Boruto Era: 7 Jonin Strong Enough to Rival the Kage, Ranked

In the Boruto era, Jonin sit just below the Kage as the strongest village fighters—trusted to keep the peace and, in most cases, celebrated for it. Still, the series makes room for exceptions: a few Jonin never become Kage despite matching that same top-tier power, and they stand out as some of the most formidable characters in the franchise.

Becoming a Kage usually comes after ranking up through the Chunin pipeline, which in Naruto requires passing the Chunin Exams. Those who do it are treated as the series’ elite Chunin ninjas—setting the stage for power comparisons that continue into the Jonin era.

7 Shino Aburame

Shino Aburame often gets overlooked in power discussions, largely because his visual design doesn’t stand out as much as other Naruto characters. Despite that, he’s an extremely dangerous ninja—capable of taking down opponents who look unbeatable on paper.

As a member of the Aburame clan, Shino can deploy different kinds of chakra insects to harass and overwhelm his enemies. Even though the concept sounds simple, the execution can erase most opponents with surprising ease.

6 Konohamaru Sarutobi

Konohamaru Sarutobi is the grandson of the late Hiruzen Sarutobi. He first appeared in the early portion of Naruto, where he initially came across like an arrogant brat. After crossing paths with Naruto, Konohamaru’s attitude and focus shifted, and he started training with real seriousness.

Eventually, he mastered the Rasengan, but his progress didn’t end there. By the time Boruto begins, Konohamaru has become a Jonin. His physical combat ability is portrayed as extremely strong, and he can handle fights against someone operating at Ao’s level without major trouble.

Despite being a prodigy, Sasuke wasn’t always stronger than Naruto.

5 Sakumo Hatake

Sakumo Hatake is framed as a legendary Leaf ninja. He’s described as so formidable that even the sound of his name unsettled his enemies. In fact, his opponents gave him the nickname “White Fang of the Leaf.”

The reputation stuck after Sakumo cut through multiple enemies using his chakra blade. A ninja with his level of capability would naturally be expected to have top-tier strength and speed. It also seems reasonable to assume he carried massive chakra reserves. Another point supporting his power level is that Sakumo is grouped alongside the Legendary Sannin, and it’s presented as common knowledge that all three of them were ninjas operating at Kage status.

4 Jiraiya

Jiraiya is part of the Legendary Sannin, trained under Hiruzen Sarutobi. Earlier on, he was often viewed as less naturally gifted than his teammates, but that perception didn’t stop him from working at his skills until he became truly powerful. He trained on Mount Myoboku with the toads, then learned to use Sage Mode.

Sage Mode boosts him to the point where even multiple bodies of Pain struggle to slow his momentum. Jiraiya is also depicted as a master of reconnaissance and infiltration, completing more than 500 missions. Another underestimated strength is his battle intelligence—he can read opponents quickly and set up a counter almost immediately.

3 Sakura Haruno

Sakura Haruno is portrayed as the strongest female ninja in the world, a milestone that stands out even within a series full of elite fighters. In the early stages, Sakura is more obstacle than advantage, unable to properly manage her own problems and often forcing her teammates to step in and cover for her.

That changes after she trains under Tsunade. Her power grows significantly: she develops chakra control strong enough to deliver far more threatening attacks. She also becomes proficient with medical ninjutsu, saving countless lives throughout the series. By the end, Sakura is positioned well above the rest of the female ninja roster.

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

2 Shisui Uchiha

Shisui Uchiha is one of the biggest “what-if” characters in the story. At his peak, he’s described as arguably the most dangerous ninja in the world. His threat isn’t just about raw strength—he’s also exceptionally fast. Shisui is a specialist in the Body Flicker technique, allowing him to cover short distances almost instantly.

But his most important tool is the Kotoamatsukami, a Genjutsu described as so powerful that people pursued it for years even after Shisui’s death. Using Kotoamatsukami, Shisui can place a crushing Genjutsu on his target. Once it takes hold, Shisui can make the victim do whatever he wants. What’s especially unsettling is that the target doesn’t recognize their actions are being controlled. With abilities like these, it’s presented as clear that Shisui operated at Kage-level Jonin status.

1 Rock Lee

Rock Lee is the beloved student of Might Guy. Guy pushes Lee as hard as possible, training him into an elite fighter. Lee commits fully to the process, and that dedication shows in his speed, strength, and endurance improving dramatically. The demanding regimen also teaches him how to use the Eight Inner Gates.

The Eight Inner Gates technique puts extreme strain on the user, so a normal person can’t realistically master it. Lee’s body, however, is framed as durable enough to activate the gates without the same limitations. Once he flips into that state, his power rises to a new tier—allowing him to trade blows with a Kage-level opponent.