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Kisame Hoshigaki (干柿鬼鮫, Hoshigaki Kisame), feared as the Monster of the Hidden Mist (霧隠れの怪人, Kirigakure no Kaijin), was a shinobi of Kirigakure. After joining the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, he became an S-rank missing-nin and was partnered with Itachi Uchiha when the latter joined Akatsuki.
Background[]
Kisame working under Fuguki.
Originally, Kisame was to guard the Cypher Division under orders from his superior, Fuguki Suikazan of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. When the group was cornered by Konoha-nin under Ibiki Morino during a mission, Kisame chose to kill the Cypher Division members to keep their intel from being leaked out through Ibiki’s interrogation, as instructed by Fuguki.
Kisame approached by “Madara” after killing Fuguki.
Eventually, after learning that Fuguki was selling information to other ninja villages, Kisame killed him and took Samehada for himself. Though the Fourth Mizukage commended him for his loyalty to Kirigakure, killing his comrade caused Kisame to become disillusioned and came to realize that the world was filled with lies. It was soon after that Kisame was approached by a mysterious figure who was manipulating Yagura from the shadows, calling himself Madara Uchiha. After seeing the shinobi’s Sharingan, Kisame insisted that he reveal himself, leading the masked stranger to show Kisame his face. After explaining his motives and the Eye of the Moon Plan to Kisame, he was initially skeptical of the mysterious ninja, but the notion of a “world of truth” enticed him.
Kisame vs. Toshirō.
During the Third Shinobi World War, Kisame fought alongside members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist against Tailed Beast Without a Tail (尾を持たない尾獣, O o Motanai Bijū, Meaning (English TV): Tailless Tailed Beast), Toshirō Shunsoku, and the Red Death (赤い死, Akaishi, Viz: Crimson Death), Kushina Uzumaki. Kisame and the Zero-Tails (零尾, Reibi)[1] fought each other while the Uzumaki fought the rest of the group by herself, killing all five while Zabuza Momochi managed to escape with his life. Kisame, on the other hand, fought to a stalemate against the Shunsoku before the Uzumaki came to assist her comrade, forcing Kisame to escape using Samehada.
Kisame as a member of Akatsuki.
Now a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Kisame was given the title of “Monster of the Hidden Mist” and formed a connection with Suigetsu and Mangetsu Hōzuki. Kisame eventually became a missing-nin when Kirigakure sought him for plotting to overthrow its government and being involved in numerous assassinations. With his departure, he took Samehada with him, causing Kirigakure to lose one of its seven swords. Kisame eventually joined Akatsuki and, due to his history of killing people close to him as well as traitors, he was partnered with Itachi Uchiha to keep an eye on him. Though they initially greeted each other with hostility, they became good partners. With Akatsuki seeking new members, they approached Deidara to join their organization. After getting caught in Itachi’s genjutsu, Kisame laughed at how close the clueless shinobi came to dying. After the fight ended, Kisame, Itachi, and Sasori succeeded in recruiting Deidara.
Personality[]
Kisame killing Fuguki for leaking intel.
Kisame loves to fight. He is quite sadistic and demonstrates no hesitation in mutilating his opponents, as seen when he suggested cutting off Naruto Uzumaki’s legs to make him easier to carry and to prevent the latter from escaping on foot. Despite his aggressive nature, Kisame is very perceptive and keen-minded in battle, able to deduce the basics behind an opponent’s technique and react to any potential danger he is aware of. Also, due to being paired with Itachi, Kisame is usually unable to finish or even start his battles with Itachi around because the latter doesn’t enjoy fighting as much as Kisame does. He would often inform his opponents that they “don’t know how lucky are”. Kisame also has a deep loathing for Might Guy since their first encounter, with Guy’s inability to remember Kisame prior to his death agitating him.
Originally, when first partnered, Kisame warned an equally hostile Itachi to be careful of him. Over time, however, Kisame became one of the few members of Akatsuki that got along well with his partner despite the fact they had opposite personalities. The only common ground between both ninjas is that they betrayed those close to them. Kisame was perfectly aware of his weaknesses and shortcomings and is aware Itachi is perfectly capable of compensating for him. As such, he was perfectly loyal to Itachi as he would only take action after being ordered to or after being given permission by him. While he was excited about fighting Kakashi, he had no complaints about letting Itachi handle him when Itachi pointed out that his capabilities and personality were not the best way to handle the situation. He immediately obeyed Itachi’s order to capture Kakashi and kill Asuma and Kurenai without any questioning and despite his love for battle, retreated when Itachi ordered him to do so. Despite his pride, Kisame acknowledged Itachi as the stronger and more intelligent of the duo, as was evident by Kisame saying to Itachi that he himself was no match for Jiraiya but stated that maybe Itachi could go one-on-one with the Sannin.
Upon hearing Itachi’s death, Kisame appeared to be saddened as he ultimately considered Itachi as a good friend, even thinking of him in his last moments. Kisame’s loyalty to Itachi was so great even Zetsu thought he only stayed in Akatsuki because of Itachi and couldn't help but wonder if Kisame would stay with the organization with Itachi dead. During his last moments and recalling what Itachi said about no one ever truly knowing who they are until just before they died, Kisame hoped Itachi also realized who he really was before he died as well.
Kisame questioning his place in the world.
Kisame was motivated to help in completing the Eye of the Moon plan because of his own disillusionment with the world he lived in. He never felt as though he had a place or knew who he truly was as he was often ordered to undertake gruesome missions such as killing his own comrades because Fuguki ordered him to protect information above even the lives of his comrades. This experience caused him to develop a guilt that lasted until just before his death, causing him to believe he was a worthless and terrible person. This would cause him to warn anyone he works with to be wary of him as he may be forced to kill them one day. Later on, he discovered Fuguki, a man who he respected and trusted, was actually selling intel to their village’s enemies. As such, he came to the conclusion that his entire life has been a lie.[2] His partner Itachi has noted that he was a rogue that was unable to find a place for himself,[3] something he himself may have understood because of his own treacherous past. Because of this, he was somewhat nihilistic, believing himself and Itachi to be destined to die meaninglessly due to their crime of comrade-killing. It was only with Itachi’s advice to the otherwise that Kisame saw, at the end of his life, that he did not die as meaningless as he originally thought he would because he did not waiver from his ideology of protecting information at all costs, even at the cost of his own life.
Kisame had a playful and morbid sense of humor and would often make light of serious situations while sporting a sadistic grin. This trait would even show during his fights as he would often mock his opponents as seen in the cases of Killer B and Guy. Upon hearing of the death of Hidan and Kakuzu, he referred to them as the “Zombie Brothers” in reference to their longevity. In the anime, it was implied that he hated them, saying that he “wanted him [Orochimaru] gone as much as [he] wanted the Zombie Brothers eliminated.”[4]
Kisame was also shown to be honest and humble to his comrades, especially Itachi, as shown when Itachi reprimanded him for taking so long to capture Rōshi. Although defending himself by saying Itachi had no idea how powerful Rōshi was, Kisame quickly admitted he asked to capture Rōshi alone. He was also a very appreciative person. When Obito had disguised himself as a useless, incompetent, and clumsy person and had no idea of who he really was at the time, he still enjoyed his upbeat nature as he thought he livened up the mood of Akatsuki’s meetings. He also reprimanded Tobi for taking so long to come clean that he was, in fact, alive after most of the members believed he died from Deidara’s C0 suicide attack.
Kisame preparing to commit suicide in order to protect Akatsuki’s secrets.
Other than believing everything he knew was a lie and desiring to see Tobi’s “world of truth”, Kisame lived strictly to protect valuable information as reflected in killing the Cypher Division to keep their intel from Konoha and executing Fuguki for selling their village's secrets; on a related note, he refused to bond with his teammates when they were on a mission together. This ideal became his philosophy, ultimately motivating his assisted suicide when left with no other choice. His actions made Yamato have difficulty believing he died so nobly, despite having witnessed his death with his own eyes.
Appearance[]
Kisame in his Akatsuki attire.
Kisame is a very tall, muscular shinobi, and was the tallest member in Akatsuki. He had the distinctive shark-like appearance that was common in the Hoshigaki clan, complete with pale, blue-gray skin. He has small, round, white eyes, three sets of curved facial markings under his eyes that become more prominent when he merges with Samehada, gills on his shoulders, and sharp triangular teeth, the latter of which is a shared trait amongst most of the other members of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, and his hair styled in the form of a shark fin. As a member of Akatsuki, he also wore dark-purple nail polish.
During his time as a Kirigakure shinobi, he sported the standard outfit of the village, complete with a flak jacket and a forehead protector. Later, he donned what appears to be the standard attire of the Seven Swordsmen which consists of a dark sleeveless shirt paired with matching pants, provided with a waist guard, and striped arm- and leg-warmers typical of his village. He also switched to a modified version of Kirigakure’s forehead protector, which covered his ears as well. After defecting from the village, he donned the typical cloak members of Akatsuki wore, and underneath it he was bare-chested. He also wore a brown sash across the front and back of his cloak to hold Samehada in place. His forehead protector was slashed across the symbol, signifying he was no longer affiliated with Kirigakure. He wore his Akatsuki ring on his left ring finger, bearing the kanji for “south” (南, nan) which was yellow in color.
Kisame after merging with Samehada.
When merging with Samehada, Kisame’s appearance becomes more sharklike, resembling a bipedal shark-human hybrid with a rougher skin texture, a large prominent dorsal fin from his head down his back, a smaller dorsal fin protruding from each elbow, a long prehensile tail that is large and lizard-like in shape, webbed fingers and toes with sharpened nails, three visible gills present along his neck like all sharks, and a visible crisscross pattern of lines along his arms.
Abilities[]
Kisame using one of his advanced shark-oriented techniques.
Kisame was an exceptionally powerful shinobi who earned admittance into the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and later Akatsuki. He easily killed his former master, a member of the Seven Swordsmen’s strongest generation while the man wielded Samehada against Kisame. While a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Kisame fought Toshirō Shunsoku (with and without Samehada) on several occasions, their battles ending in a stalemate and acknowledging their respective strength. He claimed to be the best Akatsuki member at capturing targets alive, and it was proven when he successfully captured the Four Tails’ jinchūriki Rōshi with little effort. He also overwhelmed Killer B, nearly capturing him while at full strength, and battled both an elite team with diminished strength single-handedly. On separate occasions, Kisame proved to be more than a match for Might Guy (one of Konoha’s top shinobi), forcing the latter to open six of the Eight Gates against only a 30% power clone, and seven gates against the real Kisame without his sword.[5]
Chakra and Physical Prowess[]
A heavily weakened Kisame breaks free of the stocks.
Kisame possessed massive chakra reserves well-above those of other Akatsuki members,[6] 30% of which were compared to those of Naruto.[7][8] His superhuman chakra level and combination with Samehada has earned him the moniker Monster of the Hidden Mist (霧隠れの怪人, Kirigakure no Kaijin, English TV: Scourge of the Hidden Mist)[9] and he could equal Konoha’s Zero-Tails (零尾, Reibi). Kisame could also absorb chakra, as seen when grabbing Samehada and even reversing the effect of Aoba Yamashiro’s paralyzing technique.[10]
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.[11][12]
Ninjutsu[]
Nature Transformation[]
Kisame using his water clones in conjunction with the Water Prison Technique.
Kenjutsu[]
Kisame wielding Samehada with its bandages removed.
Kisame after merging with Samehada.
Summoning Technique[]
Kisame summons a shark to deliver intel to Akatsuki.
Part I[]
Search for Tsunade Senju[]
Main article: Naruto: A Shinobi Story/Search for Tsunade Senju
Sasuke Recovery Mission[]
Main article: Naruto: A Shinobi Story/Sasuke Recovery Mission
Part II[]
Kazekage Rescue Mission[]
Main article: Naruto: A Shinobi Story/Kazekage Rescue Mission
Akatsuki Suppression Mission[]
Main article: Naruto: A Shinobi Story/Akatsuki Suppression Mission
Itachi Uchiha Pursuit Mission[]
Main article: Naruto: A Shinobi Story/Itachi Uchiha Pursuit Mission
Five Kage Summit[]
Main article: Naruto: A Shinobi Story/Five Kage Summit (Arc)
Fourth Shinobi World War[]
Main article: Naruto: A Shinobi Story/Fourth Shinobi World War (Arc)
Legacy[]
As a testament to their long-time bond, Samehada cried for Kisame when its former master committed suicide. Upon seeing Samehada in Killer B’s possession, a reincarnated Itachi instantly realized that his former partner had died.
Thanks to Kisame’s summoned sharks, he was able to deliver the scroll that contained information on the entire force of the Allied Shinobi Forces and its organization, along with Killer B and Naruto Uzumaki’s location to Zetsu successfully allowing Orochimaru to chase after them. Additionally, this information allowed Tobi to create a strategy to draw the jinchūriki out of hiding which included forcing the Allied Shinobi Forces to use Naruto’s new ability to sense negative emotions to take out the transformed white Zetsu clones who were wreaking havoc during the night.
Trivia[]
- The “Kisame” means “demon shark” (鬼鮫), while his family name “Hoshigaki” means “dried persimmon” (干柿); like all members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, his surname is derived from a type of produce.
- Kisame’s birthdate, March 18, makes his Western astrological sign Pisces.
- Kishimoto first intended to make Akatsuki's members monsters with almost no human traits. Zetsu, Kisame and Kakuzu (and, to a lesser extent, Deidara and Sasori) are prime examples of this. Kisame, in particular, resembles a Samebito (鮫人, Literally meaning: Shark Man), a Japanese mythological creature.
- It is shown in an anime special that Kisame is insecure of his blue skin. This is portrayed when Deidara commented on how handsome his partner was, and how that must make him popular with women. Kisame sulked, and replied with, “After all, I’m strangely colored”.
- Studio Pierrot has since he was introduced in Part I, drawn Kisame at 198 cm as shown with his Part I and Shippūden Settei.
- According to databook(s) and this fanfiction:
- Kisame’s hobby was taking care of his sword, Samehada.
- Kisame wished to fight anyone except Tobi.
- Kisame’s favorite foods were shrimp and crab, while his least favorite, predictably, was shark fin soup.
- Kisame had completed 332 official missions in total: 3 D-rank, 68 C-rank, 154 B-rank, 78 A-rank, 29 S-rank.
- Kisame’s favorite phrase was “The weak are meat, the strong eat” (弱肉強食, Jakuniku Kyōshoku); this is a Japanese idiom for survival of the fittest.
Quotes[]
- (To Asuma) “My massive blade Samehada, doesn’t slice… It shreds you to ribbons!”[13]
- (To Killer B) “I get stronger in direct proportion to how strong my opponent is. I do not tire, and cannot be defeated.”[14]
- (To Yagura) “I knew that from the first time I had to kill my comrades… Kill a Kiri ninja as a Kiri ninja. What does that make me? Am I a friend or foe? What is my purpose and my position? Where do I go? Where can I go? I’m well aware that my entire life has been one giant lie.”[15]
- (To Itachi) “Sharks start out as eggs, but incubate and hatch in the womb. Sometimes the number of pups is less than the number of eggs that were fertilized. Do you know why? Cannibalism. The pups start eating each other within the mother's womb the moment they hatch. They start killing their siblings the moment they enter the world, viewing everything they see as nothing more than prey. As of today you and I are fellow members of Akatsuki. So be careful…of me.”[16]
- (Last words) “Itachi… It seems that in the end…I’m not so terrible after all.”[17]
References[]
- ↑ Naruto: A Shinobi Story chapter 1
- ↑ Naruto chapter 507, page 13
- ↑ Naruto chapter 508, page 6
- ↑ Naruto: Shippūden episode 121
- ↑ Naruto chapter 506, page 13
- ↑ Naruto chapter 255, page 13
- ↑ Naruto chapter 260, page 16
- ↑ Naruto chapter 256, page 2
- ↑ Naruto chapter 141, page 4
- ↑ Naruto chapter 506, pages 4-6
- ↑ Naruto chapter 141, pages 9-12
- ↑ Naruto chapter 258, pages 8-9
- ↑ Naruto chapter 141, pages 9-10
- ↑ Naruto chapter 471, page 15
- ↑ Naruto chapter 507, page 13
- ↑ Naruto chapter 508, page 7
- ↑ Naruto chapter 508, pages 9-10