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Land of Sound

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The Land of Sound (音の国, Oto no Kuni) is a geographical feature in the Naruto anime and manga series. It was likely named after the Otogakure, which Orochimaru founded, and both refer to what could be considered as one political entity.

The Land of Sound, along with Otogakure, is a relatively new country in the political scene, though the country itself existed long before Orochimaru took it over and renamed it. It conspired with the Land of Wind to launch a surprise attack and hopefully destroy the Land of Fire. Instead of using elemental jutsu, Sound ninja use sonic-based jutsu, often augmented by various devices.

In the anime, the country in which Orochimaru established his village is named the "Land of Rice Fields" or "Rice Field Country" (田の国, Ta no Kuni). Orochimaru seems to have renamed it after his takeover.

Otogakure

File:Oto no Kuni Symbol.gif

Otogakure (音隠れの里, Otogakure no Sato, literally "Village Hidden in Sound") was founded by Orochimaru as a part of the Land of Sound, and is run by him. Not much is known about it: what is certain is that it actually consists of a series of lairs, located both within the Sound country and away from it, which Orochimaru switches between every week. Other than that, and the fact that its ninja specialize in techniques involving manipulation of sound waves, as well as using a cursed seal to increase their power, little else is known about it. Although he is the leading ninja of Otogakure, Orochimaru isn't a Kage, despite his equivalent power level. The reason for this is because the five Kages of the five great Hidden Villages don't acknowledge Otogakure, and certainly would not acknowledge a criminal like Orochimaru.

With Orochimaru's defeat at the hands of Sasuke Uchiha, the various bases formerly under Orochimaru's control have begun to rebel and its inhabitants are trying to escape to freedom.

Villagers

Orochimaru

Main article: Orochimaru

Orochimaru is the leader of the village and country. Though he is not a Kage, he has been nicknamed the Otokage ("Sound Shadow") by fans due to his Kage-level power and knowledge. Orochimaru is also one of the Legendary Three Ninja of Konoha. Though he is essentially the military dictator of the Sound village, he does not live in it. For most of the series, he is seen using a secret underground base as his headquarters. After Sasuke joins him, Kabuto mentions that they move into a new base every week.

Kabuto Yakushi

Main article: Kabuto Yakushi

Kabuto Yakushi is Orochimaru's right-hand man and most-trusted agent, though Kabuto does not always seem to be completely loyal to Orochimaru. Orochimaru also seems to recognize this, but keeps Kabuto around regardless.

"Snake"

After breaking his ties with Orochimaru, Sasuke gathers a four-man group consisting of himself and three of Orochimaru's former subordinates under the name "Snake" (蛇, Hebi). All of them bear a certain ability that Sasuke requires to defeat Itachi Uchiha.

Sasuke Uchiha

Main article: Sasuke Uchiha

Though originally a member of Konoha, Sasuke Uchiha has since joined Orochimaru in his quest to become more powerful in order to kill his older brother, Itachi. He has recently severed his ties with the Sound village.

Jugo

File:Juugo123.JPG
Jugo
  • Unique Traits: Body produces enzymes that transform him into a monstrous creature

Jugo (重吾, Jūgo) is the largest of the three members that comprise Sasuke Uchiha's new team, Snake. Jugo was being held at Orochimaru's North Base, which is also where most of Orochimaru's secret research was conducted. Suigetsu can't stand Jugo and comments that one of the reasons he had to retrieve Zabuza Momochi's sword was because of him. Karin notes that Jugo is mentally unstable, a view confirmed by images of Jugo muttering to himself over who he will kill next, which he determines by gender.

Jugo is the means behind Orochimaru's development of the cursed seals. Some time in the past, Jugo purposely sought out Orochimaru to cure him of his "impulses". Jugo has trouble controlling his rage, which unexpectedly causes him to transform into a berserk demon (much like a cursed seal does to its user). Upon examination, Orochimaru was able to isolate enzymes in Jugo's blood as the cause of this change. By extracting these enzymes, Orochimaru was able to use them to produce similar, but more controlled, effects in other people.

While Jugo initially appears quite bloodthirsty, Karin notes that this is only common behavior for the enraged; Jugo himself doesn't want to kill anyone. Jugo's fits of rage are random and thus the reason why he willingly remains confined. The only reason he agrees to go with Sasuke is because he views Sasuke as the only person capable of preventing him from killing people while enraged. Before Sasuke, it was Kimimaro who kept Jugo in check and as Kimimaro was the only person Jugo came into any contact with, the two grew close. After hearing that Kimimaro sacrificed his life to deliver Sasuke to Orochimaru, Jugo believes that Kimimaro's spirit continues to live on in Sasuke.

Jugo has a bracket-shaped symbol on his left palm. Whether or not this is also present on his right palm or if it has any significance has yet to be seen. His brief fight with Sasuke and Suigetsu revealed that Jugo can control his transformation, unlike the static effects of a standard cursed seal. When battling Sasuke he changes his left arm into a piston-like ram to increase his punching power and then alters it into a massive blade from his forearm to fight Suigetsu. He is also capable of doing only a partial transformation, invoking a level two form over one portion of his body without completely changing.

While discussing Sasuke's team with the other members of Akatsuki, the Akatsuki leader refers to Jugo as Jugo of the Scales (天秤の重吾, Tenbin no Jūgo, "scale" referring to something that determines balance). Whether this is a title or a location is unclear.

After Team Snake is dispatched on their mission into the forest, Jugo commences his search by activating his special enzyme and asking a bird for information.

Karin

File:Karin naruto.png
Karin
  • Unique Traits: Able to locate and track others

Karin (香燐) is a former subordinate of Orochimaru who assisted him in his experimentations and was left in charge of one of his bases while he was away; and was also the only one loyal to Orochimaru to remain even though his current status is questionable. She has red eyes, matching hair color and an unusual hairstyle; her hair is short and unkempt on one side, and long and combed on the other. Karin will at times appear tough and in control and other times she is flirtatious. Karin's name means 'intense sulfur' and is also a homonym for the fruit 'quince'.

Sasuke Uchiha recruits her as a member of Snake. While Sasuke admits she may be troublesome, he also notes that her special abilities make her useful. She also seems to have a liking for Sasuke, implying to Sasuke that a team consisting of the two of them would be much better than one with Suigetsu or Jugo. Suigetsu noted that something once happened between her and Sasuke though what this means remains unclear, since she punches Suigetsu before he can finish his sentence.

Karin's special ability allows her to track specific individuals through chakra, seen when she is able to discern that Jugo is not among a crowd of prisoners through the standard concentration pose for molding chakra. It also allows her to pick up chakra from long distances and notice changes in an individual's chakra.

Suigetsu Hozuki

File:Suigetsu.jpg
Suigetsu
  • Unique traits: Able to reduce himself to a liquid form, can change the size of his limbs

Suigetsu Hozuki (鬼灯水月, Hōzuki Suigetsu) is a former experimental subject of Orochimaru and the first member to be recruited into Snake. He is freed by Sasuke shortly after he defeats Orochimaru. Suigetsu's teeth are shark-like, much like Zabuza Momochi's and Kisame Hoshigaki's. Suigetsu's name means "water moon", a reference to something that can be seen but not grasped, as the moon reflected in water is.

Suigetsu is able to reduce himself to liquid form and to return to bodily form at will. This ability also allows him to change his body shape, giving him the ability to increase the size of his limbs, proportionally increasing his strength, if necessary. It also makes striking him somewhat difficult; since he is made of liquid, any sufficiently powerful strike will go right through his watery form. He is arguably quite powerful or at least very confident in his abilities, since he has threatened Sasuke on more than one occasion. Kisame Hoshigaki even commented on Suigetsu being a prodigy at the art of murder and the next Zabuza Momochi. Suigetsu is also the first ninja seen carrying water bottles on his outfit. Given his somewhat frequent desire to consume water, Suigetsu may require regular hydration to sustain his watery form.

Suigetsu has Sasuke take him to Zabuza's grave in the Land of Waves after being released, wanting to take possession of the latter's zanbatō. Having trained with the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, which Zabuza once belonged to, Suigetsu can wield the weapon with relative ease, but traveling longer distances with the sword strapped onto his back tires him out rather quickly. In his allegiance with Sasuke, Suigetsu hopes to acquire the sword of Kisame as well, which Karin assumes to mean that he wants to collect all of the swords of the Seven Swordsmen.

He seems to have some enmity for Jugo and Karin, though it isn't clear why. During the trip meant for recruiting Karin, Sasuke asks him to free all the prisoners previously kept under Karin's guard. As a condition of their release, he has them tell those they meet that Sasuke has killed Orochimaru and intends to bring peace to the world. As Sasuke is never seen mentioning this to Suigetsu, it remains unclear if this is Sasuke's actual goal or merely manipulation on Suigetsu's part. After team Snake is created, Suigetsu states that his goal in the group is to acquire Kisame Hoshigaki's Samehada sword.

After Team Snake is dispatched into the forest to search for Itachi, Suigetsu arrives at a building named the "Exchange." Suigetsu demonstrates his exceptional skills at using his zanbatō, by effortlessly taking out the front guard, followed by trapping another guard and the boss behind his sword. The boss is revealed to a subordinate of Kakuzu, and the accountant for Akatsuki. The accountant pleads with Suigetsu to spare his life and agrees to talk.

Sound Four

The Sound Four (音隠れの忍四人衆, Otogakure no Shinobi Yonin Shū, literally Hidden Sound Shinobi Four People) were Orochimaru's elite bodyguards (Sakon and Ukon are counted as one entity due to their kekkei genkai). Each was given a cursed seal by Orochimaru. They were all defeated and killed by Naruto's friends in the Sasuke Retrieval arc. Kimimaro Kaguya was a part of the group for a short time, since he was stronger than all four combined, and was intended to be Orochimaru's next host, but an unexpected illness prevented him from participating normally. All five repeatedly make analogies between their opponents and "trash".

The Sound Four were all talented in barrier jutsu. When first seen the four use Four Violet Flames Battle Encampment (四紫炎陣, Shishienjin, English "Four Flames Formation") to create a box-like barrier around the area of Orochimaru's battle, causing anything that touches to burst into flames. To prevent themselves from being attacked and thus bringing down the barrier, the Sound Four created the same barrier around themselves. When the group later fetches Sasuke Uchiha, the four use Four Black Fog Formation Seal (四黒霧陣, Shikokumujin) on him to put him into a coma, preventing his death while his cursed seal advances. When Sasuke is put into a coffin while his seal advances, Sakon puts a seal on the coffin with Black Sealing Method (封黒法印, Fūkoku Hōin) to protect Sasuke from harm. As the group later rests, they set up a Barrier Encampment Method (結界法陣, Kekkai Hōjin) by placing four exploding tags in an array around where they are. When the tags are set, they create an invisible barrier around the area and will detonate should anyone pass the barrier, killing the intruder. Each member of the Sound Four also has a cardinal direction associated with them; this is probably a reference to their positions when performing jutsu as a group.

Jirobo

File:Jiroubou.jpg
Jirobo

Jirobo (次郎坊, Jirōbō) is the physically strongest member of the Sound Four, albeit the least powerful, according to the other members of the Sound Four. His strength is so great that he is capable of using Earth Release: Earth Mausoleum Dango (土遁・土陵団子, Doton: Doryū Dango), allowing him to lift boulder-sized rocks with ease and hurl them at opponents. In his level 2 cursed seal state can lift a giant-sized Choji Akimichi. His strength also allows him to use Earth Release: Earth Shore Return (土遁・土陸返し, Doton: Doroku Gaeshi), and by simply striking the ground he can cause a protective wall of earth to rise from the ground in front of him.

In combat, Jirobo uses the Achiever of Nirvana Fist (羅漢拳, Rakanken) fighting style, which focuses on simple physical attacks augmented with his incredible strength. Using simple palm strikes, shoulder thrusts, knee strikes, and punches, Jirobo can easily defeat an opponent in one or two blows. He can also absorb chakra, as seen with his Earth Release Barrier: Dungeon Chamber of Nothingness (土遁結界・土牢堂無, Doton Kekkai: Dorōdōmu). With it, Jirobo can trap unsuspecting opponents in a dome of self-repairing rock, through which he can absorb their chakra as a form of sustenance.

Despite his size, Jirobo dislikes being called fat and when Tayuya uses foul language, he reprimands her. Despite this, he proceeded to call Choji fat near-constantly during their battle. When in level 2 cursed seal form, his skin becomes red and his mohawk becomes a mane down his back. He was killed by Choji Akimichi during the Sasuke Retrieval arc with a fatal punch to the chest.

Kidomaru

File:Kidomaru.jpg
Kidomaru
  • Age: 142 (deceased)
  • Rank: Unknown
  • Height: 159.2 cm2
  • Weight: 56.2 kg2
  • Birthday: December 162
  • Blood Type: A2
  • Gate: Tōmon, 東門, "Eastern Gate"
  • Seiyu: Susumu Chiba
  • Voice Actor: Peter Lurie
  • Unique traits: Six arms, able to make webs out of a special liquid and chakra, able to excrete a chakra-blocking liquid from his pores that solidifies into a metal

Kidomaru (鬼童丸, Kidōmaru) is the spider-like member of the Sound Four; he possesses four extra arms and has the ability to make webs. He makes his webs through a special type of liquid that is created by infusing body liquid with chakra. He can also create a thicker gold liquid that hardens into a chakra-blocking metal. This hardened material can be fabricated into body armor, kunai, or his especially deadly bow and arrow. He has a personal summon, Kyodaigumo, who is capable of raining spiders upon Kidomaru's opponents. When in his level 2 cursed seal form, he becomes even more spider-like; his skin becomes darker, and he grows long, white hair. He opens the third eye on his forehead to improve his accuracy (which he normally keeps covered with his Sound headband). He also gains the ability to control the path of his arrows with chakra and thread. His abilities are not kekkei genkai, but clan-related.

Kidomaru is an excellent tactical analyst, capable of determining his enemy's weak point quickly and efficiently, and also enjoys playing with his enemies before he kills them. He seems to prefer fighting from a distance, lending him a considerable advantage and allowing him to avoid close-combat.

Kidomaru generally sees a battle as a game, and often plays around with the opponent too much because he prefers to have fun seeing the opponent struggle. His speech also reflects this - when battling Neji Hyuga, he, instead of calling Neji "trash", called him a trash character. He also analyzes his predicament using the same language as the typical gamer.

During the Invasion of Konoha arc, Kidomaru used his webs to protect the Sound Four and Orochimaru as they escaped. He was defeated and killed by Neji Hyuga during the Sasuke Retrieval arc, to whom he spoke before dying about it being impossible to save Sasuke, as Sasuke went into the darkness by his own choice. Although Neji denies this, this turns out to be the exact truth.

Sakon

File:Sakon (Naruto).jpg
Sakon

Sakon (左近) is very twisted and enjoys bad-mouthing the opposition. He possesses amazing power and speed (Orochimaru refers to Sakon as being the best of the Sound Four), but these are not the only things he has at his disposal. From behind, one can see what appears to be another head hanging from his back. This is his older brother, Ukon. Due to their unique kekkei genkai, Ukon is able to merge his body with Sakon's. 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 cursed seal. In his level 2 cursed seal form, he takes on the appearance of an ogre, with the exception of only having one horn on his left side. This gives him increased healing abilities and armor.

Orochimaru mentions once that Sakon (as well as Ukon) likes to show off the fact that he is the strongest of the Sound Four by killing the foe using unnecessarily powerful techniques early on or even beating them up when they're already dying, even if such is not necessary. This would become even further exaggerated if Sakon loses his temper (when Akamaru urinated on Sakon's face, for example). Orochimaru says this flaw could slow the group down much more severely than the flaws that Jirobo or Kidomaru possess. He (along with Ukon) fights Kiba Inuzuka and Akamaru during the Sasuke Retrieval arc, and nearly defeats them. However, Kiba and Akamaru are rescued by Kankuro, who kills both Sakon and Ukon.

Sakon means "right," which is also the side of his face that his bangs fall on. His only other distinguisher from his twin brother, Ukon, are the beads around his neck. Both Sakon and Ukon's names are also the names of the two connected sticks of a nunchaku.

Ukon

File:Ukon (Naruto).jpg
Ukon wearing Kiba's coat and Sakon's head sticking out the back.

Ukon (右近) generally stays within Sakon's body unless needed in combat. It is suggested that he cannot remain outside of Sakon for very long, since he cites the need to rest after a short battle apart from his brother. He seems to be more impatient than his brother, as seen when he tells Sakon to finish Kiba quickly and activate his Level 2 cursed seal when Sakon wanted to play around more. When he comes out, he effectively doubles the strength of Sakon's physical attacks. Similarly to how he lives inside Sakon's body, Ukon can use his kekkei genkai ability to enter and slowly destroy an opponent's body. Kiba took advantage of this by attempting to commit suicide while Ukon was inside his body - if Ukon's cells were mixed in with Kiba's, both entities would be equally injured if harmed. Ukon also has a noticeably deeper voice than Sakon. Each brother can independently activate a cursed seal. In his level 2 cursed seal form, he takes on the appearance of an ogre, with the exception of only having one horn on his right side. This gives him increased healing abilities and armor, and also allows him to remain apart from Sakon for a longer period of time. He (along with Sakon) fights Kiba Inuzuka and Akamaru during the Sasuke Retrieval arc, and nearly defeats them. However, Kiba and Akamaru are rescued by Kankuro, who kills both him and Sakon.

Ukon's name means "left," the side of his face that his bangs fall on. Both Sakon and Ukon's names are also the names of the two connected sticks of a nunchaku.

Tayuya

File:Tayuya.jpg
Tayuya using her flute

Tayuya (多由也) is the kunoichi of Orochimaru's Sound Four. She is foul-mouthed (a fact for which Jirobo berates her) and ill tempered, but very powerful. Tayuya is very intelligent and can think of strategies and battle tactics on par with Shikamaru Nara. As the only sound-using member of the Sound Four, Tayuya uses a flute in battle. Because this is her only weapon, she avoids close combat at all costs. To help her with this, she can summon three powerful demons, which she controls with Demon Flute: Illusionary Warriors Manipulating Melody (魔笛・幻武操曲, Mateki: Genbusō Kyoku) by playing specific notes on her flute to achieve specific actions. If the demons aren't enough to keep opponents at bay, she uses her flute to play the War of Evil Men (魔境の乱, Makyō no Ran) and trap the opponent with Demonic Flute: Dream Sound Chain (魔笛・夢幻音鎖, Mateki: Mugen'onsa). Once trapped in the genjutsu, the target feels as if they are tied with numerous wires, restricting their movement. Soon after, their flesh will begin to melt away from their bones, causing great pain and horror to the target.

Tayuya is the only member of the Sound Four to ever demonstrate a sense of morality, seen when she questions Shikamaru about his practice of sacrificing teammates whenever their two groups meet. When in level 2 cursed seal form, her hair grows longer, her skin turns dark brown, and she grows five bone-like horns on her head. She almost defeats Shikamaru during the Sasuke Retrieval arc, but Temari comes to his aid and summons her familiar, Kamatari, who levels the entire section of the forest they're in with slicing whirlwinds, crushing Tayuya under a section of a tree.

Kimimaro Kaguya

File:Kimimaro.jpg
Kimimaro Kaguya

Kimimaro Kaguya (かぐや君麻呂, Kaguya Kimimaro) is the fifth member of the Sound Four, thus temporarily changing their group name to the Sound Five. The original four were forced to accept him against their will, as Kimimaro's combat abilities exceeded all of their skills combined. He was the sole survivor of the Kaguya clan (かぐや一族, Kaguya Ichizoku), who could manipulate their bodies' skeletal frame. The Kaguya clan was wiped out when they attacked Kirigakure, seemingly for no reason other than the desire to kill. Having underestimated their opponent's defenses, they were slaughtered to the last man, with only Kimimaro surviving.

Kimimaro was referred to by Orochimaru as the most powerful member of the clan, having "abilities that even that war-loving clan feared". Because of this, he was locked away in a cage for most of his life, only released occasionally when needed to fight other clans. He retreated from the fight with Kirigakure, which is probably why he survived. Afterwards he was found by Orochimaru, and developed a strong devotion towards him, bordering on religious zealotry or considering him a father figure, as Orochimaru was the only person to care for and inspire him.

While belonging to a clan that loves killing and being the strongest of the clan, Kimimaro was not truly violent because he never really knew the outside world. Thus, the only reason he fought was because his clan needed him to do so, and being needed by someone was the one thing he truly desired. These views change upon meeting Orochimaru, where his desires change to serving him and ensuring the continuation of his master's dreams and ambitions.

Kimimaro's kekkei genkai and other abilities make him well suited for close combat fighting, and he can hold his own at a distance by firing the bones in his fingertips as bullets. 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 a sickness that he constantly suffers from (possibly tuberculosis or lung cancer, because of his bloody coughing). The sickness seems to have been recently developed, as he was once a prime candidate for Orochimaru's next host body.

Like many of Orochimaru's closest followers, Kimimaro was branded with a cursed seal, which gives him greater power at the expense of his free will. When in his level 2 form, his appearance is similar to that of a dinosaur, with dark gray skin, six large bone spines on the back of his chest, and a long bone spiked tail. He also possesses a great deal of control over his cursed seal, as he is able to control its spread throughout his body without fully activating it. Kimimaro was apparently friends with Jugo at one point, and his control over his cursed seal impressed the latter. Karin claims that Kimimaro was the only one who could stop Jugo without getting hurt.

Kimimaro demonstrates extreme distaste for "trash" ninja, as he puts it. He generally attempts to "clean it up", by killing the person who is "trash", even if they are an ally; he planned to kill Tayuya after she defeated Shikamaru for failing the mission and allowing Naruto to continue pursuing him.

Kimimaro died in the middle of his fight with Rock Lee and Gaara during the Sasuke Retrieval arc. Though he was able to hold off all of Gaara's attacks, and even gained the upper hand near the end, he succumbed to his illness just before he could kill Gaara with a surprise attack. After the fight, Gaara came to the conclusion that no one can defeat loneliness, even if it means to care for an evil person like Orochimaru.

Sound Genin

Dosu Kinuta

File:Dosu Sound Amplifier.jpg
Dosu with his Melody Arm.

Dosu Kinuta (ドス・キヌタ) is one of the three Genin from Otogakure who entered the Chunin exam. "Dosu" is onomatopoeia for the sound of a sword piercing flesh. A kinuta is a wooden stick used to air out clothing, as well as the Japanese name for one of the three ear bones, anvil. Dosu was equipped with a special speaker implanted into his wrist which served to amplify sound waves and dramatically strengthen his sound-based attacks. It is closely related to the Japanese sound based marital art form called Kiai, which uses sound to attack the water in the body to stop an enemy. With his speaker, Dosu could use Vibrating Sound Drill (響鳴穿, Kyōmeisen) to damage an opponent's inner ear, throwing them off balance and making them nauseous. He could also control the sound waves in midair, ensuring that they hit their mark.

Orochimaru assigns the three Sound Genin to enter the Chunin Exams and kill Sasuke Uchiha, though in reality they were meant to test Sasuke's abilities. When learning of this, Dosu decided to kill Sasuke not under Orochimaru's orders, but rather to prove his worth to Orochimaru. When attempting to kill Gaara to more easily reach this goal, however, Dosu is easily killed by an angered Gaara. In his pairing with Zaku Abumi, the two seemed to form a friendship, with Zaku coming to Dosu's rescue and Dosu wanting vengeance for Zaku's various defeats. Neither, however, seems to have any special bond with Kin Tsuchi, and as such neither hesitates to attack her when her body is taken over. Dosu is also the more level headed of his team, and can adequately gauge an opponent's strengths and weaknesses in little time.

Kin Tsuchi

File:KinTsuchi.jpg
Kin Tsuchi

Kin Tsuchi (キン・ツチ) is one of the three Genin from Otogakure who entered the Chunin exam. "Kin" is the sound of metal clashing, specifically samurai swords in battle, as well as Japanese for "golden". "Tsuchi" means Earth, though is also the Japanese name for one of the three ear bones, hammer. In battle, Kin uses Illusion Bell Needles (スズ千本の幻覚, Suzu Senbon no Genkaku, English TV "Bell Illusion Jutsu"). By throwing bells attached to needles at her opponent, she can ring them via an attached string. The bells ring at a frequency that directly affects the brain, causing the opponent to see multiple copies of her, making it impossible to tell the real Kin from the illusions. With increased exposure to the ringing, an opponent can start losing their motor functions.

Orochimaru assigns the three Sound Genin to enter the Chunin Exams and kill Sasuke Uchiha. In the process of accomplishing this task, Kin's body is taken over by Ino Yamanaka who tries to use Kin's well-being to fend off the Sound Genin. Kin's teammates are uninterested in this offer, and don't hesitate to attack Ino while in her body, injuring them both. After Kin loses in the preliminary matches to Shikamaru Nara, Orochimaru sacrifices her so that he can resurrect the First and Second Hokages.

Zaku Abumi

File:Zaku.jpg
Zaku and his air vents.

Zaku Abumi (ザク・アブミ) is one of the three Genin from Otogakure who entered the Chunin exam. Zaku is fitted with hollow air tubes that extend through his arms and open through his palms. With these tubes, Zaku can use his chakra to perform Decapitating Air Wave (斬空波, Zankūha, English TV "Slicing Sound Wave") and the larger scale Extreme Decapitating Air Waves (斬空極波, Zankūkyokuha, Viz "Ultrasonic Air Slice", English TV "Supersonic Slicing Sound Wave"), propelling a combination of air pressure and sound in various ratios that is strong enough to crack stone and wipe out anything in its path.

Zaku lived his life as an orphan until approached by Orochimaru, who offers him strength in exchange for loyalty. Zaku accepts, and is to enter the Chunin Exams and kill Sasuke Uchiha. Throughout the exams, Zaku shows little concern for his own safety, and does whatever is necessary to complete the task at hand. He is also quick to act without thinking, and doesn't properly weigh the consequences for his actions. After Zaku is left without the use of his arms during his preliminary match with Shino Aburame, Orochimaru sacrifices him so that he can resurrect the First and Second Hokages.

Zaku's name is derived from "to cut," which relates to his "air cutter" attack. 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 Otogakure. Abumi means stirrup. It's also the Japanese name for one of the three ear bones, stirrup.

Other villagers

Numerous other residents of Otogakure, as well as the Land of Sound in general, have been seen, but either do not play a large role in events, or are otherwise still undeveloped characters.

Amachi

Amachi is a medical ninja/scientist who is an accomplice of Orochimaru. He and Orochimaru terrorized the people of the Sea Country and kidnapped the citizens for their deadly experiments. He also seems to know Anko as well, since she was with Orochimaru at the time. Much later, in the Sea Country arc, Yoroi and Misumi join him as bodyguards and assistants. He also summons the indestructible Umibozu in this arc.

Gen'yumaru

Gen'yumaru (幻幽丸, Gen'yūmaru) was Orochimaru's previous body. He was told to have a fight to the death with the others that Orochimaru had kept captive, and the winner would be able to go free. Gen'yumaru defeated and massacred them all, only to find out that he was the next vessel for Orochimaru. As his last wish, he asked for his clan to be released, which was being held captive for Orochimaru's experiments. It is unknown if this request was ever granted. Orochimaru notes that part of Gen'yumaru's consciousness would remain within him after the transfer — making Gen'yumaru still alive, in a sense. After Orochimaru abandons Gen'yumaru's body, Gen'yumaru still remains within his subconscious.

Fuma clan

The Fuma clan (ふうま一族, Fūma Ichizoku) is a shinobi clan from the Land of the Rice Fields. Some of their most powerful members were tricked by Orochimaru, who promised to restore their clan status, and were used in his kinjutsu development experiments. This clan appears only in the anime storyline, not in the manga.

Arashi

  • Age: 18
  • Membership status: Active
  • Partners: (Hidan, Kakuzu)

Missing-nin from Iwagakure like Deidara and the partners of [Hidan] & [Kakuzu]. A fancy and skillful fighter. Arashi can also take over peoples body, like an Alien. When Arashi was 13 he joined The Akatsuki. Another thing about Arashi is that when he was 18 he started doing missions for The Akatsuki leader.

Hanzaki

Hanzaki (ハンザキ) is the leader of the Fuma clan's members who were not seduced by Orochimaru's power, and is a strong melee-based shinobi who fights with a zanbatō. After the incident in Orochimaru's lair, Sasame was placed under his care by Jiraiya.

Jigumo

  • Age: ? (deceased?)
  • Unique Traits: Spider control
  • Seiyu: Kozo Shioya

Jigumo (ジグモ) was one of the members of the Fuma clan who were betrayed by Orochimaru. He was one of a three-member group who guarded Orochimaru's base in the Land of the Rice Fields. Later, he was absorbed by Arashi's secret kinjutsu along with one of his comrades.

Like Kidomaru, Jigumo used spiders and spider webs in combat and for scouting via his Windmill Cloud ([Kazagumo] Error: {{nihongo}}: text has italic markup (help)), though his skills were not on the same level.

Kagero

Kagero (カゲロウ, Kagerō) was one of the members of the Fuma clan who were betrayed by Orochimaru. She was one of a three-member group who guarded Orochimaru's base in the Land of the Rice Fields. Though she was actually a young girl, she constantly disguised herself as a member of the opposite gender. While disguised, she would use the Antlion Technique (Arijigoku no Jutsu) to cause everything in a certain area to be drawn into a large pit. After removing this form, she is able to use Ephemeral Vengeance (Utakata), creating four wings out of chakra on her back. She can then fire a gigantic blast of chakra at her opponent: the amount is said to be so great that this jutsu can only be used once in a lifetime. She can also fly and teleport while in this form.

She shows extensive loyalty and dedication to her fellow clan members, using her Ephemeral Vengeance even though it would endanger her life. This same respect is also shown towards Orochimaru, who Kagero views as the person who will bring the Fuma clan back into its glory. Kagero died during a fight with Naruto while disguised as Kabuto Yakushi. She constantly made references to the life of a mayfly while in her first male disguise. While disguised as Kabuto, Kagero uses an unnamed suicide/murder technique that uses chakra strings to connect the heart of the user and the foe. When one heart stops, so does the other. This was thwarted however, by Sasame, who gave Sakura Haruno a special kunai to sever the string.

Kamikiri

  • Age: ? (deceased?)
  • Unique traits: Giant pincers
  • Seiyu: Bin Shimada

Kamikiri (カミキリ) was one of the members of the Fuma clan who were betrayed by Orochimaru. He was one of a three-member group who guarded Orochimaru's base in the Land of the Rice Fields. Later, he was absorbed by Arashi's Casualty Puppet along with Jigumo.

Sasame

Sasame (ササメ) is a young kunoichi of the Fuma clan. In search for her older cousin, Arashi, she helped Naruto, Jiraiya, and Sakura find Orochimaru's lair in the Land of the Rice Fields. She almost betrayed them for Kamikiri, Kagero, and Jigumo, but after the trio's defeat, Jiraiya convinced her to become neutral. Later, she saves Naruto from Kagero's (who was disguised as Kabuto) heart connecting technique. When she met Arashi, she saw what had become of her cousin she decided to help Naruto and Sakura in defeating him. After the incident, she decided to join forces with the remaining members of the Fuma clan to rebuild the clan's former glory.

Kabuto's team

Misumi Tsurugi

Misumi Tsurugi (剣ミスミ, Tsurugi Misumi) poses as a Genin-level ninja from the Konohagakure during the Chunin exam, along with Kabuto Yakushi and Yoroi Akado. To be more efficient in the gathering of information he has received a Soft Physique Modification (軟の改造, Nan no Kaizō), a surgical procedure that allows him to dislocate his joints to fit into any space. He then controls his softened body with chakra, allowing him to stretch and twist any part of his body at any angle, elongating and even coiling around his opponent. Misumi attempts to use this ability on Kankuro during Chunin Exams by catching him in an inescapable hold and breaking his neck. While he seems to have succeeded, he in actuality breaks the neck of Kankuro's puppet, which quickly turns the tables and breaks his own neck, which his modifications allow him to survive.

Misumi makes a second appearance with Yoroi in the Land of the Sea filler arc, where he is depicted as a research assistant and bodyguard to Orochimaru's scientist, Amachi. He, like Yoroi, has taken off the cloth covering his lower face. During the events of this arc, he is restrained in the lab by Ino Yamanaka's Mind Body Disturbance Technique when it caves in. Given his contortional abilities, it is possible that he survived, though he is never seen afterwards and thus his status is unknown.

Tsurugi means ("sword"). Together with Yoroi Akado ("armor") and Kabuto Yakushi ("helmet"), they form an armor-helmet-sword trio.

Yoroi Akado

Yoroi Akado (赤胴ヨロイ, Akadō Yoroi) is a part of the three-man team of ninja from Otogakure posing as ninja from the Konohagakure, along with Kabuto Yakushi and Misumi Tsurugi. With the Chakra Absorption Technique (チャクラ吸引術, Chakra Kyūin Jutsu) he can absorb the physical and spiritual energy of an opponent on contact. He used this ability against Sasuke Uchiha during the preliminary matches of the Chunin Exams, making it very difficult for Sasuke to keep his cursed seal under control. Despite this, Sasuke still defeated Yoroi.

Yoroi makes a second appearance with Misumi in the Land of the Sea filler arc, where he is depicted as a research assistant to Orochimaru's scientist, Amachi. He has taken off the cloth covering his lower face, appearing much older with a very defined facial structure. During the arc he uses Demonic Illusion: Descending Hell Technique (魔幻・地獄降下の術, Magen: Jigoku Kōka no Jutsu) to create the illusion of an enormous ball of fire in the sky that impacts the ground in an attempt to drive the Konoha ninja off. Despite his efforts he is forced to battle Shino Aburame twice, at which point he uses Water Release: Huge Explosion Technique (水遁・大爆発の術, Suiton: Daibakure no Jutsu) to try and capture Shino in an inescapable torrent of water. He is ultimately defeated and sinks beneath the water. As he is not pursued nor does he resurface, his status is unknown.

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 red armor to instill fear in the enemy.

Sources

  1. First Official Data Book (秘伝・臨の書キャラクターオフィシャルデータBOOK, Hiden: Rin no Sho Character Official Data Book)
  2. Second Official Data Book (秘伝・闘の書キャラクターオフィシャルデータBOOK, Hiden: Tō no Sho Character Official Data Book)
  3. Jump's 2nd Great Hero Book's Mini Data Book (秘伝・翔の書オフィシャルキャラクターデータBOOK mini, Hiden: Shō no Sho Official Character Data Book mini)
  4. Naruto manga chapters
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