Ocular jutsu, or dojutsu, have evolved significantly throughout the Naruto series. What began with only three distinct types now boasts a dozen (excluding variations within a single dojutsu), raising the question: which are the most powerful? A definitive “best” is impossible, as each dojutsu serves different purposes. Comparing the combat-focused Sharingan to the reconnaissance-oriented Senrigan is inherently unfair. Therefore, a fair evaluation requires categorizing them into combat, reconnaissance, and stealth capabilities.
The battle for the strongest combat dojutsu is fiercely contested between the Rinnegan and Tenseigan. Their effectiveness is so similar that a fight between users would likely hinge on individual skill and strategy. The Rinnegan, revered as one of the “Three Great Dojutsu,” offers a comprehensive suite of abilities. Like the Byakugan, it reveals chakra pathways and invisible barriers, while mirroring the Sharingan’s ability to learn and instantly master observed jutsu. Rinnegan users also gain mastery over all five nature transformations and access to the Six Paths Technique, granting a vast arsenal of devastating moves. Furthermore, they can summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, capable of battlefield-wide destruction. Individual Rinnegan users also gain unique abilities; Sasuke’s, for instance, includes spatial manipulation and enhanced pattern recognition, while Momoshiki’s allows absorption and release of ninjutsu.
While the Byakugan was once considered the weakest of the “Three Great Dojutsu,” its evolved form, the Tenseigan, presents a formidable combatant. It grants access to a chakra mode comparable to Naruto’s Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, significantly boosting power, durability, and speed. Toneri’s performance in Tenseigan Chakra Mode, rivaling Naruto’s Sage Mode-enhanced Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, highlights its potency. Beyond the stat boosts, the Tenseigan grants control over Truth-Seeking Orbs, capable of devastating landscapes, and allows for all five nature transformations plus Yin-Yang Release. Its user also gains control over attractive and repulsive forces powerful enough to manipulate celestial bodies, and the ability to summon a colossal golem capable of battling Kurama.
The Rinne-Sharingan deserves special mention. Kaguya’s dojutsu enables the Infinite Tsukuyomi, a powerful genjutsu capable of trapping the entire world. It also allows dimensional manipulation, providing a tactical advantage. While sharing all the Sharingan’s abilities (according to *Naruto Shippuden* episode 421), its limited use in the series hinders a definitive assessment of its true combat potential, leaving open the possibility that it surpasses both the Tenseigan and Rinnegan.
Many dojutsu excel at reconnaissance, such as the Byakugan and Jogan. Even a non-canon dojutsu from a *Naruto Shippuden* movie offers precognitive abilities, though its involuntary activation is a significant drawback. The Senrigan, however, reigns supreme in this category. Ada’s Senrigan allows observation and auditory perception of any event worldwide, extending across time (up to the user’s birth) and dimensions. This unparalleled ability to eavesdrop on plans and assess abilities irrespective of location provides a massive advantage, limited only by its inability to perceive spiritual and mental planes.
Stealth capabilities are surprisingly rare among advanced dojutsu. However, the Kokugan stands out. Its primary ability is to shrink the user and inanimate objects within sight, storing them in a pocket dimension. While chakra detection could negate this, the Kokugan also summons sensory-blocking cubes, rendering the user undetectable. Finally, its space-time portal generation allows for unnoticed movement across locations and dimensions, making it the ultimate stealth dojutsu. The quote, “I can’t sense Chakra! And not just Isshiki’s. I can’t even tell Sasuke or Boruto’s positions!” perfectly encapsulates the Kokugan’s effectiveness.