Discussion Power Rank the Akatsuki
- Thread starter Shiroyru
- Start date
- Rinnegan Obito
- Nagato
- M.S. Obito
- Healthy Itachi
- Pein
- Sick Itachi
- Orochimaru
- Kisame Hoshigaki
- Sasori
- Deidara
- Spiral Yamato Zetsu
- Kakuzu
- Konan
- Hidan
- Zetsu
Nagato stating that "someone with both of our would be unstoppable." indirectly referring to Madara Uchiha, but also encapsulates Obito at the time.
The fact that Zetsu directly stated Itachi was invincible and was awe struck by him, after watching Jiraiya vs Pein would lend to me putting a Healthy Itachi > Pein. It wasn't accidental that Kishi wrote those fights in that order and included that commentary.
Almost everything else comes down to feats. Orochimaru's got a lot of hype and was so broken, Kishi nerfed him after the first 125 chapters. Kisame's got the best hype in the Akatsuki after the Eyeball trio of Itachi, Obito and Nagato. Sasori's placement is based on Deidara's admittance of inferiority, I used to take this with more grains of salt but it's not worth the argument. Spiral Zetsu in the War was able to stall an Edo Tensei Kage and was too much for the worn out Kage's to handle, I can't see Kakuzu managing that ever.
Kakuzu has superior portrayal to Deidara. It took Kakashi + Choji + Ino + Shikamaru + Naruto to bring him down.
Plus Kakuzu was portrayed as the master in his duo. Every Akatsuki duo has a master-sidekick dynamic. Nagato was the master and Konan was the sidekick. Kakuzu was the master and Hidan was the sidekick. Sasori was the master and Deidara was the sidekick. Itachi was the master and Kisame was the sidekick.
Plus Kakuzu was portrayed as the master in his duo. Every Akatsuki duo has a master-sidekick dynamic. Nagato was the master and Konan was the sidekick. Kakuzu was the master and Hidan was the sidekick. Sasori was the master and Deidara was the sidekick. Itachi was the master and Kisame was the sidekick.
Kakashi who was still reeling from his last encounter with Akatsuki*
Throughout that encounter, Kakashi was repeatedly having to defend Ino/Choji/bystanders instead of them participating. You know how delibiltating Raikiri was on early Shippuden Kakashi and he had to use it on both hands to stop Kakuzu's slow ass, linear Gian. Likewise, Kakuzu's fuuton + Hidan combo was utterly ineffective.
Up until Kakuzu used Jiongu's fuller manifestation, he was a non-threat to a weakened Kakashi. Your point on the master-sidekick dynamic doesn't hold much ground considering Kisame was the sidekick and is easily above Kakuzu, and Deidara himself became the master later on as well. Unlike Kakuzu, when Deidara died Kisame remarked about his promise as a shinobi as well, IIRC.
Throughout that encounter, Kakashi was repeatedly having to defend Ino/Choji/bystanders instead of them participating. You know how delibiltating Raikiri was on early Shippuden Kakashi and he had to use it on both hands to stop Kakuzu's slow ass, linear Gian. Likewise, Kakuzu's fuuton + Hidan combo was utterly ineffective.
Up until Kakuzu used Jiongu's fuller manifestation, he was a non-threat to a weakened Kakashi. Your point on the master-sidekick dynamic doesn't hold much ground considering Kisame was the sidekick and is easily above Kakuzu, and Deidara himself became the master later on as well. Unlike Kakuzu, when Deidara died Kisame remarked about his promise as a shinobi as well, IIRC.
Before all the war bs took over.
Pain
Obito
Itachi (honestly healthy Itachi is possibly above Obito pre war)
Next group is close tbh
Portrayal wise Sasori >= Kakuzu > Kisame
Featwise it's Kisame >= Kakuzu > Sasori,
arguments can be made for any order for these 3 imo, Kakuzu is more balanced between portrayal and feats.
Kakuzu
Sasori
Kisame
Deidara (featwise he can be argued higher, clear cut portrayal below Sasori though)
Hidan
Konan (only reason she's in the akatsuki imo is because of Nagato, doubt she's someone the akatsuki would go out of there way to recruit for hunting Jinchuuriki/Bijuu like all the members above her)
Zetsu
Pain
Obito
Itachi (honestly healthy Itachi is possibly above Obito pre war)
Next group is close tbh
Portrayal wise Sasori >= Kakuzu > Kisame
Featwise it's Kisame >= Kakuzu > Sasori,
arguments can be made for any order for these 3 imo, Kakuzu is more balanced between portrayal and feats.
Kakuzu
Sasori
Kisame
Deidara (featwise he can be argued higher, clear cut portrayal below Sasori though)
Hidan
Konan (only reason she's in the akatsuki imo is because of Nagato, doubt she's someone the akatsuki would go out of there way to recruit for hunting Jinchuuriki/Bijuu like all the members above her)
Zetsu
To be fair, Deidara said probably
So at worst from this statement, Sasori is only a little stronger, and eventhen judging by the context, he may have said that to draw Kakashi's attention away to handle Naruto alone. Considering he knew of Sasori's heart weakness and that he had a trumpcard he only wanted to use as a last ressort against Itachi, it makes that statement even more suspicious. Kisame also said after he died that Deidara was in the upper echelon in the Akatsuki
I think the mid level akatsuki members(Deidara, Kakuzu, Sasori, Kisame) are all close, with a battle between them depending on match-ups
They are below the dojutsu trio though. Overall i'd probably rank them this way then
1- Rinnegan Obito
2- Nagato/Pain
3- MS Obito
4- Itachi
5- Orochimaru
6- Kakuzu/Kisame/Sasori/Deidara(depends on match-ups)
7- Konan
8- Hidan
9- Zetsu
I think the mid level akatsuki members(Deidara, Kakuzu, Sasori, Kisame) are all close, with a battle between them depending on match-ups
They are below the dojutsu trio though. Overall i'd probably rank them this way then
1- Rinnegan Obito
2- Nagato/Pain
3- MS Obito
4- Itachi
5- Orochimaru
6- Kakuzu/Kisame/Sasori/Deidara(depends on match-ups)
7- Konan
8- Hidan
9- Zetsu
To be fair, Deidara said probably
So at worst from this statement, Sasori is only a little stronger, and eventhen judging by the context, he may have said that to draw Kakashi's attention away to handle Naruto alone. Considering he knew of Sasori's heart weakness and that he had a trumpcard he only wanted to use as a last ressort against Itachi, it makes that statement even more suspicious. Kisame also said after he died that Deidara was in the upper echelon in the Akatsuki
I think the mid level akatsuki members(Deidara, Kakuzu, Sasori, Kisame) are all close, with a battle between them depending on match-ups
They are below the dojutsu trio though. Overall i'd probably rank them this way then
1- Rinnegan Obito
2- Nagato/Pain
3- MS Obito
4- Itachi
5- Orochimaru
6- Kakuzu/Kisame/Deidara/Kisame(depends on match-ups)
7- Konan
8- Hidan
9- Zetsu
I think the mid level akatsuki members(Deidara, Kakuzu, Sasori, Kisame) are all close, with a battle between them depending on match-ups
They are below the dojutsu trio though. Overall i'd probably rank them this way then
1- Rinnegan Obito
2- Nagato/Pain
3- MS Obito
4- Itachi
5- Orochimaru
6- Kakuzu/Kisame/Deidara/Kisame(depends on match-ups)
7- Konan
8- Hidan
9- Zetsu
I think they are roughly on the same lvl. Featwise Sasori is pathetic(although he let himself get killed), but he had hype of beating a stronger Kazekage than Gaara who Deidara struggled to beat, he also had portrayal of at least being as strong if not stronger than Deidara according to the man himself, a Deidara who almost killed hebi Sasuke, who had absorbed Orochimaru's power at that point and with a match-up disadvantage(Sharingan and raiton countering his abilities).
Though yes, i agree that Kakuzu was very impressive against Kakashi, who was portrayed around as strong as Gai who defeated Kisame, but there were circumstances behind all this(Kakashi had drawbacks in Choji, Shikamaru, Ino that he had to protect), wasting his chakra and not allowing him to fight with all he could which in the long run wasn't benefic to BOS Kakashi where chakra was important for him, and eventhen, Kakashi later implied he could still have beaten Kakuzu with kamui. On the other hand, Gai's taijutsu had some match up advantage against Kisame's especially when he didn't have samehada at that point. Kisame on the other hand perfect better against Bijus/jinchurikis than them
That's why i said, it's pretty much match-up dependant for the mid Akatsuki members. Sasori, Deidara, Kisame, Kakuzu is the same lvl imo
Though yes, i agree that Kakuzu was very impressive against Kakashi, who was portrayed around as strong as Gai who defeated Kisame, but there were circumstances behind all this(Kakashi had drawbacks in Choji, Shikamaru, Ino that he had to protect), wasting his chakra and not allowing him to fight with all he could which in the long run wasn't benefic to BOS Kakashi where chakra was important for him, and eventhen, Kakashi later implied he could still have beaten Kakuzu with kamui. On the other hand, Gai's taijutsu had some match up advantage against Kisame's especially when he didn't have samehada at that point. Kisame on the other hand perfect better against Bijus/jinchurikis than them
That's why i said, it's pretty much match-up dependant for the mid Akatsuki members. Sasori, Deidara, Kisame, Kakuzu is the same lvl imo
Sure but that's a specific matchup tailor made for Kisame.
I can say Kisame got clowned and embarrassed by Gai every encounter, (Kakuzu would do better given domu), while Gai's rival and portrayed equal (honestly portrayed above) was being ragdolled by Kakuzu. There's also that time Itachi told Kisame to avoid Kakashi because he would get hurt and the fight would drag this was before MS. Ontop of this you have the usual two man cells, they are said to be formed so that they can take on Bijuus and jinchuuriki without fail. Kakuzu like Itachi, Sasori, and Pain was the one implied to be the heavier lifter in his cell. Portrayal definitely favours Kakuzu > Kisame.
I can say Kisame got clowned and embarrassed by Gai every encounter, (Kakuzu would do better given domu), while Gai's rival and portrayed equal (honestly portrayed above) was being ragdolled by Kakuzu. There's also that time Itachi told Kisame to avoid Kakashi because he would get hurt and the fight would drag this was before MS. Ontop of this you have the usual two man cells, they are said to be formed so that they can take on Bijuus and jinchuuriki without fail. Kakuzu like Itachi, Sasori, and Pain was the one implied to be the heavier lifter in his cell. Portrayal definitely favours Kakuzu > Kisame.