|
|
| editShikazaku | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| (鹿咲)
| |||
| Debut | |||
| Appears in | Anime, Manga | ||
| Personal | |||
| Gender |  Male
| ||
| Species | Toad | ||
| Height | 25.3cm0.253 m <br />0.83 ft <br />9.961 in <br /> | ||
| Classification | |||
| Occupation | Toad Elder | ||
| Affiliation |  Mount Myōboku
| ||
| Partner | Arikurin | ||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
"Don’t try to silence the world.
" |
Shikazaku is a toad that resides in Mount Myōboku. As the reluctant heir of the Two Great Sage Toads, he is also known as the "The Forgotten Toad Prince". During the events of "Nohkan Gaiden", he becomes the personal summon of Arikurin Shiin.
Background[]
Shikazaku and Gamamaru
Shikazaku is the youngest child of the elder toads, Fukasaku and Shima. His name, combining his parents names grace ("Shika") and bloom ("Zaku"), was given to him by Gamamaru, the Great Toad Sage. Exceptionally gifted in Senjutsu from an early age, he was once hailed as Mount Myōboku's prodigal heir. In time, the Great Toad Sage delivered a prophecy: "A purple son shall rise, not to follow, but to guide. When the one with powerful ears emerges, he shall be the key to a silent storm. The prince must prepare him."
Shikazaku lounges in the shade
Destiny had chosen Shikazaku to train a shinobi with powerful ears. But rather than embrace his fate, Shikazaku rejected it outright. He despised the weight of expectationand vanished into the hidden ravines of Mount Myōboku, chasing solitude over legacy. Even as rumors stirred that a new student would one day seek his guidance, Shikazaku remained unmoved. When Jiraiya arrived to train under Fukasaku and Shima, Shikazaku barely acknowledged him. In his mind, the prophecy had long since passed him by—and he was perfectly content with that. He faded into obscurity, slipping into self-imposed exile within the deepest reaches of the mountain, where even the wind held its breath.
Nohkan Gaiden: Song of the Sage Toads[]
Arikurin and Shikazaku
Years later, word reached him of a shinobi unlike any before—a boy born with the power to whistle hand seals and control sound itself. A child from the Shiin Clan, known as Arikurin Shiin—the one who could truly "hear what others could not." During their first meeting, Shikazaku tossed a book at Arikurin’s feet—The Book of Genjutsu Melodies, a dense tome of illusionary sound techniques. He offered it more as a deterrent than a lesson, expecting the boy to give up halfway through. By nightfall, Arikurin had mastered every melody.
Arikurin returns the book to Shikazaku
The next morning, he hummed one backward to dispel a hidden illusion trap. Shikazaku froze, eyes narrowing in disbelief. For once, the old toad had no comeback—only the quiet realization that the prophecy was no longer knocking at the door. It had arrived. Reluctantly, Shikazaku took Arikurin as his pupil. Though Shikazaku still hides behind sarcasm, laziness, and a veil of indifference, deep down he knows: the prophecy has returned, and this time, it cannot be ignored.
Arikurin activates Sage Mode for the first time, causing his tattoo to glow
Training under Shikazaku was nothing short of strange. Lessons were unpredictable and harsh, often disguised as riddles or traps. One day, Arikurin would find himself meditating in a pond of deafening croaks, trying to hear his own chakra. The next, he’d be navigating a canyon of vibrating stones, where a single misstep could rupture his inner balance.
Arikurin continues his training
Eventually, through trials of silence and sound, Arikurin mastered Senjutsu. Natural energy flowed through him like a perfectly tuned chord—resonant, balanced, alive. In that moment, Shikazaku said nothing. The prince had trained the one who could hear the storm. And the storm was ready.
Personality[]
Shikazaku is a lazy toad and his inclination is to do as little work as possible. He is rather comedic, and has the mannerisms of a smart aleck but remains light-hearted in most situations, preferring the levity of talk to the seriousness of battle.
Appearance[]
Shikazaku, Fukasaku, and Shima
Shikazaku is a small purple and black-coloured toad with untamed black hair, very thick eyebrows and a small goatee. He's often seen wearing a black cloak and carries around an umbrella. The umbrella serves both as a tool of leisure and deception. While it shades him during naps, it also conceals a finely crafted sword within its handle.
Abilities[]
Gamashiki's sound waves
Shikazaku can release large, loud and immensely powerful sound waves that effectively annoy, distract and temporarily paralyze any afflicted targets completely by infusing chakra in his throat. Shikazaku is also very agile. He showed great skill at fighting in mid-air using a number of successive kicks.
Senjutsu[]
Shikazaku is a master of Senjutsu, able to sense and absorb natural energy to create powerful senjutsu chakra. This state greatly enhances his strength, speed, and durability. With it, he can lift a massive stone frog statue and hurl Arikurin vast distances with ease. As a sage toad, Shikazaku can also fuse with a shinobi to enable Sage Mode. During fusion, he continuously gathers natural energy on their behalf, bypassing the usual drawback of needing to remain still. This allows the user to maintain Sage Mode even while moving, ensuring a steady and sustainable flow of Senjutsu chakra in prolonged battles.
Genjutsu[]
Shikazaku possesses a unique form of Genjutsu that activates through sound—such as humming, whistling, or his deep toadlike croak—rather than eye contact or hand seals. He is also capable of using a very powerful genjutsu called Demonic Illusion: Toad Confrontation Chant.
Kenjutsu[]
Shikazaku reveals a hidden blade
Shikazaku is a kenjutsu master who seamlessly fuses precise swordplay with the fluid, senjutsu-enhanced power of Frog Kata. Using a concealed blade hidden in his umbrella, he attacks in short, unpredictable bursts, catching enemies off-guard with swift, invisible force.
Shikazaku is also capable of using Transformation: Stone Sword, which allows him to turn into an sword of tempered obsidian capable of clashing with legendary weapons like the Sword of Kusanagi without shattering.
Part II[]
Birth of the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki[]
Shikazaku infusing chakra in his throat
With his newfound power as the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki, Obito effortlessly demolishes the barrier and shrugs off another Gate of the Great God attack. He tears through one of Hashirama's wood clones before it can even react. His power seems unstoppable, with Truth-Seeking Balls bypassing every defense and rendering most attacks ineffective. Recognizing that Obito is vulnerable to senjutsu, Arikurin summons Gamashiki and begins channeling nature energy to exploit this weakness.
New Era[]
A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing[]
Main Article: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Shikazaku is summoned
Rumors had reached Otokagure Anbu HQ about unusual activity in the Land of Keys. The Land of Keys are known for their skills espionage, so any information from that area needed to be fact checked. Arikurin had dealt with a spy named Hanare and their leader Kaitō years prior. He took it upon himself to attempt to spy on the area and gain useful intel. There, he is easily found by the Land of Keys Anbu and he teams up with Emiko Hayate as they uncover a plan by the Kara Outer. Following a quickly crafted plan, Shikazaku aids Son Gōku, Emiko, and Arikurin in destroying the tree and Kaitō, but not without consequences.
Later, Arikurin and Emiko are attacked by Banri, a mysterious young man who appeared before the two could part ways. Son Gokū took control of Emiko's body to initiate a new form called "Baryon Mode" and together with Arikurin, barely fended off Banri during a transient moment of weakness, but at the expense of Son Gokū's own life and the two ANBU-nin being critically injured.
One-Tail Escort Arc[]
Shikazaku and Arikurin clash with Urashiki
Arikurin finally begins to approach the Land of Fire, but Urashiki intercepts him. Arikurin wonders how he tracked Shukaku when the kettle should suppress their chakra and Arikurin was using his Silent Hummingbird Technique. Urashiki explains he watched them through the puppets, and reveals his Byakugan. Immediately, Arikurin activates sage mode and traps Urashiki in a Massive Curse Mandala with the help of 3 shadow clones-allowing his real self to continue to head toward the border.
Credits[]
- Timeline of Naruto Universe
- Anime-edited image source credits to: Photopea.com, Naruspot, Narutopedia, Masashi Kishimoto, & Osamu Kobayashi
