. Since Minato struggled to fight against 10-Tails Obito, beating Madara Uchiha is certainly not possible for him. Thankfully, Minato's son would grow up to be much stronger than him. In fact, Naruto fans admire Minato less as the Fourth Hokage and more as a fond father who was denied the right to be there by his son's side as Naruto grew up. Fans don't need Minato to defeat the strongest Uchiha to be a great ninja and human being.

The Renown Copy Ninja Doesn't Hold a Candle to Madara's Fire-Style Jutsu

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As the son of a disgraced former ninja, Kakashi spent his entire life rebuilding the legacy his father destroyed. After the sacrifice of his teammates in his teen years, his powers evolved to new levels with the implantation of a sharingan. Now dubbed the copy ninja, Kakashi's rise to power was so respected that it led to him becoming The Hidden Leaf's sixth hokage.

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Even with his technique and skill, however, Kakashi's abilities don't meet Madara's level. While in possession of his sharingan, he found himself unable to use it for long because of its hefty chakra demands. Against Madara's destructive power, Kakashi could only hope to survive long enough to die on his feet.

The Third Tsuchikage's Overpowered Technique Couldn't Even Scratch Madara

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The third Tsuchikage, seemingly born with his hard head, was put on a path to greatness after a chance meeting with the first Tsuchikage when he was a young boy. Trained in the legendary dust release technique, he quickly rose to power as a Shinobi with the rare ability to disassemble matter at the molecular level. This power was so great, it managed to stop one of Madara's summoned meteors from completely destroying the Allied Shinobi Forces.

As was proven during Onoki's battle against the legendary Uchiha, however, even his technique isn't powerful enough to get past a well honed sharingan. Madara's village-destroying techniques and perfect Susanoo proved a threat not even Onoki could surmount. Though he put up a decent fight in the Fourth Shinobi World War, the conflict would've cost him his life if he hadn't been lucky.

Orochimaru Isn't Brave Enough to Put His Life on the Line

Trained in ninjutsu by the great Hokage Sarutobi, Orochimaru quickly rose to prominence because of his famed "three-way deadlock" with his fellow Sanin. After a falling out with his former friends, Orochimarcu secluded to the shadows of the Shinobi world, perfecting a series of forbidden arts in a quest for immortality. Along the way, he managed to impact the very fate of the world, gaining access to jutsu not seen for generations before him. At his core, however, Orochimaru is a coward.

Powerful as he is, Orochimaru's fear of death won't allow him to fight for anything but his own survival. If a battle called for him to run, he'd do so at the first opportunity, no matter his opponent. Madara is a tenacious and dedicated warrior, whose thirst for dominance would take him to the ends of the earth. There's no chance these two would enter a battle on similar terms, and because of that, Orochimaru is sure to be at a disadvantage.

Naruto

TV-PG Action Adventure Release Date September 10, 2002

Cast

• Junko Takeuchi
• Maile Flanagan

Naruto Uzumaki, a mischievous adolescent ninja, struggles as he searches for recognition and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the village's leader and strongest ninja.

Main Genre Anime Seasons 1 Creator Masashi Kishimoto Production Company Pierrot, Staralis Film Company Number of Episodes 220 Powered by

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