The universe of the anime and manga series Naruto is a home to the following fictional characters. Names of Naruto characters are in Japanese order, with the family name before the given name. Names of seiyū and the name of Naruto's author (Masashi Kishimoto) are written in Western order, with the given name before the family name.

Names of many characters in Naruto are puns, mythical and historical references and the like. The characters themselves often borrow a bit from the story behind the name.

Main Characters

• Uzumaki Naruto - "The loud-mouthed, idiotic, hyperactive, number one ninja in surprising people", and the main character of the series. Former member of the now defunct team 7 and container of the Nine-tails demon fox, who constantly strives for acknowledgement and dreams to one day become Hokage. Disciple of Jiraiya.
• Haruno Sakura - Former member of the now defunct team 7, who is talented with Chakra control and genjutsu and has a huge crush on Sasuke. Has recently become Tsunade's Disciple.
• Uchiha Sasuke - Arrogant, even-minded survivor of the formerly powerful Uchiha clan who wants revenge on his brother, Itachi. Left Konoha to Orochimaru, its enemy, in search of power, and has a complex relationship of rivalry and mutual respect with Naruto, his former team-mate from the now-defunct team 7.
• Hatake Kakashi - A calm and collected Jōnin level shinobi assigned to train team 7. His tragedy of having had lost a close comrade in battle has affected him profoundly through the belief that teamwork is more important than following the rules and his surgically planted Sharingan eye, his skills at using which have earned him the title of "copy ninja". He is also addicted to adult manga.

Other characters

Aburame Shino

Age: 12 years old at start of manga, now 15
Height: 156.2 cm
Weight: 45.8 kg
Birthday: January 23
Blood Type: AB
Registration #: 012612
Affiliation: Aburame clan, Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Kikai bugs

"Damn him, now he's acting all arrogant, like he's the leader or something." - Inuzuka Kiba (Unofficial translation)

Aburame Shino (Japn. 油女 シノ) is a cool, collected, confident Chûnin from Naruto's graduating year (originally from Yuhi Kurenai's Genin team 8 along with Hyuga Hinata and Inuzuka Kiba) who is quite mysterious and always wears sunglasses. As a part of Aburame clan tradition, at birth Shino was infused with a special type of insects which feed on his chakra and in return, they attack and do other tasks as he commands.

Shino was the only male genin left out of the (failed) mission to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke when the latter decided to become a Missing-nin, and felt some bitterness and guilt over the matter, considering the eventual outcome might have been different had he been sent to help them as well. He apparently has passed a Chûnin exam during Naruto's 2.5-year absence, which- considering his performance during the previous one- was to be expected.

Trivia

• "Shino" is the given name of the samurai Inuzuka of Hakkenden , a novel about a dog samurai. "Aburame" means "oil woman", and it is similar to "aburamushio", the word for cockroaches.

Akado Yoroi

Age: 23 Years Old at start of manga, now 26.5
Height: 180.0 cm
Weight: 70.0 kg
Birthday: February 21
Blood Type: O
Affiliation: Otogakure
Signature Ability: Chakra Drain

Akado Yoroi (赤胴ヨロイ Akadō Yoroi) is a part of the three-men team of ninjas from the Otogakure posing as ninjas from the Konohagakure, along with Yakushi Kabuto and Misumi. He possesses the advanced bloodline of Chakra Drain. Unlike Jiroubous Chakra Absorb this technique drains the Chakra and doesn't absorb it.

Trivia

• The name "Akado" means "a red armor" and "Yoroi" means "an armor" as well. This may be taken from a group of elite soldiers of Tokugawa Ieyasu who dressed in the red armor to instill fear to the enemy's heart.

Akamaru

Age: 3 years old at start of manga, now 6.5
Height: 28.0 cm
Weight: 5.1 kg
Birthday: July 7
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: Inuzuka clan, Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Double beast clone

"Stop acting cool! Just use your dog or whatever." - Uzumaki Naruto
"You will soon regret having ever said that..." - Inuzuka Kiba (Unofficial translation)

Akamaru is Kiba's Nin-dog and a useful companion in the Chûnin exam. Akamaru's heightened senses, such as smell and hearing, along with Kiba's power to communicate with him, make him a powerful tool for gathering and sharing information; he can also sense high amounts of Chakra so he can warn Kiba of a powerful enemy. Akamaru and Kiba almost always attack together and often use Jûjin Bunshin-no-Jutsu (Human Beast Clone Technique) to confuse their opponents.

Trivia

• Kiba and Akamaru were both born on the same day, the Japanese Tanabata.
• "Aka" means "Red"

Akane

Age: ?
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: The Land of the Waves

Akane is a bully from The Land of the Waves that steals Inari's pet dog Pochi. Akane teases Inari before finally throwing Pochi into the sea and forcing Inari to follow. Inari cannot swim, which is what drew Kaiza to save him while Pochi, who Akane renamed "Shooting Star", swam to safety. When Inari regains consciousness, Kaiza says that he has "given Akane a good talking to".

Akasuna no Sasori

Age: ?
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation:Akatsuki
Signature Ability: Scorpion Tail

Akasuna no Sasori is part of the Akatsuki duo that comes to the Hidden Village of the Sand to capture the Kazekage (Gaara). A former Sand nin, he became famous as the legendary puppet creator of the sands puppet army and created the three puppets Kankuro uses. He attacks using a kind of mechanical scorpion tail and uses deadly poison the same as Karasu. Since he created the battle puppets it is assumed that he must be a Puppet Master, using puppet-type jutsu in battle.

Trivia

• Akasuna no Sasori means The Scorpion of the Red Sands.

Akimichi Choji

Age: 12 years old at start of manga, now 15.5
Height: 150.6 cm
Weight: 62.0 kg
Birthday: May 1
Blood Type: B
Registration #: 012625
Affiliation: Akimichi clan, Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Human Juggernaut (Nikudan Sensha, also unofficially translated as Meat Tank), The Art of Expansion (Baika-no-Jutsu), Butterfly Release

"You're planning to quit? Ah, but then you won't be attending the all-you-can-eat Barbeque..." - Asuma (Unofficial translation)

"Heh heh... We'll let you off the hook if you want to run... Fatty." - Zaku
"What did that guy just say? I... could've sword he called me..." - Choji
"Eh?" - Zaku
"That word's a big no-no with Choji... if this guy says it again...!" - Shikamaru
"You're welcome to run away... if you can find a hiding place that's big enough... Fatso!!" - Zaku
"I'm not fat!! I'm just pleasingly plump!! Pleasingly plump people unite!!!" - Choji (Viz English manga translation)

Akimichi Choji (秋道 チョージ Akimichi Chōji) is a Konoha formerly a part of Naruto's graduating class and Genin team 10 along with Yamanaka Ino and Nara Shikamaru, who has become a Chûnin during Naruto's long absence from the village. He is a great food enthusiast and is almost always found eating something or other; he is usually indifferent until either the opportunity for food introduces itself or he is provoked with his great taboo- derogatory words ridiculing the spatially developed.

His name is spelled as Choji in the Viz manga, and it is spelled as Chouji in Roman characters in the original Japanese anime release.

Trivia

• The name "Akimichi" means "the road in the season of autumn". "Aki" means "Autumn", which is a time of harvest. "Michi" means street, which is where vendors sell food. "Chōji" means "A butterfly (Chō-)" and "the second son (-ji)" added together. Butterflies are insects known to eat sweets. Slim Ino has a name meaning a "boar" and plump Choji is "a butterfly".
• "Ino", "Shika" and "Chō" are the name of three cards needed for a highly prized trick of "Inoshikacho" in the Hanafuda.

Ami

Age: ?
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: Konohagakure

"Sorry, she has no curves so I mistook her for a vase." - Yamanaka Ino (Unofficial translation)

Ami is a young girl that attended the same Ninja Academy as Haruno Sakura and Ino when they were young. During one of the lessons, where the girls were being taught about flower arrangements, she bullies Sakura. However, Ino, who was picking flowers with Sakura, defends Sakura and throws a bunch of what she tells Ami are poisonous flowers in her mouth, telling her that she mistook her mouth for a vase. Ami panics and runs away, terrified- but in actuality, only the roots of the plant Ino used are poisonous.

Baiu

Age: 19 years old (deceased)
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: Amegakure
Signature Ability: It's Raining Needles from Heaven (Jouro Senbon)

A short, stubby Ninja, he and his team-mates, Sigure and Midare, confront Gaara in the Forest of Death. Not much is known about him, except that he also carries several umbrellas on his back and also, interestingly, what appears to be an oxygen tank. Gaara uses The Coffin of Crushing Sand (Sabakukyū, or "Sand Coffin") followed by Imploding Sand Funeral (Sabakusōsō, "Sand funeral") to kill him (and his two team-mates).

Baki

Age: 30 years old at start of manga, now 33.5
Height: 188.2 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Birthday: July 4
Blood Type: A
Affiliation: Hidden Sand
Signature Ability: Wind Blade

A Jônin level Ninja, Baki (Japn. バキ) is a Shinobi from the Hidden Sand Village. Baki is the sensei of Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari, he seems to have confidence in the ability of all of his team members, although he comments on Kankuro not taking the battles seriously enough. Not much is known about him at this point, but the Chûnin exam isn't the only reason Baki and his team are in Leaf Village.

Deidara

Age: ?
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation:Akatsuki
Signature Ability: Exploding "Art", Mouth-hands

A missing-nin from the Stone Village, she is a part of the Akatsuki duo that comes to the Sand to kidnap Gaara. She is a skilled fighter, utilising clay as her main form off offence to make mobile sculptures that can fight for her or explode. She does this without the use of exploding tags. Deidara is teamed with Sasori and when speaking she tends to end her sentences with "Yeah".

During the fight with Gaara, her left arm is mangled by Gaara's Sabaku Kyuu [Desert Coffin] technique, but she still manages to defeat him.

Demon Brothers

Age: 25 years old at start of manga, now 28.5
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: Kirigakure
Signature Ability: Chains

"Our attackers appeared to be Journeymen level ninja of the Kirigakure clan - mist ninjas. They are shinobi renowned for their willingness to fight on until their goal is achieved, even at the cost of their own lives." - Hatake Kakashi (Journeyman refers to the Chûnin level in this sentence) (Viz English manga translation)

Chûnin level ninjas, they are Missing-nins formerly of the Kirigakure. Now under the command of Zabuza, another Missing-Nin from the Kirigakure, they contract out their ninja abilities to paying clients. Each wearing a sharp nailed metal gauntlet on opposite arms which are connected by a chain, they operate in cooperation. Surrounding their opponent with the chain, they are able to constrict the chain to the point of severing their target into two or several more pieces. When they attempt to assassinate Tazuna- who Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura were hired to protect- Naruto, it being his first battle, freezes in fear, but Sasuke and Kakashi deal with them easily.

Dosu Kinuta

Age: 14 years old (deceased)
Height: 156.0 cm
Weight: 49.0 kg
Birthday: June 12
Blood Type: A
Affiliation: Otogakure
Signature Ability: Sound Waves

"Which do you think is quicker... your sand or my sound?" (Unofficial translation)
"Please accept this as a token of my admiration... and as some reparation for your trouble... and allow us to leave in peace. After what we've done, it may seem a lot to ask... but something big is afoot that merits further investigation and confirmation! I give you my word, on behalf of us all, that if you let us go now... then the next time we face you, we will stay 'till the battle is done, no matter how poorly we fare!" (Viz English manga translation)

Dosu Kinuta (Japn. ドス・キヌタ) is one of the three Genin from the Otogakure (along with Kin and Zaku) who entered the Chûnin exam not for becoming a chûnin, but rather as a part of a mission from Orochimaru to assassinate Uchiha Sasuke (which in a twist turns out to merely be a mission of testing Sasuke's strength, having obtained Orochimaru's curse seal). Dosu was equipped with a special speaker tied to his wrist which served to amplify sound waves and dramatically strengthen his sound-based attacks.

Orochimaru treated him as largely a pawn, even though he was a quite powerful ninja. Dosu's undoing, however, was his own attempt to kill Gaara of the Sand in order to remove him from the chûnin exam, not realising the monstrosity he was actually going up against. His death was quick and unceremonious.

Trivia

• "Dosu" is onomatopoeia for the sound of a sword piercing flesh.

Ebisu

Age: 28 years old at start of manga, now 31.5
Height: 181.4 cm
Weight: 67.5 kg
Birthday: March 8
Blood Type: A
Registration #: 010777
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Kagebunshin-no-Jutsu

"I would never think of doing something like that! Thinking that is proof of you being a closet pervert." - Uzumaki Naruto (Unofficial translation)

A Tokubetsu Jônin level ninja, Ebisu (Japn. エビス) is Konohamaru's tutor. He doesn't like the fact that Konohamaru idolizes Uzumaki Naruto, because he only sees Naruto as the container of the Kyubi. His opinion of Naruto doesn't change when Naruto defeats him with the Ninja Harem after the Ninja Centerfold fails. Later, recommended by Hatake Kakashi as a great teacher, Ebisu begins Naruto's one-month training for the Chûnin Selection Exam final. It is during this time that through being with Naruto and seeing the influence he had on Konohamaru that Ebisu realizes that Naruto is more than just the container of a demon, but that he is an outstanding Leaf Ninja. However, Ebisu does not complete Naruto's training, because Jiraiya takes over by summoning a large toad which tongue-whips Ebisu unconscious. Currently, he has been put in charge of a Genin team with Konohamaru and his two friends as its members.

Trivia

• The name "Ebisu" comes from the Buddhist god "Ebisu" who is usually pictured as a well rounded man with a hammer in his hand that brings wealth and prosperity to believers.

Gaara of the Sand

Age: 12 years old at start of manga, now 15.5
Height: 146.1 cm
Weight: 39.0 kg
Birthday: January 19
Blood Type: AB
Affiliation: Hidden Sand
Signature Ability: Sand Control; Imploding Sand Funeral (Sabakusōsō), Coffin of Crushing Sand (Sabakukyū), Shukaku

"The pain of being alone... is out of this world, isn't it? I understand your feelings so much it actually hurts... But I have precious people now. I won't let you hurt my precious people even if I have to kill you!" - Uzumaki Naruto (Unofficial translation)

"I fight for my self, I love my self and that's the only love I need" - Gaara (Unofficial translation)

Gaara of the Sand (Japn. 砂漠の我愛羅, pronounced Sabaku no Gaara or Gaara of the Desert) is one of the three genin from Sunagakure (Hiding-in-Sand) who shows up at the Chûnin exam (along with Kankuro and Temari, his siblings). Having been introduced as a Genin then, he currently serves as the Sand Village's KazeKage.

Contrary to belief, Shukaku is not technically a demon but a sand priest. The soul of the sand priest was sealed inside Gaara at birth similarly to how the Kyūbi was sealed inside Uzumaki Naruto- he shares some similarities with Naruto, such as being rejected and hated by his own village (The only person Gaara thought cared for him, his uncle Yashamaru, was ordered to assassinate him by his own father, letting Gaara know before his death that he was never loved by anybody- he had always resented him for taking away his sister, his mother didn't want to have him and died cursing the village, and his father saw him as nothing more than a tool). But unlike Naruto he withdrew into himself rather than attempting to gain attention and appreciation, and was acknowledged by nobody (as opposed to Naruto, who was acknowledged by his Sensei, Umino Iruka). Gaara had lost all emotion and sense of purpose years ago and filled the gap with the unrelenting goal of killing anybody in the world that was not him. His insomnia- forced upon him by the fact that the demon inside him would eat away at his personality if he were to fall asleep deeply enough- made his personality further unstable.

In Gaara's case, much like in Hyuga Neji's case, getting beaten up by Naruto acted as a most effective form of therapy for a very skewed vision of life. When they did battle, Gaara's unending hatred for and alienation from the world eventually waned as a source of power, while Naruto's desire to protect those close to him kept fueling his fighting spirit. After that battle Gaara had to be carried away by his Sand comrades, and to their utter amazement, he thanked them. Inspired by Naruto, upon return to the village, he grew a desire to become the next Kazekage to bond and live with the village, and do this by hard work instead of being a "frightening weapon".

Gaara carries a gourd on his back. Instead of water being carried in it, the gourd contains sand and the blood of his enemies. His best combination is Imploding Sand Funeral and Coffin of Crushing Sand. He is one of the most feared and powerful in the Chūnin exam. While he can basically use any sand, for best effect in terms of attacking and protecting himself, as the organization Akatsuki discovered, Gaara was basically limited to the chakra-enhanced sand he carried in his gourd. While such sand increased the speed and power of his attack, this prove to be his only weakness when he was in the Country of Wind, where he is in his element, when his opponent insert a trojan horse into his sand and dealt damage to him directly.

Gaara is responsible for saving Lee from Kimimaro and destroying the latter. His power and his jutsu arsenal increase dramatically from the time of the chûnin exam. He replaces his father as the new Kazekage, but during a battle with an Akatsuki, he is defeated and captured.

Trivia

• The name "Gaara" is made up of three Kanji, "Ga" (我, meaning I or me), "A" (愛, more commonly "Ai" meaning love), and "Ra" (羅, used here to mean a demon). Added together, they can mean "I only love myself. I'm a demon." which really explain what kind of character he is.

Gama Family

Gama

Mid level toad that Jiraiya uses to defeat Ebisu (because he annoyed him) at hot springs.

Gama Bunta

Gama Bunta, or literally "Frog Boss", is the chief of the toad spirits that are summoned. He is huge, about 50-100 meters high and is used to do battles with the biggest of enemies. Uzumaki Naruto can summon him with his kyubi chakra (whereas with his own, he is only capable of summoning up tadpoles or some of Gama Bunta's small children). Naruto first summoned him in the month long training session with Jiraiya when Jiraiya pushed him over a cliff in order to induce life threatening fear in Naruto so that the kyubi chakra could come out.

Gama Bunta is a grumpy and highly apathetic character. He uses some Japanese words that only a yakuza gangster would use. Still, he is portrayed as an ultimately powerful and positive force.

During first summoning, Naruto demanded to become Gama Bunta's subordinate if he could ride the toad until sundown. Naruto showed his great resilient spirit and almost made it. Regardless, Gama Bunta accepted him as a subordinate.

In the next summoning, Naruto is almost killed by Gaara's Sabakukyō attack when he performs the kuchiyose-no-Jutsu. Gaara is in his full form of Shukaku (although he has not gone to sleep yet). Gama is his usual grumpy self, and shares a dialog with Naruto about the fact that he promised to have a subordinate/mentor relationship with him but only after sharing sake ceremony (which of course is 8 years away, and wouldn't be of any good use to Naruto here and now in the current battle). At which point, Gama Kichi tells his pop that Gaara bullied him and that Naruto saved him. Gama then tells Naruto he will show him all about "Jingi" which is another yakuza term describing a highly argumentative honor code (although its portrayed as a completely positive thing in this anime).

In the next summoning, while drunk from Tsunade's potion, Jiraiya, after summoning Gama Kichi, finally collects his chakra focus and brings out Gama Bunta for battle against Orochimaru's snake demon, Manda.

Gama Kichi

Is the minuscule and cute child of Gama Bunta about the size of Naruto's head . He is a weak creature summoned because Naruto could not focus his chakra during beginning battle with Gaara. Gama Kichi wants to play with Naruto for summoning him.

Gama Tatsu

The weak, inexperienced brother of Gama Kichi, and son of Gama Bunta. Summoned for the first time by Naruto while fighting Orochimaru due to Naruto's inability to focus his chakra. Fixates on snacks after a comment made by Gama Kichi that made him think he'd get one.

Gatô

Age: 48 years old (deceased)
Height: 162.5 cm
Weight: 69.0 kg
Birthday: April 30
Blood Type: A
Affiliation: None
Signature Ability: Hiring Shinobi

"Once we're in hell, I can take my time, and show you over... and over... who is, or is not, 'a baby demon'!" - Momochi Zabuza (Viz English manga translation)

Gatô (Japn. ガトー, pronounced Gatō) is a powerful ship magnate whose shipping company is actually a front for much shadier activity, such as smuggling illegal goods and dealing drugs. He takes control of The Land of the Waves's shipping routes and created a monopoly by isolating the country from the outside world, preventing free import and export and turning it into an impoverished, hunger-stricken country in the process. He is a cruel, greedy man, also responsible for humiliating and killing Kaiza for being the country's hero, traumatising Inari, who saw Kaiza as a father figure , in the process. Gatô is protected by two bodyguards, Zouri and Waraji. Gatô hires Missing-nins from the Hidden-in-the-Mist- including Momochi Zabuza, Haku and the Demon Brothers- to assassinate Tazuna and stop him from finishing to build the bridge which would connect the Land of the Waves to the outside world and allow its economy to recover; however, after Zabuza broke his arms in battle with Hatake Kakashi (who was hired to defend Tazuna, along with Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke), Gatô assumes that Zabuza would be able to do no damage with broken arms and informs him of his plan to dispose of him since, in Gatô's words, "No one cares what I do to your kind once the job is done." Therefore, he calls a swarm of thugs to finish the job. Since Zabuza was still able to wield a kunai in his mouth, this mistake cost Gatô his life. In the manga, Zabuza chopped off Gatô's head with the knife after being struck by several of his cronies. In the anime, Gatô was thrown into the water. Zabuza died, and the renegades were driven away by Kakashi and Naruto. The bridge, dubbed by Kakashi "The land's hope", was completed and named the "Great Naruto Bridge", after Naruto.

His name is spelled with and without a circumflex in the English manga, while in the original Japanese anime his name is shown without a circumflex.

Gekko Hayate

Age: 23 years old (deceased)
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: November 2
Blood Type: ?
Registration #: 011671
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Dance of the Crescent Moon

"The Dance of the Crescent Moon... and you can use it at such a young age. The shinobi of Konoha seem to be very talented..." - Baki (Unofficial translation)

"We'll be sure to avenge you... Hayate." - Nameless female Black Ops (ANBU) (Unofficial translation)

Gekko Hayate (Japn. 月光ハヤテ, pronounced Gekkō Hayate) was a Tokubetsu Jônin level ninja who served as the judge for the Chûnin exam third stage preliminary matches and suffering from a chronic cough and bags under his eyes, always appeared to be sick. Hayate ended up accidentally eavesdropping on Baki and Kabuto and hearing about the Sound Village and Sand Village's conspiracy against Konoha; he was discovered and, while a talented ninja, was no match for Baki, who killed him using Kaze no Yaiba-no-Jutsu (Wind Blade Technique).

Trivia

• The name "Gekkō" means "lunar light" and "Hayate" means "quick as wind". Both are names of Japanese fighter planes from World War II.

Gi'ichi

A worker and friend of Tazuna. Gi'ichi quit his job working on The Great Naruto Bridge because he feared the consequences of angering Gatô. He later joins Inari in rallying up the villagers to fight against Gatô and push his thugs out of the Land of the Waves for good.

In the English manga, his name is spelled with the apostrophe while in the original Japanese anime, his name is spelled in Roman characters without the apostrophe.

Hagane Kotetsu

Age: 24 years old at start of manga, now 27.5
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: July 21
Blood Type: ?
Registration #: 012050
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: ?

Hagane Kotetsu (Japn. はがねコテツ) and his comrade, Izumo, attempted to hold their very own Unofficial First Test of the Chûnin exam. Before the Chûnin exam has even begun, they used Genjutsu to change the meeting room's number. Later, they tried to persuade the Genin who showed up to quit right there and then. He and Izumo had attempted to pass the Chûnin Exam but failed three times in a row. Now they are Chûnin moderators for the first test. Kotetsu carries two large Kunai-style weapons on his back.

Trivia

• The name "Hagane" means "steel" and "Kotetsu" also means "steel".

Haku

Age: 15 years old (deceased)
Height: 155.92 cm
Weight: 43.2 kg
Birthday: January 15
Blood Type: O
Affiliation: Momochi Zabuza
Signature Ability: Demonic Ice Mirrors

"But you should care! That fat scumbag is desecrating him!!! He was your comrade... your partner... he worked for you for years!!!" and later, "He... he really cared about you!!! He was devoted to you!! But you think that's just nothing, that he was nothing. You don't feel a thing! Are you really that heartless? Is that how you get... when your powers are as strong as yours are? He gave his life for you! - Uzumaki Naruto (to Momochi Zabuza) (Viz English manga translation)

Haku (Japn. 白) was a former Hidden Mist Ninja, and a very powerful one at that; he also may have been a former member of the Hunter-nin team. In his first appearance, he masqueraded as a hunter-nin from the Mist village, sent to kill/capture Momochi Zabuza. Haku came from an advanced bloodline and had many special techniques, the most powerful being the Ice Mirrors (Makyō HyōShō Hijutsu, the Demonic Ice Mirrors secret technique), but he also attacked using Ice Needles (Sensatsu Suishō Hijutsu, the Flying Water Needles secret technique) and Senbon (Acupunture Needles). Haku is a master of Acupuncture - he manages to strike Zabuza in such a way that he appears to be dead, but is actually in a death-like state and awakened later.

During Haku's childhood, wars ravaged the Land of the Waves, and since those of advanced bloodlines were commonly used as the most terrifying tools of war, many people irrationally dreaded and hated people of advanced bloodlines. When Haku's father found out that his mother was of an advanced bloodline he killed her and then tried to kill Haku, too, but Haku overpowered him and killed him, instead. He wandered the wave country as an unwanted child until he was found by Zabuza, who agreed to take him in and wanted to merely use him as a tool.

In Zabuza's last battle over the great Naruto bridge, Haku sacrifices his life by taking Hatake Kakashi's Lightning Blade (Raikiri) which was aimed at Zabuza. Haku says he was fighting for his own dream- making Zabuza's dreams come true- but in the end, he fought for the dreams of Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura as well, by putting Sasuke in a temporary death-like state like he does to Zabuza, when he could easily kill him.

Trivia

• The name "Haku" means "white" but also carries the meaning of "blank", or "unwritten" and also "untarnished" . Some say that Haku also means "snow" like the country he was originally born in.
• In the Malay dubbed anime version, "Haku" is called "Shiro". This might have been a mistake by the translators because the Japanese character for "Haku" and "Shiro" are the same.
• Many mistook Haku for being a girl when unmasked including Naruto himself.

Sarutobi - 3rd Hokage

Age: 68 years old (deceased)
Height: 163.1 cm
Weight: 50.6 kg
Birthday: February 8
Blood Type: A
Registration #: 000261
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Koenma the Demon Monkey, Seal of the Death God

"My precious people? Well... Konohamaru, my grandson over there... and... everybody else in this village." (Unofficial translation)

"Still you do not understand, Orochimaru? There is more to strength than seals and techniques!" (Unofficial translation)

A Ninja who has achieved the name of Kage (Shadow), strongest ninja of a Hidden Village, the Third Hokage (Japn. 三代目火影, or "Sandaime Hokage") was the leader of Konohagakure. Sometimes referred to as Sandaime (3rd) because he was the 3rd of four Konoha ninjas to gain the title Hokage; he was also the 3rd face on the monument carved on the mountain overlooking Konoha Village. In the beginning of the manga and anime, he and Iruka were virtually the only people in Konoha Village to have any sympathy or respect for Naruto. Said to be the strongest among all the generations of Hokages because of his genius, he was called The Professor. He had a large and impressive arsenal of jutsu which he had learnt over his many years serving Konohagakure- in fact, he was said to know all of the Jutsu that exist in Konoha. However, his strength had begun to decrease with his old age, and he was- initially, at least- no match for his former student, Orochimaru, when the latter led the invasion on Konoha.

Having no other choice, the Hokage decided to sacrifice his life to seal Orochimaru's soul much like the fourth did to the nine-tails demon fox. His old age and weakened state (included, but not limited to, being impaled upon Orochimaru's sword) did not allow him to seal Orochimaru's whole soul, however, so he chose to only seal Orochimaru's arms, taking away all of his techniques and losing his life.

The third was previously the student of the 2nd Hokage, and the sensei of- apart from Orochimaru- Jiraiya and Tsunade. The third Hokage has been referred to as Sarutobi, his given name, and even though Sarutobi Asuma also has Sarutobi in his name, Sarutobi is Asuma's family name and so they are not related.

Sarutobi means "jumping like a monkey", and the name may have been inspired by Sarutobi Sasuke. Many aspects of his character are borrowed from the Chinese literature classic Journey to the West.

Trivia

• "Hokage", made up from the words "Ho" (fire) and "Kage" (shadow), refers to shadows created by light casted from flames.
• Masashi Kishimoto originally planned for the Third Hokage to be a dog, but eventually dumped the idea for being "too weird".

Hokage, 4th

Age: ? (deceased)
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Registration #: ?
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Rasengan, Toad Summoning, Seal of the Death God, Body Flicker (Shunshin no Jutsu)

"If only the fourth were here..." - Mitarashi Anko
"Don't say that. He has died and saved this village already." - Third Hokage (Unofficial translation)

The 4th Hokage (Yondaime), also known as "The Yellow Flash of Konoha", was the brave Ninja who was responsible for sealing the Nine-tails Demon Fox inside Naruto, is remembered for his heroic acts on the monument which overshadows Konohagakure. Before he performed the seal which would destroy the Demon Fox and himself, he said that he did not want Naruto to be viewed as the container of a monster but as a hero who saved the Leaf Village from annihilation. He was a student of Jiraiya's, and later the sensei of Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, and Rin. Another recent speculation has been that he could be related to Naruto due to the blond hair they both possess and the similarities in their personalities as noted by Jiraiya.

Hyuga Family

Hyuga Hiashi

Age: 41 years old at start of manga, now 44.5
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: January 8
Blood Type: ?
Registration #: 005159
Affiliation: Hyuga clan, Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Evil Eye (Byakugan or "White Eye")

Hyuga Hiashi (Japn. 日向ヒアシ, pronounced Hyūga Hiashi) is the twin brother of Hyuga Hizashi, but was born into the world first, making him a main house member. He has two daughters, Hyuga Hinata, the elder, and Hyuga Hanabi, the younger; while Hinata should have been the heir by tradition, he picks Hanabi over her because she clearly seems stronger, and goes to the extreme of all but disowning Hinata completely, putting her under Yuhi Kurenai's responsibility. He was also the one to put the Hyuga Curse Seal on his nephew, Hyuga Neji.

When he killed a shinobi from The Land of the Lightning who came under false pretenses of signing a peace treaty and was in fact attempting to kidnap Hinata to gain the secret of the Evil Eye (Byakugan, the "White Eye"), the Lightning country demanded that the body of a Hyuga clan member be delivered to them as compensation. Hiashi's brother, Hizashi, volunteered to be killed instead of Hiashi, thus saving his life. Hiashi decided not to tell Hizashi's son, Neji, that his father volunteered to die, until he felt that Neji would be mentally ready to accept this over the much more comfortable belief that the Hyuga main house was responsible for his death. This moment came after Neji's loss to Uzumaki Naruto in battle.

Hiashi took an active role in the war between Konoha and the Sand/Sound alliance, blasting away all hostile forces who dared approach.

During the time between the chūnin exam and Uchiha Sasuke leaving the village, Hiashi seems to have realised that the family bond that should be keeping the clan together had been falling apart, and has apparently set his sights on mending it- apparently taking his elder daughter back in and training his nephew even though he is from the branch house, a former Hyuga clan taboo.

Trivia

• (日向) (Hyūga) means "Sun" and is the name of a city in the Miyazaki Prefecture in Japan.

Hyuga Hinata

Age: 12 years old at start of manga, now 15.5
Height: 147.3 cm
Weight: 37.9 kg
Birthday: December 27
Blood Type: A
Registration #: 012612
Affiliation: Hyuga Clan, Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Evil Eye (Byakugan or "White Eye")

"Let me give you this warning... Quit now. You do not make a good shinobi. You always avoid conflict and seek harmony, and just go along with somebody else's idea. The truth is that you do not want to be here at all, but the exam had to be taken in teams of three, and you couldn't resist the pressure from your two teammates... you are actually now thinking about how you want to be out of this place. Am I not right?" - Hyuga Neji (Unofficial translation)

"You are not the only special guy here. Hinata... was suffering like you. She is from the head family and wanted to change herself because nobody would acknowledge her. That was her motivation, and she fought you even when she was injured. That goes for you too! The branch house should protect the head house, yet you almost killed Hinata in an EXAM! You were trying hard to fight against your fate, WEREN'T YOU?!" - Uzumaki Naruto (to Hyuga Neji) (Unofficial translation)

"I-I'm sorry, Naruto... Kiba didn't mean that the way it sounded..." (Viz English manga translation)

One of the rare people who have had a positive outlook on Naruto when he was largely seen as a good-for-nothing reincarnation of a monster fox is Hyuga Hinata (Japn. 日向 ヒナタ, pronounced Hyūga Hinata), the daughter of Hyuga Hiashi, a former member of Yuhi Kurenai's Genin team 8 and now a Chûnin level ninja. She is a Member of the Hyuga clan, main house, possesses the Evil Eye (Byakugan or White Eye) and can effectively use the Jyuken (Gentle Fist fighting style); And even though her skills have been subpar in the past to the point of her father all but practically disowning her until just recently, she is essentially a talented ninja with a severe problem of self-confidence. Hinata entered her first Chûnin Selection Exam so she can change herself.

If not Naruto's number one fan, Hinata is at least a major contender. Growing up with the major issue of believing in herself as a human being forced unto her by her demanding father, when Naruto started rambling about getting people to acknowledge him and becoming Hokage she was just about the only person who took him seriously. When girls started being interested in boys, usually Sasuke, Hinata found herself developing feelings for Naruto. While the rest of the world pointed at Naruto and laughed, Hinata looked at him in awe and admiration, often while blushing.

Naruto himself, not blessed with the best perceptive abilities in the world (to say the least), introduces her as "A world-class freak who won't even look me in the eye"; and even though she later says and does a number of things that positively impress him, he only gets a glimpse of what kind of a person she is when he witnesses her fight with Hyuga Neji in the preliminary chûnin exams, third stage. In that fight, Hinata says that she entered the fight to change herself, proclaims that she will not run away or take back her words anymore and simply refuses to give up fighting even when the situation seems hopeless, while Neji does his best to mentally attack her and says that dropouts remain dropouts and people cannot change. It is no surprise who of those two Naruto finds himself awed by and cheering for. Hinata suffers critical injuries and loses the fight to the obviously stronger Neji, but the positive impression she makes and the negative impression Neji makes on Naruto are so strong that he makes a promise to her, swearing on her blood that he will beat Neji in battle.

One month later, Hinata sees Naruto again, who is feeling quite bothered because he has an upcoming match with Neji, too. He confides in her that he's starting to doubt himself, and he's only acting strong because he's frustrated from screwing up all the time. She tells him that she does think he is a strong person- who makes mistakes and learns from them. This considerably eases his worries and he leaves, not before saying that he's decided that he really likes people like her. He does not, of course, notice that this has sent her into a blushing, shocked reverie (which comically goes undisturbed even when Kiba arrives, puzzling him greatly).

When Naruto left for his three-year training period with Jiraiya Hinata apparently was on good terms with both her father and Neji, having had settled her issues with both. She also went to see Naruto off personally but ultimately did not gather the courage to actually do it, instead watching him from afar as always and resolving that she must work harder, too- a vow that was to be fulfilled, since she passed the exam and became a Chûnin during Naruto's absence.

Trivia

• 日向 (Hyūga) means "Sun" and is the name of a city in the Miyazaki prefecture in Japan; This Kanji can be read as both "Hinata" and "Hyūga".

Hyuga Hanabi

Age: 7 years old at start of manga, now 10.5
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday:
Blood Type: ?
Registration #: 005160
Affiliation: Hyuga clan, Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Evil Eye (Byakugan or "White Eye")

Hanabi is the second daughter of Hyuga Hiashi, and thus Hinata's younger sister. Despite their difference in years, it has been implied that Hanabi is more powerful than Hinata. Hanabi also means "fireworks."

Hyuga Hizashi

Age: 32 years old (deceased)
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: January 8
Blood Type: ?
Registration #: 005160
Affiliation: Hyuga clan, Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Evil Eye (Byakugan or "White Eye")

"And war was averted... because of Hyuga Hiashi's double, who was sacrificed by the head family... MY FATHER!" - Hyuga Neji (Unofficial translation)

Hyuga Hizashi (Japn. 日向ヒザシ, pronounced Hyūga Hizashi) was the twin brother of Hyuga Hiashi, but he was born second into the world, making him a branch house member; this made his emotions torn, caring for his brother on the one hand but feeling separated and the victim of a terrible injustice on the other. As Hizashi's son, Hyuga Neji and Hiashi's daughter, Hyuga Hinata matured, the relationship between Hizashi and Hiashi became more tense and resentful, as it slowly dawned on Hizashi that his own son, even if he turned out to be the most powerful Hyuga of the next generation (which he did), would never lead the clan. Upon seeing the hatred in Hizashi's eyes, Hiashi activated the Curse Seal on His forehead, paining him to no end and bringing him inches from death.

When Hiashi killed a shinobi from the Land of the Lightning who came under false pretenses of signing a peace treaty and was in fact attempting to kidnap Hinata to gain the secret of the Evil Eye (Byakugan, or White Eye), the Land of Lightning demanded that the body of a Hyuga clan member be delivered to them as compensation. Hizashi volunteered to be killed instead of Hiashi, thus saving his brother's life and ending his own.

Trivia

• 日向 (Hyūga) means "Sun" and is the name of a city in the Miyazaki prefecture in Japan.
• The name "Hizashi" means "strong sunlight" and is specifically used to describe sunlight strong enough to cause sunburn.

Hyuga Neji

Age: 13 years old at start of manga, now 16.5
Height: 159.2 cm
Weight: 45.8 kg
Birthday: July 3
Blood Type: O
Registration #: 012587
Affiliation: Hyuga clan (branch house), Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Evil Eye (Byakugan or "White Eye"), 64 points of divinity, and 128 points of divinity

"Talent is decided at birth... you could say that everything is decided when a person is born. [...] People must live within their own unchangeable flow. the only destiny that every person shares... is death..."

"You're wrong, brother Neji. Because I can see it... it's not me at all... the person trapped and suffering within the fate of the head and branch families is you." - Hyuga Hinata (Unofficial translation)

A Genin at the start of the series, Hyuga Neji (Japn. 日向ネジ, pronounced Hyūga Neji) is the #1 rookie of his Ninja Academy graduating class during the first several volumes of the manga. He is also considered to be the strongest and most talented of all the Genin who attended the Chûnin exam during that arc, and is the first of them (and currently the only one) to become a Jônin. He is currently on the same team as Tenten, Rock Lee and their sensei, Maito Gai.

A member of the Hyuga Clan, branch house, Neji can never be leader of his clan despite effectively using the Juken and his Evil Eye (Byakugan, or White Eye) being advanced to the point of being able to see the chakra opening points. Neji also has a very powerful defense in the form of the Hakke Sho Kaiten (Heavenly Spin), along with the 64 Hands of Hakke, which effectively seal off a person's chakra points, rendering them useless. But there is a weakness to his Byakugan (360 degree vision), being a blind spot located behind his first thoracic vertebra. He is a very heavy taijutsu user, naturally being proficient in the Leaf's strongest taijutsu style which can only be used with Byakugan. Since taijutsu and his jyuuken are physical attacks, he is a good close range fighter, and a long-range defender with his kaiten.

Neji used to be particularly bitter about his own destiny, forced on him by the fact that his father- Hyuga Hizashi- was born into the world after his uncle, Hiashi, even though they were twins. This made Hiashi a member of the main family and Hizashi- and consequently, Neji- a member of the branch family. In his childhood, Neji had nothing against the main family- probably being too naïve to fully understand the implications of being a branch family member, but as he grew up seeing his father feeling nothing but hatred for his own brother and the main family, he gradually came to resent it himself. His resentment only deepened as he witnessed his father enraged first hand while watching Hyuga Hinata, Hiashi's elder daughter and then the destined Hyuga main family heir, train with her father; for he knew that his own son, Neji, will never be the heir of his clan. Detecting Hizashi's vibes of animosity, Hiashi activated the Hyūga Curse Seal, putting his brother in immense pain as his nerves were being attacked. It was Neji's first encounter with the Hyuga Curse Seal.

It was not until the incident with the Land of the Lightning's and the Land of the Fire's peace treaty, however, that Neji became truly became who he were when he showed up for the Chûnin exams. The two countries, which were at war with one another, apparently decided to sign a treaty, and for this representatives from the lightning country arrived. In the same day, the very same curse seal that tortured his father was put upon Neji himself; and that night, the ambassador from the Lightning country attempted to kidnap Hinata, revealing that the intention of the "treaty" was all along to get into the Fire country and acquire the secret of Byakugan. Hiashi detected the intruder and killed him at once, for which the Lightning country, absurdly, requested payback in the form of a Hyuga clan member's dead body. That day, Neji's father was sent to his death, and Neji grew up believing that his father was sent against his will to protect the Hyuga clan's secret bloodline.

This chain of events drove him to the point of believing that destiny, what we are born as and our features are decided from birth and there's no way to escape or change them. His pent-up hatred reached the stage of attempting to kill Hinata in the Chûnin exam third stage preliminaries, causing lasting damage- not before mentally crippling her with harsh words manufactured to hurt, scare and unbalance her.

In this he acquired the blood-sworn grudge (no less) of one Uzumaki Naruto, who- in true Naruto fashion- was not at all impressed with Neji's sob story, owing to the fact that his own lifestory isn't all that happier. He was suffering from an unremovable seal signifying an inescapable part of his identity and stigmatised on the basis of this as well. When Naruto and Neji actually engage in battle in the third stage main event, Naruto emerges the victor through sheer faith in himself while accepting and embracing who he is (shown through him using Kyuubi's chakra to win).

Realisations and elations rain on Neji that day. Naruto's speeches on the fact that people can change, himself being an obvious in-your-face example for this, combined with his uncle's explanation that Neji's father chose to sacrifice himself for the clan rather than doing it involuntarily, amount to the conclusion that even a bird in a cage, if smart enough and having enough willpower, will open the lock with its beak and soar in the skies again.

The reformed Neji helped Shikamaru and his team consisting of Naruto, Kiba, Choji, and later Rock Lee and the Gaara on the failed mission to bring back Sasuke from crossing over the Fire Country's borders. He fought and defeated one of the Sound Five and was willing to risk his life for the sake of everyone. He is also apparently on good terms with the main house now, freely speaking with Hinata and even being trained by Hiashi.

During the two and a half years Naruto is away training with Jiraiya, Neji has since managed to become a Jônin.

Trivia

• 日向 (Hyūga) means "Sun" and is the name of a city in the Miyazaki prefecture in Japan.
• Neji is the only known Hyuga clan member whose first name does not start with the letter H. His name means "Screw" or "Helix", which probably refers to his Kaiten (Heavenly Spin) technique.

Inari

Age: 8 years old at start of manga, now 11.5
Height: 128.5 cm
Weight: 27.6 kg
Birthday: December 25
Blood Type: A
Affiliation: Land of the Waves
Signature Ability: Crossbow usage

"You figure it's noble to star in a melodrama and treat everyone around you like guests at your pity party? It takes a really big man to sit around and cry... you brat! You big baby!!!!" - Uzumaki Naruto (Viz English manga translation)

Inari (Japn. イナリ) is the son of Tsunami and the grandson of Tazuna. Inari's Father having died before he got to know him, after meeting Kaiza they became very close to each other. Kaiza took a fatherly role in Inari's life and even became close to Tsunami. But when Kaiza was put to death by Gatô, Inari changed. He became a sad and angry boy, with little hope or optimism. Although after experiencing Uzumaki Naruto's character and finding out that Naruto had a past even worse than his, Inari realized the power of will over fate, and that no risk is too great to protect something precious. He therefore grabbed a crossbow and rallied the townspeople, who proceeded to rise up against Gatô's men. Along with Naruto and Hatake Kakashi, they were able to drive away Gatô's thugs.

Trivia

• The name "Inari" comes from a traditional dish of a sweetened riceball or from a Shinto shrine dedicated to a fox spirit called "Inari".

• Inari is the name of the Japanese diety whom all kitsunes work for.

Inuzuka Kiba

Age: 12 years old at start of manga, now 15.5
Height: 151.2 cm
Weight: 43.3 kg
Birthday: July 7
Blood Type: B
Registration #: 012620
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Beast Clone, Gatsuga

"Who's acting? The way we've trained, no way you can beat us! Hee hee hee!" - Kiba (Viz English manga translation)

A Genin level ninja, Inuzuka Kiba (Japn. 犬塚 キバ) is a member of Kurenai's Team 8. Always accompanied by his ninken(ninja dog) Akamaru, Kiba is able to communicate with him and gain information from Akamaru's heightened senses of smell and hearing. Kiba himself also has heightened senses, and many of his Jutsu involve canine abilities. For instance, by focusing his Chakra to his nose he can multiply the power of his sense of smell thousandfold. When he battled Uzumaki Naruto at the Chûnin exam third stage preliminaries, he was very much at an advantage until his heightened sense of smell backfired due to circumstances invoked by Naruto and involving Methane.
During Naruto's absence, he appears to also have been promoted to Chûnin.

Trivia

• Kiba and Akamaru were both born on the same day, the Japanese Tanabata.
• The name "Inuzuka", meaning "house of dogs", belongs to a clan which was one of the most powerful in the Chiba prefecture during the Edo period. They were known as "dog warriors" and worshipped Inu, a deity representing the zodiac sign of the dog. The name "Inuzuka" also originates from Hakkenden , a novel about a dog samurai. Kiba means "fang" in Japanese.

Jiraiya

Age: 50 years old at start of manga, now 53.5
Height: 191.2 cm
Weight: 87.5 kg
Birthday: November 11
Blood Type: B
Registration #: 002301
Affiliation: None (but loyal to Konoha)
Signature Ability: Rasengan, Frog summoning, Stomach of the Giant Toad

"One of Konoha's legendary three... He's an opponent you may be able to face evenly, but I'm not sure about myself. Where we fight him doesn't matter." - Hoshigaki Kisame (to Uchiha Itachi) (Unofficial translation)

A Jônin level Ninja and a former student of the 3rd Hokage, he, Orochimaru and Tsunade are known as the "legendary three" (the Sannin), while Jiraiya himself is known as the Frog Sage (Sennin). Having left Konohagakure for as of yet unknown reasons, he became an author of adult manga- his most popular work being "Make-Out Paradise", which Hatake Kakashi enjoys. When he reappears, Jiraiya is in Leaf Village spying on women bathing as "research" for his next novel. It is at this point that fate arranges for his meeting with Uzumaki Naruto. He removes the Goguofûin (Five Part Seal) that Orochimaru put on Naruto during the second part of the Chuunin exam in the Forest of Death, which prevented him from using Kyubi's chakra and made his chakra unstable. He also gives him special training for the last trial of the Chûnin Selection Exam which includes Naruto tapping into some of Kyubi's strength at will and Kuchiyose-no-Jutsu (the Summoning Technique).

After the death of the Third Hokage, the village elders asked Jiraiya to lead them and take up the title of the Fifth Hokage. Jiraiya declined, and instead promised to search for Tsunade (another one of the Sannin) whom he thought would do a better job as Hokage.

Trivia

• The name "Jiraiya" means "young thunder" and comes from a name of a famous Ninja from Japanese literature, who excelled in summoning a giant toad (the toad itself was sometimes called "Jiraiya"). In that story, Jiraiya and Tsunade were a married couple.
• The kanji on Jiraiya's forehead protector (油) means "oil", which probably has to do with the usage of toad oil for medicine.
• The kanji of his name has a double meaning as "coming on one's own", which describe his personality greatly: who may appear and disappear from Konoha at any time.

Jiroubou

Age: ? (deceased)
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: Sound Village, Sound 4(5)
Signature Ability: Earth Barrier Clay Prison, Chakra Absorption, Cursed Seal, Cursed Seal Level 2

Jiroubou is a member of the sound 4, Orchimaru's elite group of ninjas, who like Sasuke they also have curse marks. His physical strength is unbelieveable, and he is even able to hold up a mountain-sized Chouji. His fighting style consists mostly of basic physical strikes supplemented with the ability to use his chakra to hold the earth solid. He tears boulder sized chunks of dirt out of the ground to throw, creates barrier by tearing up massive sheets of rock, and can apparently drain chakra. He dislikes it when Tayuya bad mouths him and he always critizices her when she does, he also likes to eat.

When in Cursed Seal Level 2 form, his skin is read and his hair becomes a mane down his back, his eyes turn black and he has 10x his normal strength in this form. Chouji took him on and eventually defeated him in three hits....

Kaiza

Age: 30 years old (deceased)
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: Land of the Waves
Signature Ability: Arm usage

"If something is truly precious to you... even if you lose your life... with these two arms you must protect it!". (Unofficial translation)

A fisherman who came to the Land of the Waves, Kaiza became known as the "Hero of the City" in which Tazuna, Inari and Tsunami lived. Kaiza also became a father figure for Inari, and taught him the principles of being a man. Accused of being a terrorist against the Gatô Corp., he was executed publicly by Gatô's men and under his orders. In the death of Kaiza, the source of the city's courage, so too died the bravery within the hearts of the people. It was from this point that Gatô's will truly dominated the Land of the Waves.

Kankuro

Age: 14 years old at start of manga, now 17.5
Height: 165.0 cm
Weight: 60.0 kg
Birthday: May 15
Blood Type: B
Affiliation: Hidden Sand
Signature Ability: Puppeteering

"You're interesting. I like you." - Kankuro
"You're not interesting. I don't like you." - Uzumaki Naruto (Unofficial translation)

Kankuro (Japn. カンクロウ Kankurō) is Gaara's brother and a powerful Shinobi from the Hidden Sand Village. Despite his incredible strength, he is still very much afraid of Gaara. He carries a strange thing on his back called "Karasu", which is basically a marionette which he can use in combination with a technique similar to Kawarimi-no-Jutsu; he grabs his opponents with Karasu and then transforms Karasu in to whatever he pleases. He then unveils himself from the bandage and finishes his opponent off. He is also able to utilize devices implanted in the puppets, such as hidden knives, poison gas launchers, and heads and arms that can be independently used as projectiles. He later uses it in conjunction with another puppet called Kuroari, or Black Ant, which is a non-lethal trapping unit that holds opponents still for Karasu. There is a third puppet named Salamander, but it has never been seen used. This prove to be a disadvantage when he fought against the Akatsuki member Sasori of the Red Sand, who had created the puppets Kankuro used.

During the failed mission to retrieve Sasuke when he left Konohagakure, Gaara, Kankuro and Temari appeared to help the struggling leaf genin. Kankuro in particular appeared just in time to assist Kiba in his hopeless battle against Sakon (and Ukon), defeating them. When Naruto returns to the village two and a half years later from his training with Jiraiya, he discovers that Kankuro has become a Jounin.

Kankuro's name in the English manga is usually spelled Kankuro but is sometimes spelled as Kankurou. His name in the original Japanese release of the anime is spelled Kankurou in Roman characters.

Trivia

• "Kankuro" is a name of famous ninja and he often was pictured as a ninja with a "Karasu" (a crow) as his pet. "Kankuro" is also the name of many famous Kabuki actors which shows in his face paint and quirky style of speech in the original Japanese.

Kazekage (former)

Age: 40 years old (deceased)
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: March 29
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: Hidden Sand
Signature Ability: ?

The previous leader of the Hidden Sand Village. Kazekage translates to "Wind Shadow", though this is merely a title given to him because he is the leader of the Hidden Sand Village. The father of Gaara of The Sand, Temari and Kankuro, it was his design that made Gaara what he is. With the military forces of Sand Village being scaled down by the Daimyo(Lord) of the Wind Country, Kazekage realised that they must increase the quality of each Ninja to maintain a military force. As more time passed, the Daimyo started commissioning Leaf Village with request he should have been making to Sand Village. On top of this he began cutting back on the Sand Village's budget. Kazekage realized that if he didn't act quickly, Sand Village would be in danger of disappearing. So, joining with the Sound Village, Kazekage plans to attack the Leaf Village in order to teach the Daimyo a lesson and to re-establish the Sand Village's military force.

Things, however, definitely do not go as planned for him. Just before the chûnin exam's third stage, where his attack is planned to take place, he is betrayed and assassinated by his ally, Orochimaru, who steals his identity. Ironically, the son whose life he made miserable- Gaara- becomes the new Kazekage in his place.

Kin Tsuchi

Age: 14 years old (deceased)
Height: 150.0 cm
Weight: 39.0 kg
Birthday: July 6
Blood Type: O
Affiliation: Otogakure
Signature Ability: Genjutsu bells

(Japn. キン・ツチ). A Genin level ninja, not much is known about this Sound Ninja. She is in the Chûnin Selection Exam on a mission with her comrades to kill Sasuke. In the third stage preliminaries she is matched against Shikamaru, who defeats her through his The Art of Me-And-My-Shadow (Kagemane-no-Jutsu|Kagemane-no-Jutsu, or Shadow Imitation Technique) by contracting his shadow and sneaking it under the string attached to a needle she threw; she did not notice that a string at that height could cast a shadow.

Kin is later killed by Orochimaru, her master, in order to be one of the sacrifices needed to summon the first two hokage from their graves to fight for him.

Trivia

• Kin is named for the sound of metal clashing.

Kidoumaru

Age: ? (deceased)
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: Sound Village, Sound 4(5)
Signature Ability: Ninja Art Spider Bind

Kidoumaru ia another ninja of Orochimaru's elite shinobi; the Sound four. He enjoys playing with his enemies before he kills them. Kidoumaru skills are spider-like since he posesses six arms and the ablity to make webs. Kidoumaru uses his webs to protect the sound four and Orochimaru. The webs can be used defense wise and offense wise. He has a special type of metal like liquid which runs all through out his body, he can use this liquid to make his webs as well. As soon as it reaches out side of his body it automatically starts hardening with the chakra which flows with in him. This hardened metal like version of the web can be fabricated into body armor, throwing knives, or his especially deadly bow and arrow. This is his clan's special blood limit, altho, and the name of his clan is unknown.

Kimimaro

Age: ? (deceased)
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: Sound Village, Sound 4(5)
Signature Ability: The 5 Dances

Kimimaro is the 5th and last member of the sound 5. He is the sole survivor of the Kaguya Clan, the clan who can manipulate their bodies skeleton frame. He is well suited for close combat fighting and distant fighting. Since he can regenerate and make new bones, he has an endless supply of bones he can use against his opponent. Kimimaro's only weakness is the sickness that he constantly suffers from. The sickness seems to have been recently developed, as he was once a prime candidate for Orochimaru's next host. He has a devout devotion towards Orochimaru for an unknown reason. His dances included the Camelia, a dance using spikes of bone projecting from the palms, and the Pine, which involved sprouting a great number of bone " horns" from across his body and spinning at high speed.

Konohamaru

Age: 8 years old at start of manga, now 11.5
Height: 128.8 cm
Weight: 27.8 kg
Birthday: December 30
Blood Type: B
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Ninja Harem (Oiroike no Jutsu, or Sexy no Jutsu)

The grandson of the 3rd Hokage, Konohamaru (Japn. 木の葉丸) feels he is unacknowledged for that exact reason. Although he was still only in the Ninja Academy, he constantly attempted to surprise attack his grandfather so he can defeat him and acquire the acknowledgement of the Hokage name. Tutored by Ebisu, it is only through Uzumaki Naruto's influence that Konohamaru realized that there will be no short-cuts to becoming Hokage. That is a dream that will take many years of hard work and discipline to realize. Konohamaru hangs out with two friends, named Udon and Moegi. All three have become Genin and are in the new team formed under Ebisu as their mentor and leader.

Maito Gai

Age: 26 years old at start of manga, now 29.5
Height: 184.0 cm
Weight: 76.0 kg
Birthday: January 1
Blood Type: B
Registration #: 010252
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Gouken

"Do not underestimate him." - Uchiha Itachi (Unofficial translation)

Sporting very thick eyebrows, an exceedingly unconventional persona and a very shiny haircut, Maito Gai (Japn. マイト・ガイ) is a jônin who is the rival of Hatake Kakashi and the sensei of a team consisting of Rock Lee, Hyuga Neji and Tenten (though he has, by far, bonded with Lee the most- it was under Gai's guidance that Lee started tapping his potential at all, having been subpar in all ninja categories up to then). Gai tends to appear accompanied by Nin-kame, a gigantic red turtle (his summon), and has several odd mannerisms- including, but not limited to

• Giving the thumbs up and smiling with teeth so white they give the proverbial "ting",
• Punching Lee for various reasons and immediately bursting into tears and hugging him,
• generally over-reacting, even by anime character standards.

Gai claims to have a record of 50 wins and 49 losses against Kakashi, though it is unclear what sorts of competitions are included in this figure (it is shown in the manga that virtually every sort of competition was fair game, even Rock-Paper-Scissors). He believes that "hard work without believing in yourself is worthless", and though he uses the terms "youth", "power" and "explosion" a lot, he sadly notes that his own exploding youth power seems to have, predictably, been fading.

Trivia

The name "Maito" is from "mighty" and together with "Guy", becomes "a mighty Guy", a joke aimed at the "hot-headed hero" archetype that appears in many movies and anime.

Mitarashi Anko

Age: 24 years old at start of manga, now 27.5
Height: 167.0 cm
Weight: 45.8 kg
Birthday: October 24
Blood Type: A
Registration #: 011226
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Twin Snakes Kill Each Other

"Oh, my dear! Jealous? After all this time... are you still angry that I used you and abandoned you?" - Orochimaru (Viz English manga translation)

A Tokubetsu Jônin level ninja, Mitarashi Anko (Japn. みたらしアンコ) is the examiner for the second part of the Chûnin Selection Exam in which Uzumaki Naruto takes part (the part that takes place in the Forest of Death). During the exam she arrives at a confrontation with Orochimaru and it is revealed that he used to be her sensei. It seems she had also received Orochimaru's curse seal, but for an as yet unknown reason Orochimaru's connection to her was severed and the Seal disappeared; when Orochimaru battled Anko, he was able to make her curse seal return, thus incapacitating her with pain as well as ending their fight. Anko knows several forbidden techniques taught to her by Orochimaru, the most notable of which is Twin Snakes Kill Each Other (Sōja Sōsai-no-Jutsu, literally Double Snake Assassination Technique).

Mizuki

Age: 26
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: B
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Giant Shuriken
Registration #: 011141

A Chûnin level ninja, he is Iruka's assistant instructor at the ninja academy. Not a very skilled ninja apparently, he devises a plan to steal the Konohagakure's forbidden scroll using Uzumaki Naruto as a fall-guy, intent upon learning the powerful forbidden Jutsu within. Mizuki's scheme goes according to plan until Iruka gets to Naruto before he does. A fight then takes place which ultimately ends with Naruto saving Iruka's life by creating hundreds of Doppelgangers (Kage Bunshin, or Shadow Replications in the original Japanese) and beating Mizuki to a bloody pulp.

What exactly became of Mizuki is unclear. Some speculate that Mizuki is the key to a gigantic conspiracy outlining the whole plot of the series.

Momochi Zabuza

Age: 26 years old (deceased)
Height: 183.0 cm
Weight: 72.0 kg
Birthday: August 15
Blood Type: A
Affiliation: None
Signature Ability: Mist

"Without a moment's hesitation... without any qualm... a boy who hadn't even qualified yet as a ninja... butchered over a hundred members of that year's graduating class." - Hatake Kakashi

"Ah yes, good times... I used to have so much fun." - Zabuza (Viz English manga translation)

Momochi Zabuza (Japn. 桃地再不斬) is a Missing-nin formerly from Kirigakure. Being a mist-ninja, most of his Jutsu are water-oriented. He had attempted a failed coup d'état on the Land of the Mist, and tried to finance another one. He is also known as "The Demon of Kirigakure" since he once single-handedly killed all of the students in the ninja academy (that is also why Kirigakure stopped pitting students against one another in battles to the death). Zabuza is a Jônin of large power who holds an even larger sword, as we see in the fights between him and Hatake Kakashi, when he was hired by Gatô to kill Tazuna; he actually manages to overpower Kakashi and trap him within his specialty Suirō-no-Jutsu, and would have won if it weren't for Uzumaki Naruto's clever intervention.

Zabuza was the one who picked the lonely Haku off of the cold streets and agreed to take him in if Haku were to serve him, thus gaining his undying loyalty. When Haku sacrifices his life to save Zabuza, jumping in between him and Kakashi's Chidori, Zabuza feels nothing, for he saw Haku as merely a tool; but Naruto, outraged at this lack of emotion, yells at Zabuza that he cannot understand how he wouldn't care at all, and finally understanding what he probably was to Haku, Zabuza has a change of heart.

Zabuza died plunging with Naruto's kunai in his mouth- both his arms having been broken in battle with Kakashi earlier- into the ranks of Gatô's men, and being impaled upon countless weapons- but not before killing many of them, and finally Gatô himself. In the manga, Zabuza kills him by decapitating him with the kunai Naruto gave him. In the anime, Zabuza pushes him off the bridge. Zabuza asked to be buried alongside Haku.

Morino Ibiki

Age: 27 years old at start of manga, now 30.5
Height: 193.5 cm
Weight: 88.0 kg
Birthday: March 20
Blood Type: ?
Registration #: 010913
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: ?

"He uses his insights mercilessly to manipulate his foes... bringing their human weaknesses to the surface... and using those weaknesses to make them crack! Trickery is no defense against his skills as an interrogator." - Asuma (Viz English manga translation)

A Tokubetsu Jônin level ninja, Morino Ibiki (Japn. 森野イビキ) is the examiner for the first part of the Chûnin Selection Exam. As the Konohagakure assassination squad's torture and interrogation specialist, the design of the first test is obviously his. Described as a sadist by some, Ibiki can easily make people experience mental suffering brought on by his interrogation skills while not even exerting physical torture. He has complete knowledge of human psychology; by attacking a person's mind, he can gain control over their spirit. Ibiki bears burn marks, punctures from where screws were used, and long slash marks, all the physical scars of having been horribly tortured himself. This perhaps illustrates his ability to withstand torture without giving up valuable information.

Trivia

• "Morino Ibiki" means "A snore in the forest".

Nara Shikamaru

Age: 12 years old at start of manga, now 15.5
Height: 150.8 cm
Weight: 42.0 kg
Birthday: September 22
Blood Type: AB
Registration #: 012611
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: The Art of Me-And-My-Shadow (Kagemane-no-Jutsu, or the Shadow Imitation Technique)

"He may be foul-mouthed and lazy, but when he decides to do something, he does it all the way. He isn't going to betray anybody." - Uzumaki Naruto (Unofficial translation)

"How many steps ahead does he think?!" - Yuhi Kurenai (Unofficial translation)

Originally a Genin level ninja that graduated with Naruto and the others, he was promoted to Chûnin level in less than a year. Nara Shikamaru (Japn. 奈良シカマル) is in Sarutobi Asuma's Team 10 (with Yamanaka Ino and Akimichi Choji). He is the sort of unenthusiastic person who would rather take a nap than get excited over something and likes the sort of thinking games older men are usually into, such as chess and go. He's great with coming up with a strategy and Asuma has never actually beaten him. According to Asuma, Shikamaru would make an excellent military leader despite his grades from the Academy having been almost as low as Uzumaki Naruto's. He felt that even moving his pencil in class was a bother and always slept through tests; but his sensei, Asuma, got suspicious of the fact that he's so good at board games despite his grades being abysmal, and administered an IQ test disguised as a game to Shikamaru, which revealed that he has an IQ of over 200. He has a habit of putting his fingers together to create a bowl-like shape (save for the thumbs) and closing his eyes so he can concentrate and come up with a strategy. Once he does, usually the opponent believes to have foiled the plan until it turns out it was all a part of the plan.

Shikamaru's specialty jutsu is The Art of Me-And-My-Shadow (Kagemane-no-Jutsu, or the Shadow Imitation Technique). The increasingly common knowledge that Shikamaru is a one-trick pony causes his opponents to underestimate him and think that they can easily win the battle by avoiding his shadow, only to unexpectedly find themselves unable to move during the battle and realise that they have been, yet again, caught in his jutsu by overlooking details that to most are minutiae, but to Shikamaru are tactical assets.

Shikamaru was the one who led the team of Naruto, Neji, Choji and Kiba on the failed mission to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke when the latter fled the fire country. He was very hard on himself for not only the mission's failure but also the fact that most of his team's members were in one point or another during the mission in mortal peril, and it was practically a miracle that they all came back alive. Shedding tears of relief when he heard that they were all okay, he resolved to do better next time for their sake.

Trivia

• The name "Nara" is from the real city of Nara and is a famous place for the number of deer ("Shika") that live there. The deer there are said to bow whenever they are given treats yet the deer are also said to be very aggressive. "-maru" means "round" and "well developed" and was commonly used for names in the feudal period.

Orochimaru

Age: Born 50 years ago, now apparently ageless
Height: 179.4 cm
Weight: 63.9 kg
Birthday: October 27
Blood Type: B
Registration #: 002300
Affiliation: Himself
Signature Ability: Curse Seal (literally)

"I remember seeing him when I was young. He didn't look human, but like something that merely took a human's shape. Scary... he was just scary." - Morino Ibiki (Unofficial translation)

"I will hand down your punishment for drowning yourself in techniques!" - Third Hokage (Unofficial translation)

Technically a Jônin level ninja, but obviously far beyond the average Jônin in power, Orochimaru (Japn. 大蛇丸) is a Missing-nin who has the power to easily defeat a small country on his own. He's a Shinobi that all countries would have wanted when he defected from Konohagakure and possesses many jutsu, forbidden and not, relating to snakes. Leader of his own newly created Land of Sound and Otogakure, Orochimaru's intentions are to be the catalyst for a long and intense battle between all the Hidden Villages.

Orochimaru also has great interest in Uchiha Sasuke. He was also at one point in time, the student of the 3rd Hokage and the sensei of Anko.

Orochimaru's ambitions abruptly ended, or were at least indefinitely delayed, when he decided to do battle with his old sensei, Sandaime (the third) Hokage. The latter, using the same technique the fourth Hokage used to seal the Kyūbi inside Uzumaki Naruto, sacrificed his life to seal away Orochimaru's arms, rendering him incapable of forming seals and executing jutsu. Orochimaru plans for this situation to be remedied by taking over Sasuke's body, which he has been planning anyway, but the agony of his decomposing hands is too much to handle and Sasuke is taking too long to come to Orochimaru, so Orochimaru holds a tournament of fights to the death between his prisoners and takes over the body of the last man who remains standing. This, while getting rid of his condition, drastically delays his plans for Sasuke, seeing as he can only take over a new body once about roughly every three years.

Trivia

• Putting Curse Seals on his servants that put them in pain and appear when he chooses them to, associating with snakes and seeking immortality, Orochimaru is very much a literary relative of Lord Voldemort.
• Orochimaru also borrows heavily from Japanese myth- Orochimaru, Jiraiya and Tsunade were mythical ninjas, and the mythical dragon Orochi, when slain, had the legendary sword Kusanagi salvaged from one of his tails. Orochimaru has the actual Kusanagi in the series, and even used it when he battled the third Hokage.
• The name "Orochimaru" means "great-snake-circle", which refers to his talent with snakes but might also be a reference to the Ouroboros.

Pochi

Inari's former pet dog. He was stolen by Akane, a bully, who renamed Pochi "Shooting Star" but later decided he no longer wanted his new pet and threw him into the ocean. Inari can't swim and is afraid to jump off the pier to save his dog, so Akane pushes him into the water. Inari begins to drown as Pochi figures out the doggy paddle and swims to safety. Inari is rescued by Kaiza- this is how they first meet.

Rock Lee

Age: 13 years old at start of manga, now 16.5
Height: 158.5 cm
Weight: 46.6 kg
Birthday: November 27
Blood Type: A
Registration #: 012561
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Gouken

"I want to prove I can become an excellent ninja without using ninjutsu or genjutsu! That is everything to me!" - Lee (Unofficial translation)

"Won't be able to fight anymore? ... It... it can't be true. It must be a lie. ...he wanted to fight Neji and Sasuke so badly! What is he supposed to do when he hears that?!" - Uzumaki Naruto (Unofficial translation)

"I promised when we met... to protect you... until death do us part!" - Lee to Sakura (Viz English manga translation)

Originally a Genin level Ninja, Rock Lee (Japn. ロック・リー) is a Taijutsu specialist and Maito Gai's student. Incapable of using Ninjutsu (ninja "magic" techniques) or Genjutsu (ninja illusion techniques), he spent all his time and concentration on Taijutsu (ninja hand-to-hand combat). Rock Lee is so overcompensatingly strong in the taijutsu dicipline that he is able to open seven of the eight "chakra gates" inside a ninja's body. It is because of his determination and hard working ethic that Lee has become an outstanding Ninja, to the point of making Chûnin during Naruto's absence from the village.

When in heated battle, Lee removes the extremely heavy weights he wears on his legs. This vastly increases his already amazing speed. After using his trump card and specialty technique, the Extreme Lotus for the first time against Gaara of the Sand, Lee's body was so beaten up that he could barely even move, yet even after his left leg and left arm were both completely pulverised and he fell unconscious, he still stood up to prove his ninja way. However, because of all of the damage done to his body during the battle, he was told by Konoha medics that he would be unable to live as a Ninja any more. He would not give up and, even with his torn and unusable body, continued to try practicing. At one point in the series, Tsunade, the fifth Hokage told Lee that he would never be able to work as a Shinobi again, unless he underwent a very risky surgery, in which he only had a 50% chance of surviveing. Lee's sensei, Maito Gai, convinced him to take his chances, and have the surgery done. Lee's surgery is a success and he immedietly sneaks out of the hospital to help the other Genin, who went on a mission to save Sasuke, but he accidently brings along a bottle of sake instead of his medicine. When he drinks it, he goes into a drunken frenzy, and the reader learns that he is a natural user of the Drunken Fist.

Trivia

• Rock Lee resembles Bruce Lee.

Rin

Age: 13
Height: 151.8 cm
Weight: 42.3 kg
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: O
Registration #: ?
Affiliation: Konoha
Signature Ability: Medical Jutsu
Rin was the team mate of Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Obito in the Kakashi Gaiden chapters of the Naruto Manga. Rin is a genin level medical nin. She is a sweet and friendly girl who cares for her team mates. She is also the one who implanted Obito's left eye into Kakashi, giving him sharingan.

Sakon

Age: ? (deceased)
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: Sound Village, Sound 4(5)
Signature Ability: Rashoumon
Sakon is one of the ninjas of the Sound 4, the bodyguards of Orochimaru. He is very twisted and enjoys bad-mouthing the opposition. Sakon possess amazing power and speed but these are not the only things he has at his disposal. He is a very noticeable ninja. From behind, one can see what appears to be another head hanging from his back. This is his older brother Ukon. It is unknown whether this is a birth defect (i.e. Siamese twins) or the result their own twisted jutsu. Ukon generally stays asleep in Sakon's body, unless needed in combat, effectively doubling the strength of Sakon's physical attacks. Each brother can independently activate a curse seal. At Spell Mark (Curse Seal) Level 2, the brothers look like devils and possess increased healing abilities, armor, and can split apart for extended periods of time. In his final battle, he battles Kiba, then Kankurou, who eventually defeats Sakon/Ukon.

Sarutobi Asuma

Age: 27 years old at start of manga, now 30.5
Height: 190.8 cm
Weight: 81.6 kg
Birthday: October 18
Blood Type: O
Registration #: 010829
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Chakra Blades

A Jônin level Ninja, Sarutobi Asuma (Japn. 猿飛アスマ) is the leader of Team 10, including Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Choji and Yamanaka Ino. Not much is known about Asuma, only that he seems very laid back and is always smoking a cigarette whenever he is seen. Based on the name, many incorrectly beleive Asuma might be related to the 3rd Hokage, but 'Sarutobi,' the name he shares with the 3rd Hokage, is his family name, while it is the given name of the leader of the village.

Tayuya

Age: ? (deceased)
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: Sound Village, Sound 4(5)
Signature Ability: Illusion Harmony
Tayuya is the female ninja of Orochimaru's Sound 4. She may be foul mouthed and ill tempered but she is very powerful. Her main weapon is her flute. With it she can summon 3 powerful demons and control them to fight for her. Tayuya is also very smart and can think of excellent stratagies and battle tactics. She can also perform genjutsu (illusionary techniques) with her flute.

Tazuna

Age: 59 years old at start of manga, now 62.5
Height: 163.0 cm
Weight: 50.6 kg
Birthday: April 5
Blood Type: A
Affiliation: Land of the Waves
Signature Ability: Bridge Building

"The man you are trying to kill, Mr. Tazuna, is the heart and spirit of this place. And the bridge you're trying to prevent him from completing is the land's hope. You're willing to sacrifice this place and everyone in it, just to advance your own ambitions. That's not what a true shinobi does." - Hatake Kakashi (to Momochi Zabuza) (Viz English manga translation)

An expert bridge builder, Tazuna (Japn. タズナ) is a resident of the Land of the Waves. He resolved to build a bridge that would connect the Wave country to the mainland to help in restoring its economic stability, which was against Gatô's interest, and he knew full well that Gatô would try to kill him. It is because of this threat that Tazuna, under false pretenses of wanting to merely be protected from bandits (reducing the costs- he doesn't have a choice), acquires the services of bodyguards from the Konoha. A brave man, Tazuna doesn't hesitate on his path to create a bridge that will bring back hope into the city he loves. In honor of Naruto, for his example of courage, Tazuna names the bridge "The Great Naruto Bridge" after its completion.

Temari

Age: 15 years old at start of manga, now 18.5
Height: 157.3 cm
Weight: 44.5 kg
Birthday: August 23
Blood Type: O
Affiliation: Sunagakure
Signature Ability: Kamaitachi

"Truly a woman more frightening than my own mother." - Nara Shikamaru (Unofficial translation)

Daughter of the former Kazekage, Temari (Japn. テマリ) is Gaara of The Sand and Kankuro's sister. She carries a huge fan on her back which she uses as a powerful Ninja tool; she is also good at fighting from a distance, and a keen analyst (though not of the same calibre as Shikamaru).

When the situation looked hopeless for Shikamaru in his fight against Tayuya during the failed mission to retrieve the renegade Uchiha Sasuke, Temari came to his rescue. Her fan was able to reflect the sound waves right back to their caster. After using Kuchiyose-no-Jutsu to summon a weasel / ferret monster, she tore up the whole forest with her fan, defeating the Sound Ninja whose strategy was to hide and attack from a distance. She and Naruto were the only two genin that can use summoning jutsu. During Naruto's 2.5 year absence, she becomes a Jônin along with Kankuro.

Trivia

• A "Temari" is a traditional ball of wound thread that kids use to bounce and dribble. They can be highly elaborate, and some consider weaving them to be an art form.

Tenten

Age: 13 years old at start of manga, now 16.5
Height: 154.3 cm
Weight: 42.2 kg
Birthday: March 9
Blood Type: B
Registration #: 012573
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Weapon/scroll usage, Soushouryu (Twin Rising Dragons)

Originally a Genin level ninja who graduated the academy a year before Naruto did and now a Chûnin, Tenten (Japn. テンテン) is a student of Maito Gai. She has a terribly accurate (100%) aim when throwing weapons. Not much is known about her techniques, other than that she masters the use of dozens of various types of weapons in battle by raining them on her opponent. She also uses (chakra?) strings at some point. Her technique is useless against Temari, and opponents using natural elements to their advantage.

Tenten feels very strongly about both her former team-mates, as she especially idolizes Neji and could be seen staring with pride at Lee during his training with Gai at one occasion.

Her goal as a kunoichi is to be as great as Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin. She trains hard to achieve her dream. She is considered one of the best female ninjas in the village.

Trivia

• The name "Tenten" has no particular meaning, but repeating the same syllable twice is a popular naming scheme for pandas. Repeated names are used affectionately in China.
• One of the meanings of "Ten" in Japanese is "heaven" or "sky".
• "Tenten" can sometimes mean "sporadically" in Japanese, which could be a pun involving her infrequent appearances in both the manga and anime.

Tsunade - 5th Hokage

Age: 50 years old at start of manga, now 53.5
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Registeration #: ?
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Healing

"From now on, I am also going to bet. My. LIFE!" (Unofficial translation)

The granddaughter of the First Hokage and One of the three legendary Sannin who is now also known as the Fifth Hokage. Tsunade (Japn. 綱手) is a medic ninja as well as a "slug tamer". As a disciple of the 3rd Hokage, her fellow students include Orochimaru and the Ero Sennin. Even though she is around 50 years old, her genjutsu makes it appear as if she were still 20. Her skills would have been key in healing Orochimaru's sealed arms, but she refused and proceeded to fight both him and Kabuto. Her freakish strength could kill Orochimaru with one direct hit, but her summoned giant slug is not quite as strong as Jiraiya's frog, Gamabunta. One of her more powerful techniques is cellular regeneration, which requires an immense amount of chakra. She was impaled by Orochimaru's sword numerous times while protecting Naruto but easily regenerated herself.

"In other words...I'll never die in battle...ever!" (Unofficial translation)

This skill, however, requires so much chakra that her youthful illusion is dispelled shortly after using it; the cells also divide so rapidly that they approach apoptosis faster, aging her even further.

During a war, both her brother and lover were killed; similar to Naruto, they both had dreams of being the Hokage and protecting the ones they loved. After their deaths, Tsunade as a medic ninja ironically developed a phobia of blood. But after protecting Naruto she overcame this phobia for the sake of those most precious to her.

One of her noteworthy possessions was her grandfather's amulet [The First Hokage!], a necklace that could buy up to three mountains. She "lost" it to Naruto in a bet she made with him to prove a point- challenging him to learn the high-level technique Rasengan in only a week. Even though the people close to her she had given the necklace to up to that point had died shortly after, she decided to give it to Naruto anyway- who, after all, until he becomes Hokage simply refuses to die.

Tsunade is also a compulsive gambler, who has the unfortunate disadvantage of having terrible luck. As a result, she has been elevated to legendary status as "The Legendary Sucker", for the gross profits made off her misfortune and gambling addiction.

After some initial reluctance, Tsunade agreed to take the title of the Fifth Hokage and lead Konohagakure, and later has decided to take Haruno Sakura in as her student.

Tsunami

Age: 29 years old at start of manga, now 32.5
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: ?
Affiliation: The Land of the Waves
Signature Ability: None

The daughter of Tazuna and single mother of Inari. Having lost her husband several years ago, when Kaiza entered her life showing such love for her son, she couldn't help but invite him into her home. Like everyone else in the City, Kaiza's death broke her spirit. In the years following she has tried to protect Inari from the painful memories of the loss of his friend and mentor. Tsunami is a woman of strong will. When Inari is in danger, she threatens to commit suicide, which would have left no hostage for Gatô's men to take.

"Tsunami" ) is one or a series of waves that occur after an earthquake, seaquake, volcanic activity, slumps, or meteorite impacts in or near the sea. The term "tidal wave" is often used to refer to a tsunami but it is technically not correct scientific usage.

Tsurugu Misumi

Age: 23 years old at start of manga, now 26.5
Height: 174.7 cm
Weight: 61.4 kg
Birthday: November 30
Blood Type: A
Affiliation: Otogakure
Signature Ability: Advanced grappling

Technically a Genin level ninja and pretending to be from the Konohagakure, Tsurugu Misumi (Japn. 剣ミスミ) is actually from the Otogakure, acting as Konoha Ninja in order to gain information. To be more efficient in the gathering of information, his body has been altered to be able to fit into any space. This ability also has its benefits in battle, Allowing Misumi to get impossible to escape holds on his opponent, with the ability to then constrict like a snake.

Uchiha Itachi

Age: 16 years old at start of manga, now 19.5
Height: ?
Weight: ?
Birthday: June 9
Blood Type: ?
Registration #: 012110
Affiliation: Akatsuki
Signature Ability: Mangekyo Sharingan

...愚かなる 弟 よ........ この オレ を殺したくば, 恨め ! 憎 め! そしてみにくく 生きのびる が いい.......... 逃げて... 逃げて... 生 に しがみ付く がいい (...orokanaru otouto yo........ kono ore (w)o koroshitakuba, urame! nikume! soshite minikuku ikinobiru ga ii......... nigete... nigete... sei ni shigamitsuku ga ii ...), meaning "Foolish younger brother........ if you wish to kill me, hate me! Detest me! And survive in an unsightly way......... run... run... and cling to life." (Original Japanese version)
"Baby brother, you're pathetic. If you want to kill me, settle for hating me until you can! Hate me... and live. Like the coward you are! Clinging to life... without honor!" - Uchiha Itachi to Uchiha Sasuke (Viz English manga translation)

Noted within the Wanted Book, Uchiha Itachi (うちはイタチ Uchiha Itachi) is an S-Level criminal and a Konoha Village Missing-nin. He graduated top of his Academy class at age 7, had mastered the Sharingan by age 8, became a Chûnin at 9 and was previously a Black Ops (ANBU) captain at the age of only 13; Now 19, he is feared even by Orochimaru. He left Konoha some years ago, after killing his whole clan except for Uchiha Sasuke, his brother. He is currently associated with the organization Akatsuki though his whereabouts are unknown. Orchimaru had plans for Itachi wanting him to join him only to be another vessel for him, but seeing as Itachi is obscenely powerful to such a degree that he clearly overpowers even Orochimaru, it's easy to see why Orochimaru decided to try his luck with Sasuke instead.

The reason Itachi killed his clan, the reason he left Sasuke alive only to physically and mentally abuse him and the reason he repeatedly chooses to spare the lives of Konoha-nins after completely outclassing them in battle all remain mysteries. One thing is clear- there's more to him than meets the eye and gets trapped in an alternate dimension of psychological torture. He is the sole person who can use the Mangekyô Sharingan as revealed in the manga thus far, though apparently there is another person with this ability who has not yet been introduced (since Itachi tells Sasuke that if Sasuke were to achieve the Mangekyô Sharingan, the people able to use it will total at three); this is puzzling since it implies the existence of another living memeber of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke having previously thought to be the only one to survive Itachi's massacre.

Trivia

• The name "Itachi" means "Weasel".

Uchiha Obito

Age: 13 (deceased)
Height: 155.2 cm
Weight: 43.4 kg
Birthday: ?
Blood Type: AB
Registration #: ?
Affiliation: Uchiha clan, Konoha
Signature Ability: Sharigan
Obito is a genin level ninja featured in the Kakashi Gaiden chapters of the Naruto manga. Obito wants to prove his strength to Kakashi, who is his team mate and his biggest rival. Obito also has a crush on his other team mate, Rin. On his and Kakashi's mission to rescue Rin, Obito finnaly proved his strength to Kakashi by activating the Uchiha clan's special ability, the Sharingan. When all seemed to be going well a rock ninja used a rocklisde jutsu and smashed Obito, completely crushing the right side of his body. Obito, knowing that he was going to die, offered his sharingan to Kakashi, so he could defeat the rock ninja and save Rin. Rin, being a medical ninja, implanted Obito's left eye into Kakashi's left eye socket. This is the origin of Hatake Kakashi's sharingan eye.

Umino Iruka

Age: 25 years old at start of manga, now 28.5
Height: 178.0 cm
Weight: 66.2 kg
Birthday: May 26
Blood Type: O
Registration #: 011450
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: None
Seiyū: Toshihiko Seki

"I'm not crying... my parents died fighting the stupid monster fox! They were heroes!... these tears are tears of joy..." (Unofficial translation)

A Chûnin level ninja, Umino Iruka (Japn. 海野イルカ) is an instructor at the ninja academy. Introduced as Uzumaki Naruto's sensei, he and Naruto have a special connection- Iruka sees himself in Naruto because he also grew up as an orphan and was around Naruto's age when his parents were killed by the Kyubi. Naruto cares for him because Iruka was the first person to acknowledge him as a precious person. Worrying that Naruto is being pushed too hard, Iruka often underestimates Naruto's abilities during his trials to become a great ninja. He is now Konohamaru's teacher.

Trivia

• The name "Umino" means "of the sea" and "Iruka" means "a dolphin".
  

Yakushi Kabuto

Age: 19 years old at start of manga, now 22.5
Height: 176.2 cm
Weight: 65.0 kg
Birthday: February 29
Blood Type: AB
Registration #: 012140
Affiliation: Orochimaru
Signature Ability: Medical Jutsu

"His instincts may surpass even mine in my prime." - Tsunade (Unofficial translation)

Technically a Genin level ninja, Yakushi Kabuto (Japn. 薬師カブト, pronounced Yakūshi Kabuto) is in Konohagakure as a spy acting for Orochimaru. Having intentionally failed the Chûnin exam 7 times and made himself seem an unimpressive ninja, he is actually on the Jônin skill level, capable of matching even Hatake Kakashi in battle. As a young boy he was brought back from a battle, an enemy child, he was found and raised by a Jônin member of the Leaf Medical Unit Squad. Since then he has been hiding in his fake self. Described as Orochimaru's right hand man, Kabuto's role was to keep an eye on talented ninjas that Orochimaru could recruit, specifically Uchiha Sasuke, in order for the next stage of Orochimaru's plan to take place.

During his fight with Tsunade, she commented that his instincts may have surpassed even hers during her prime years. Kabuto probably has some ulterior motive for helping Orochimaru though the manga has yet to reveal it.

Trivia

• Combined, both his family name and surname reminds some of aconite, a plant which can alleviate pain and kill people.
• Kabuto means a samurai's helmet or headplate.

Yamanaka Ino

Age: 12 years old at start of manga, now 15.5
Height: 149.3 cm
Weight: 38.2 kg
Birthday: September 23
Blood Type: B
Registration #: 012604
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Art of the Valentine (Shintenshin-no-Jutsu, literally Body-Mind Transfer in the original Japanese)

"Why? Why didn't he find me sexy? What's wrong with him?! It makes me so mad!!" - Ino (Viz English manga translation)

Originally a Genin from Naruto's class, Yamanaka Ino (山中イノ Yamanaka Ino)- now a Chûnin- is described as a very talented female shinobi by her Sensei. She was originally the first person to be nice to the timid Haruno Sakura in her childhood and was her best friend, but their shared crush on Uchiha Sasuke has driven them apart and made them bitter rivals. After the second stage of the Chûnin exam, and to some extent the third stage preliminaries, Ino and Sakura's relationship becomes a complex friendship/enmity one- it seems as if they are basically good friends again but are still thrown into rivalry mode whenever Sasuke is even mentioned.

Ino appears to be a very enthusiastic sort of person, her energy-laden cheers contrasting ridiculously with the pronounced indifference of her teammate, Shikamaru. Much like him, Ino has a specialty jutsu that takes control of the opponent to some degree- Art of the Valentine (Shintenshin-no-Jutsu, literally The Body-Mind Switch Technique).

Trivia

• The name "Yamanaka" means "deep in the mountain" and "Ino" means "a wild boar" (this explains Sakura's use of "Ino, you pig!" and "porker" to insult her. In the original Japanese manga and anime, the phrase is "Ino-butta!!" -- "Butta" means pig). "Ino", "Shika" and "Chō" are the name of three cards needed for a highly prized trick of "Inoshikacho" in the Hanafuda.

Yuhi Kurenai

Age: 27 years old at start of manga, now 30.5
Height: 169.1 cm
Weight: 54.4 kg
Birthday: June 11
Blood Type: AB
Registration #: 010881
Affiliation: Konohagakure
Signature Ability: Genjutsu

A Jônin level ninja, Yuhi Kurenai (Japn. 夕日紅, pronounced Yūhi Kurenai) is the one in charge of Genin Team 8 (which consists of Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and Hyūga Hinata). Not much is known about Kurenai as of yet in the series, only that she has just recently become a Jônin. She may have a thing for Asuma, since she blushed when Kakashi suggested it.

During her brief battle with Itachi and Kisame, she used her strongest skill, genjutsu. Itachi easily countered it though, since he has the Sharingan at his disposal.

Trivia

• The name "Yūhi" means "the setting sun" and "Kurenai" means "the time of twilight when the sun sets".

Zaku Abumi

Age: 14 years old (deceased)
Height: 157.3 cm
Weight: 49.0 kg
Birthday: September 14
Blood Type: AB
Affiliation: Otogakure
Signature Ability: Air pressure/sound cannon

"Me... The great me... Can't screw up anymore!" - Zaku (Unofficial translation)

"Our objective is not some stupid scroll... nor have we any interest in passing your infantile exam. We're after Sasuke!" - Zaku (Viz English manga translation)

"Oh, no. Sasuke is a crucial piece. The ones taking the chûnin exam are merely sacrifices." - Orochimaru (Unofficial translation)

Zaku Abumi (Japn. ザク・アブミ) was a Genin level ninja from the Sound Village. He was part of the Sound Village team that took the Chûnin test at Konoha. He was murdered and used as a sacrifice by Orochimaru for the use of the Edo Tensei technique against 3rd Hokage.

Trivia

• Zaku's name is derived from "to cut," but it is also the sound of a person walking on snow or sand. With the former name meaning, he and his two teammates have names relating to swords, fitting based on their aggressive behavior and deadly intentions. However, based on the latter meaning, he and his two teammates all have names that come from onomatopoeias, fitting since they come from the Village-of-Sound. Their naming pattern (Slash, Clang, and Crunch) is similar to that of Snap, Crackle, and Pop.

Trivia

• The probability of this many people actually not sharing a birthday is less than one in fifteen. (Counting characters whose birthdays are known; had the whole cast of Naruto been known to have different birthdays, the probability would have dropped to less than one in fifty.)

• When the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors arrived in Japan in the early 1640s the Japanese invented many variations for it- one of them being Frog, Slug, Snake. The frog can beat the slug, the slug can beat the snake and the snake can beat the toad. These three animals are, not coincidentally, the summons of the legenday Sannin (Jiraiya, Orochimaru and Tsunade). The names of the Sannin are from The Legend of the Gallant Jiraiya, a Japanese tale from the nineteenth century.