Hayate Gekko was a special jonin of Konohagakure, who served as a proctor for the Chunin Exams. He was a skilled kenjutsu user, who wielded a katana with a rectangular hand guard.
He had a chronic cough and dark circles under his eyes, which were said to be caused by a childhood illness. He was also in love with Yugao Uzuki, a fellow shinobi and his kenjutsu student.
Hayate was killed by Baki, a Sunagakure ninja, during the invasion of Konoha, but was later reincarnated by Kabuto Yakushi during the Fourth Shinobi World War. In this article, we will explore Hayate’s background, personality, appearance, abilities, and role in the anime Naruto Shippuden.
Contents
All about Hayate Gekko
[schemas]- Birthdate: November 2
- Sex: Male
- Age: Part I: 23
- Status: Deceased
- Height: Part I: 175 cm
- Weight: Part I: 58 kg
- Blood type: AB
- Occupation: Chūnin Exams Proctor
- Affiliation: Konohagakure
Hayate Gekko’s Background
Hayate graduated from the Ninja Academy at the age of 12, and became a chunin at the age of 13. He was assigned to a team with Ibiki Morino and Tokara, under the leadership of Anko Mitarashi.
During the Chunin Exams, Hayate and his team confronted Team Orochimaru, consisting of Orochimaru, Kabuto Yakushi, and Kimimaro. Hayate managed to injure Kabuto with his sword, but was overpowered by Orochimaru’s snake summoning. He and his teammates were saved by Anko, who arrived in time to stop Orochimaru
In the anime, Hayate was chosen to be Yugao’s instructor in kenjutsu, after she graduated from the Ninja Academy. The two spent a lot of time training together, and eventually developed romantic feelings for each other. Hayate was proud of Yugao’s progress, and encouraged her to join the Anbu. He also teased her about her cat mask, and asked her to be careful on missions
Hayate was selected to be the proctor for the preliminary round of the Chunin Exams, where he oversaw the one-on-one matches between the genin who passed the second test. He was strict and impartial, and enforced the rules of the matches.
He also showed concern for the safety of the participants, and intervened when necessary to stop the fights. He was impressed by the skills and determination of the genin, especially Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Rock Lee.
Hayate was also a loyal and courageous shinobi, who risked his life to spy on Kabuto and Baki, when he overheard them plotting to invade Konoha in alliance with Otogakure. He followed them to a secluded location, and witnessed them killing a Konoha messenger.
He tried to escape and report the information to the Hokage, but was discovered by Baki, who engaged him in a fight. Hayate fought bravely, and used his Dance of the Crescent Moon technique to slash Baki’s face.
However, Baki countered with his Wind Release: Sand Cloud Whirlwind technique, and stabbed Hayate through the chest with his wind blade, killing him instantly.
Hayate’s body was found the next day by a team of Konoha shinobi, who reported his death to the Hokage. His death was mourned by many of his fellow shinobi, especially Yugao, who was devastated by the loss of her lover. She blamed herself for not being with him, and vowed to avenge him. She also kept his katana as a memento of him.
Hayate Gekko’s Personality
Hayate was a calm and composed individual, who spoke in a polite and formal manner. He was also an individualist, and a gentle person. He had a strong sense of duty and honor, and was willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of his village.
He was also a fair and impartial judge, who respected the rules and the participants of the Chunin Exams. He was not easily intimidated by the threats or insults of the genin, and maintained his authority and dignity.
He was also compassionate and caring, and showed concern for the well-being of the genin, especially when they were injured or exhausted.
Hayate was also a loving and devoted partner to Yugao, who was his kenjutsu student and lover. He was proud of her achievements, and supported her decision to join the Anbu.
He also had a playful and teasing side, and joked with her about her cat mask. He was affectionate and gentle with her, and asked her to be careful on missions. He cared deeply about her, and wished to protect her from harm.
Hayate Gekko’s Appearance
Hayate had short brown hair, dark-colored eyes, and dark circles under his eyes. He had a pale complexion, and a thin and frail body. He also had a chronic cough, which was said to be caused by a childhood illness.
He wore the standard Konoha shinobi outfit, consisting of a dark green flak jacket, a blue forehead protector worn as a bandanna, a beige shirt, dark pants, and sandals. He also carried a katana with a rectangular hand guard strapped over his back.
When he was reincarnated by Kabuto, Hayate’s appearance was mostly unchanged, except for the grey sclerae and facial cracks common to all the other reincarnated shinobi. He also wore a white cloak with red clouds, the symbol of the Akatsuki, over his original outfit.
Hayate Gekko’s Abilities
As a tokubetsu jōnin, Hayate was a very skilled shinobi, further emphasised in the anime where he was chosen to be reincarnated by Kabuto Yakushi in the Fourth Shinobi World War.
Baki, a skilled and experienced shinobi from Sunagakure, commented that the village had many talented ninja after seeing Hayate’s skill at such a young age.
Kenjutsu
Hayate’s signature skill was in kenjutsu. He could use the Dance of the Crescent Moon, a technique involving him and two shadow clones simultaneously attacking an opponent with their swords at such high speeds, that they create afterimages, making it difficult to avoid.
In the anime, he could even perform the Dance of the Crescent Moon with just kunai, and still be just as lethal. During his fight against Baki, Hayate proved to have possessed keen reflexes, as he was able to draw a kunai just in time to block an attack despite being inches away from his opponent and, on several occasions, was fast enough to use his sword to deflect kunai thrown at him, while he was in mid-air.
Hayate also displayed great physical strength and precision in his sword attacks, slicing through and shattering several boulders with only a single strike. In the anime, he could also perform other techniques that required great speed to confuse the enemy, such as the Secret Sword: Moonlight.
Other Skills
Notably, Hayate also had excellent tracking and stealth skills, having remained undetected for a considerable period of time while spying on Kabuto.
The anime showed that Hayate was adept at using the Transparent Escape Technique, which gave him personal praise from the Third Hokage, who later assigned him as the only suitable candidate to undertake the dangerous mission of spying on Orochimaru’s right-hand man. Hayate also had talent in ninjutsu and genjutsu.
In the anime, Hayate also showed proficiency with taijutsu, able to hold his own during his confrontation with a weakened Naruto Uzumaki, and could kick him away with such force that the wall Naruto smashed against received massive cracks.
He also had a keen sense of smell, being able to smell the blood of thousands of people even though he was far away from the battlefields. He showed himself to be very nimble, able to effectively manoeuvre through a barrage of rock projectiles while still moving in for an attack.
Hayate also proved to be quick thinking and a cunning strategist, as shown in his fight with Baki, where he used Baki’s own spit powder as a substitute, confusing Baki, before delivering a kick to the Suna-nin’s face.
Hayate also had a very strong will and mentality, as when he was reincarnated, he was able to resist Kabuto’s commands in a few instances, even when his personality was erased, a feat very few that were reincarnated had managed to do.
Role in the Anime Naruto Shippuden
Hayate played a minor role in the anime Naruto Shippuden, as he only appeared in a few episodes, mostly in flashbacks or filler arcs. He was first seen in a flashback, when Naruto remembered his fight with Kiba Inuzuka in the preliminary round of the Chunin Exams, which was overseen by Hayate. He was also seen in another flashback, when Yugao recalled her relationship with Hayate, and how he was killed by Baki.
Hayate’s main role in the anime was in the Power arc, which was a filler arc that took place during the Fourth Shinobi World War. In this arc, Hayate was one of the many shinobi who were reincarnated by Kabuto, using the Impure World Reincarnation technique.
He was assigned to a team with Haku, Gari, and Pakura, and sent to attack the Tonika Village, where Kabuto was conducting a secret experiment. Hayate and his team fought against the Konoha shinobi who were sent to stop them, and encountered Yugao, who was part of the Anbu squad.
Hayate recognized Yugao, and tried to resist Kabuto’s control, but was forced to fight her against his will. Yugao was shocked and saddened to see Hayate alive, but resolved to stop him and free him from Kabuto’s influence.
She engaged him in a kenjutsu duel, and managed to overpower him with her superior skills. She then used a sealing tag to immobilize him, and apologized for not being able to save him.
Hayate congratulated her for her improvement, and thanked her for ending his suffering. He then faded away, along with the other reincarnated shinobi, when Itachi Uchiha used the Izanami technique to break Kabuto’s control and cancel the Impure World Reincarnation. Yugao mourned Hayate’s death again, but also felt relieved that he was finally at peace.
Hayate Gekko was a special jonin of Konohagakure, who was known for his kenjutsu skills and his role as a proctor for the Chunin Exams. He was a loyal and honorable shinobi, who sacrificed himself to protect his village from an invasion. He was also a loving and caring partner to Yugao Uzuki, who was his kenjutsu student and lover.
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