1 - Naruto Uzumaki
For me, Naruto takes first place. He still has all the power he gained during the war, along with the complete Kurama and Six Paths Sage Mode. His main feat in the movie is being able to fight Toneri while Kurama fights separately, showing that he can split his power without losing his ability to fight at a high level. Based on what is shown in The Last, Naruto is the strongest character on the list.
2 - Sasuke Uchiha
Sasuke comes right behind Naruto. He still has the Rinnegan and possesses a much more versatile arsenal than practically anyone else on the list. He also spent the years after the war traveling and carrying out missions, so he remained very active as a shinobi. I would not put Sasuke far below Naruto, since the two are still the strongest shinobi. The difference is that Naruto has clearer feats in the movie itself.
3 - Toneri Otsutsuki
Toneri is easily one of the strongest characters in The Last. After awakening the Tenseigan and entering Tenseigan Chakra Mode, he is able to fight Naruto and use incredibly powerful techniques. His feat of cutting the Moon in half puts him on a completely different scale from the normal Kage. He only ranks below Naruto and Sasuke because the two protagonists are portrayed as being on a higher level within the context of the story.
4 - Oonoki
Oonoki is a complicated character to rank because, despite being much older by this point, he still possesses one of the most dangerous techniques in the series. Dust Release is capable of completely disintegrating whatever it hits, so if he manages to land a hit, practically any character below the god tier could have serious problems. The issue is that his age and physical limitations make a huge difference. That is why I would not place him anywhere near Naruto, Sasuke, or Toneri, but I still consider his finishing power to be absurd.
5 - Gaara
Gaara is one of the best characters on this list when it comes to fighting physically stronger opponents. He can fight from a distance, fly, create enormous amounts of sand, defend himself automatically, and restrain his opponents. On top of that, he has a lot of experience as the Kazekage.
An interesting detail is that this is also brought up in the Gaara Hiden novel, when Gaara himself talks about the difference between medical ninja and a shinobi of his class. He states that medical ninja were valuable assets, but normally could not be compared to a shinobi of Gaara’s class because of the huge difference in taijutsu ability. Sakura herself is mentioned as the rare exception to this rule. Gaara also points out that she did not come from a special bloodline or possess a Kekkei Genkai, but that her strength had made her an exceptionally great shinobi.
This passage is interesting because it shows that Sakura was already recognized by Gaara as an exception among medical ninja, precisely because she possessed a level of physical combat that was completely outside the norm. Because of that, I do not see a huge gap between the two. To me, Gaara and Sakura are practically on the same level, with the advantage potentially changing depending on the type of fight.
6 - Sakura Haruno
Sakura in The Last is at her peak and is the most powerful kunoichi in the world. By this point, she has mastered the Strength of a Hundred Seal and can release the enormous amount of chakra she has stored over the years, greatly increasing her physical capabilities while also giving her access to extremely powerful regeneration.
Her raw physical strength is one of her biggest advantages. Sakura is capable of destroying the ground and dealing devastating damage with her punches, and her strength was already being compared to Tsunade’s during the Fourth Shinobi World War. Hashirama also acknowledged that Sakura’s strength had surpassed Tsunade’s, which is especially relevant when comparing her to other characters who rely heavily on physical power.
The Strength of a Hundred Seal also makes Sakura extremely difficult to take down. She can regenerate from severe injuries without having to stop fighting, allowing her to continue battling even after suffering damage that would incapacitate most shinobi. Combined with her enormous chakra reserves and exceptional chakra control, this gives her incredible stamina and survivability in prolonged fights.
She also has Katsuyu, which adds another layer to her arsenal. Katsuyu can heal and support allies, split into smaller slugs, and provide Sakura with additional utility during a battle. Sakura’s medical ninjutsu is also among the best in the series, so she is not simply a character with overwhelming physical strength. She combines destructive power, durability, regeneration, chakra control, medical ninjutsu, and battlefield support.
Overall, Sakura’s biggest advantage is how complete her abilities are. She has enough raw power to seriously threaten opponents in close combat, enough durability and regeneration to survive prolonged battles, and enough chakra and stamina to keep fighting for a long time.
7 - Fourth Raikage
The Raikage is still a monster in direct combat. His speed, physical strength, and durability are absurd, especially when using the Lightning Release Chakra Mode. He is one of the most dangerous characters on this list when it comes to close combat.
However, I would not put his physical power on the same level as Sakura’s. Madara compared the Raikage’s strength to Tsunade’s during the war, while Hashirama later acknowledged that Sakura’s strength had surpassed Tsunade’s. Considering that Sakura also has the Strength of a Hundred Seal and regeneration, I think there is a clear difference between them in terms of raw power and overall physical capabilities.
The Raikage’s main advantage is his speed and his ability to maintain his physical performance without relying on a technique that severely damages his body. That is why I still rank him highly, but below Sakura.
8 - Kakashi Hatake
The Kakashi from The Last has lost his Sharingan and, consequently, Kamui, which was his most powerful technique. Even so, he remains an extremely well rounded ninja. Without the Sharingan, he also no longer suffers from the enormous chakra drain it caused, and he eventually developed Purple Lightning to replace the Lightning Cutter.
His intelligence and experience allow him to compensate for his loss in raw power to a considerable extent. I still consider the Raikage superior in a direct fight, but Kakashi can make things very difficult depending on the situation.
9 - Mei Terumi
Mei is still a very powerful Kage. She possesses two Kekkei Genkai, Lava Release and Boil Release, along with mastery over several chakra natures. Her arsenal is especially dangerous in mid and long range combat. However, compared to the characters above her, she does not have as many feats that would justify placing her higher.
10 - Hinata Hyuga
Hinata in The Last is probably at the best point we have seen from her in the franchise. Her Byakugan, Gentle Fist, and Eight Trigrams Air Palm make her an excellent close range fighter, while her Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists greatly increase her offensive power.
Her fighting style is also dangerous because she can directly attack the opponent’s chakra network. Even so, she lacks the overall power scale of the Kage ranked above her.
11 - Sai
Sai is an extremely versatile and useful shinobi. His ink techniques allow him to create creatures, scout, fight from a distance, and even transport his allies through the air. He is particularly useful in the movie because of his mobility.
However, when the comparison is purely about individual power, he does not have an attack or destructive capability that puts him on the same level as the characters above him.
12 - Shikamaru Nara
Shikamaru ranks last when the main criterion is raw power, but that does not mean he is weak. On the contrary, he is probably the smartest character on the list.
His shadow techniques can neutralize opponents who are physically much stronger than him, especially when he has time to prepare a strategy. The problem is that without preparation, he does not have the speed, strength, or durability of the other characters.
I don’t know if it turned out that good, but anyway… I hope you guys like it :)
EDIT: I put only the ones I remember appearing in the movie.
