Throughout much of Naruto's story, the roles of the antagonists are held by the fearsome criminal organization, Akatsuki, a group of criminal ninjas from different villages. We find Nukenins like Itachi Uchiha, Orochimaru 🐍, members of the Seven Swordsmen of Fog and, secretly, Obito Uchiha. The gang's power has never been questioned and Akatsuki poses a constant threat whenever they appear.
However, as powerful as it is, the various incarnations of Akatsuki differ greatly in their approach, goals, and methods. The original group was founded to restore peace to a war-torn country ⚔️ and was led by the charismatic Yahiko. However, due to the interference of Obito - himself manipulated by Black Zetsu - the name Akatsuki ☁️ quickly fell into infamy, attracting a more unfavorable type of ninja.
Under new leadership, Akatsuki's modus operandi became much bloodier and their goal of peace became unrecognizable. The group began amassing tailed beasts to carry out Obito's Infinite Tsukuyomi plan. With so many rich stories and interesting characters, it's no surprise that the Akatsuki group is surrounded by many fascinating anecdotes.
Featuring plot points not covered in the main series, accounts of their creation by Masashi Kishimoto , as well as other intriguing tidbits, here are the 15 Shocking Things You Don't Know About Akatsuki.
15. AKATSUKI WAS THE ORIGIN OF MONSTERS
When Kishimoto ✒️ first considered the concept of Akatsuki, he imagined the criminal organization as a group made up exclusively of monsters with no human characters involved. This is noticeable in the inclusion of figures such as the shark Kisame and the plant-like Zetsu which were retained from Kishimoto's original idea.
Kakuzu 's appearance was also more fantastical in earlier designs and was based on the Kuchisake-onna creature from Japanese mythology. As the bestial influence was reduced in favor of a more human presence, characters like Kakuzu and Sasori became less strange and full humans like Deidara 💣 and Itachi were also added within the band.
Although it would have been interesting to see a more monstrous version of Akatsuki, this would have been at the expense of many mythical scenes as well as the psychic identity of the antagonists.
14. THE SIX PATHS OF BREAD ARE INSPIRED BY BUDDHISM
Inspiration for character designs can come from anywhere. For example, Nagato's Six Paths of Pain draws on the teachings of Buddhism.
Using the power of his Rinnegan 👁️ , Nagato is able to control six red-haired warriors and destroy Konoha Village. These beings are called the Six Paths of Pain, a title that refers to the Buddhist paths of reincarnation. This is especially appropriate since each pain body is actually a reanimated person, but the comparison goes further, as each pain path also shares a name with one of the Buddhist spiritual paths.
In Buddhist teachings, the paths of reincarnation are seen as stumbling blocks in the journey of rebirth that one can overcome with enlightenment and this perhaps reflects the fact that until Nagato is "enlightened" by Naruto 's famous " Talk no Jutsu ", he is stuck in an infinite cycle of suffering.
13. TWO AKATSUKI MEMBERS ARE STILL ALIVE
Although Akatsuki ☁️ is no longer a threat in the Naruto universe as things stand, two members have yet to leave the group or be killed: Hidan and Black Zetsu .
The memorable fight between the immortal Hidan and Shikamaru is arguably one of Shippuden's best and ends with the scene where Shikamaru buries his opponent alive, fully aware that Hidan cannot be killed by conventional means.
Black Zetsu has been the true driving force behind the later incarnations of Akatsuki. The organization's number one goal was to free Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. After her defeat, she will be sealed again and Naruto will assure that Black Zetsu will join her quickly. Although Hidan or Zetsu are no longer a threat, they cannot be considered dead either. ☠️
12. AKATSUKI CAN BE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH AS “DAWN”
Often in Naruto , the English translation of a character's name provides some revealing information about the character's concept itself. For example, Naruto 's name is both a reference to his love of ramen and a nod to the origins of the Uzumaki clan. Kakashi translates to "scarecrow", which provides some reasoning behind the Jonin 's slender figure and straw hair.
In the case of Akatsuki , the title can be translated as "Dawn" or " Daybreak " and, given the group's origins, it makes perfect sense. After all, the organization began with the intention of creating a new and peaceful world and the image of a sunrise perfectly encapsulates this goal of sparking a new, brighter era. 💡
11. THE NEW FORMS OF KONAN
Fairly or unfairly, the anime has a reputation for unnecessarily and overtly sexualizing Kunoichi as well as providing fans with unnecessary shots of semi-nudity 🔞, included to provide additional titillation. The Naruto franchise is certainly not innocent in this regard, and while the character of Konan may not be the most obvious culprit (cough - Tsunade - cough) , creator Masashi Kishimoto had other plans for her .
In an official databook, Kishimoto claimed that because Konan was the only female in Akatsuki , her design and clothing were intentionally revealing, and the character was described as "obscene". Of course, since Konan spends most of her screen time covered in a long black cape, this particular trait goes largely unnoticed. Interestingly, Konan also has a pierced navel.
10. THE MORE DETAILED ANIMATED
Fans of Naruto who don't know the manga original of Kishimoto may not know that the anime was much more detailed on the history and training of Akatsuki ☁️ , as well as the capture of the tailed demons than the paper version . For example, the role of original members like Kyusuke And Daibutsu are greatly developed in the anime unlike the manga.
In terms of events, the sealing of Six and the Seven Tails, as well as the murder by Obito of some original members of Akatsuki are segments of the story that have been changed. The Three-Tails arc is also greatly altered and expanded, which has caused inconsistencies in dialogue regarding the amount of Biju 👹 as Akatsuki had collected, with the number changing to account for the anime's increasing filling schedule.
9. KAKUZU ATTACKED AND STOLE HIS HOME VILLAGE
With so much story to explore, not all members of Akatsuki received the screen time they deserved, and Kakuzu was arguably the biggest victim of this injustice. As the Nukenin who ripped out the hearts of Shinobis and used them to prolong his own life, Kakuzu was perhaps one of Naruto 's most brutal and creative enemies.
However, not everyone is aware of the character's dark history. Suggested in the anime series, but explored in detail in the third Naruto book, Kakuzu was locked up in his village prison for failing in his mission to assassinate Hashirama Senju.❌
Imprisoned for his failure, Kakuzu finally manages to free himself and immediately takes his revenge. He murders his village elders and absconds with the village's arsenal of forbidden techniques. 📜 This includes the ability to steal and use the hearts of others, an ability that Kakuzu immediately tests on villagers who have wronged him.
8 INCONSISTENCY OF BREAD RINNEGAN
When Pain first appeared in the early days of Naruto Shippuden, his famous Rinnegan 👁️ was animated in a very different way compared to the design fans know and love today, with two large colored rings nearby of the Center. As the series progressed, he was replaced by the multi-ringed purple Rinnegan that has now become so iconic.
This discrepancy comes from a lack of knowledge of the team in charge of the anime. 📺 Indeed Masashi Kishimoto had not yet revealed the final color version of the Rinnegan. When the author finally revealed the Rinnegan in color, the anime was forced to follow suit and update its multi-tone, purple-ringed Rinnegan.
7. THEIR CAUSE IS PROSECUTED AFTER SHIPPUDEN
After the fall of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, it was imagined that the threat of Akatsuki would be entirely eliminated, but the spirit of the organization continues thanks to the presence of an entirely new antagonist, Shin . Among Orochimaru's many human experiences 🧬, Shin was one of his creations, he was a fan of both the Uchiha clan and the Sharingan. His right arm was also removed and given to Danzo. Shin's obsession with the name Uchiha - and Itachi in particular - even led him to use that clan name and seek to resurrect Akatsuki, believing that the world needed a war to progress. ⚔️
This story was covered in the manga "The 7th Hokage" and in the "Scarlet Spring" published after the end of Naruto, and through the combined efforts of Naruto and Sasuke, Shin's short-lived version of Akatsuki was defeated before it really starts.
6. DEIDARA'S BOMBS AND SLOGANS WERE INSPIRED BY A JAPANESE ARTIST
Naruto fans will remember Deidara 💣 as the explosion-obsessed young Akatsuki member who believed his ability to make bombs was an art form. Be aware that the antagonist's insistence that his explosions looked like a Picasso painting was ultimately not absurd, they were in fact inspired by Japanese artist Tarō Okamoto .
Okamoto is the man who originally coined the phrase "art is an explosion" which Kishimoto borrowed for Deidara. The influence doesn't stop there, several of Okamoto's works also served as inspiration for the character's creation. Not only do some of his statues resemble the bombs Deidara made in Naruto , but Masashi Kishimoto ✒️ also took inspiration from the artwork in the image above in order to create Deidara's hands.
5. AKATSUKI IS AN ANTI-HERO ACCORDING TO KISHIMOTO
It may be difficult to imagine that the members of Akatsuki are anything other than a dastardly criminal organization , but Masashi Kishimoto saw them differently. 👀 In an interview with Shonen Jump, Naruto's publisher claimed that he considered the group anti-heroes compared to other antagonists because their difficult and emotional backstories partly explained their criminal actions. Granted, this could apply to characters like Itachi , Nagato , and Sasori, but for other characters like Hidan and Deidara, it's hard to see them in a light that isn't bloody. 🩸
It's a testament to Kishimoto 's ability to create rich stories around both protagonists and antagonists. And therefore in this example create a link between its readers and the criminal organization. Few mangaka reach this level of excellence. 👍
4. ONLY HIDAN HAS NEVER MET NARUTO
With Naruto as the main protagonist of the series and the repetition of Akatsuki ☁️ as the antagonist for much of the narrative, one would expect that Naruto would have been confronted by each of these mysterious criminals. But in reality, Naruto has never met Hidan ! Indeed the day when Hidan and his partner Kakuzu engage in a fight against team 10, led by Kakashi. Naruto's team was then on the way to provide reinforcement, Shikamaru 🧠 isolated Hidan in a separate battle in order to avenge his Senpai. A battle that the Shinobi will win by blowing up Hidan and burying him alive.
Thus, Hidan sees himself buried before being able to meet the future Seventh Hokage , although Naruto is a short distance from Hidan.
3. AKATSUKI’S RED CLOUDS REPRESENT BLOODSHED
Nothing about Naruto's character design is there by chance and that includes Akatsuki's famous black and red coats. The iconic cloud image synonymous with the group is actually representative of the bloodshed 🩸 that occurred on Yahiko , Konan and in Nagato's home village during the various ninja wars.
However, as with the Akatsuki name, this symbolism quickly takes on a very different meaning once Nagato takes power. Instead of being a physical representation of the violence Akatsuki strove to wield, these menacing red clouds became harbingers of impending death and destruction, especially to any Jinchūriki who happened to be nearby. ☠️
2. KAKUZU'S TECHNIQUES ARE A NOK TO THE MOBILE GUNDAM SAGA
If you Mobile Suit Gundam fans 🤖 felt a sense of déjà vu during Kakuzu's fights in Naruto Shippuden, there's a good reason for that, Kakuzu's attacks were named after the different units mechanics from the popular Gundam series.
It's also no coincidence, as Masashi Kishimoto revealed in his own personal story, as an avid Gundam viewer as a child, he used to practice by drawing the various characters. 🤖✒️ Examples of Kakuzu 's connection with Mobile Suit Gundam include the technique " Fear of Earth's Rancor" which is a nod to (MSN-02 Zeong), "Fake Darkness" which references at YMS-15 Gyan, and "The Earth Spear " which is derived from the Dom (MS-09B).
Interestingly, this wouldn't be the last time Kishimoto references another anime series in Naruto, as the final chapter featured several similarities to One Piece . 👒
1. THEIR ASTROLOGICAL SIGNS ARE LINKED TO THEIR APPEARANCE
The birthday list of each Akatsuki member is known and it is difficult to dismiss such information without asking questions. However, these dates are not similar, but when we consider the different astrological signs related to birthday dates, a pattern begins to emerge. For example, Kisame the Shark 🦈was born on March 18, making his star sign Pisces, the fish.Sasori 's sign is Scorpio 🦂, a reference to both the antagonist's scorpion tail and his desert upbringing.
While the pattern doesn't apply to every member of the group, it's definitely a little personal touch from Kishimoto. Who said astrological signs have no meaning?
If you are passionate about the Naruto universe, then you absolutely must read the following article: The most powerful members of Akatsuki .
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