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| * {{Nihongo|Naruto anime and manga Guidebook|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}} | * {{Nihongo|Naruto anime and manga Guidebook|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}} | ||
| * Taken directly from the ''Naruto'' manga chapters and anime episodes. | * Taken directly from the ''Naruto'' manga chapters and anime episodes. | ||
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| == Notes and references == | == Notes and references == | ||
Revision as of 23:19, 8 August 2007
Template:Infobox Naruto character Kabuto Yakushi (薬師カブト, Yakushi Kabuto) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Naruto created by Masashi Kishimoto.
Kabuto is the last part of the Japanese name for aconite (鳥兜, Torikabuto), a plant which can either alleviate pain or kill, an apt description for his character. Additionally, a kabuto is also the name for a samurai's helmet or headplate. With his former teammates, Yoroi ("armor") and Tsurugi ("sword"), they form an armor-helmet-sword trio. His family name, Yakushi, is the Japanese name of the Medicine Buddha, Bhaisajyaguru. The characters for Yakushi literally mean "medicine user."
Background
Kabuto's origins are largely unknown; as a young boy he was found amongst the enemy dead after the battle of Kikyo Pass by a chief medical officer of the Konoha Medical Unit Squad. The officer brought Kabuto with him back to Konoha, raised him as a son, and taught him medical jutsu when he got older. At some point in time, Kabuto was recruited by Sasori of Akatsuki, who sent Kabuto to spy on Orochimaru. Orochimaru discovered this and freed Kabuto from Sasori's influence, leaving Kabuto with the option to follow him. With a little persuasion, Kabuto agreed to side with Orochimaru.
Personality
In his allegiance to Orochimaru, Kabuto acts as Orochimaru's personal medic, assistant, and general right-hand man. Through his many other affiliations he is also able to spy on others for Orochimaru; when acting as Sasori's subordinate, he is able to gather intelligence on Akatsuki's doings. As a habitant of Konoha, he is also able to acquire the rank of Genin and enter the biannual Chunin Exams, using the first few phases of the exam to gather information on his fellow participants for Orochimaru's use. While each source of information is used to great effect, both are abolished to help Orochimaru achieve his goals; Kabuto loses his alliance with Konoha when caught trying to kidnap Sasuke Uchiha and he severs his ties with Sasori when joining Orochimaru in trying to kill him. While his known sources of information are gone, Kabuto remains with Orochimaru and fights on his behalf whenever necessary.
Despite his apparent loyalty to Orochimaru, Kabuto's true personality is difficult to discern. Frequently throughout the series Kabuto rapidly changes face, switching from a lighthearted and polite teenager to a twisted and sadistic maniac in a matter of seconds. He also enjoys playing mind games with his opponents, often unnerving them by pointing out their weaknesses and turning personal horrors against them. Orochimaru himself seems to have a hard time determining Kabuto's thoughts, as seen when he orders Kabuto to kidnap Sasuke Uchiha and wonders if perhaps Kabuto will kill Sasuke instead. Even in this instance, Orochimaru has great confidence in Kabuto's loyalty, laughing at the prospect that Kabuto would betray him.
While Kabuto does generally obey Orochimaru's orders, even going so far as to save Orochimaru's life at times, he is not above helping Orochimaru's enemies; for example, he heals Hinata Hyuga and Sakura Haruno on different occasions. When healing Sakura, Kabuto hints at an ulterior motive, saying that Akatsuki is the true enemy. Even Orochimaru has suggested that Kabuto has motives differing from his own, again seen when instructing him to kidnap Sasuke; as Kabuto leaves to carry out the task, Orochimaru reminds him that killing Sasuke is the only way he can stop him from accomplishing his goals. While Orochimaru quickly writes this off as a joke, Kabuto is visibly shaken by the suggestion. Despite his unclear motives, Kabuto seems to be content in following Orochimaru, even using Orochimaru's remains as a means to become more powerful and to no longer be the mere tool of others.
Abilities
Kabuto is a talented ninja, being compared to Kakashi Hatake in ability on more than one occasion, as well as being shown capable of killing ANBU members with relative ease and even holding his own in a fight against both Tsunade and her attendant Shizune. One of the more advanced jutsu he is seen using is the Temple of Nirvana Technique (涅槃精舎の術, Nehan Shōja no Jutsu, English "Nirvana Temple Jutsu"), which is capable of putting everyone within an area to sleep.
The bulk of Kabuto's fighting ability, however, lies in the medical jutsu taught to him by his adoptive father. Through his allegiance to Orochimaru he has also gained many bodies that he can experiment on, allowing him to take his medical abilities to new levels. With his extensive knowledge of the human body he can use Secret Healing Wound Destruction (陰癒傷滅, In'yu Shōmetsu) to reactivate dead cells in a concentrated area and grow new ones. While he uses this ability in battle to immediately recover from attacks, it can also be used during his experiments to keep test subjects alive for much longer than is feasible. Kabuto can even use the Dead Soul Technique (死魂の術, Shikon no Jutsu) to temporarily reanimate a corpse for use as an ally or a decoy. During Tsunade's battle with him, she remarks that his fighting and healing abilities surpass her own when she was his age.
Plot overview
Kabuto is present for all of Orochimaru's endeavors throughout the series, ranging from helping his master in Konoha's invasion to aiding Orochimaru when the bodies he has taken begin to fail him. During his first appearance he befriends Naruto Uzumaki, whose determination to be himself and not the monster sealed within him Kabuto finds admirable. While Naruto becomes his enemy soon after their meeting, Kabuto is fairly polite to him during their encounters.
After Orochimaru is defeated by Sasuke Uchiha, Kabuto is left without a strong entity with which to align. As such, he resolves to surpass Orochimaru, and integrates some of the remains of his master that were left after his fight with Sasuke (which has taken control of nearly a third of his body) into his own body as an existence he must continue to surpass. Because Naruto was the inspiration for this idea, due to how he must continue to surpass the nine-tailed demon fox within him, Kabuto gives him a book containing all of Orochimaru's information on Akatsuki as a sign of thanks. Before leaving he tells Naruto that he will have his revenge on Sasuke for killing Orochimaru, and that he will later fight Naruto.
Sources
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Naruto anime and manga Guidebook (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)
- Taken directly from the Naruto manga chapters and anime episodes.
Notes and references
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| Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto | ||||||||||||||
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