Naruto's Chunin Exams took place shortly after the events of the Land of Waves arc, and saw Genin from all the major Konoha teams take part in this test of strength. What's more, talented and exciting ninjas from other nations stepped up to attain a higher ninja rank as well, making this Chunin Exam far more interesting than any before it in the world's history.
With powerful shinobi having gathered from all over the world, the Chunin Exams served as a battleground for the strongest Naruto characters to strut their stuff and make themselves known as the greatest of their generation. Of those who fought in these trials, the following characters were among the strongest, demonstrating the mind-blowing skills that Shonen fans love to see.
10 Kiba Inuzuka
Kiba was a member of Team 8, led by Kurenai Yuhi, who had great faith in his abilities. A member of the Inuzuka clan, Kiba possessed incredible skill as a fighter. His physical capabilities were simply off the charts and even Naruto Uzumaki had trouble dealing with him in combat.
Using the sharp senses and the killer instinct of a canine, Kiba was strong enough to rip almost anyone apart. Though he failed to take down Naruto, his exams are still among the memorable ones.
9 Shikamaru Nara
Shikamaru Nara was a member of Team 10, led by Asuma Sarutobi. He was, without a doubt, the smartest character who participated in the Chunin Exams.
With an IQ of over 200, Shikamaru was nigh unstoppable in combat. Even though he wasn't as strong as some of the others, his intellect made up for it and allowed him to win against some tough opponents. He was able to outsmart even Temari; however, in terms of strength, he came up short.
8 Temari
One of the famous Sand Siblings, Temari was incredibly skilled as a ninja even back when she was a Genin. Her control over Wind Release ninjutsu was immense, placing her in the top tier of the Chunin exam competitors.
She showed her mastery over Wind Releasr during her fight against Tenten, and later, against Shikamaru Nara. Even though Shikamaru fought cleverly against her, she proved much stronger than him. In a match of pure strength, the latter wouldn't stand a chance against Temari.
7 Kankuro
Another of the Sand Siblings, Kankuro was extremely skilled as a ninja and didn't show his true power until later in the Chunin Exams. Most of his matches ended with him taking down his enemies with relative ease, but the earlier ones were nothing mind-blowing.
When Konoha Crush eventually began, though, Kankuro showed his true power and created problems for some of the most skilled ninjas around him. He was quite a match for Shino, and impressed him in combat.
6 Shino Aburame
Just like Kankuro, Shino's true power remained hidden until the very end of the Chunin Exams. Shino was the strongest member of Team 8, and his strength shone when he took on Kankuro during Konoha Crush.
During this fight, Shino was able to use his bugs in unimaginable ways. Despite Kankuro being a skilled shinobi in his own right, Shino rose up to the occasion. With clever usage of his insects, Shino could very well have killed his opponent in battle. It took all his effort to defeat Sunagakure's Kankuro, but he triumphed.
5 Neji Hyuga
A member of Team Guy, many deemed Neji to be the strongest member of his team and even the strongest to participate in the entire Chunin Exams. Being one year older than most Konohagakure participants, Neji had far more experience and his skill with the Byakugan was greater than most Jonin.
He was powerful enough to compete even with the likes of Sasuke Uchiha and Gaara. Despite that, Neji ended up losing to Naruto Uzumaki and his Nine-Tails power, though he went all-out in his match.
4 Rock Lee
Rock Lee was also a member of Team Guy, was personally trained by Might Guy. Akin to his teacher, Lee was incredibly skilled in taijutsu, and his usage of the Eight Inner Gates made him a genius in his own right.
By opening the Eight Inner Gates, Lee proved to be strong enough to toss Gaara around effortlessly. He was undoubtedly one of the strongest fighters in the Chunin Exams, and could very well have defeated Neji if the two had fought.
3 Sasuke Uchiha
Sasuke Uchiha started the Chunin Exams as an underdog when compared to the likes of Rock Lee and Neji. However, by the end of it, he emerged as a formidable fighter.
Using his Sharingan and copying Lee's movements, Sasuke was able to ascend to a whole new level. In his fight against Gaara, he was able to overwhelm him until he tapped into Shukaku's power. Even then, Sasuke did quite some damage with his Chidori, showing mark of a truly skilled ninja.
2 Gaara
The youngest of the Sand Siblings, Gaara was sent to Konohagakure to run amok and play a part in the destruction of the village. He took part in the Chunin Exams, and immediately made his presence known as the strongest of the lot.
Although Gaara was overwhelmed by Rock Lee and, later, Sasuke Uchiha, he managed to defeat both with Shukaku's power. Ultimately, Gaara fell to Naruto Uzumaki, who showed his true skill in the intense battle against him.
1 Naruto Uzumaki
Undoubtedly, Naruto Uzumaki was the strongest Genin in the Chunin Exams arc. Just like Sasuke, he was an underdog when the exam began. However, thanks to Jiraiya's training, he was able to reach a new level.
By the end of the Exams, Naruto could access the Nine-Tails chakra more freely. More importantly, he learned the Summoning Jutsu, which he used to take on Gaara. When powered up by the Nine-Tails chakra, it goes without saying that Naruto was the strongest of all.