In an era predating the hidden villages, shinobi clans vied for supremacy by shedding the blood of their rivals. This disordered era was simply known as the Warring-States Era--though there were no actual states involved. The era witnessed its last dusk by the time various shinobi clans started forming large-scale alliances, and by extent, forming the hidden villages known today in the Naruto universe.

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As a frontrunner in that regard, Konoha’s alliance of clans comprised formidable shinobi all-around. At the very least, other hidden villages would not be able to compete. That is not to say that there exist no powerful clans outsides the confines of Konoha. And conversely, many of the clans outside the Land of Fire and beyond could go head-to-head with the Hidden Leaf’s iconic noble clans.

10 The Raikage Clan Includes Elite Members Such As A & Killer B (Kumogakure)

Raikage Naruto

The Raikage Clan has no actual surname, and even if it did, fans are not aware of it. Though there are numerous vague elements involved, the strength of this clan can not be shrugged off.

Its most notable members include A, the Third Raikage, his successor and son, the Fourth Raikage, Killer B (an adopted member), as well as the previous Eight-Tails jinchuriki, Blue B.

9 The Hoshigake Clan Possesses Shark-Like Features (Kirigakure)

kirigakure's Hoshigake clan

Kirigakure is often dubbed as the bloodiest of them all. The village’s very infrastructure was formed through blood-stained beams. The extreme violence was, to some extent, inseparable from the village's culture.

The Hoshigake Clan is one of the Kirigakure’s most noteworthy clans. Its members boast fins and shark-like features that give them high aptitude with Water Release nature transformation. The clan’s only named members are Kisame and Shizuma from the Boruto sequel.

8 The Kamizuru Clan Specializes In Beekeeping (Iwagakure)

Kamizuru clan from naruto

The arcane art of using insects to fight battles is not only exclusive to Konoha’s Aburame Clan. There was a time when the Kamizuru Clan, a clan of beekeepers, claimed the number one spot in the field.

Even now, there exist various famous shinobi that uphold the Kamizuru Clan’s surname, though their beekeeping style is slowly dying out. Both the First and Third Tschukage are from the KamizuruCclan.

7 The Kazekage Clan Includes Gaara & His Sand Siblings (Sunagakure)

Gaara Family Temari

Similar to the Raikage family, the Kazekage Clan has no known surname and is limited by numbers. If the clan’s only members are pre-introduced ones, then it could only be called a family at best.

Yet despite their meager numbers, the Kazekage family’s firepower is enough to obliterate a good chunk of reputable clans. Two Kage-level shinobi and various other jonin would dominate in just about any hidden village.

6 The Kaguya Clan Was Powerful Until Driven To Near-Extinction By Kirigakure

Members of the Kaguya clan

Nothing much is really known about these branched descendants of Kaguya Otsosuki. That said, from what little fans know, they were fully worthy of being dubbed as one of the most powerful clans in the Naruto verse in the past.

Due to the clan’s excessive ferociousness, they were driven to near-extinction by Kirigakure, which is pretty ironic. The clan’s last member, Kimimaro, spilled his last breath in the Naruto original.

5 The Yuki Clan Carries A Special Ice Kekkei Genkai (Land of Water)

haku is using his ice crystal mirror jutsu

Clans with predetermined kekkei genkai suffer the most out of their counterparts. And clans with particularly rare kekkei genkai but no solid foundation to note off are often sought out and hunted for selfish self-preservation. The Yuki Clan suffered such a miserable fate.

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Originally based in the Land of Water, a percentage of the Yuki Clan’s members possessed the Ice Release bloodline. This was unfortunately a kekkei genkai flagged as "cursed" by the very ones who severely persecuted the clan to extinction.

4 The Hozuki Clan Can Liquify Their Bodies To Avoid Taking Physical Damage (Kirigakure) 

Suigetsu Naruto

Most reputable clans based in the hidden villages enjoy either a signature style exclusive to them only, or, on rare occasions, a hereditary kekkei genkai. The Hozuki Clan is right up in the middle; their "Liquidification" technique could compete with many of the average-level kekkei genkai.

By turning their bodies into liquid, the shinobi of the Hozuki clan can successfully nullify most incoming physical damage. They often augment this technique with their skilled swordsmanship.

3 The Karatachi Family Embraced The Strong & Stepped On The Weak (Kirigakure) 

Yagura Three Tails Jinchūriki in Naruto

The Karatachi Family might lack the numbers, but it does not lack the strength. Their infamy really exploded by the time Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage, held the Kage mantle.

The members of the family are very honest with their bloodlust. In fact, Yagura’s reign over Kirigakure was like an extension of the ruling of his family. His established hierarchy of slaughter pushed the strong to higher heights and stomped the weak underground.

2 The Uzumaki Clan Originally Came From The Village Hidden In Whirlpools (Uzushiogakure)

Uzumaki Clan and Senja Clan

There are many misconceptions circling the Uzumaki clan and their heritage within the Naruto fandom. Many fans believe that the clan was mainly based in the Konoha, which is incorrect.

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In the previous era, the ancestors of the Uzumaki clan formed the Village Hidden in Whirlpools, Uzushiogakure. The Uzumaki clan’s alliance with Konoha proceeded until their late destruction a few decades prior to the storyline’s kick-off. Most of its prominent members chose refuge in Konoha, while others scattered in the ninja world.

1 The Otsutsuki Clan Pioneered The Way Of Chakra

Kaguya

The Otsutsuki Clan is one situated outside of the known shinobi world. They pioneered the way of chakra and lived like gods. The clan’s most notable members are Kaguya and her two offsprings, Hagoromo and Hamura.

Though they’ve existed for millennia, the clan rarely got themselves involved with "lower worlds." They spend their time roaming the universe, looking for the next world to parasitize and destroy in the process.

NEXT: Naruto: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Otsutsuki Clan