In the rich and intricate world of Naruto Shippuden, there are numerous characters who have captured the hearts of fans worldwide. One such character is Haku, a complex and enigmatic figure with a tragic backstory. This article will delve into the life, abilities, and impact of Haku in the anime Naruto Shippuden.
Contents
All about Haku
[schemas]- Birthdate: January 9
- Sex: Male
- Age: Part I: 15
- Status: Deceased
- Height: Part I: 155.9 cm
- Weight: Part I: 43.2 kg
- Blood type: O
- Kekkei Genkai: Ice Release
- Classification: Mercenary Ninja
- Affiliation: Kirigakure
- Partner: Zabuza Momochi
- Clan: Yuki Clan
Haku’s Background
Haku was born in a small, snowy village in the Land of Water, a land that had suffered from war not long before. In this war, different sides battled each other using ninja, some of whom possessed kekkei genkai.
After the war ended, memories of the horrific battles still lingered in the minds of the people. Those with kekkei genkai quickly became feared and hated for their abilities, out of concern that their existence would only bring about more war.
Haku’s father and mother were simple farmers, and they lived a peaceful life. They loved each other, and were kind to their child. Unfortunately, this would all change. Haku’s mother was a wielder of a kekkei genkai: Ice Release. She hid this fact from her husband, hoping that the love and peace that was shared in their small family would last forever.
One day, Haku discovered the ability to manipulate water. Amazed by this, Haku proudly showed this to his mother, who was horrified by what she saw. She harshly scolded and slapped Haku for displaying his ability, though she tearfully apologised to him immediately afterwards.
Unbeknownst to them, Haku’s father had seen everything from the shadows. When Haku’s father discovered that his wife and child possessed a kekkei genkai, he assembled a small mob of villagers. With tears flowing down his eyes, he killed his wife. He then attempted to kill Haku. But before he could, Haku used his Ice Release to create several large ice spikes to kill his father and the rest of the mob.
Orphaned, Haku became a child who was wanted by no one and was forced to take to the cold streets and rummage through trash bins for scraps of food, even sometimes having to fight off the wild dogs that roamed the streets.
In time, he was confronted by Zabuza Momochi, a man who had “the same eyes” as him. Zabuza later asked Haku to become his “weapon,” which meant to become a dedicated shinobi for Zabuza. Haku readily accepted this role, due to the purpose it gave him, and devoting his life to becoming the ultimate tool for Zabuza to use.
In the anime, upon leaving the Land of Water, Haku and Zabuza met Kimimaro. Haku appeared to sympathise with Kimimaro for his loneliness and lack of purpose by looking into his eyes.
However, he was forced to keep moving by Zabuza, and left Kimimaro to be. Zabuza then trained Haku in the ways of the shinobi, as well as every fighting technique that he knew.
Haku’s Personality
Haku’s personality in “Naruto” is depicted as calm, gentle, and kind-hearted. Despite being a skilled ninja and serving as an antagonist initially, Haku doesn’t have the typical ruthless demeanor of many other characters in the series. Here are some key traits that describe Haku’s personality:
- Kindness and Compassion: Haku is a deeply compassionate person. They are shown to care for others and are willing to go to great lengths to protect and help those in need, even if it means putting their own life on the line.
- Soft-Spoken: Haku speaks softly and politely. They rarely raise their voice and maintain a calm demeanor even in tense situations.
- Loyalty: Haku’s loyalty to Zabuza Momochi, their master, is unwavering. They serve Zabuza faithfully, believing in his goals and vision, which adds depth to their character.
- Conflict Within: Haku’s character is marked by inner conflict. They struggle with the morally ambiguous actions they take as a ninja and their desire to do good and protect those they care about.
- Tragic Past: Haku’s personality is shaped by a tragic past, which is revealed as the series progresses. This past trauma plays a significant role in their character development.
- Determination: Despite their gentle nature, Haku possesses a strong sense of determination and resolve when it comes to achieving their goals and protecting their loved ones.
- Skill and Intelligence: Haku is highly intelligent and a master of various ninja techniques, particularly the Ice Release kekkei genkai. Their skills in combat are remarkable, which contrasts with their gentle personality.
Haku’s complex and multifaceted personality is one of the reasons they are such a memorable and beloved character in the “Naruto” series. Their inner struggles and their commitment to their beliefs make them a compelling character with a significant impact on the storyline.
Haku’s Appearance
Haku was a 15 year old boy with an androgynous appearance and was even viewed as being beautiful by Naruto, who exclaimed that he was “prettier than Sakura”, even after he informed him that he was male. He had long black hair, pale skin and large, dark brown eyes, and a slender frame.
Haku’s normal shinobi outfit consisted of the standard Kirigakure pinstriped outfit which stopped at his knees. Over this he wore a green haori with white trimmings, and around his waist a brown sash with a fringed trail wrapped around his waist twice.
He also wore light-brown platoon sandals with straps in the same colour as his kimono and nail polish on his fingernails and toenails in matching blue green colour.
When wearing this outfit, Haku’s long hair was gathered in a white bun holder, while two locks of his hair fell loose framing his face, bound with metal hair cuffs at the ends. Haku also wore a black forehead protector with the Kirigakure’s symbol upon it.
When in battle or moving covertly, he wore a hunter nin mask on top of his forehead protector, which was white with thin, curved eye holes and a red wavy design in place of the mouth, as well as the Kirigakure symbol etched in the top.
When Haku was not in combat, he wore his long hair loosely, and wore a pink, sleeveless kimono, with pale red edges and decorated with small plum-coloured swirls, that went to his ankles.
Around his waist was a simple white obi tied in a bow, and he wore a pair of light brown sandals with dark straps. He also wore a dark-coloured choker around his neck.
When he was a child, Haku wore an overly large, shredded light-brown shirt which fell off his shoulders, and a pair of shredded knee-length pants, as well as the dark choker.
Later when taken in by Zabuza, Haku was spotted wearing a short blue kimono with light blue edges and a dark grey split skirt, similar to those ones he wore as a shinobi, and also similar to those he wore as a younger child when his parents were alive.
Haku’s Abilities
A gifted individual, and having been trained by Zabuza himself, Haku was a very dangerous, and powerful ninja for his age. According to Zabuza, Haku possessed such prodigious talent that in many ways, Haku had become more dangerous than him.
His skills were great enough for Kabuto Yakushi to reincarnate him with the Impure World Reincarnation technique to fight during the Fourth Shinobi World War.
Physical and Chakra Prowess
One of Haku’s defining battle-traits was his sheer speed. His speed is so tremendous that he was able to quickly close the gap between Zōri and Waraji and take their swords from them before either of them realised what had happened.
Zabuza was visibly shocked that Sasuke could outpace Haku, although this was only due to Sasuke applying chakra to his feet to increase his speed.
Haku’s speed, however, increases to incredible levels when using his Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals, making it appear like he was in all the mirrors at once even though he was just travelling in between them at extraordinary speeds. His speed was such that Sasuke could not see nor react to his attacks until he awakened the Sharingan.
Like Zabuza, Haku was highly proficient with the Silent Killing, able to effectively strike down enemies within zero visibility, in some cases in perfect unison with his teacher.
Haku was strong enough to carry Zabuza’s body a safe distance away without losing speed. This strength is further highlighted when Haku nearly broke Gatō arm after casually grabbing it.
Haku had noticeable taijutsu skill, able to effectively block a kick from Might Guy and Rock Lee in unison. Haku also had the ability to perform hand seals with only one hand, a skill that amazed even Kakashi. Upon his reanimation, he demonstrated having a powerful chakra as well, being visible to the naked eye.
Ninjutsu
Nature Transformation
Haku’s most noticeable power was the utilisation of water and wind-natured chakra to create Ice Release. His power over ice granted him special techniques, like the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals, which surrounds a target with mirrors that Haku could travel between and attack from, even if his opponent is in the sky.
During his flashbacks of his youth in the anime, Haku was shown to release large spikes made of ice when he was about to be killed by his father. Defensively, he could create an ice dome that is capable of blocking multiple explosive tags at once.
Furthermore, it has been implied that Haku could affect the weather, causing localised snowfall. He could also use his two elements individually, such as his Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death, which uses his water nature to concentrate the surrounding water into needles to attack enemies from all angles.
Intelligence
Haku possessed a very detailed knowledge of human physiology, thanks to Zabuza’s former Anbu training. His knowledge was great enough that he could disable an opponent with acupuncture by hitting a precise point on the body with a senbon, to cause immediate death or a temporary appearance of such.
Haku was also very keen-minded, as he had been shown to have great observational and analytical abilities, capable of quickly determining a way around an opponent’s technique or strategy.
Haku also appears to have knowledge of some animals as he was able to detect the Allied Shinobi Forces’ Surprise Attack Division based on the unusual flight pattern of the birds Sai had made. Haku also knew a lot about herbalism, as he often collected plants to use for medical purposes.
In the anime Naruto Shippuden, Haku’s life and abilities are a testament to the multifaceted nature of the human experience. His tragic story and unwavering loyalty to Zabuza continue to resonate with fans around the world.
Comments