In Naruto, there are plenty of strong ninjas, however, only a few could really be considered invincible. Ninjas who reached extraordinary heights were given the title of "God of Shinobi." Throughout the series, only two ninjas were given the title of God of Shinobi: Hashirama Senju and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

RELATED: Naruto: Rock Lee's 5 Most Triumphant Victories (& His 5 Most Humiliating Defeats)

But, there were several other characters who were more than capable of reaching the same level and perhaps even capable of going further. Sasuke and Naruto went beyond the level of God of Shinobi; they became untouchable at the end of the series, so it would unfair to include them on the list.

10 COULD: MINATO NAMIKAZE

minato vs ay the raikage in Naruto

Minato Namikaze shot to fame during the Third Great Ninja War. He was one of the main reasons behind the success of the Hidden Leaf during the war. He came to be known as the Yellow Flash of the Leaf.

From an early age, Minato showed promise and he was on the right track to becoming one of the greatest ninjas that the Hidden Leaf ever produced. If Minato had lived on for a few more years, he could have easily mastered the chakra of the Nine-Tails and he would also have gained better control over his sage mode.

9 COULDN'T: KAKASHI HATAKE

Kakashi Hatake Naruto

Kakashi Hatake had immense potential as a kid. He became a Jonin at a very young age and he looked to be destined for great things. Kakashi also received the Sharingan from Obito, enhancing his power and making him notorious among Shinobi from other villages.

However, Kakashi never reached the expected heights. For the most part of the series, he was just a Jonin, only rising to the rank of Hokage at the end of Naruto Shippuden. In spite of his skillset and rise to the highest rank in the village, Kakashi still lacked the power that would have allowed him to become of the strongest ninjas in history.

8 COULD: ITACHI UCHIHA

Itachi could be labeled as a generational talent. Along with being intelligent, he was talented in fighting as well. Itachi unlocked his Mangekyou Sharingan at an early age and mastered it as well.

RELATED: Boruto: 10 Burning Questions From Naruto That The Sequel Has Yet To Answer

Itachi's Susanoo was equipped with the Totsuka Blade and the Yata Mirror, which made him invincible (according to Zetsu). The only thing that prevented Itachi from fulfilling his potential was his failing health.

7 COULDN'T: JIRAIYA

Jiraiya crushing the ground with toads on his shoulders Naruto

Jiraiya was one of the legendary Sannin. He rose to fame during the Second Great Ninja War. Jiraiya was among the strongest characters of his generation.

Jiraiya never attempted to increase his power because he was more concerned about the prophecy. As a kid, Jiraiya wasn't all that talented, so by becoming one of Konoha's most well-known ninjas, he overachieved.

6 COULD: NAGATO UZUMAKI

Nagato Uzumaki was the leader of Akatsuki. Madara had transplanted the Rinnegan into his eyes when he was just a kid. Over the years, Nagato learned to control the Rinnegan.

He created the Six Paths of Pain and took down strong characters such as Jiraiya, Hanzo, Kakashi, etc. Nagato was nerfed when he was still alive as he was unable to move his real body; when he was reanimated, though, he took down Naruto and Killer B on his own; the two of them would have died if not for Itachi's timely intervention.

5 COULDN'T: IRUKA

Iruka smiling with one hand against his temple

Iruka was the very first person who acknowledged Naruto as a ninja. It is fair to say that Iruka had the biggest impact on Naruto's life when he was still a kid. Iruka certainly provided a lot of support to Naruto.

RELATED: Naruto: All Of Naruto's Jinchuriki Forms In Order Of Appearance

But, if we are talking about power then it is pretty clear Iruka was very average in terms of power, so there's no chance that he could become one of the strongest characters in the series.

4 COULD: OROCHIMARU

Orochimaru

Orochimaru is a severely underrated character. He was once a prime candidate for the position of the Hokage, however, when Hiruzen found out about his wrongdoings, he was rightfully run out of the village.

Orochimaru's intelligence is extraordinary as he has proven several times. It is also worth noting that Orochimaru was never at full power and yet he was among the strongest characters in the series. If Orochimaru had managed to get ahold of Sasuke's body then there would have been no stopping him.

3 COULDN'T: KABUTO YAKUSHI

Kabuto Yakushi Laughing At Itachi And Sasuke While In Sage Mode

Kabuto was Orochimaru's student. Kabuto would go on to play a pivotal role in the Fourth Great Ninja War. After Orochimaru was killed by Sasuke, Kabuto went to Ryuchi Cave to learn the snake sage mode.

He succeeded partly, and with his newly gained powers, Kabuto aided Obito during the war. However, Kabuto didn't have the skills required to match the other strong ninjas. His potential wasn't all that great either.

2 COULD: MADARA UCHIHA

Madara Uchiha crossing his arms Naruto

Madara Uchiha is one of the most legendary figures in the series. He became the leader of the Uchiha clan after the death of his father. He also became the lifelong rival of Hashirama Senju.

Madara was very close to the level of Hashirama which was responsible for the mutual respect between them. Madara's name alone was enough to evoke fear among Shinobi.

1 COULDN'T: FUGAKU UCHIHA

fugaku uchiha with his eyes closed

The final character on the list is Fugaku Uchiha. Fugaku was the head of the Leaf Police and the Uchiha Clan. Fugaku and the rest of Uchiha were growing frustrated at the Hidden Leaf's behavior towards the Uchiha Clan.

Fugaku was not powerful enough to take on the Leaf Elders on his own, which proves that he was not at the level required to become an elite ninja.

NEXT: Naruto: 5 Characters Who Should Have One For All (& 5 Who Absolutely Shouldn't)