5 Naruto Villains Who Were Not Wrong (2024)

Over the years, the Naruto franchise has spawned some of the most beloved characters in anime history, ranging from lovable goofballs like the series’ titular hero to brooding figures like Naruto Uzumaki’s eternal rival, Sasuke Uchiha. However, for every fan-favorite character, there are also multiple dastardly villains to stand between the protagonists and their dreams.

While most Naruto villains commit undeniably evil acts, this isn’t always the case. Throughout Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, several antagonists prove that they’re anything but irrational, and in a few cases, these villains even make a strong argument that their perspective is as legitimate as the series’ protagonist.

5 Itachi Uchiha's Worst Actions Weren't His Decision

Itachi Is One of Many Victims of Danzo's Political Corruption

As the strongest village in the shinobi world, the Hidden Leaf Village is home to several notable clans, the most powerful of which is the Uchiha Clan. Thanks to the clan’s unique ocular jutsu, the legendary Sharingan, the Uchihas spawn many of the Land of Fire’s greatest fighters, and in the modern Naruto era, no member of this family is more naturally talented than Sasuke’s older brother, Itachi. The eldest child of Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha joined the Anbu Black Ops at only 11 years old, but unfortunately, a devastating set of circumstances led a teenage Itachi to take part in one of the most heinous actions in the entire franchise: the massacre of the Uchiha Clan. This act not only brought the powerful family into ruin but also guaranteed that Itachi would be a despicable villain in the eyes of his family, his village, and most importantly, his younger brother, Sasuke.

However, while there is no arguing against the horrific nature of the Uchiha massacre, its brutal nature doesn’t necessarily mean that Itachi was in the wrong — or that the young shinobi was even a legitimate villain. Itachi’s involvement in this ordeal was by no means voluntary, and if it weren’t for Danzo Shimura’s threats to kill Sasuke, then Itachi would have almost certainly avoided any conflict with his kinfolk. Additionally, Itachi and Sasuke’s father, Fugaku, had already begun stoking the idea of a violent coup within the Uchiha Clan, and while this doesn’t justify murdering them, it does make Itachi’s complicity even more understandable. This, coupled with the fact that Itachi dedicated his entire life to fixing these mistakes, means that he was far from wrong in how he approached helping the world.

4 Kimimaro Wasn't Naturally Inclined to a Life of Villainy

Orochimaru's Influence on Kimimaro Fails to Uproot His Innate Good

Naruto is brimming with dastardly villains, yet even by its standards, none are more notorious than Orochimaru. The serpent-like rogue ninja will stop at nothing to continue his horrendous experimentation, even if it causes significant pain and suffering to the individuals who admire him. That said, not all of the disgraced Sannin’s followers are as unredeemable as him; in fact, some of Orochimaru’s followers have motivations and personalities that are deeply similar to those of Naruto’s main characters. One such individual is none other than Kimimaro, the final member of the Sound Five who makes a surprise appearance during Sasuke Uchiha’s departure from the Hidden Leaf Village.

Despite a worsening terminal illness, Kimimaro pledges his life to serving Orochimaru, who saved Kimimaro from dying like the rest of the young ninja’s clan. Although Orochimaru isn’t worthy of such a loyal follower, Kimimaro’s deep-seated desire to protect someone who, in his eyes, protected him is incredibly admirable, and it strongly resembles the loyalty seen among Naruto Uzumaki and his allies. Were the sort of selflessness that is seen in Kimimaro to be more common, then the ninja world would have been full of far fewer villains and far more heroes like those seen in the Hidden Leaf Village.

3 Nagato's Negative Experiences Transform Him Into Pain

Nagato's True Goal Is to End the World's Suffering

Naruto’s ninja world is primarily defined by the various nations that comprise it, but as the second half of the series makes painfully apparent, this doesn’t have to be the case. All it takes is a handful of powerful rogue ninjas to sew chaos throughout the world, and no group does this better than the Akatsuki. Led by the mysterious Pain, these individuals are some of the most notorious outlaws in Naruto history, so it only makes sense that their leader would be viewed as a nefarious villain by the vast majority of law-abiding shinobi. However, as Naruto Uzumaki himself realizes, the man behind the Pain persona — Nagato — is far from true evil, and in many ways, his actions were actually rooted in the desire to do good.

Nagato and his closest friends grow up in the war-torn lands of the Village Hidden in the Rain, subjecting them to some of the harshest conditions of any characters in the series. Over time, these childhood trials and tribulations come to have a major effect on the group, and eventually, Nagato feels as though he is unable to relate to those who haven’t been through similar experiences. This desire serves as the genesis of his plan to destroy the Hidden Leaf Village, and while the troubled shinobi is wrong for forcing the world to suffer like him, his wish that the people of the world be able to relate to each other is as legitimately noble as any hero in Naruto.

2 Kisame Hoshigaki Grows Bitter After Several Betrayals

Kisame Could've Eventually Fit in With the Heroes

The Akatsuki may serve as antagonists in Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, but that doesn’t mean the group is without nuance. The rogue ninjas that comprise the dangerous organization range greatly, with figures like Itachi Uchiha, Deidara, and Orochimaru present, there are ample personality types to compete with one another. However, while many of these characters are characterized by mystery or reservedness, one of the most straightforward members of the Akatsuki is the Monster of the Hidden Mist, Kisame Hoshigaki. Compared to the other villains in Naruto, the legendary swordsman is extremely disillusioned with the world, which is why his nihilistic perspective eventually proves to be one of the most unique in the series.

Kisame is of the belief that the ninja world is built upon lies, and therefore, he encourages others to distrust their opposition and maintain a guarded persona. Though pessimistic, there is a strong argument that Kisame’s reliance on himself is completely justified, especially considering that he has been betrayed at almost every step of his career as a ninja. Were the shark-like swordsman just a bit more willing to embrace friendships like the one he shared with Itachi Uchiha, then it’s highly likely that the Monster of the Hidden Mist would have been fighting alongside the series’ heroes at the end of Naruto: Shippuden.

1 Madara Uchiha Is One of the Most Complex Villains

Madara's Plan to End World Suffering Isn't All Bad

The Uchiha Clan plays a role in almost every major arc in Naruto, so it comes as no surprise when the penultimate villain of the series is revealed to be none other than the co-founder of the Hidden Leaf Village, Madara Uchiha. Alongside Hashirama Senju, Madara Uchiha helped create the most powerful nation in the ninja world, putting him in the perfect situation to fall victim to the Uchiha Clan’s most dangerous flaw: hubris. After leaving the Hidden Leaf Village in protest of the Senju Clan’s increasing prominence, Madara puts himself in a position to launch multiple attacks on the ninja world and sully his clan’s name for generations to come. In the eyes of most characters (and viewers), this qualifies Madara as the series’ greatest and most impressive villain.

However, as flawed as Madara’s approach to certain issues was, his overall perspective on life isn’t necessarily that wrong. The legendary Uchiha’s ultimate goal was to enact the Infinite Tsukuyomi, which would have placed every individual in Naruto under a genjutsu that allowed them to live out happy, suffering-free lives. As horrific as this idea seems, there is a legitimate argument that such a fate is an act of kindness and one that could save the shinobi world from the suffering that plagued it during Madara’s first life, even if it simultaneously strips its targets of any and all agency. Ultimately, Hashirama Senju’s perspective of creating change through the forging of real, personal relationships proved to be the better train of thought, but much like his rival, it seems as though Madara simply wanted to usher the world into a better and more peaceful era.

Naruto

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.

Created by

Masashi Kishimoto

First Film

Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow

Latest Film

Boruto: Naruto the Movie

First TV Show

Naruto

Latest TV Show

Boruto

First Episode Air Date

September 21, 1999

Cast

Junko Takeuchi , Maile Flanagan , Noriaki Sugiyama , Yuri Lowenthal , Chie Nakamura , Kazuhiko Inoue , Dave Wittenberg

Spin-offs

Boruto

TV Show(s)

Naruto , Naruto: Shippuden

Video Game(s)

Naruto Ninja Council 3 , Naruto: Rise Of A Ninja , Naruto: Path Of The Ninja , Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm , Naruto x Boruto: Ninja Voltage , Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Impact

Manga Release Date

August 6, 2003

Manga Volumes

72

Genre

Shonen , Anime , Manga , Action-Adventure