Naruto Shippuden is one of the most popular and influential anime series of all time, with a rich and complex story that spans hundreds of episodes and several spin-offs.
The series follows the adventures of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who dreams of becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. Along the way, he faces many enemies and challenges, both from within and outside his world.
One of the allies that Naruto and his friends encounter is Maki, a kunoichi from Sunagakure, the Hidden Sand Village. Maki is a calm and level-headed ninja, who has a unique ability to manipulate cloth using her Cloth Binding Technique. She is also the disciple of Pakura, a legendary Suna ninja who was killed in battle and later resurrected by the enemy.
But who is Maki, and how did she become the disciple of Pakura? What are her motives and goals, and how does she relate to the other characters in the series? In this article, we will explore the backstory, abilities, and role of Maki in the anime Naruto Shippuden, and try to answer some of these questions.
Contents
All about Maki
[schemas]- Sex: Female
- Age: Part II: 28
- Affiliation: Sunagakure/Allied Shinobi Forces
- Team: Third Division/Sealing Team
Maki’s Background
Maki’s backstory is revealed in the sequel series Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, which focuses on the next generation of ninjas, including Naruto’s son Boruto.
In the anime, Maki’s past is shown in a flashback, where it is revealed that she was once a simple kunoichi who lived around the time that the Third Shinobi World War broke out.
The Third Shinobi World War was a global conflict that involved all the major ninja villages, and resulted in many casualties and losses. Sunagakure was one of the villages that suffered the most, as it was attacked by Kirigakure, the Hidden Mist Village, and lost many of its shinobi, including Maki’s father.
Maki, who was devastated by her father’s death, vowed to become stronger and avenge him. She was inspired by Pakura, a Suna kunoichi who was renowned for her mastery of the Scorch Release, a rare and powerful kekkei genkai that allowed her to manipulate heat and fire. Pakura was also a hero of Suna, who had fought bravely in the war and earned the respect and admiration of her peers and superiors.
Maki approached Pakura and asked her to be her mentor and teach her ninjutsu. Pakura agreed, and took Maki as her disciple. She trained Maki in various aspects of ninjutsu, such as chakra control, elemental manipulation, and sealing techniques. She also taught Maki the Cloth Binding Technique, a unique skill that allowed Maki to use cloth as a weapon and a tool.
Maki and Pakura developed a close bond, and Maki looked up to Pakura as a role model and a mother figure. Pakura encouraged Maki to retain her resolve for revenge, as she believed that it would make her stronger and more determined. She also praised Maki for her improvement and potential, and told her that she was proud of her.
However, their relationship was cut short, when Pakura was killed in battle by the enemy. Maki was heartbroken and enraged by Pakura’s death, and blamed Kirigakure for her loss. She also mourned Pakura at her grave, and swore to honor her legacy and memory.
Maki’s Personality
Maki is a calm and level-headed kunoichi. She is also very determined and driven seen during her training where she wanted Pakura to train her despite the latter just coming off a mission and then wanting to retry an attack after it had failed to capture her sensei.
She also holds her master in very high regards as she opted to stop her during the Fourth Shinobi World War rather than see her besmirch the legacy which she had left behind.
Maki held a deep grudge against Kirigakure for the death of her father, but since the formation of the Allied Shinobi Forces, this mind-set had changed and she has even noted that this war will more than likely usher in a new era for the relations between the villages.
Maki’s Appearance
Maki has bright blue eyes (grey in the anime) and shoulder length dark hair. Her most notable feature are the red markings on her face (purple in anime).
She wears the standard attire of a Sunagakure ninja including the turban. She also carries a huge roll of cloth to use in her techniques with her.
As a child, her hair was much shorter and she wore a yellow blouse with a red shirt underneath that exposed her navel, a black skirt, thigh-length fishnet stockings and sandals. During the Fourth Shinobi World War, she sports the Allied Shinobi Forces’ forehead protector.
Maki’s Abilities
Maki, as the disciple of Pakura, possesses impressive abilities that make her a valuable and formidable ninja. She is a master of the Cloth Binding Technique, a skill that allows her to manipulate cloth using her chakra.
She can use cloth to bind, restrain, or immobilize her opponents, as well as to protect herself or her allies from attacks. She can also add seals to the cloth, to prevent her enemies from escaping or being summoned by others.
Maki carries a large roll of cloth with her, which she can use in various ways. She can use the cloth to create a protective dome, to shield herself and her allies from harm. She can also use the cloth to hide herself or others, by blending in with the surroundings.
She can also use the cloth to create weapons, such as blades, spears, or whips, to attack her enemies from a distance.
Maki is also proficient in sealing jutsu, the art of using seals to perform various effects, such as sealing objects, chakra, or souls. She can use sealing jutsu to enhance her cloth binding technique, by adding more power or functionality to the cloth.
She can also use sealing jutsu to seal away the Ten-Tails, a monstrous beast that is the source of the God Tree, and the key to the enemy’s plan.
Maki is also skilled in other aspects of ninjutsu, such as taijutsu, the art of hand-to-hand combat, and genjutsu, the art of creating illusions. She is also a jonin, the highest rank of ninja, and a leader of the Sealing Team, a group of elite shinobi who specialize in sealing jutsu.
The Role of Maki
Maki, as the disciple of Pakura and the leader of the Sealing Team, plays a significant role in the plot of Naruto Shippuden and its sequel series. She is an ally and a friend of Naruto and his allies, who seek to stop the enemy and save the world.
She is also a participant and a contributor in the Fourth Shinobi World War, a global war that involves all the ninja villages and the Otsutsuki clan, a race of alien beings that seek to harvest the life energy of planets.
Maki’s role is first introduced in the Kazekage Rescue Mission arc, where she is one of the Suna shinobi that accompany Team Kakashi, a team of Konoha ninjas led by Kakashi Hatake, during their mission to rescue Gaara, the Kazekage and the leader of Suna, who was kidnapped by the Akatsuki, a rogue organization that seeks to capture the tailed beasts, the powerful creatures that possess immense chakra and are revered as gods by some. Maki and her team assist Team Kakashi in their search and rescue operation, and help them fight against the Akatsuki members.
Maki’s role is further expanded in the Fourth Shinobi World War arc, where she is one of the members of the Allied Shinobi Forces, a coalition of all the ninja villages that unite to fight against the enemy.
Maki is assigned to the Third Division, a unit that consists of various shinobi from different villages, and is led by Kakashi. Maki and her division face off against the enemy’s forces, which include the reincarnated shinobi, the ninjas who were killed in the past and brought back to life by the Edo Tensei, a forbidden jutsu that allows the user to control the dead.
Maki’s role is also crucial in the Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation arc, where she encounters Pakura, who was resurrected by the enemy using the Edo Tensei.
Maki is shocked and saddened to see her mentor and idol as a puppet of the enemy, and tries to reason with her and remind her of her true self. Maki also tries to stop Pakura from harming her allies and herself, and tells her that she is proud of her and that she loves her.
Maki eventually succeeds in breaking Pakura’s control, and helps her to regain her free will and memories. Maki and Pakura then share a tearful reunion, and Pakura apologizes to Maki for leaving her and for hurting her.
Pakura then tells Maki that she is proud of her and that she loves her too, and asks her to live on and protect the world. Maki then watches as Pakura fades away, and thanks her for everything.
Maki’s role is also important in the Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax arc, where she is one of the shinobi who are tasked with sealing the Ten-Tails, the beast that is the source of the God Tree, and the target of the enemy’s plan.
Maki and her team use their sealing jutsu to restrain and seal the Ten-Tails, and prevent it from destroying the world. Maki and her team also support Naruto and his allies, who confront the enemy and try to stop their plan.
Maki, as the disciple of Pakura and the leader of the Sealing Team, is one of the allies and friends of Naruto and his allies. She is also one of the participants and contributors in the Fourth Shinobi World War, and one of the heroes who save the world.
She is a character that shows courage and loyalty, and that honors and respects her mentor and idol. She is a character that adds depth and diversity to the series, and the world of Naruto Shippuden.
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