For much of Naruto's history, the roles of the antagonists are held by the awesome criminal organization, the Akatsuki, a group of criminal ninjas from different villages. We find Nukenins like Itachi Uchiha, Orochimaru 🐍, members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and secretly, Obito Uchiha. The power of the gang has never been questioned and the Akatsuki represent a constant threat when they appear.
However, as powerful as it is, the different incarnations of Akatsuki differ greatly in their approach, goals, and methods. The original group was founded to restore peace to a war-torn country ⚔️ and was led by the charismatic Yahiko. However, thanks to Obito - who was manipulated by Black Zetsu - the name Akatsuki☁️ quickly fell into infamy, attracting a more unfavorable type of ninja.
Under new leadership, the Akatsuki's modus operandi has become much bloodier and their goal of peace has become unrecognizable. The group began to amass Tailed Beasts to carry out Obito's Infinite Tsukuyomi Plan. With so many rich stories and interesting characters, it's no surprise that the Akatsuki group is surrounded by many fascinating anecdotes.
Featuring plot points not covered in the main series, tales of their creation by Masashi Kishimoto, and other intriguing little anecdotes, here are the 15 Shocking Things You Don't Know About Akatsuki.
When Kishimoto ✒️ first envisioned the concept of Akatsuki, he envisioned the criminal organization as a group made up exclusively of monsters with no human figures involved. This is noticeable in the inclusion of figures such as the Kisame shark and the plant-like Zetsu which were retained from Kishimoto's original idea.
Kakuzu's appearance was also more fantastic in earlier designs and was based on the Kuchisake-onna creature from Japanese mythology. As the bestial influence was reduced in favor of a more human presence, characters like Kakuzu and Sasori became less strange and full humans like Deidara 💣 and Itachi were also added within the group.
While it would have been interesting to see a more monstrous version of the Akatsuki, it would have come at the expense of many mythical scenes as well as the psychic identity of the antagonists.
Inspiration for character designs can come from anywhere. For example, Nagato's Six Paths of Pain are inspired by the teachings of Buddhism.
Using the power of his Rinnegan 👁️, Nagato can control six red-haired warriors and destroy the village of Konoha. These beings are called the Six Paths of Pain, a title that refers to the Buddhist paths of reincarnation. This is all the more relevant since each pain body is a resuscitated person, but the comparison goes further, as each pain path also shares a name with one of the Buddhist spiritual paths.
In Buddhist teachings, the paths to reincarnation are seen as stumbling blocks in the journey of rebirth that can be overcome with enlightenment and this perhaps reflects the fact that as long as Nagatois not "Enlightened" by Naruto's famous " Talk no Jutsu" 📜 , he is stuck in an endless cycle of suffering.
Although the Akatsuki ☁️ is no longer a threat in the Naruto universe as it stands, two members have yet to leave the group or have not been killed: Hidan and Black Zetsu.
The momentous fight between the immortal Hidan and Shikamaru is arguably one of Shippuden's best and ends with the scene where Shikamaru buries his opponent alive, fully aware that Hidan cannot be killed by conventional means.
Black Zetsu has been the real driving force behind the later incarnations of Akatsuki. The organization's number one objective was to free Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. After her defeat, she will be sealed again and Naruto will ensure that Black Zetsu will join her quickly. While Hidan and Zetsu are no longer a threat, they also cannot be considered dead. ☠️
Often in Naruto, the English translation of a character's name provides certain information that is indicative of the character's very concept. For example, Naruto's name is both a reference to his love of ramen and a nod to the origins of the Uzumaki clan. Kakashitranslates to "scarecrow," which gives some reasoning behind Jonin's slender figure and straw hair.
In the case of the Akatsuki, the title can be translated as "Dawn" or " Daybreak " and, given the origins of the group, it makes perfect sense. After all, the organization started with the intention of creating a new and peaceful world, and the image of a sunrise perfectly sums up that goal of ushering in a brighter new era. 💡
Fairly or unfairly, the anime has a reputation for unnecessarily and overtly sexualizing the Kunoichis as well as providing fans with unnecessary shots of semi-nudity 🔞, included to provide additional titillation. The Naruto franchise is certainly not innocent in this regard, and while Konan's character might not be the most obvious culprit (cough - Tsunade - cough), the creator Masashi Kishimoto had other plans for her.
In an official data book 📚, Kishimoto claimed that Konan being the Akatsuki's only female, her design and clothing were intentionally revealing, and the character was described as "obscene." Of course, since Konan spends most of his screen time covered in a long black cloak, this particular trait goes largely unnoticed. Interestingly, Konan also has a pierced navel.
The fans of Naruto who do not know the original manga of Kishimoto may not be aware that the anime was more detailed about the history and formation of the Akatsuki ☁️, as well as capturing tailed beasts than the paper version. For example, the role of the original members like Kyūsuke and Daibutsu is greatly developed in the anime, unlike the manga.
In terms of events, the sealing of the Six and Seven Tails, as well as the murder by Obito of some of the original Akatsuki membersare segments of the story that have been changed. The arc of the Three-Tails is also greatly altered and widened, causing inconsistencies in the dialogue regarding the amount of Biju 👹 the Akatsukihad collected, with the number changing to accommodate the increasing refill schedule of the 'animated.
With so many anecdotes to explore, not all of the Akatsukiwere given the screen time they deserved, and Kakuzuwas arguably the biggest victim of this injustice. As the Nukeninwho ripped out Shinobis' hearts and used them to prolong his own life, Kakuzuwas perhaps one of Naruto's most brutal and creative enemies.
Not everyone is aware of the character's dark history, however. There is a suggestion in the animated series but explored in detail in Naruto's third book, Kakuzu was locked in his village prison for failing in his mission to assassinate Hashirama Senju .❌
Imprisoned for his failure, Kakuzufinally manages to free himself and immediately takes his revenge. He assassinates the elders of his village and flees with the village's arsenal of forbidden techniques. 📜 This includes the ability to steal and use the hearts of others, an ability Kakuzuhas immediately tested on villagers who have wronged him.
When Pain first appeared in the early days of Naruto Shippuden, his famous Rinnegan 👁️ was animated in a very different way compared to the design fans know and love today, with two large colored rings nearby. of the Center. As the series progressed, it was replaced by the purple Rinnegan multi-ring that has now become so iconic.
This discrepancy comes from the unknown nature of the team in charge of the animation. 📺 Indeed Masashi Kishimotohad yet to unveil the final color version of the Rinnegan. When the author finally unveiled the Rinnegan in color, the anime was forced to follow his lead and update his multi-tone Rinnegan with purple rings.
After the fall of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, it was imagined that the threat of Akatsuki would be eliminated, but the spirit of the organization continues thanks to the presence of a brand new antagonist, Shin. Among the many human experiences of Orochimaru, Shin was one of his creations, he was a fan of both the Uchiha clan and the Sharingan. His right arm was taken and given to Danzo. Shin's obsession with the name Uchiha - and Itachi in particular - even led him to use that clan name and seek to resurrect the Akatsuki, believing that the world needed a war to move forward. ⚔️
This story was covered in the manga "The 7th Hokage" and in "The Scarlet Spring" published after the end of Naruto, and thanks to the combined efforts of Naruto and Sasuke, the ephemeral version of Shin's Akatsuki was defeated. before it really starts.
Naruto fans will remember Deidara 💣 as the explosion-obsessed young Akatsuki member who believed his bomb-making ability to be an art form. Be aware that the antagonist's insistence that his explosions resembled a Picasso painting was ultimately not absurd, they were in fact inspired by Japanese artist Tarō Okamoto.
Okamoto is the man who originally coined the phrase "art is a blast" which Kishimoto borrowed for Deidara. The influence does not end there, several works of Okamoto also served as inspiration for the creation of the character. Not only do some of his statues look like the bombs Deidara made in Naruto, but Masashi Kishimoto ✒️ also took inspiration from the artwork in the image above to create Deidara's hands.
It can be hard to imagine the Akatsuki members being anything other than a vile Criminal Organization, but Masashi Kishimoto saw them differently. 👀 In an interview with Shonen Jump, the editor of Naruto claimed that he viewed the group as anti-heroes compared to other antagonists, as their difficult and emotional histories were part of the reason for their criminal acts. Granted, this could apply to characters like Itachi, Nagato, and Sasori, but for other characters like Hidan and Deidara, it's hard to see them in a non-bloody light. 🩸
It is a testament to the faculty of Kishimoto to be able to create rich stories around both the protagonists and the antagonists. And so, on this example, create a link between its readers and the criminal organization. Very few mangakas reach this level of excellence. 👍
With Naruto as the main protagonist of the series and the Akatsuki repeating ☁️ as the antagonist for much of the narrative, one would expect Naruto to have come face to face with each of these mysterious criminals. But in reality, Naruto never met Hidan! Indeed the day when Hidan and his partner Kakuzu engage in a fight against team 10, also known as Team Asuma, led by Kakashi. Naruto's team was then on their way to provide backup, Shikamaru 🧠 meanwhile isolated Hidan in a separate battle to avenge his Senpai. A battle that the Shinobi will win by blowing up Hidan and burying him alive.
Thus, Hidan sees himself buried before having been able to meet the future Seventh Hokage., although Naruto is a short distance from Hidan.
Nothing in the character design of Naruto is there by chance and that includes Akatsuki's famous black and red coats. The iconic cloud image synonymous with the group is actually representative of the bloodshed 🩸 that occurred on Yahiko, Konan, and in Nagato's hometown during the various ninja wars.
However, as with the Akatsuki's name, this symbolism quickly takes on a very different meaning once Nagato takes power. Instead of being a physical representation of the violence - which the Akatsuki strove to wield, these ominous red clouds became harbingers of impending death and destruction, especially for any Jinchūriki that was nearby. ☠️
If you, Mobile Suit Gundam 🤖 fans, had felt a sense of déjà vu during Kakuzu's fights within Naruto Shippuden, there's a good reason for that, Kakuzu's attacks were named after the different units. tuners from the popular Gundam series.
It is also not a coincidence, as Masashi Kishimoto revealed in his own story, as an avid spectator of Gundam as a child he used to practice drawing the different characters. 🤖✒️ Examples of Kakuzu's connection with Mobile Suit Gundam include the "Earth Grudge Fear" technique which is a nod to (MSN-02 Zeong), "Dummy Darkness" which refers to YMS-15 Gyan, and "Earth Release" which is derived from the Dom (MS-09B).
Interestingly, this wouldn't be the last time Kishimoto referred to another anime series in Naruto, as the final chapter had several similarities to One Piece. 👒
The birthday list of every Akatsuki member is known and it is difficult to dismiss such information without asking questions. However, these dates are not the same, but when you consider the different astrological signs related to the dates of birthdays, a pattern begins to appear. For example, Kisame the shark 🦈 was born on March 18, making his astral sign Pisces, the fish. Season's signis Scorpio 🦂, a reference to both the antagonist's scorpion tail and his upbringing in the wilderness.
While the template doesn't apply to everyone in the group, it's definitely a little personal touch from Kishimoto. Who says astrological signs don't make any sense?
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