Genjutsu is one of the main types of Jutsu in Naruto. Genjutsu is different from taijutsu and ninjutsu, as it does not require the user to make contact with their target. A proficient user of Genjutsu can cast their technique from a safe distance.
Once under a Genjutsu's influence, it is very difficult for the target to escape from it. The target can only be freed by another person or if the user decides to cancel the Genjutsu. So, it is very important to have Genjutsu in one's arsenal. Throughout the entire Naruto series, there have been a lot of Genjutsu users, but not all of them can cast the same level of Genjutsu.
Updated July 16th, 2023, by Suzail Ahmad: Genjutsu is among the most frequently used jutsu in the Naruto series. Each Genjutsu is unique and powerful in its own right. The biggest advantage of using Genjutsu is that the caster does not need to make any physical contact. A person under the influence of Genjutsu becomes incapacitated, leaving them at the mercy of the user. Like ninjutsu, each Genjutsu has various effects on the mind of an individual. The more powerful a Genjutsu, the more damage it is likely to cause. Naturally, high-level Genjutsu can only be used by talented ninjas, as they require certain Kekkei Genkai abilities and larger chakra reserves. With that in mind, here are the best Genjutsu users in Naruto.
18 Sakura
In a short time, Sakura went from being one of the most hated characters to being among the most loved. She is a part of Team 7, which was at the center of all the events in Naruto. While Sakura does not have the same level of chakra reserves or flashy powers as her teammates, she is special in her own way.
She has excellent chakra control, which allows her to use Chakra Enhanced Strength. Sakura is also said to be immune to most levels of Genjutsu, and this is also due to her chakra control. Kakashi Hatake stated that Sakura had a special aptitude for Genjutsu, so it is plausible to assume that she can use it on a fairly high level.
17 Kabuto
Kabuto was Orochimaru's most loyal underling. The talented Ninja had unwavering trust in his teacher's plans, and he was willing to risk his life for it. After spending a lot of time under Orochimaru, Kabuto learned a lot about different types of jutsu. He presumably had access to Orochimaru's research papers, which made it easier to learn about the forbidden techniques and their counters.
Kabuto was a well-rounded ninja, and he barely had any weaknesses. One of his strong points is his Genjutsu skills. He was able to put multiple individuals under Genjutsu effortlessly. His abilities went up a notch after he infused Tayuya's DNA into his body. This enabled Kabuto to cause problems for Itachi and Sasuke, forcing them to combine their efforts.
16 Kurotsuchi
Kurotsuchi is the Fourth Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone Village. She is fiercely loyal to her village, and she has been known for basing her decisions on the benefits they provide to the village. Before becoming the Tsuchikage, Kurotsuchi was a member of Onoki's guard, and the time spent in his service gave her valuable experience.
Kurotsuchi is able to use Lava Release, a powerful Kekkei Genkai that can cause severe damage to her opponents. While she has not displayed her proficiency with Genjutsu, the Boruto: Naruto The Movie novel states that she is the best Genjutsu user among the current Kage. As she is still young, there is a high probability that fans might see her in action in Boruto.
15 Orochimaru
Orochimaru is a member of the Legendary Sannin, a group that became famous in the Second Great Ninja War for its power. He is one of the two surviving members of the group and the only one who is still active. Orochimaru committed many heinous crimes against the Hidden Leaf, but he was pardoned after the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Orochimaru's strength is extremely impressive, and he is still capable of fighting against the best ninjas. Due to his extensive research, Orochimaru is knowledgeable about all kinds of jutsu, making him a deadly opponent. According to the official but highly unreliable Third Databook, Orochimaru has a 5/5 in Genjutsu. So, this information should be taken with a grain of salt. But irrespective of the book, Orochimaru should be well-versed in Genjutsu techniques considering the time he spent researching them.
14 Kurenai
Kurenai is a Jonin from the Hidden Leaf. She was considered to be among the best Genjutsu users in the entire village. Her skill was so refined that even Itachi complimented her, but during their battle, Kurenai was no match for the Uchiha prodigy. Kurenai's Genjutsu is primarily based on flora and her opponents feel bound to a tree. With the help of her Genjutsu skills, Kurenai is also able to see through illusions cast by other people.
13 Kakashi Hatake
Kakashi Hatake is one of the most powerful ninjas in the series. Before dying, Obito gave his left eye to Kakashi, which granted the latter a lot of powers. Like all Sharingan users, Kakashi also had the ability to use the regular Genjutsu of the Sharingan. However, since Kakashi is not an Uchiha by birth, he could not use the Sharingan for a prolonged period. It became worse when he tried to use the Mangekyou Sharingan to fight.
12 Danzo Shimura
Quite possibly the most hated character in Naruto, Danzo was no doubt a powerful ninja. He was trained by Tobirama Senju, and like his teacher, Danzo held a deep hatred towards the Uchiha Clan. He played a major role in the massacre of the Uchiha Clan, and then he stole the Sharingan from the corpses.
Danzo also took one of Shisui's eyes, which granted him access to the Kotoamatsukami, however, Danzo could not use it on the same level as the Uchiha.
11 Hiruzen Sarutobi
Hiruzen Sarutobi severed served as the Third Hokage of the Hidden Leaf. He was called "The Professor," because of his immense knowledge about ninjutsu. Hiruzen was one of the few Hokage who managed to live until they grew old, and it allowed him to gain great experience.
While Hiruzen did not have any Kekkei Genkai ability, he had enough skill to use almost every type of Jutsu. According to the databooks, Hiruzen was extremely proficient at using Genjutsu as he received the highest possible rating in that particular field.
10 Tayuya
Tayuya was a part of the Sound Four, and she claimed to be second only to Sakon. She was a very skilled ninja and Shikamaru considered her to be a jonin-level threat. Tayuya relied on her flute for most of her fights. She would use the sound created by her flutes to cast powerful Genjutsu on her opponents. The databook gave Tayuya a five in Genjutsu, which shows that she was very talented at using it.
9 Jiraiya
One of the members of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya was among the strongest Hidden Leaf ninjas. He learned to use the Sage Mode while he was on Mount Myoboku. In order to cast Genjutsu, Jiraiya required the support of Shima and Fukasaku. The two toads combined their powers to cast a powerful Genjutsu. However, the Genjutsu is cast via sound, which exposed them to danger.
8 Gengetsu Hozuki
Gengetsu Hozuki made his debut during the Fourth Great Ninja War. He was fierce rivals with Mu, the Second Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone.
Gengetsu was an expert at using Genjutsu. He displayed his skills when he managed to take down a significant number of ninjas in the Fourth Great Ninja War. Such was his skill that the ninjas couldn't take him down even when he was giving them hints about his ability.
7 Hashirama Senju
After bringing an end to the era of constant fighting, Hashirama was named the First Hokage of the Hidden Leaf over Madara Uchiha. Hashirama was hailed as the strongest ninja of his generation and he was given the title of "God of Shinobi."
Hashirama mainly relied on his Wood Release in fights, however, he was also apt at using Genjutsu. When he was reanimated by Orochimaru, Hashirama used the Bringer of Darkness technique to halt Hiruzen's movements. Being an A rank Genjutsu, it made things very difficult for Hiruzen.
6 Obito Uchiha
Obito Uchiha was a part of Team Minato. After witnessing the death of Rin at the hands of Kakashi Hatake. Obito chose to side with Madara and decided to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Obito showed his Genjutsu prowess when he managed to put Yagura under his control. It is nigh impossible to put a jinchuuriki under Genjutsu since the tailed beast can dispel it. So, it was impressive that Obito managed to control Yagura.
5 Shisui Uchiha
Shisui Uchiha was among the few Uchiha Clan members who managed to break the Curse of Hatred. He was considered the strongest Uchiha of his time by Danzo Shimura. Shisui's name was sufficient to scare aware a squadron of Kirigakure ninjas.
Shisui possessed the Mangekyou Sharingan, which granted him access to Kotoamatsukami. The Genjutsu allowed Shisui to control the mind of any person that he wished, while the victim remained unaware that they were being manipulated.
4 Itachi Uchiha
After massacring his entire clan, Itachi left the Hidden Leaf and joined the Akatsuki. Itachi awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan after the death of his beloved friend, Shisui Uchiha. The Mangekyou Sharingan granted Itachi new abilities, one of which was the Tsukuyomi.
Tsukuyomi is one of the strongest Genjutsu attacks in the series. Once a target is trapped in the Genjutsu, Itachi could torture them. He could alter the perception of time while Tsukuyomi was active, which meant that the targets could face days' worth of torture within a matter of seconds.
3 Sasuke Uchiha
Sasuke Uchiha is considered a prodigy of the Uchiha Clan and he is easily one of the strongest Uchiha of all time. Sasuke possesses two of the strongest Dojutsu in existence – Rinnegan and Mangekyou Sharingan.
Sasuke gained the Rinnegan after Hagoromo gave him some of his chakra. His unique six tomoe Rinnegan grants him the ability to cast Genjutsu on his opponents. He was easily able to trap all the nine-tailed beasts inside his Genjutsu. Furthermore, he was also able to use his Genjutsu on Sakura, who is considered "immune" to Genjutsu.
2 Madara Uchiha
Like most members of the Uchiha Clan, Madara was proficient at using Genjutsu. With the Sharingan, he was able to cast regular Genjutsu, which is enough to trap small fry. However, after becoming the jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails, Madara awakened the Rinne-Sharingan.
With the help of this Dojutsu, Madara gained access to the Infinite Tsukuyomi. The Genjutsu allowed him to trap almost all the members of the Shinobi Alliance inside.
1 Kaguya Otsutsuki
Kaguya Otsutsuki is deemed the "Progenitor of Chakra," and she is considered by many to be the strongest being in the entire series. Kaguya possesses ridiculous amounts of chakra that allow her to perform high-level Kekkei Mora techniques.
She wields the Rinne-Sharingan, which is needed to cast the strongest Genjutsu in the entire series. With her Rinne-Sharingan, Kaguya can cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi over the entire world.