As one of the most influential shonen anime of all time, the Naruto franchise consistently balances its high-voltage action scenes and heavy drama with lighter, more pleasant fare such as comic relief. However, while the series puts romance on the back burner during its preliminary arcs, it eventually introduces several canonical couples that fans know and love.
The best couples in Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden represent true love, and many of these amorous pairings gave underutilized characters a long-overdue shot at happiness with a special someone. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has provided even more insight into some of these couples, proving that even in a world full of violence and suffering, love conquers all.
Updated on September 17th, 2023 by Louis Kemner: The Naruto fandom takes a keen interest in the love lives of each major Naruto character, and the best Naruto couples really fuel the fans' imaginations. It's always gratifying to see Naruto ships unfold on-screen and give these characters some much-deserved happiness together after all they've been through. Let's review the best Naruto couples and see what makes them so wonderful, all while updating this list to meet CBR's current publication standards.
20 Kakashi Hatake & Hanare
The pairing between Naruto's mentor Kakashi Hatake and a kunoichi named Hanare is a vague one in the Naruto anime and only appeared in one filler episode, but it still gives shippers something to work with. Kakashi once met Hanare while the latter was lost, and graciously helped her return home.
Later, Kakashi and Hanare reunited, and Kakashi even accidentally kissed her with his face mask on in a moment of comic relief. It's clear that there were some feelings between the two of them, though it never amounted to much, and Kakashi Hatake is canonically single.
19 Jiraiya & Tsunade
The Jiraiya/Tsunade pairing is a one-sided affair as a would-be Naruto couple. It's confirmed that for many years, Jiraiya was deeply in love with Tsunade, though the latter never truly returned his affections. Instead, Tsunade was involved with Dan until the latter's death, and even afterward she remained single.
Jiraiya never completely gave up on Tsunade, though, to the point he never married. It's possible that Jiraiya wrote his erotic novels to vent his pent-up and unrequited romantic feelings, too. Also, when Tsunade learned that Jiraiya died on his final mission, Tsunade wept, but not for lost love, merely for a fallen comrade.
18 Kizashi & Mebuki Haruno
Sakura Haruno's parents, Kizashi and Mebuki, didn't appear in the original Naruto manga, but appeared in later media such as Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie. Overall, Kizashi and Mebuki behave like a fairly typical married couple, with Kizashi being an easygoing, goofy father and Mebuki being an exasperated, hotheaded mother who doesn't always have patience for her husband's silliness.
The Naruto franchise doesn't give fans much else to think about with this couple, except the fact that their daughter combines aspects from each. Fans can clearly see where Sakura got her vivid pink hair and her fierce temper, a prefect blend of her parents.
17 Hiruzen & Biwako Sarutobi
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was married to a jonin named Biwako. Very little of their relationship was seen in the original Naruto anime, with Hiruzen mainly appearing in terms of his Hokage duties rather than as a husband. His wife Biwkao only made a few brief appearances, such as in a flashback where Kushina met Mikoto.
Not too much is known of this marriage, though it can be assumed that Hiruzen's and Biwako's relationship was at least moderately healthy. It's also likely that Hiruzen's duties often kept him away from his wife and thus made Biwako lonely, a problem Hinata Hyuga sometimes faced as well in later generations.
16 Tenji & Kaguya Otsutsuki
Long before the events of Naruto, Earth was devoid of shinobi, as well as the chakra that made their various abilities possible. Things changed when Kaguya Otsutsuki arrived, but before she exerted her will across the planet, she fell in love with an emperor named Tenji.
At first, Tenji and Kaguya enjoyed a model relationship — unfortunately, Tenji recoiled in fear when he saw her godlike power and quickly developed a plan to have her assassinated. Kaguya defeated him and his allies, and as she cast Infinite Tsukuyomi on them, she decided not to inform her former lover about the fact that she was carrying two of his children.
15 Rasa & Kurara
For the most part, Naruto fans remember Rasa for his shortcomings as a father. However, while the Kazekage's relationship with his son, Gaara, is one of the most twisted in the entire series, his relationship with his wife, Kurara, is actually fairly wholesome.
Though the origin of Rasa and Kurara's relationship is unknown, several flashbacks make it obvious that they legitimately cared for one another. Rasa is against sealing the Sand Village's Tailed Beast inside his wife, and when she passes away during childbirth, the Kazekage is visibly grieved. His treatment of Gaara may taint his bond with Kurara in retrospect, but while they were alive, their shared love was undeniable.
14 Tamaki & Kiba Inuzuka
Several members of the Konoha 11 end Naruto: Shippuden in romantic relationships, and in this regard, Kiba Inuzuka is no exception. The series concludes with the dog-loving shinobi in a relationship with Tamaki, a little-known character who relocates to the Hidden Leaf Village sometime between the Fourth Great Ninja War and the events of Boruto.
Kiba and Tamaki's first encounter is seen in the final episodes of Naruto: Shippuden, and Kiba instantly falls head-over-heels in love with the adorable shopkeeper. Her attachment to felines and Ninja Cats proves to be the perfect complement to Kiba's bond with canines.
13 Hayate & Yugao
Not every great relationship in Naruto involves two well-known characters. In fact, background figures like Hayate and Yugao often make for some of the franchise's best couples — even if they don't receive as much screentime as their more noteworthy peers.
Hayate dies during the Chunin Exams Arc, but Yugao is regularly seen grieving at his grave in several subsequent arcs. Later, she even squares off against her former romantic partner after he is reanimated by Kabuto, professing her love one final time before putting his soul to rest.
12 Shikaku & Yoshino Nara
Shikamaru Nara's parents are happily married, though it doesn't always look that way. The wife, Yoshino Nara, is known for her stern and hotheaded ways, and by contrast, Shikaku is passive and submissive. This led their son Shikamaru to scorn his father for being "whipped," though Shikamaru fears Yoshino's wrath just as much as Shikaku does.
Still, despite their opposing personalities, Shikaku and Yoshino Nara are evidently doing well in their marriage, and their love is strong. It's not 100% clear how the passive Shikaku got someone like Yoshino to love him, but it certainly worked.
11 Fugaku & Mikoto Uchiha
Sasuke and Itachi's parents were happily married in the lead-up to the events of Naruto, though they didn't always have a chance to prove it. Flashbacks of the Uchiha family portray Fugaku as a stern, stressed, and emotionally reserved father, which Itachi put up with and Sasuke found deeply troubling.
On the other hand, Mikoto was more openly cheerful and supportive, and she seemed confident that despite the political intrigue and drama, the Uchiha family was in good shape. Despite their tragic end, the bond between Fugaku and Mikoto rarely comes into question, even concluding with the two dying side-by-side at the hands of their eldest son.
10 Karui & Choji Akimichi
At first, Team 10's Choji Akimichi showed no interest in romance, instead focusing on his strong friendship with Shikamaru. He viewed other Leaf girls like Ino and Sakura as platonic friends, but eventually, he met a Cloud kunoichi named Karui and felt the sting of Cupid's arrow.
Choji and Karui's marriage still feels a bit odd to Naruto and Boruto fans, even today, and their relationship could stand to be explored more deeply. Still, they have amusing chemistry, with Karui an affectionate but hot-blooded tsundere and Choji an easygoing fellow who loves potato chips.
9 Sai & Ino Yamanaka
At first, the pale shinobi Sai seems totally unaware of how human emotions and friendships worked, creeping out Naruto and Sakura in the process. Over time, Sai began expressing and even acting on his repressed emotions. He expresses a positive first impression of Ino Yamakana when they first meet, setting them up for a legitimate bond later in the series.
Sai and Ino become friends, lovers, and parents together, doing so with remarkably little drama. They were already in the hand-holding stage as of Naruto's and Hinata's wedding, and by the events of Boruto, they are married in the Yamanaka family and have a son, Inojin.
8 Mito Uzumaki & Hashirama Senju
As the co-founder of the Hidden Leaf Village and the first jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, respectively, Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki are as important to the Hidden Leaf Village as any shinobi in history. Together, they founded many of the village's most important practices and principles, and their bloodline still plays a major role in its political structure.
Since Hashirama and Mito have very few scenes together in the Naruto franchise, understanding their relationship can be a bit difficult. However, Mito professes the importance of love to the jinchuriki that follow in her footsteps, and Hashirama repeatedly proves himself to be among the kindest characters in the series. This, coupled with the fact that their matrimony results in descendants like Lady Tsunade, makes them one of Naruto's best couples.
7 Yahiko & Konan
Even if the Naruto: Shippuden anime only hinted at Yahiko and Konan being a couple, those hints were pretty strong, and fans' imaginations can take care of the rest. As young adults, Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato were good friends and had hope for world peace, and they even found love.
Some serious sparks flew between Yahiko and his friend Konan, but then Yahiko died and was brought back as Pain. Konan evidently built some emotional barriers around her heart after that, and she is more focused on the Akatsuki's cause than finding another partner.
6 Dan & Lady Tsunade
The pairing between Dan and Lady Tsunade is one of several Naruto couples that almost exclusively exists in flashbacks. Years ago, Tsunade's life was full of love. Her kind-hearted younger brother, Nawaki, and romantic interest, Dan, were both still alive, and together, they represented Tsunade's two most important loved ones.
Tragically, Dan and Nawaki died before the events of the series, preventing fans from analyzing either of these relationships further. For a brief moment, Kabuto's Reanimation Jutsu brought Dan back to life, giving him one last chance to protect his former lover from harm.
5 Sasuke Uchiha & Sakura Haruno
The relationship between Sasuke and Sakura is somewhat contentious, given the polarizing nature of both characters and Sasuke's tendency to attack the pink-hair kunoichi. Against all odds, Sakura's one-sided infatuation is eventually returned, and they are married by the events of Boruto.
Sasuke and Sakura clearly work a lot of things out after the Fourth Great Shinobi War, and at this point, they are actually one of the series' most developed romances. Spin-off stories have proven that the pair share a real, grounded love for each other, which manifest in the parenting of their talented daughter, Sarada.
4 Asuma Sarutobi & Kurenai Yuhi
For many episodes, the most strongly hinted-at couple in Naruto involves the leaders of Teams 10 and 8, Asuma and Kurenai. Asuma Sarutobi is Konohamaru's uncle and a charismatic jonin, and he was clearly romantically involved with the genjutsu specialist, Kurenai Yuhi of Team 8. Although they tried to conceal their relationship from their peers, fans and Hidden Leaf shinobi alike were cheering them on from the sidelines.
Asuma dies in battle in the fight against the Akatsuki, which drives this adorable couple apart for good, but fans won't forget the short-lived pairing anytime soon. Kurenai was already pregnant with their child, Mirai Sarutobi, when Asuma died, providing an eternal testament to one of the Naruto franchise's best romances.
3 Temari & Shikamaru Nara
The genius ninja Shikamaru Nara first encounters Temari in the Chunin Exam Arc, and almost immediately, they form an adversarial relationship that borders on flirtatious. Later, Temari saves his life during the fight with Tayuya of the Sound Four — from then on, they were friends and allies, representing the newfound alliance between Leaf and Sand.
Shikamaru and Temari spend significant time together during the timeskip between Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, so when they first appear in the latter, they share an obvious level of familiarity. They continue to grow closer, ultimately becoming a firm couple by the events of Boruto. Although neither is necessarily a main character, their relationship is as well-explored as any in the series.
2 Naruto Uzumaki & Hinata Hyuga
The most established Naruto relationship of all finally gave protagonist Naruto Uzumaki what he always wanted – a loving family. His bond with Hinata Hyuga started during the first round of the Chunin Exams, and it continued when Naruto and Hinata spoke encouraging words to one another before and during their one-on-one battles.
In Naruto: Shippuden, the two of them grew even closer, with Hinata boldly stating her love for Naruto while they faced Pain. The story concludes with their happy marriage, and in Boruto, they are the proud parents of a son and daughter, proving that the Will of Fire perseveres through even the hardest of circumstances.
1 Minato Namikaze & Kushina Uzumaki
Naruto's father, Minato Namikaze, is the Fourth Hokage, and despite his untimely end, he's an incredible father and husband at every turn. His wife, Kushina, first meets her future husband when he saves her from a few rival ninjas, and shortly after, the two become incredibly close.
During their time together, Minato and Kushina created a beautiful bond, sharing a level of love and affection that defies the violent world of shinobi. The couple may have lost their lives protecting their village from the Nine-Tailed Fox, but even in their final moments, Minato and Kushina found a way to perform one final act of kindness for the product of their love, Naruto.