Most Popular Characters, According To Worldwide Poll

Naruto is one of the best stories ever told, and it follows the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young boy with lofty ambitions who aims to become the greatest ninja of his village, also known as the Hokage. This story ran in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine for over a decade and ended up amassing a massive fanbase all over the world.

Naruto

eventually concluded in 2014, however, the fanbase is still as strong as ever, if not stronger. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Naruto anime, the series announced that it would hold a popularity poll. However, unlike previous polls, this one was the very first global Naruto popularity poll. The poll ran from December 17th, 2022, until January 31st, 2023 (JST), and its results were announced recently.

Updated by Rei Penber, on December 8, 2023: the Naruto Global Popularity Poll gave the fans an opportunity to showcase their love for the series and many characters in it. With a plethora of characters to choose from, fans voted every single day for their favorites, or for characters that they wanted to see a spin-off manga for. In the end, it was the Yellow Flash who ended up winning the poll, however, there were many other interesting choices that the fans made in the popularity poll. While this list already goes over the 10 most popular characters among the fans, based on the Naruto global popularity poll, there are other characters who secured surprising spots and have now been added. With that in mind, this list has been updated.

15 Gaara – 70,557

The Fifth Kazekage

Taking the 15th place in the global popularity poll is none other than Gaara, the 5th Kazekage of Sunagakure. Fans know him to be an exceptionally important character in the story. In the beginning, he played the role of a villain, however, after Naruto touched his heart, Gaara mended his ways and went on to fight alongside Naruto in the wars to come. Gaara once held the power of the One Tail and he decided to use his powers for good later on after befriending Naruto.

Sadly, the One Tail was taken from him when the Akatsuki started making them move. His life was saved by Chiyo and, from there onwards, he did whatever he could to save as many people as he possibly could. Gaara is certainly a fascinating character that many fans wish would have been utilized more in the story. Regardless, him being one of the most popular characters in Naruto is understandable.

14 Tobirama Senju – 87,442

The Second Hokage

Tobirama secured the 14th spot on the Global Popularity Poll for Naruto and one might be able to see why. This Hokage was full of mysteries as fans did not get to see much of him during his reign. However, fans do know that he’s responsible for some of the biggest developments in the story, both good and bad. The fact that Konoha is as developed and organized as it is today is down to him as he was the one who ended up creating things such as the Konoha Police Force, the Konoha Academy, and even the Chunin Exams.

At the same time, Tobirama was also responsible for some of the worst atrocities, such as the discrimination of the Uchiha, which eventually led to their massacre. Tobirama is a conflicting character and, perhaps, it is that conflict that makes fans like him. Quite a lot of the fans would have wanted a spin-off on this character, however, he wasn’t even close to securing the winning place.

13 Shikamaru – 87,838

The Eighth Hokage

Shikamaru Nara is a very exciting character that fans absolutely love, especially in the first half of Naruto. He was one of the weakest, when it came to Jutsu, however, he was also the very smartest, having an IQ of over 200 before the age of 13. Shikamaru was an excellent ninja who calculated 10 steps ahead of his enemies before they even knew the battle had begun.

It is this quality of his that made him so popular among the fans. Sadly, as the series progressed, the character of Shikamaru wasn’t given as much attention and fans know that he ended up being left behind. However, the memories that he had given them meant that his popularity stayed high and that is precisely why he received as many votes as he did in the Naruto global popularity poll.

12 Jiraiya – 117,825

One Of The Legendary Sannin

For a character such as Jiraiya to be in the top 15 in the global popularity poll is not a surprise. Jiraiya is a beloved character that many fans hold dear to their hearts simply because he was a mentor to Naruto and was responsible for shaping his life. Jiraiya was a legendary ninja whose life was full of tragedies. However, unknowingly, Jiraiya shaped the destiny of the Ninja World by raising the Child of Prophecy in the right manner.

He’s one of the biggest reasons why Naruto is the way he is today and, for that, fans will always be thankful to him. His own story was also incredibly exciting for the fans to witness and it goes without saying that Jiraiya deserves the 12th spot on the list.

11 Obito Uchiha – 132,252

The Mastermind Of The 4th Great Ninja War

One of the best-written characters in the entirety of Naruto, Obito secures the 11th spot on the list of the most popular Naruto characters. Fans know Obito to be a good guy who ended up turning into a villain due to the many harsh realities of life. He was also manipulated by Madara and ended up taking his position in leading the world to the Fourth Great Ninja War.

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He became a very powerful villain who simply wanted the world to stay the same as it was before tragedy struck him. Obito cared a lot about his friends and had the goal of becoming the Hokage, however, in the end, grief consumed him. Thankfully, Naruto touched his heart in the 4th Great Ninja War and brought him back to the good side, before he ended up sacrificing his life for the greater good. Obito is one of the most popular characters and that is certainly not a surprise to anyone.

10 Hinata Hyuga – 144,484 Votes

A User of Byakugan

Hinata Hyuga is a member of 8 under Kurenai Yuhi in Naruto. Introduced very early in the series, Hinata was revealed to be a user of the special Byakugan. As the series progressed, she ended up becoming braver and more outspoken.

She ended up confessing her love for Naruto eventually and, after the conclusion of the war, the two ended up getting married. Hinata has a very loyal fanbase and, overall, she ended up receiving 144,484 votes.

9 Madara Uchiha – 144,947 Votes

The Ghost of The Uchiha Clan

Madara Uchiha, also known as the ghost of the Uchiha Clan, played a significant role in the Naruto series. He was one of the biggest antagonists and, quite easily, the most popular villain in the entire series.

Being a member of the Uchiha clan means that Madara is loved especially among the fans. Had Madara received his perfect ending, he might have amassed even more votes. Despite that, he finished the Naruto worldwide popularity poll with 144,947 votes.

8 Sasuke Uchiha – 170,665 Votes

The Strongest After Naruto

Sasuke Uchiha is one of the main characters in the Naruto series. Alongside Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, he is a part of Team 7, led by Kakashi.

When it comes to Naruto’s rivals, Sasuke easily takes the cake. It is a bit surprising to see him finish so low, however, eighth place is not bad for the strongest Uchiha of all time. He finished the poll with 170,665 votes.

7 Sakumo Hatake – 170,940 Votes

A Legendary Ninja

Sakumo Hatake is a character that fans know very little of. He was briefly mentioned during Kakashi’s short backstory and it was revealed to the fans that he was a legendary ninja who ended up taking his own life after failing to complete a mission.

Fans have always wanted to know more about Sakumo, which explains why he received so many votes in the Naruto worldwide popularity poll, as everyone really wanted to read a spin-off manga based on him. While he did not win, he ended up receiving 170,940 votes and took the 7th place himself.

6 Naruto Uzumaki – 182,911 Votes

The Protagonist

Naruto Uzumaki, the protagonist of the series, surprisingly, finished in sixth place. Naruto is an icon worldwide and one of the most beloved anime characters of all time.

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While he has a very dedicated fan base, Naruto could not break into the top five and finished the poll with 182,911 votes.

5 Kakashi Hatake – 212,403 Votes

The Beloved Teacher of Team 7

Starting the top five of Naruto’s global popularity poll is Kakashi Hatake, the mentor of Team 7. Kakashi is a beloved character who has played the role of a guide for the younger generation of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, among many others.

Carrying a promise of a lifetime to his friend with his Sharingan, Kakashi is a famed Shinobi and one who is easily one of the most popular in the entire story. Kakashi finished the poll with 212,403 votes.

4 Shisui Uchiha – 279,062 Votes

Itachi’s Best Friend

Surprisingly, the fourth place in the global popularity poll of Naruto was taken by Shisui Uchiha. Shisui was Itachi’s best friend and, during the latter’s flashback, it was revealed that he ended up committing suicide and entrusted his remaining Sharingan to his best friend.

His death led to the awakening of the Mangekyo Sharingan of Itachi. Shisui was nothing more than a plot device in order for Itachi to grow stronger and the Uchiha Clan Massacre to ensue. Despite all that, he finished the popularity poll with 279,062 votes.

3 Sakura Haruno – 489,619 Votes

An Incredible Healer

Taking third place for herself and hot on the heels of the character who took second place, Sakura Haruno finished the poll with 489,619 votes. Sakura is the most intriguing female character in Naruto and is also a part of Team 7, along with Naruto and Sasuke.

She has a very dedicated fanbase who are loyal to her, and her character rising up to the third place is proof of that. Sakura could possibly have climbed even higher had the poll run for a bit longer.

2 Itachi Uchiha – 505,014 Votes

Sasuke’s Beloved Older Brother

In second place is none other than the genius Uchiha, Itachi. This doesn’t come as a surprise to the fans as Itachi is loved by many. In fact, the vast majority of the Naruto fanbase absolutely loves him and the role that he has played in the story.

Not only did he play the role of a strong antagonist but he was also revealed to be a very kind and knowledgeable person who aided his village in whichever way he could. Itachi finished the Naruto worldwide popularity poll with 505,014 votes.

1 Minato Namikaze – 792,257 Votes

The Fourth Hokage

Taking the crown of the most popular Naruto character is none other than the Fourth Hokage, Minato. Fans did not get to see much of Minato in the original series. His days as a ninja were, sadly, shrouded in mystery.

This explains why Minato ended up receiving so many votes as Kishimoto is now going to draw a spin-off manga based on him. Minato ended up winning the Naruto global popularity poll with 792,257 votes.

Naruto

Release Date

October 2, 2002

Creator

Masashi Kishimoto

Number of Episodes

220

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