Naruto's 15 Saddest Deaths, Ranked

As one of the most prominent Shōnen Jump manga-turned-television series in history, Naruto has more than its fair share of iconic fights. Considering the incredible power at most of the main cast’s fingertips, no character is ever safe from a sudden and tragic death.

With 720 episodes between Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden combined, these deaths hit even harder when the characters have been built up and endeared themselves to audiences over the years. While the series does its fair share of fake-out deaths, it kills off important characters too, maintaining the high-stakes atmosphere of the brutal ninja world.

15 Rin Nohara

Chapter #305, Shippuden Episode #345

Finally, the full backstory of Kakashi and Obito was revealed, and how Kakashi came to kill Rin was shown. After Obito finds out his two friends are in danger, he rushes from his bed and onto the battlefield, but what awaits him is shocking. He had some visions of Rin dying through Kakashi’s Sharingan but dismissed them. It wasn’t until he arrived on the scene that he saw Kakashi’s Chidori piercing through Rin’s chest, killing her.

Rin’s death was heroic to say the least, as she was harboring the Three Tails who was set to rampage once she entered Konoha, so she lept in front of an enemy Kakashi was attacking and had him unintentionally kill her. What made the death even sadder is Obito going berserk and killing every enemy in sight, and Kakashi getting PTSD and incredible guilt from killing her.

14 Utakata

Shippuden Episode #151

Although this arc was not canon and not present in the manga, it still gave fans one of the most emotional moments and relationships in the series. The Six Tails Unleashed arc centers around Utakata, the Jinchuriki of the Six Tails, and Hotaru, his disciple. Their bond was incredibly deep, and Utakata, despite his nonchalant attitude, was protecting Hotaru with all his power.

However, the time together was cut short when Pain found and attacked Utakata, looking to extract the Tailed Beast inside him. Although he found valiantly, he couldn’t overcome the power of Pain and was subsequently killed. The saddest thing about Utakata’s death wasn’t that he couldn’t be with Hotaru anymore but that she was waiting and expecting him to come back, not knowing that her master was already dead.

13 Shikaku And Inoichi

Chapter #613, Shippuden Episode #363

With the Ten-Tails now under the control of Madara and Obito, the Allied Forces had one last battle to face, and it was the most challenging one. However, the ninjas were co-ordinating very well and morale was high. This is when Obito makes the Ten-Tails fire Tailed Beast Bombs, and at first it seemed random, but Ao realizes one of them is heading straight to headquarters. Realizing there’s no escape, Shikaku and Inoichi decide to communicate with all the ninja one last time and impart a strategy that will help them.

This death was particularly shocking and reminded viewers that this was indeed a war where anyone could die at any moment, no matter how far they were. The fact that Shikamaru and Ino continued to fight despite their grief was another heartbreaking moment that gave weight to the death of their parents, even if they didn’t have lots of screen time. Shikaku and Inoichi’s death is one of the best-executed deaths in the series and a major turning point in the arc.

12 Nagato

Chapter #449, Shippuden Episode #174

Despite being one of Naruto’s main villains and responsible for the death of the beloved Jiraiya, Nagato did have a very emotional send-off. After Naruto defeated the 6 Paths of Pain, he located where Nagato and Konan were hiding, but instead of killing him and exacting revenge for all his fallen comrades, Naruto inquires as to how Nagato came to be and why he does what he does. This is when Nagato shared his goals of peace and how the shinobi world, particularly Konoha, took everything he loved from him.

After listening to Nagato’s words and story, Naruto decided he would end the cycle of hatred despite wanting revenge, and affirmed that he would look for a solution to the injustices. Nagato’s ideals were shattered, as his belief hinged on humans being unable to escape hate, especially when they lose everything. He decides to trust Naruto and to try and atone for his sins, Nagato revives the Konoha residents he just massacred in exchange for his life. It was truly a perfect conclusion to a troubled man, and

11 Konan

Chapter #511, Shippuden Episode #253

After the intense Pain Arc and the resolution of Nagato’s conflict and ideals, Konan transported the dead body of her childhood friend back to their home, but Tobi/Obito wasn’t letting this happen. He was interested in taking Nagato’s Rinnegan in order to fulfill his plans, and it is here he revealed that it was originally Madara’s eyes and not Nagato’s. Konan wasn’t going to let Nagato’s body be desecrated though, as she took on the Uchiha and actually killed him. However, Obito had a trump card that brought him back to life, and he ambushed and killed Konan.

What really makes Konan’s death even sadder is that she was planning to go live out in peace in her village, and bury Nagato. She finally saw her friend find peace and hope, but her moment of joy was short-lived. As her body was floating in the ocean, a flashback to her days with Nagato, Yahiko and Jiraiya made the scene even more heartbreaking and reminded fans of the tragedy of the trio from the Hidden Rain.

10 Neji

Neji has been one of the most interesting characters since his introduction in the Chunin Exams, receiving a prominent character development arc and a heartbreaking backstory. The crux of his character was free will and defying destiny, and while he did overcome his toxic ideals in the same arc, it was in the Fourth Great Ninja War that showed just how much his character developed.

During the Fourth Great Shinobi War, Neji sacrificed hmself defending Naruto and Hinata from the Ten-Tailed Beast. Though some fans were disappointed to see him die somewhat anti-climatically, victory over Madara and Obito would never have been possible without Neji’s sacrifice. His death was symbolized by a bird freeing itself from a cage, a good choice considering how Neji always considered himself a slave to fate and servitude to the main family. While Neji did end up dying for a member of the main family, this time it was different, as it was his choice to lay down his life.

9 Granny Chiyo

Chapter #280, Shippuden Episode #31

Chiyo endeared herself to fans by giving them one of the best fight scenes in Shippuden, as she teams up with Sakura to fight the Akatsuki puppet master, Sasori. Not only did Sakura finally get to feature in a high-quality fight, but the fan-favorite puppets also got a chance to be tested to their fullest extent in a back-and-forth exchange. Furthermore, her development from someone wary of Konoha due to hatred to opening her heart for Sakura, Gaara, and the next generation of shinobi made her death even harder.

Her character arc was completed when she gave up her own life to bring back Gaara from the dead, a move that backed the restoration of her hope for the world.

8 Hiruzen Was One Of The First Major Deaths

Chapter #139, Naruto Episode #80

While Hiruzen is one of the most divisive characters for his incompetency as a Hokage, he was still liked at the beginning of the series, and as the strongest at the time, was very important. One of the reasons the Chunin Exams was memorable was because of the exciting fight at the end where the village was attacked and Hiruzen strapped up. It is unusual for the strongest character to fight and die so early, but the unpredictability was well-received.

Hiruzen’s death was especially hard to swallow due to the fact it came at the hands of his one-time apprentice, Orochimaru. The villain was not destined to go on to become a future Hokage, as Hiruzen wanted, but his final moments would be spent ensuring Orochimaru could not hurt anyone in the village ever again by sealing his hands and causing him immense pain. He was later brought back in the war arc and proved to be an important asset in the victory.

7 Obito

Chapter #687, Shippuden Episode #472

As the mastermind behind the formation of the Akatsuki and the primary antagonist through much of the series, Obito was one of those villains who are hard not to root for. His relationship with Kakashi directly parallels that of Naruto and Sasuke, so his story is difficult not to get emotionally invested in. His backstory, identity crisis, and flaws made him likable, and his charm skyrocketed when he saw the error of his ways and decided to try and rewrite the wrongs he made.

Obito’s road to redemption is a slow one, and it wasn’t until the very end that Naruto is able to coax him down a different path. After finding out Madara orchestrated Rin’s death all those years ago, making one last stand alongside his former teammate before joining Rin in the afterlife made for a beautiful moment to wrap the series up. His conclusion was one of the best, passing down his dreams of becoming Hokage and entrusting it to Naruto.

6 Asuma

Chapter #328, Shippuden Episode #80

Son of Hiruzen, Asuma is the second member of the Sarutobi bloodline we witness suffer a tragic death. Best known as the leader of Team 10, Asuma mentored Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji into one of the most beloved trios in the entire series.

In the war against the Akatsuki, Asuma was slain by the immortal Hidan. While Shikamaru was forced to look on, his former team leader was bested in battle. During his final words with the former members of Team 10, he imparted goodbye messages that would forever stick in the minds of his former team and viewers alike.

5 Itachi

Chapter #393, Shippuden Episode #138

After committing horrible crimes and decimating his family’s bloodline, Itachi was content with distancing himself from his little brother Sasuke and dying with the world still believing him the villain. Many years later, Itachi would eventually be slain by this same brother, finally granting him release from the regrets of the past.

That relief wouldn’t last long, however, as Kabuto would reanimate Itachi to use as a pawn in his plans to destroy Konoha. Once reunited with his little brother, Itachi and Sasuke would team up to take down Kabuto for good. As his reincarnated body dissipates, Itachi is finally given the chance to display the love he feels for his brother as the two get the send-off they always deserved.

4 Kakashi

Chapter #424, Shippuden Episode #159

During Pain’s invasion of Konoha, Kakashi was one of the Leaf Village’s primary defenders. Kakashi depleted his chakra in a duel against Pain and expends the very last of it to save Choji’s life, dying shortly after. While fans were treated to a scene of Kakashi in the afterlife conversating with his father, it wouldn’t be long before he was ripped back into reality.

Had Kakashi’s death been final, it undoubtedly would have made the biggest impact and ranked even higher on this list. Fortunately, Kakashi was revived and this fan-favorite would go on to have a pivotal role in the series’ final confrontation against the remaining Akatsuki and its founder, Obito.

3 Zabuza and Haku

Chapter # 32, Naruto Episode #18

As the first primary antagonists of the series, Zabuza and Haku introduced Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura to the biggest threat they had faced yet. Zabuza was one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and was prolific with both weapons and Jutsu. Meanwhile, Haku possessed one of the series’ most interesting kekkei genkai and would push the Leaf genin to their limit.

While Zabuza was portrayed as a cruel man with a cold exterior, that comes shattering down after Haku gives his life to protect his master. Zabuza is also the first villain that Naruto is able to get through to by talking, instead of fighting, making the heroic moment where Zabuza takes Gato down with him all the more emotional. This death scene expressed the duality of characters perfectly, and the idea that no one is purely evil would drive many of Naruto’s decisions in the future.

2 Jiraiya

Chapter #382, Shippuden Episode #133

Over the course of the series, Jiraiya’s weird and oftentimes perverted personality made him a strange yet loveable figure. Despite his reputed immense power, Jiraiya never took himself too seriously and ultimately made a perfect mentor for Naruto to come into his own. As the first person to suffer the wrath of the entire Six Paths of Pain, Jiraiya held his own in one of the longest one-on-one duels in the series.

Despite managing to incapacitate three of the Paths, his ignorance of the remaining three Paths and their abilities would ultimately result in Jiraiya’s death by Nagato in one of Naruto‘s greatest betrayals. As he dies, he ponders what Naruto would have done, and manages to send a message that would help prepare Konoha for the arrival of Pain. While Jiraiya spent much of his life believing himself to be a failure, he succeeds in this one final task and provides a heart-wrenching farewell to this beloved character.

1 Minato and Kushina

Chapter #607, Shippuden Episode #350

Without the ultimate sacrifice of Minato and Kushina, Naruto couldn’t even exist. Although Naruto Uzimake’s origin and reasoning behind his parents’ deaths aren’t discovered until later, Minato and Kushina’s struggle against Obito and the rampaging Nine-Tails is one of the highlights of the series. In Naruto, the main characters often face their death by way of a grand sacrificial gesture, and the fate of these two lovers is no different.

This case is particularly bittersweet, however, as the great Fourth Hokage himself is forced to not only sacrifice himself in order to stop the beast known as Kurama but also must seal its power away in his newborn son. Had Minato not sacrificed himself for the greater good, Naruto and the Leaf Village as a whole would have been defenseless against Obito’s plotting.