Summary
The assortment of criminal shinobi in theNarutoseries are called the Akatsuki and each member has their own extraordinary abilities and dark histories. The looming threat of the Akatsuki plays an important role in theNarutouniverse, challenging the protagonist and shaping the story’s progression. Initially, the members were introduced as mysterious villains, villains, but throughout the duration ofNaruto’snarrative and subsequently, the completion of the story, the Akatuski members' character details have been revealed.
The Akatsuki are a covert organization of S-rank criminals that was created in response to the tragedy suffered in war and upheld the initial goal of achieving world peace through any means necessary. Over time, however, the Akatsuki metamorphosed, with their objectives and approach becoming twisted, aiming to control the world by harnessing the power of the Tailed Beasts. Led by Pain (Nagato), influenced by the will of Madara Uchicha and later ruled by Obito Uchiha, the Akatsuki pose a significant threat toNarutoand the other protagonists.
Pain (Nagato)
Backstory
Nagato hails from Amegakure (Rain Village), a village often caught in the crossfire of the great ninja wars. Orphaned by the Second Shinobi World War, Nagato and his friends, Yahiko and Konan, were mentored by Jiraiya of the Hidden Leaf Village. Under Jiraiya’s guidance, Nagato awakened hisRinnegan, a legendary dōjutsu, which marked him as a pivotal figure in the shinobi world.
Motivation
Driven by the loss and suffering he endured, Nagato sought to create a world where pain would lead to understanding and, ultimately, peace. After Yahiko’s death, Nagato adopted the alias “Pain” and dedicated himself to achieving these goals through the Akatsuki.
Abilities
Pain’s abilities are centered around the Rinnegan, which allows him to control six bodies simultaneously, known as the Six Paths of Pain. Each body possesses a unique power, ranging from summoning creatures to absorbing chakra and manipulating gravity. This ability to operate six bodies at once made Pain a nearly invincible opponent.
Konan
Konan, also from Amegakure (Rain Village), grew up alongside Nagato and Yahiko. She was profoundly affected by the hardships of war and the loss of her loved ones. Her bond with Nagato and Yahiko strengthened her resolve to change the world.
Konan’s motivation is closely tied to Nagato and Yahiko’s vision. After Yahiko’s death, she remained loyal to Nagato, supporting his plan to use the Akatsuki to bring about peace through pain and suffering.
Konan’s primary ability involves manipulating paper. She can transform her body into countless sheets of paper, which she uses for offense, defense, and even flight. Her ultimate technique, the Paper Person of God, can unleash a massive paper explosion capable of devastating her enemies.
Itachi Uchiha
Itachi, a prodigy from Konohagakure’s (Leaf Village) Uchiha clan, lived through the trauma of the Third Shinobi World War at a young age. Forced to choose between his clan and his village, he massacred his own clan to prevent a coup, sparing only his younger brother, Sasuke.
Itachi joined the Akatsuki as a double agentto protect his brother and his village from the shadows. His actions were driven by a deep sense of duty and love for his brother, despite being perceived as a villain.
Itachi’s Sharingan and Mangekyō Sharingangrant him powerful genjutsu, such as Tsukuyomi, which can manipulate time and space within an illusion. His other abilities include Amaterasu, a black flame that burns anything, and Susanoo, a massive ethereal warrior for defense and offence.
Kisame Hoshigaki
Kisame, known as the Monster of the Hidden Mist, was a member ofKirigakure’s (Hidden Mist Village) Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Disillusioned by the corruption within his village, he defected and joined the Akatsuki.
Kisame sought to create a world without lies and deception, believing that the Akatsuki’s goals aligned with his ideals of truth and transparency.
Kisame wields Samehada, a living sword that absorbs chakra. His immense chakra reserves and ability to fuse with Samehada allow him to transform into a shark-like monster, making him formidable in battle. Kisame can also manipulate water, creating massive water prisons and tidal waves.
Deidara
Deidara, from Iwagakure (Stone Village), was an explosive artist who valued art’s fleeting nature. Disillusioned with his village’s conservative views on art, he left and joined the Akatsuki to pursue his explosive artistry.
Deidara’s obsession with beauty and, in turn, creating the ultimate artwork, drove him to join the Akatsuki. He sought recognition and validation for his art, believing that explosions were the epitome of true art.
Deidara’s primary ability is his Explosive Release, allowing him to create clay sculptures that detonate on command. He uses special mouths placed in his hands to mold the clay, creating anything from tiny bombs to massive constructs. His ultimate technique, C0, is a self-destructive blast capable of annihilating everything within a large radius.
Sasori
Sasori, also from Sunagakure (Sand Village), was a puppet master who lost his parents at a young age. This loss led him to develop an obsession with creating human puppets, seeking to preserve beauty and power forever.
Sasori’s desire to transcend mortality and preserve his loved ones drove his dark experiments. He joined the Akatsuki to further his goals and find new “puppets” to add to his collection.
Sasori’s abilities revolve around his puppet mastery. He can control hundreds of puppets simultaneously and has transformed his own body into a puppet, making him immune to aging and granting him various hidden weapons. His most dangerous puppet is the Third Kazekage, equipped with powerful Iron Sand techniques.
Hidan
Hidan hails from Yugakure (Hot Water Village) and became immortal through a ritual of the Jashin cult, a religious group that worships a deity of pain and suffering. He revels in causing pain and death, seeing it as a form of worship.
Hidan’s motivation is driven by his devotion to Jashin and his sadistic pleasure in causing suffering. He believes that through his rituals, he is fulfilling his god’s will.
Hidan’s primary ability is his immortality, granted by Jashin. He uses a ritualistic curse technique that links his body to his opponent’s, causing any damage he inflicts on himself to be mirrored on his opponent. This makes him a dangerous and unpredictable foe.
Kakuzu
Kakuzu, from Takigakure (Waterfall Village), was an elite ninja who became disillusioned with his village after being punished for failing a mission. He turned to a life of crime and joined the Akatsuki for financial gain.
Kakuzu is primarily motivated by greed (financial) and the desire for immortality. His unique ability to steal and integrate his enemies' hearts allows him to extend his life indefinitely and acquire new abilities.
Kakuzu’s Earth Grudge Fear technique allows him to sew and integrate new hearts into his body, each heart granting him the use of a different elemental release. He can detach and control these hearts, making him extremely difficult to kill and allowing him to attack with multiple elements simultaneously.
Zetsu
Zetsu is a unique being, created by Black Zetsu and White Zetsu. Black Zetsu is a manifestation of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki’s will, while White Zetsu was a human transformed by Kaguya’s Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Black Zetsu’s motivation is to resurrect Kaguyaand fulfill her plan to reclaim the world. White Zetsu, on the other hand, follows Black Zetsu’s lead, driven by the desire to support his counterpart’s goals.
Zetsu’s abilities include merging with the ground and flora, making him an excellent spy. Black Zetsu can manipulate and possess other beings, while White Zetsu has the ability to create spores that drain chakra and clone themselves.
Obito Uchiha (Tobi)
Obito, a former Leaf Village ninja, was thought to be dead after a mission gone wrong. However, he was saved by Madara Uchiha and manipulated into adopting Madara’s plan to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi and create a world of illusionary peace.
Obito’s motivation stems from the loss of his childhood love, Rin, and his belief that the world is inherently flawed. He adopts the identity of “Tobi” and joins theAkatsuki to further Madara’s plan, seeking to create a world free from pain and suffering through the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Obito possesses the Sharingan and later the Rinnegan, granting him powerful visual and space-time abilities. His most notable technique is Kamui, which allows him to transport parts of his body and other objects to a separate dimension, making him nearly intangible in battle.
Orochimaru (Former Member)
Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin from the Hidden Leaf Village, was obsessed with learning all ninjutsu and achieving immortality. His unethical experiments led to his defection and eventual joining of the Akatsuki.
Orochimaru’s insatiable thirst for knowledge and power drives his actions. He sees the Akatsuki as a means to further his research and achieve his goal of immortality.
Orochimaru’s abilities include powerful snake-related techniques and the ability to transfer his consciousness into different bodies, effectively granting him immortality. He also has vast knowledge of forbidden jutsu and genetic manipulation, making him a formidable and unpredictable opponent.
In conclusion, the Akatsuki members each bring a unique blend of tragic backstory, powerful abilities, and complex motivations to the Naruto series. Their individual stories and skills contribute significantly to the depth and intrigue of the narrative, making them unforgettable characters in the world of anime and manga.
