Every Akatsuki Member in Naruto (Strongest to Weakest)

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Plus, learn why each member joined the villainous group

Co-authored by Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: September 2, 2026 Fact Checked

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Core Members, Ranked

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Former Members & Allies

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History

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When it comes to Naruto, there’s no badder group of big-bads than the Akatsuki. They originally began as a peacekeeping organization, but their willingness to use violence, fear, and intimidation to achieve their goal plants them firmly on the wrong side of history. We’re taking a deep dive into the Akatsuki, including a ranked list of every member, plus some of the former members and allies, and the history of the group.

Who are the members of the Akatsuki in Naruto?

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An illustration of all of the Akatsuki members.

There are 11 core members in the Akatsuki organization in Naruto: Obito Uchiha, Nagato (Pain), Itachi Uchiha, Orochimaru, Kisame, Konan, Kakuzu, Deidara, Sasori, Hidan, and Zetsu. There are also several former members, including Yahiko, Juzo Biwa, Kyusuke, Shin Uchiha, and Madara Uchiha.

Section 1 of 3:

Core Akatsuki Members Ranked Strongest to Weakest

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1
Obito Obito Uchiha is one of the strongest characters in Naruto—so of course, we had to put him at the top of this list. He seems harmless at first, presenting as a clumsy kid who goes by the name of Tobi. But (spoiler alert) we eventually learn that Tobi is actually Obito, the mastermind behind the Akatsuki organization. It’s one of the biggest twists in the series, with huge emotional impact.
- Original village: Konohagakure (Leaf Village)
- Ability: Teleportation
- Ring: Purple ring with kanji for “gyoku” (“jeweled sphere”); worn on the left thumb
- Reason for joining: To create a world without pain
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Nagato Uzumaki (Pain) Nagato Uzumaki uses an ocular ability called the Rinnegan to manifest the Six Paths of Pain, giving him control over six individual bodies—more than making up for his own weakened physical form. He’s immensely powerful and a vicious opponent, and one of the greatest threats in Naruto.^{[1]
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- Original village: Amegakure (Rain Village)
- Ability: Absorbing chakra
- Ring: Gray ring with kanji for “rei,” (“zero”); worn on the right thumb
- Reason for joining: To create a world with no war; to find peace and understanding through pain. Anime expert Eunice Ibama says Pain’s violent nature is understandable given his extremely traumatic past and failure to find human connection.^{[2]
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Itachi Uchiha Itachi Uchiha is often called the God of Genjutsu. He’s incredibly powerful—not to mention misunderstood. He was forced to kill his entire family to prevent a war, and he spent the rest of his life framed as a villain and burdened by guilt. His story is tragic and meaningful, and you can’t help but feel for such a complex character.^{[3]
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- Original village: Konohagakure (Leaf Village)
- Ability: Illusionist who can alter others' perception of time and space
- Ring: Red ring with kanji for “shu” (“crimson”); worn on the right ring finger
- Reason for joining: To protect his brother Sasuke
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Orochimaru Orochimaru is one of the Three Legendary Sannins and is one of the creepiest (and strongest) antagonists in the series. On top of his snake-like powers and ability to regenerate, he’s ruthless, willing to perform cruel experiments on humans with the goal of becoming immortal and all-powerful.
- Original village: Konohagakure (Leaf Village)
- Ability: Reanimation, regeneration
- Ring: Light blue ring with kanji for “ku” (“sky”); worn on the left little finger
- Reason for joining: To continue his experiments and gain immortality
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Kisame Hoshigaki Kisame has one of the most powerful swords in Naruto—the shark-like weapon Samehada, a sentient blade with scales and sharp teeth. Samehada absorbs chakra from its enemies, strengthening Kisame while weakening their opponents in battle. Kisame and Samehada can even merge into a terrifying fish creature!^{[4]
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- Original village: Kirigakure (Hidden Mist Village)
- Ability: Massive strength and chakra reserves
- Ring: Yellow ring with kanji for “nan” (“south”); worn on the left ring finger
- Reason for joining: To end deception and create a world filled with truth
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Konan Konan was one of the disciples of Jiraiya and is one of the founding members of the Akatsuki. She’s level-headed, loyal, and strategic—and while her jutsu might not sound like the strongest, she’s able to turn herself into paper, which allows her to fly, camouflage herself, and dodge attacks. She even managed to put up a good stand against Obito, nearly defeating him.^{[5]
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- Original village: Amegakure (Rain Village)
- Ability: Paper manipulation
- Ring: White ring with kanji for “bya” (“white”); worn on the right middle finger
- Reason for joining: To create a world without war
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Kakuzu Kakuzu is Hidan’s partner, and together, the pair’s near-immortality earned them the nickname “Zombie Combo.” He spent most of his life working as a bounty hunter, which is how he developed his use of forbidden techniques—the most powerful of which is his ability to steal someone else’s heart and use it as an extra life. He can be destroyed, but only if he’s killed enough times.^{[6]
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- Original village: Takigakure (Waterfall Village)
- Ability: Immortality
- Ring: Dark green ring with kanji for “hoku” (“north”); worn on left middle finger
- Reason for joining: Financial gain and the search for immortality
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Deidara Deidara is an explosives expert who learned to make bombs out of clay in his time with the Explosion Corps. He’s boisterous and quirky, and he treats explosives like an art form. But he’s impulsive and prideful, and his lack of control makes him less of a tactician than some of the other Akatsuki.^{[7]
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- Original village: Iwagakure (Stone Village)
- Ability: Making explosives out of clay
- Ring: Teal ring with kanji for “sho” (“blue-green”); worn on right index finger
- Reason for joining: To be recognized for his art (and also because he lost a bet against Itachi)
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Sasori During the Third Great Ninja War, Sasori learned that his puppetry hobby was actually a great way to fight enemies. In fact, he was so skilled at killing his opponents that he earned the nickname “Sasori of the Red Sands.” He was able to control up to 100 puppets, and eventually turned himself into a puppet. He could have been a real threat if he hadn’t been defeated so quickly.^{[8]
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- Original village: Sunagakure (Sand Village)
- Ability: Puppet manipulation
- Ring: Purple ring with the kanji for “gyoku” (“jeweled sphere”); worn on the left thumb
- Reason for joining: To evade death and gain new puppets
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Hidan Hidan is the other half of the “Zombie Combo.” He’s an immortal fighter who uses a three-blade scythe against his enemies. He’s a servant of the Jashin religion, and he can overwhelm his opponents by using their blood against them. He’s fearsome—but he lacks strategy and impulse control, which costs him in the long run.^{[9]
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- Original village: Yugakure (Hot Water Village)
- Ability: Immunity to death
- Ring: Orange ring with the kanji for “san” (“three”); worn on the left index finger
- Reason for joining: To serve Jashin through tormenting others and to assist Kakuzu
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Zetsu Zetsu is a unique character with two sides—Black Zetsu, a shadow-like entity that is actually a manifestation of Kaguya Otsutsuki’s will, and White Zetsu, a mimic who often acted as a spy. Zetsu can split himself into these two parts, and he can use his Mayfly technique to easily blend into the background. He’s useful, but maybe not as powerful as some of the other Akatsuki.
- Original village: N/A
- Ability: Shapeshifting
- Ring: Green ring with the kanji for “gai” (“boar”); worn on the right little finger
- Reason for joining: To bring Kaguya back to life
- Curious which Akatsuki member you’re the most like? Take our quiz to find out!

Section 2 of 3:

Former Akatsuki Members & Key Allies

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A number of Akatsuki departed the organization early. Some of these were killed before the events of Naruto, while others joined the Akatsuki and left. And Madara wasn’t actually a member of the Akatsuki at all, although he was instrumental in bringing about the organization. Former Akatsuki members include:
- Yahiko: Yahiko was one of the founders of the Akatsuki, along with Konan and Nagato. He formed the group to try to bring peace to a war-torn world.
- Juzo Biwa: One of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist; he briefly partnered with Itachi before his death (anime only).
- Kyusuke: One of the original members of the Akatsuki; he was killed by Obito Uchiha.
- Shin Uchiha: A test subject of Orochimaru; he attempted to create a new Akatsuki.
- Sasuke Uchiha: Itachi’s brother, who was only a member for a short time.
- Madara Uchiha: Obito masqueraded as Madara for a while, but the real Madara was actually the original mastermind behind the Akatsuki.

Section 3 of 3:

History of the Akatsuki

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Black Zetsu was originally responsible for the Akatsuki. Black Zetsu is a manifestation of Kaguya Otsutsuki, a member of the powerful clan of ancient celestial beings that gains power by draining all of the life from a planet. Black Zetsu sought to revive Kaguya, so he planted the idea of the Akatsuki with Madara Uchiha, framing it as a way to end all war.
- Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan actually formed the organization. The three childhood friends were left orphans after the Second Shinobi World War. Madara (as Tobi) suggested the idea of the Akatsuki to them, and they created the organization hoping to end war in their home country.
- The organization thrived under Yahiko’s leadership. The Akatsuki gained a lot of attention in their early days as they attempted to bring peace to the war-torn region.
- Nagato took control of the group after Yahiko’s death. Yahiko killed himself to save Konan after the trio of friends were taken hostage by Hanzō, the leader of Amegakure, who feared that the group was a threat to his leadership.
- Under Nagato, the Akatsuki became a terrorist organization. After Yahiko’s death, Nagato decided that the best path to peace was through pain and fear. He (under Tobi’s influence) made a plan to capture all of the Tailed Beasts so they could use them as an ultimate weapon to end all war. The group began wearing their signature black robes with red clouds—it’s this version of the Akatsuki that we see when we first meet them.