If you are a fan of the popular anime series Naruto Shippuden, you probably know who Kisame Hoshigaki is. He is one of the most powerful and ruthless members of the Akatsuki, a criminal organization that seeks to capture the nine tailed beasts for their own nefarious purposes.
Kisame is partnered with Itachi Uchiha, the prodigy of the Uchiha clan who massacred his own family. Together, they form a formidable duo that challenges the heroes of the Hidden Leaf Village on several occasions.
But who is Kisame Hoshigaki, and what makes him such a fearsome foe? In this article, we will explore his background, personality, abilities, and role in the story of Naruto Shippuden. We will also look at some of his most memorable moments and battles in the anime. Let’s dive into the world of the Monster of the Hidden Mist!
Contents
All about Kisame Hoshigaki
[schemas]- Birthdate: March 18
- Sex: Male
- Age: Part I: 29/Part II: 32–33
- Status: Deceased
- Height: Part I: 195 cm
- Weight: Part I: 83.1 kg
- Blood type: AB
- Classification: S-rank/Missing-nin
- Affiliation: Kirigakure/Akatsuki
- Team: Cypher Division/Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist
- Partner: Itachi Uchiha
- Clan: Hoshigaki Clan
Kisame Hoshigaki’s Background
Kisame Hoshigaki was born in the Hidden Mist Village, a ninja village located in the Land of Water. He belonged to the Hoshigaki clan, a clan of shark-like people who had gills, blue skin, and sharp teeth.
Kisame was a prodigy who graduated from the ninja academy at the age of 10 and became a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, a group of elite warriors who wielded unique and powerful blades.
Kisame’s sword was called Samehada, a living weapon that could absorb chakra from its victims and transfer it to its wielder. Samehada was loyal only to Kisame, and would reject anyone else who tried to use it. Kisame and Samehada shared a strong bond, and Kisame even referred to his sword as his friend.
Kisame was a loyal and obedient soldier of the Hidden Mist Village, until he discovered the dark truth behind his missions. He learned that his superior, Fuguki Suikazan, was a traitor who sold information to enemy nations.
Kisame was ordered to kill his comrades to prevent them from being captured and interrogated, but he realized that Fuguki was the real culprit. Kisame then killed Fuguki and took his place as one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
However, Kisame became disillusioned with his village and his country, and decided to leave them behind. He joined the Akatsuki, a mysterious organization that aimed to create a new world order by using the power of the tailed beasts.
Kisame was paired with Itachi Uchiha, a former member of the Hidden Leaf Village who had a similar past of betrayal and tragedy. Kisame respected Itachi and followed his orders without question, even when they conflicted with his own interests.
Kisame Hoshigaki’s Personality
Kisame Hoshigaki was a sadistic and bloodthirsty ninja who enjoyed killing and torturing his enemies. He had a twisted sense of humor and often mocked his opponents with sarcastic remarks.
He was also very confident and arrogant, and did not hesitate to challenge anyone who stood in his way. He was fearless and loyal, and would never run away from a fight or betray his comrades.
Kisame was also very intelligent and cunning, and could devise effective strategies and tactics to deal with various situations. He was observant and perceptive, and could analyze his enemies’ strengths and weaknesses. He was also very adaptable and resourceful, and could use his surroundings and his chakra to his advantage.
Kisame had a deep affinity for water, and preferred to fight in aquatic environments. He could manipulate water to create powerful attacks and defenses, and could also summon sharks to aid him in battle. He could also breathe underwater and swim at high speeds, making him a formidable opponent in the sea.
Kisame had a strong sense of honor and pride, and valued his own strength and abilities. He did not like to rely on others or use cheap tricks to win. He also respected his enemies who fought with courage and determination, and would acknowledge their skills and efforts.
He was loyal to his partner, Itachi, and to his leader, Pain, and would follow their orders without hesitation. He was also loyal to his sword, Samehada, and would protect it from harm.
Kisame had a nihilistic and cynical view of the world, and believed that there was no meaning or purpose in life. He did not care about his own fate or the fate of others, and was willing to die for his cause.
He did not have any dreams or goals, and only sought to serve the Akatsuki and their mysterious plan. He did not have any friends or family, and only considered Itachi and Samehada as his companions.
Kisame Hoshigaki’s Abilities
Kisame Hoshigaki was one of the most powerful and dangerous members of the Akatsuki, and was feared as the Monster of the Hidden Mist. He had a massive amount of chakra, comparable to that of a tailed beast.
He could use his chakra to enhance his physical strength and speed, and to perform various ninjutsu techniques. He was also proficient in taijutsu and kenjutsu, and could fight hand-to-hand or with his sword.
Kisame’s main weapon was his sword, Samehada, a living blade that could absorb chakra from its victims and transfer it to its wielder. Samehada could also change its shape and size, and could grow spikes and teeth to shred its enemies.
Samehada was loyal only to Kisame, and would reject anyone else who tried to use it. Kisame and Samehada shared a strong bond, and Kisame even referred to his sword as his friend.
Kisame’s signature element was water, and he could manipulate water to create powerful attacks and defenses. He could also summon sharks to aid him in battle, and could communicate with them telepathically. He could also breathe underwater and swim at high speeds, making him a formidable opponent in the sea.
Some of Kisame’s most notable techniques are:
Chakra and Physical Prowess
Kisame possessed massive chakra reserves well-above those of other Akatsuki members, 30% of which were compared to those of Naruto. His superhuman chakra level and combination with Samehada has earned him the moniker “Tailed Beast without a Tail” (尾を持たない尾獣, O o Motanai Bijū, English TV: Tailless Tailed Beast). Kisame could also absorb chakra, as seen when grabbing Samehada and even reversing the effect of Aoba Yamashiro’s paralysing technique.
Kisame had equally immense physical strength and speed, combining strong taijutsu strikes with powerful slashes from Samehada. He could overpower Asuma Sarutobi in melee weapon combat and even Guy, an extraordinary taijutsu master, in their second battle.
Kisame was also durable enough to survive Killer B’s “Version 2” Lightning Release: Lariat (albeit with his ribcage completely destroyed), as well as Guy’s one-hit kill Daytime Tiger.
After the latter, he retained enough strength to break free of Yamato’s chakra-suppressing wood restraints, further showing his raw strength and endurance.
Ninjutsu
Kenjutsu
As his speciality, Kisame was a very powerful swordsman, and favoured the use of brute strength and melee fighting in battle. Originally, Kisame wielded a normal katana, with which he was proficient enough to kill all of his comrades on one mission.
After slaying his master with the said katana, Kisame’s signature weapon became Samehada, a sentient, scale-covered sword, that shaves flesh instead of cutting it.
Samehada is also capable of detecting and absorbing chakra. However, it seems to be unable to automatically absorb ambient chakra, judging by the fact that all instances in which it has used the ability have either been when the opponent had a visible aura around them or when direct physical contact had already been established.
When Samehada absorbs chakra, its scales grow and it slowly begins to unwrap itself, revealing a mouth with several rows of shark-like teeth.
Kisame could heal injuries and replenish his chakra by temporarily fusing with Samehada. He could also fuse fully to further increase his power, expanding upon his shark-like appearance.
When fused with Samehada, he gains the ability to breathe underwater using gills which form on his neck. While using his Water Prison Shark Dance Technique, he could take full advantage of that ability by drowning his opponents while remaining unharmed.
In this form he can sense other people’s chakra, and absorb it just by touching the foe with any part of his body. He can also hide within Samehada, which he states is flawless due to the fact that he and Samehada have identical chakra, to the extent that not even sensors can detect him.
Initially, only Kisame was able to wield Samehada; if anyone besides him tried to pick it up, spikes protruded from its handle, and it returned to Kisame’s side. Samehada’s loyalty seems to be due to its liking of Kisame’s chakra.
If it finds a ninja with better chakra, it may betray its owner in favour of the new ninja, as demonstrated when Samehada protected Killer B from Kisame’s attempt to slash off his legs.
Despite its wavering loyalty, Kisame was capable of wielding Samehada against its will. Chojuro describes Samehada as the most terrifying sword of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen blades.
Nature Transformation
Kisame was a master of Water Release techniques, being able to alter an entire battlefield by creating a large volume of water to give him the field advantage, and to use for attacks.
His shark-like attributes carried over into techniques, for he even shaped his Water Release attacks into sharks. He could also use this skill as a means for transportation, riding inside of a water shark.
Against stronger opponents, he increased his field advantage even further by creating a giant dome of water around himself, forcing his opponents to battle him underwater.
He was able to make many sharks that overwhelmed Guy’s Morning Peacock, producing more than all the blows Guy could unleash. He was also proficient with Earth Release, using it to travel under the earth, with the tip of his sword, Samehada, jutting out making him look like a shark swimming towards his prey. Kisame also had proficiency in Fire and Wind Release.
Summoning Technique
Keeping to his shark theme, Kisame had shown the ability to summon sharks for both battle and message sending purposes, and can combine the one summoned shark with the Water Release: A Thousand Feeding Sharks as a way to conceal the messenger shark location and allow it to escape. He also used them with the Water Prison Technique to commit suicide.
Role in the Story
Kisame Hoshigaki played a significant role in the story of Naruto Shippuden, as he was involved in several major events and battles. He first appeared in the Search for Tsunade arc, where he and Itachi were sent to capture Naruto Uzumaki, the host of the Nine-Tailed Fox.
They encountered Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, and Kurenai Yuhi, and fought them briefly. Kisame fought against Asuma and Kurenai, and easily overpowered them with his sword and water techniques.
He was about to kill them, but was stopped by Might Guy, who arrived to help. Kisame and Itachi then retreated, as they were only ordered to test Naruto’s abilities.
Kisame later appeared in the Sasuke Recovery Mission arc, where he and Itachi were confronted by Sasuke Uchiha, the younger brother of Itachi who sought revenge for his clan’s massacre.
Kisame was eager to fight Sasuke, but was stopped by Itachi, who wanted to deal with him personally. Kisame then watched as Itachi easily defeated Sasuke and left him unconscious.
Kisame then appeared in the Kazekage Rescue Mission arc, where he and Itachi were sent to capture Gaara, the host of the One-Tailed Raccoon Dog. They encountered Team Guy, consisting of Might Guy, Rock Lee, Neji Hyuga, and Tenten, and fought them.
Kisame fought against Guy again, and used his water techniques to create a lake. He then used his Water Release: A Thousand Feeding Sharks technique to overwhelm Guy and his team.
However, Guy managed to break free and use his Eight Gates technique to counter Kisame’s attacks. Kisame then revealed that he was actually a water clone, and that the real Kisame was with Itachi, who had already captured Gaara. Kisame and Itachi then delivered Gaara to the Akatsuki hideout, where they began the extraction of the One-Tail.
Kisame then appeared in the Akatsuki Suppression Mission arc, where he and Itachi were confronted by Team 7, consisting of Naruto, Sakura Haruno, Kakashi, and Sai, and Team 8, consisting of Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Kakashi’s dog, Pakkun.
They fought them briefly, but then revealed that they were also water clones, and that the real Kisame and Itachi were elsewhere. Kisame and Itachi then met with the rest of the Akatsuki members, who had gathered to seal the Two-Tails and the Three-Tails.
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