Narutois chock-full of memorable villains, but when I look back at the series, which happens to be among my favorite anime of all time, one stands out to be not only the best inNaruto, but one of the top villains in anime history, and that’sUchiha Madara. One ofNaruto’s most intriguing aspects ishow the stories around its antagonists unravel. Fromthe horrifying revelations surrounding Pain and Konan, orphans of war-torn Amegakure, to the narrative twists enveloping Itachi Uchiha and the Uchiha clan,Narutoexcels at the presentation of its villains.
Madara, who shares a spot with the controversial Kaguya asthe strongest villain in all ofNaruto, is a force to be reckoned with. He acts as a near-mythological criminal, thudding along in the unconscious background of the show—until he’s not anymore. At that point, his mystery only grows.
While manyNarutofans have mixed feelings toward Madara, and most of them revolve around issues of powerscaling and how dominating he is when he appears at the end of the series, I disagree. I couldn’t care less about Madara’s power levels. From his backstory to his role in the story to his personality,Madara Uchiha is one of anime’s all-time greatest villains.
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A Slow Reveal Made Madara Even More Menacing
Madara’s Importance Is Clear For All OfNaruto, But His Identity Isn’t
In truth, Madara doesn’t simply show up out of the blue during the Fourth Great Ninja War. The first time Madara appears is in episode #127 (“Vengeful Strike! The Bracken Dance!"), duringthe Sasuke Recovery arc. Naruto tracks Sasuke down and confronts him at the Valley of the End, where the twofight atop the heads of Hashirama, the first Hokage, and Madara.
Madara’s identity isn’t revealed until later, though. Sasuke, the only survivor of the Uchiha clan alongside Itachi, had no idea who he was when Kurama mentions that Sasuke’s chakra reminds him of Madara’s duringNaruto Shippudenepisode #52 (“The Power of the Uchiha”).
Eventually, another Uchiha, Obito, joins Akatsukiwith the intention of enacting Madara’s Eye of the Moon plan. The viewers are left unaware of this, with Obito first joining Akatsuki under the name Tobi and pretending to be aloof. After Pain’s death duringthe Five Kage Summit arc, he claims to be Madara in order to strike fear into the Kage, at last telling the five Kage about the Eye of the Moon plan. “Madara” asks for Naruto and Killer B to be handed over, and upon refusal, declares war against the five Kage.
The viewers and the Kage are at that point both under the impression that Tobi had been Madara all along. The story flows onward until Kabuto, a former protégé of Orochimaru, catches “Madara” to ask for an alliance. After a brief battle, Kabutoreincarnates the real Madara, showing Tobi that he’d been found out to be an imposter. After Tobi finally agrees, Madara is de-summoned.
Madara finally reappearsduring the Fourth Great Ninja War. Learning that his body had been made even stronger, he tests it against the Fourth Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces. The ensuing battle isa display of his raw power and combat dominance, tearing through countless shinobi single-handedly while making time for taunts and sarcastic jeers.
His effortless power combined with his undeniable charisma and self-certainty reminds ofJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s Dio Brando. After being teased for so long,seeing Madara rip through the Fourth Division is an incredible payoff. As the arc continues and his power ceiling only seems to climb, the payoff grows even greater withMadara even killing Naruto and Sasuke.
Madara’s Backstory ShowsNaruto’s Depth
Madara Builds Out The History Of Konoha While ExplainingNaruto’s Politics
I have always been fascinated by the political subthemes ofNaruto, and Madara’s story unravels in front of viewers' eyes throughout the war.Naruto’s world is plagued by gaps and mysteries, but Madara is one of the bright spots. Compelling and strangely relatable,Madara’s backstory contrasts beautifully with the carnage on screen, showing that every action he takes is intentional: the result of sheer pain, isolation, and a contorted (but ultimately sincere) empathy for humanity.
As children, Madara befriended Hashirama Senju. They had the misfortune of being born in the Warring States era beforeNaruto’s Kage system, whenthe Senju and Uchiha clans had an ongoing rivalry. Madara was forced to face Hashirama (and his brother, Tobirama) on the battlefield.
Many heartbreaks followed, including the deaths of the brothers of Madara (Izuna) and Hashirama/Tobirama (Kawirama and Itama). Eventually, Hashirama wanted to bring peace and founded Konohagakure as a path to inter-clan unity. Madara saw Hashirama’s efforts for peace as an attempt to erase the past, and lost any faith in the Kage System Hashirama wanted to establish. He believed the peace would only last for as long as Hashirama’s own life, and was also fearful that incorporating the Uchiha clan into Konoha would just be a pathway to a new kind of subjugation.
Hashirama wished to make Madara the Hokage: part as a celebration of a long-overdue unity between the Senju and Uchiha clans, and part as a way to quell Madara’s concerns. Madara refused, as did Tobirama. As fate would have it,the Uchiha were discriminated against. Madara attempted to steer his clan away from the alliance and courts many sympathizers, leading to Hashirama making an attempt on his life. Madara survived and started crafting his plans for a different peace: the abolition of all pain by the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
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In his exile, he would do two pivotal things:
Meanwhile, Tobirama, who had become Second Hokage and held an enduring grudge against the Uchiha,started the Konoha Military Police Force. Intended as a way of rooting out any remaining support for Madara, partly by weaponizing the Uchiha against themselves, it would force them to the margins of Konoha. Meanwhile, it raised suspicion both within and without the clan. The ripple of this decision would lead to Itachi massacring the entire Uchiha clan.
Madara Is One Of Anime’s Best Villains
Madara Is A Masterclass In Foreshadowing And Rewarding Readers' Patience
After enduring suspense and misdirection,Madara’s backstory invigoratesNarutoas it draws to a close. Madara tiesNaruto’s story together, acting as the missing link driving bothNarutoandNaruto Shippudenfrom the shadows. His influence on Nagato and Obito is a wonderful revelation that turns Akatsuki from a renegade organization into an organized front to attack the pain of inter-clan wars and the foundations of the Kage System. Furthermore, Sasuke’s own development starts to become key, as the link between the Uchiha and the Senju clans is finally explored at length.
Through all this, Madara is given an inevitability and grounding rationality that many anime villains lack.
The childhood moments spent with Hashirama are incredibly sweet, showing thatMadara didn’t become “evil” so much as his “good” side was closed offby way of relatable tragedy and alienation. I think that a perfect parallel is Suguru Geto fromJujutsu Kaisen, who also turned toward a more apocalyptic concept of peace when his belief in peace between summoners and non-summoners was frustrated. The Pain arc is just one example of how this message would obviously resonate with those affected by the fallout as the Kage imposed their version of peace, which (in a certain light) seems to care above all for itself.
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Unlike many other villains in anime, Madara is also given perfect closure. When Madara finally dies on the battlefield,his remaining time is spent with the resurrected Hashirama. Hashirama affirms that despite everything, they’re still friends. Madara, meanwhile, admits that since Hashirama’s ideal for peace won in the end, it must have been better.
Through all this, Madara is givenan inevitability and grounding rationality that many anime villains lack. Between his mystique, charisma, backstory, and power, his return provided a natural conclusion toNaruto. However, his reputation is somewhat tainted by the fact that he’s the subject of endless powerscaling debates. It’s true that the story is partially responsible for this, as Madara’s overwhelming power feels excessive at times, but I also believe this has nothing to do with his effectiveness as a character.
In fact, Madara is the blueprint for writing villains effectively: villains who are turned into such by the world, and considered villains only by those who don’t listen.Madara Uchihaisn’t just the best villain inNaruto— he proves he’s one of the best, most thoughtfully written villains in all of anime.
Naruto: Shippuden
Cast
Naruto: Shippuden follows Naruto Uzumaki as he returns to Konoha after two and a half years, facing new challenges and enemies, including the Akatsuki organization. The series continues Naruto’s journey and growth as a shinobi while navigating complex alliances and adversaries.
