Juventus 5 - 1 Livorno - Serie A Highlights

Juventus 5 - 1 Livorno - Serie A Highlights

Juventus Torino is back! The controversial Italian side has destroyed Livorno a few hours ago after a great match. Seria A is back ladies and gentlemen with new promoted Juventus in glory. 5-1 showed the scoreboard at the end of the game tonight. David Trezeguet scored a hat-trick and Iaquinta a doppieta. Juve are the first Serie A leaders of the season.

Livorno just couldn’t do more tonight in front of an ecstatic crowd in Torino. They just had the bad luck to meet Juve who was hungry for revenge and to prove everyone that they’re back to win.

Juventus 5 - 1 Livorno
28′ [1 - 0] D. Trezeguet
71′ [2 - 0] V. Iaquinta (pen.)
85′ [3 - 0] V. Iaquinta
86′ [4 - 0] D. Trezeguet
90′ [5 - 1] D. Trezeguet

Juventus 5 - 1 Livorno - Serie A Highlights - Extended

Thanks to tzonner.

Juventus 5 - 1 Livorno - Serie A Highlights - David Trezeguet scores Juventus first Serie A goal of the season, and first goal since the promotion. Alexandro Del Pierro assisted the French star.

Thanks to hbellahc.

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Shukaku si ekor satu

Shukaku si ekor satu.

• Nama: Shukaku si ekor satu (一尾守鶴, Ichibi no Shukaku^?) atau Shukaku dari padang pasir (砂の守鶴, Suna no Shukaku^?)
• Jenis: Tanuki (Anjing rakun atau raccoon-dog dalam bahasa Inggris, binatang asli Jepang dan beberapa daerah di sekitarnya)
• Jinchuuriki: Gaara, kemudian diambil alih oleh Akatsuki
• Kemampuan khusus: Menembakkan meriam angin yang terkonsentrasi menggunakan chakra
• Status: Ditangkap dan diserap oleh Akatsuki

Shukaku diberi gelar dewa angin oleh orang Jepang zaman dulu. Dulunya dia adalah pendeta yang terpengaruh kekuatan kegelapan Yamata no Orochi dan terkena badai pasir. Dia lalu berubah bentuk menjadi luak berekor satu dan mengandalkan jutsu angin sebagai serangannya. Dalam manga dan anime Naruto dia disegel dalam tubuh Gaara dan menggunakan jiwa ibu kandung Gaara sebagai tumbalnya. Suna pernah memiliki dua Jinchuuriki sebelum Gaara, tetapi keduanya tewas setelah Shukaku dikeluarkan dari tubuh mereka. Shukaku sangat pintar tetapi bertingkah seperti layaknya orang mabuk. Kata "Shukaku" sendiri dapat berarti "mabuk" dalam bahasa Jepang. Seperti Bijuu yang lain, sifat pemarah dan haus darah Jinchuuriki dapat membuatnya terpancing untuk keluar dan menghancurkan apa yang ada di sekitarnya.

Sejarah

[sunting] Tom’s Workers

Franky kecil dibuang oleh orang tuanya (yang kemungkinan adalah bajak laut) karena terlalu bengal. Kemudian Franky, yang saat itu namanya adalah Cutty Flam dipungut oleh pembuat kapal legendaris bernama Tom. Dia menjadikan Cutty Flam menjadi muridnya. Murid Tom yang lain, Iceburg menganggap Cutty Flam adalah nama yang aneh dan memanggilnya Franky saja. Franky selalu menggunakan waktunya untuk membuat kapal perang daripada membantu Tom membuat kapal layar. Tetapi Tom menganggap kemampuan Franky dan Iceburg setara dan suatu saat nanti mereka akan menjadi pembuat kapal hebat. Kapal perang yang Franky buat ditujukan untuk mengalahkan monster laut dan diberi nama Battle Franky setiap pembuatannya (seperti dalam Battle Franky 8, Battle Franky 9).

Ketika Cutty Flam berumur 12 tahun, Tom menjadi terdakwa karena telah membuat kapal bajak laut milik Gold Roger, sang raja bajak laut. Tetapi Pemerintah memberi waktu 10 tahun untuk Tom untuk memajukan kota Water Seven yang pada saat itu terpuruk dengan membuat kereta api laut agar Tom bisa lepas dari dakwaan. Tom’s Workers mulai bekerja keras untuk membangun kereta api laut, ada satu kereta api laut gagal yang menjadi percobaan mereka yaitu Rocketman. Franky juga membantu walaupun pada awalnya dia enggan.

[sunting] Fitnah CP5

14 tahun kemudian (10 tahun setelah penyelesaian kereta api laut Puffing Tom dan 4 tahun untuk pembangunan rel tambahan), Water Seven menjadi kota yang terkenal. Tetapi ada satu pihak yang tidak senang dengan Tom yaitu CP5 dari pemerintah. CP5 bermaksud mengambil rancangan senjata kuno Pluton yang berada di tangan Tom. Tom menolak dan mengusir Spandam (pemimpin CP5). Spandam marah dan bersumpah aka memojokkan Tom. Tom yang mengetahui bahwa rancangan Pluton sudah tercium segera memberitahukan kepada dua muridnya dan juga tentang Nico Robin.

Pada saat hari pengampunan Tom, kapal pengadilan ditembak dan dihancurkan oleh CP5 yang menggunakan kapal perang Battle Franky 1-35. Sehingga pemerintah dan warga menuduh Tom dan muridnya yang melakukannya. Alhasil Tom kembali didakwa dan dijatuhi hukuman mati. Franky yang tidak tahan atas fitnah dari pihak pemerintah memukul Spandam dengan keras sampai wajahnya hancur. Franky mengejar Puffing Tom yang bergerak ke Ennies Lobby kemudian menghadangnya. Akhirnya Franky ditabrak oleh kereta api laut dan tubuhnya hancur berantakan. Cutty Flam dinyatakan tewas oleh pemerintah.

[sunting] Cyborg dan Keluarga Franky

Franky masih hidup dan menemukan kapal bajak laut yang ditinggalkan. Bagian tubuhnya yang hancur, terutama bagian depan, diperbaiki sendiri dan menjadikannya seperti mesin perang (karena Franky sendiri lebih sering membuat kapal perang). Semua bagian tubuhnya bisa dijadikan senjata dan terbuat dari lempengan besi, misalnya tangan kanannya bisa lepas keluar dan meninju.

Empat tahun kemudian, Franky yang “baru” kemudian mengunjungi Iceburg (yang saat itu sebagai walikota) dan Franky dimohon untuk segera meninggalkan Water Seven sambil membawa rancangan Pluton dan dimohon untuk mengganti namanya menjadi Franky daripada sebagai Cutty Flam, karena Cutty Flam telah dianggap tewas oleh dunia.

Franky masih tetap di Water Seven, orang-orang yang ingin masuk ke Galley-La Company tetapi ditolak segera beralih ke Franky. Akhirnya Franky mempunyai bawahan yaitu orang-orang tadi dan membuat organisasi bernama Keluarga Franky. Keluarga Franky tidak bergerak di bidang perundagian, tetapi bisnis gelap. Tujuannya adalah mengumpulkan 200 juta berry untuk sang bos, Franky. Kemungkinan uang tersebut digunakan untuk membuat kapal yang Franky cita-citakan.

[sunting] Sekarang

Franky berhasil mendapat uang 200 juta berry dari kelompok topi jerami. Ketika kembali dari bisnisnya, keluarga Franky dan rumahnya telah dihancurkan. Franky yang marah kemudian menculik Usopp dan dibawa ke gudang di bawah jembatan (markas Tom’s Worker). Di sinilah Usopp dan Franky dibawa oleh CP9.

Franky ditangkap oleh CP9 karena rancangan Pluton telah diketahui keberadaannya. Bersama Nico Robin, Franky sekarang digiring ke Ennies Lobby.

[sunting] Kepribadian

Franky adalah cyborg yang konyol dan bodoh. Franky selalu melakukan pose-pose yang aneh ketika akan beraksi. Franky juga pemarah dan akan serius jika masalah yang ditanggapinya serius. Dia juga gampang menangis walaupun mungkin itu adalah salah satu kelakuan konyolnya. Franky juga pemberani sejak masih kecil, terbukti kalau dia menantang monster laut dengan Battle Franky buatannya.

Franky selalu memperdulian orang disekitarnya, seperti anak buahnya dan Usopp yang baru saja menjadi temannya. Selain itu, dia berusaha untuk menyelamatkan dan mempersatukan kelompok topi jerami yang terpencar-pencar. Sebenarnya dia orang baik-baik hanya tingkahnya saja yang membuat dia seperti orang bengal.

Sebagai pemimpin, Franky dihormati oleh para anak buahnya dan mereka rela mengejar Franky yang diculik CP9. Para warga Water Seven membenci Franky tetapi Iceburg dan Franky punya ikatan batin yang tak terlepaskan karena mereka berdua adalah murid tom.

Penampilan Franky merupakan parodi Ace Ventura, dari jaket Hawaii-nya sampai rambutnya. Dia hanya menggunakan celana dalam pantai dan pakaian hawaii.

Impian Franky adalah membuat kapal terhebat di dunia yang kelak akan mengarungi lautan luas. Mimpi inilah yang membuat dia dimungkinkan akan menjadi tukang kayu kapal kelompok bajak laut topi jerami.

[sunting] Keahlian dan Kekuatan

Kalaupun dia tidak cyborg, Franky pada dasarnya adalah orang yang kuat, Franky dapat mengalahkan jurua Tekkai milik Blueno dan mengangkat Blueno dengan mudah. Franky sangat terampil dalam hal pembuatan kapal (perang), dia telah menciptakan 35 kapal perang yang dapat mengalahkan monster laut. Dia juga telah mengubah dirinya menjadi cyborg dan menjadi “kapal perang” buatannya yang ke-36 (di tubuhnya ada tato BF36). Franky juga pandai dalam hal bermain gitar dan menari. Selain itu, keluarga Franky juga terorganisir dengan baik, walaupun anggotanya lemah. Franky dapat mengumpulkan anggota yang banyak, tiga diantaranya manusia gigantisme dan juga memiliki 2 king bull. Perut Cyborg Franky adalah lemari es yang berfungsi untuk menyimpan cola sebagai tenaga untuk melontarkan Coup de Vent.

Tenaga Franky berasal dari cola yang ditaruh di perutnya, ada 3 cola yang disimpan. Jika semua cola tersebu habis, maka Franky tidak bisa mengeluarkan jurus-jurusnya. Jurus Coup de Vent memakai (lebih tepatnya meminum) banyak cola. Franky bisa mengatur tekanan jurus Coup de Vent tersebut sehingga hanya memerlukan sedikit cola.

Dalam hal pertarungan, Franky mengandalkan tubuh cyborg-nya. Tubuhnya tidak mempan bila ditembak peluru dan tangannya bisa menjadi tameng untuk pertahanan. Serangan Franky yang sering dipakai yaitu Strong Right, melontarkan lengan kanannya dengan cepat untuk meninju dan Fresh Fire, menembakkan api dari mulutnya. Kaki Franky juga dapat membelah dan maju kedepan sehingga terlihat mempunyai 4 kaki, Franky menamakannya Franky Centaur.

Kelemahan Franky adalah punggungnya, bagian ini hanya seperti kulit manusia biasa karena bukan terbuat dari lempeng besi (ini dikarenakan Franky tidak bisa meraih punggungnya sendiri ketika membuat cyborg dirinya).

Jurus Franky yang terkuat yaitu Coup de Vent. Coup de Vent akan menembakkan gelombang angin raksasa yang bisa menghancurkan satu dok beserta peralatan berat di Water Seven. Coup de Vent berasal dari tekanan udara di dalam tangannya sehingga tangannya menggembung.

[sunting] Jurus

• Strong Right: Franky menembakkan tangan kanannya yang mempunyai rantai.
• Weapons Left: Telapak tangan kiri Franky terbuka dan menjadi seperti incaran, kemudian mulai menembakkan peluru.
• Fresh Fire: Franky menyemburkan api dari mulutnya.
• Coup de Vent: Meriam angin raksasa dari tangan Franky.
• Strong Hammer: Franky melepas kulit tangannya dan meninju dengan kulit besinya.
• Star Shield: Lengan Franky yang besar menjadi tameng.
• Beans Left: Tangan kiri Franky menembakkan peluru.
• Master Nail: Franky menembakkan paku dari mulutnya.
• Ouch Finger: Jari telunjuk Franky terbuka dan dapat keluar peluru seperti pistol.
• Franky Invincible: Merupakan gerakan konyol Franky. Franky berbaring terlentang untuk melindungi kelemahannya (punggung).
• Franky Centaur: Kaki Franky terbelah dan maju kedepan. Menjadikannya centaur yang terbalik.
• Ultimate Hammer: Strong Hammer dengan serangan yang lebih kuat.

[sunting] Nekomata si ekor dua

Nekomata, kucing iblis berekor dua

• Nama: kucing setan berbuntut dua (ニ尾の猫俣, Nibi no Nekomata^?)
• Jenis: Nekomata
• Jinchuuriki: Yugito
• Kemampuan khusus: Kemampuan menyemburkan api
• Status: Ditangkap oleh Akatsuki

Nekomata adalah Bijuu yang berbentuk kucing dan menguasai kekuatan kematian. Dia adalah peliharaan dewa kematian dengan sayap hitam raksasa. Di cerita Naruto, dia disegel dalam tubuh Kunoichi bernama Yugito dari Kumogakure. Nekomata memiliki nafas api (Fire Breathing). Nekomata akhirnya ditangkap oleh 2 anggota Akatsuki, yaitu Hidan dan Kakuzu.

[sunting] Isonade Si ekor tiga

Deidara dan Tobi ketika menangkap Isonade.

• Nama: Isonade si ekor tiga (三尾, Sanbi^?)
• Jenis: Makhluk seperti kura-kura
• Jinchuuriki: tidak ada/liar
• Status: Ditangkap oleh Akatsuki

Bijuu berekor tiga ini berbentuk seperti kura-kura dengan kekuatan yang mengerikan. Walaupun begitu, si ekor tiga tidak memiliki kepandaian untuk mengontrol kekuatannya sehingga menurut Deidara, kemampuannya hanya satu tingkat lebih tinggi dari hewan liar biasa.

Kemampuannya belum diketahui, karena ia hanya muncul dalam satu episode di komik Naruto. Ia memiliki kecepatan bergerak yang tinggi walaupun memiliki tubuh yang besar dan hidup bebas tanpa Jinchuuriki sebelum akhirnya ditangkap oleh Deidara dan Tobi dari Akatsuki.

[sunting] Sokou si ekor empat

• Nama: Templat:Sokou, Si ekor empat
• Jenis: Belum diketahui (dalam dunia Naruto), kemungkinan adalah Sokou
• Jinchuuriki: Seorang kakek yang belum memiliki nama
• Status: Ditangkap oleh Akatsuki

Jinchuuriki dari bijuu berekor empat adalah seorang kakek tanpa nama yang ditangkap oleh Kisame Hoshigaki. Jinchuuriki ini menggunakan kombinasi banyak elemen. Bijuu berekor empat ini telah ditangkap dan disegel oleh Akatsuki.

[sunting] Hokou si ekor lima

• Nama: (五尾, Gobi^?)
• Jenis: Hokou anjing berekor lima
• Jinchuuriki: Belum diketahui
• Status: Belum diketahui

[sunting] Raijuu si ekor enam

• Nama: si ekor enam (六尾, Rokubi^?)
• Jenis: Belum diketahui (dalam dunia Naruto), kemungkinan adalah Raijuu
• Jinchuuriki: belum diketahui
• Status: Belum diketahui

[sunting] Kaku si ekor tujuh

• Nama: (七尾, Shichibi^?)
• Jenis: belum diketahui kemungkinan Kaku si ekor tujuh atau Suzaku, Phoenix, salah satu hewan legenda.
  
• Jinchuuriki: belum diketahui
• Status: Belum diketahui

[sunting] Yamata no Orochi si ekor delapan

• Nama: (八尾, Hachibi^?)
• Jenis: Belum diketahui (dalam dunia Naruto), kemungkinan:

Hachimata (naga berekor delapan).

Orochi (ular berekor dan berkepala delapan).

• Jinchuuriki: belum diketahui
• Status: belum diketahui

[sunting] Kyuubi si ekor sembilan

• Nama: Rubah ekor sembilan (九尾の妖狐, Kyūbi no Yōkō^?), Komik Naruto "Kyuubi"
• Jenis: Kitsune (Rubah)
• Jinchuuriki: Naruto Uzumaki
• Kemampuan khusus: Chakra yang tidak terbatas, kemampuan regenarasi sel, dan kekuatan yang besar.
• Status: Aktif

Kyuubi berbentuk rubah dan berekor sembilan. Dikatakan bahwa dia adalah raja dari segala raja para siluman. Di Naruto, dia adalah siluman yang disegel dalam tubuh Naruto yang menyebabkan dia dikucilkan di desanya, Konoha. Kekuatan Kyuubi sangatlah dahsyat; dengan mengayunkan satu ekornya dia bisa menciptakan tsunami dan bahkan meratakan gunung. Ketika Kyuubi menyerang Konohagakure, Hokage ke-4 menyegelnya ke dalam tubuh seorang bayi bernama Naruto dengan menggunakan Dead Demon Consuming Seal dan mengorbankan dirinya sebagai tumbal.

Kyuubi adalah monster yang sangat kuat dan pintar tetapi berperasaan kejam dan sadis. Bagaimanapun, ia memiliki kehormatan dan mengakui kekalahannya dari Hokage ke-4, sehingga ia pun tak segan membantu Naruto, yang tubuhnya dijadikan tempat penyegelan oleh Hokage ke-4, dengan cara membagi chakranya.

Naruto Uzumaki, Jinchuuriki Kyuubi. Perhatikan bentuk seperti "kumis rubah" di pipinya.

Sebagai Jinchuuriki, Naruto memiliki berbagai kelebihan; tingkat penyembuhan diri sendiri yang sangat tinggi, stamina yang tak terbatas, dan akses untuk menggunakan chakra Kyuubi dengan jumlah yang sangat besar. Chakra dalam jumlah besar yang didapatkan dari Kyuubi itu memungkinkannya untuk melakukan jurus andalannya, Kagebunshin no Jutsu, hampir tanpa batas, dan juga bisa mengatasi efek samping jutsu ini yang membagi sejumlah chakra kepada klon yang dihasilkan. Dia bahkan mampu memanggil Gamabunta, si raja katak. Biasanya, hanya ninja tingkat tinggi yang mampu memanggil makhluk sebesar Gamabunta.

Naruto biasanya dapat mengakses tambahan chakra dari Kyuubi ketika ia dalam keadaan sangat marah atau merasa nyawanya terancam. Ketika pertama kali mendapatkan chakra Kyuubi, pikiran Naruto menjadi tidak terkendali; ia menyerang apa saja yang ada di sekitarnya. Namun setelah dilatih oleh Jiraiya, Naruto mulai belajar untuk mengendalikan kekuatan dan pikirannya saat menggunakan chakra Kyuubi. Untuk memanggilnya, ia cukup memintanya kepada Kyuubi melalui pikirannya (Naruto menyebutnya menyewa chakra). Kyuubi tak berkeberatan membagi chakranya kepada Naruto karena tampaknya ia terkesan dengan keberanian Naruto.

Transformasi Naruto menjadi Kyuubi berekor empat.

Walaupun begitu, chakra Kyuubi memiliki efek samping. Jika Naruto mengambil terlalu banyak chakra, maka kestabilan pikirannya akan terganggu dan tubuhnya akan berubah menjadi sebuah monster. Monster ini berbentuk seperti rubah dengan sinar chakra merah di seluruh tubuhnya dan memiliki ekor yang jumlahnya tergantung seberapa banyak chakra Kyuubi yang diambil Naruto. Semakin besar chakra yang diambil, semakin banyak pula jumlah ekornya. Kepribadian Naruto mungkin masih dominan ketika ia berubah menjadi monster berekor tiga, namun ketika ia berubah menjadi monster berekor empat, sifat-sifat kejam Kyuubi mulai tampak. Ia tidak dapat lagi membedakan teman atau lawan; ia dapat membunuh semua orang yang berada dekatnya. Tubuh Naruto saat itu tak lebih dari sekedar "penyangga" bagi chakra Kyuubi. Chakra yang terlalu besar ini menyebabkan kulit Naruto terobek-robek dan mengeluarkan darah dari pori-porinya. Hal ini merangsang tubuh Naruto untuk menyembuhkan dirinya sendiri (self-healing) dan mempercepat regenerasi sel (cell regeneration). Akibatnya, calon sel dalam tubuh Naruto berkurang sehingga membuatnya lebih lemah dan memperpendek umurnya (hampir mirip dengan jutsu penyembuh milik Tsunade.

Untuk menghindari hal tersebut, guru Naruto, Jiraiya, melakukan sebuah jurus penyegelan di tubuh Naruto ketika tanda-tanda perubahan wujud muncul dalam dirinya. Segel ini berfungsi untuk menahan chakra Kyuubi agar tidak terlalu banyak memasuki tubuh Naruto. Sebagai tambahan, Yamato memperkenalkan jurus Enclosed Hermitage Return to Society, yaitu jurus yang mampu mengembalikan tubuh Naruto dari bentuk monster ke bentuk semula.

Hokage ketiga dan Kakashi Hatake sempat berkata bahwa jika Naruto kehilangan kontrol tubuh sepenuhnya, segel akan terlepas dan Kyuubi akan bebas sementara tubuh Naruto kehilangan jiwanya—Naruto akan mati. Hal ini sangat mungkin terjadi karena Naruto adalah seorang yang pemarah dan dapat dengan mudah kehilangan kontrol atas tubuhnya jika ia sedang marah. Bahkan belakangan, Jiraiya menyebutkan bahwa segel Kyuubi di tubuh Naruto terus melemah. Hal ini ditandai dengan semakin seringnya Naruto berubah ke wujud monster berekor.

Menjelang akhir misi di negara rumput, tersingkap kabar bahwa Kyuubi mengetahui tentang rahasia klan Uchiha. Hubungan antara klan Uchiha dengan Kyuubi sampai saat ini belum diketahui. Yang sudah diketahui saat ini adalah ada seorang anggota Klan Uchiha, Madara Uchiha, yang memiliki chakra lebih besar dan jahat ("terkutuk", seperti yang dikatakan oleh Kyuubi) daripada milik Kyuubi, sehingga beberapa anggota klan Uchiha keturunan Madara mampu menahan dan menekan keluarnya chakra Kyuubi, seperti yang pernah dilakukan Sasuke terhadap Naruto di salah satu bagian komik ini. Bagaimanapun, Kyuubi tetap melindungi Naruto dengan mengatakan kepada Sasuke bahwa jika Sasuke membunuh Naruto, Sasuke akan menyesalinya.

Ekor Kyuubi yang berjumlah sembilan buah didasari pada sebuah legenda yang mengatakan bahwa seekor rubah memiliki jumlah ekor yang akan terus bertambah seiring dengan bertambahnya kekuatan miliknya, Jumlah ekor rubah tersebut akan berhenti bertambah ketika mencapai sembilan buah. Namun dalam kebanyakan cerita, jumlah ekor yang ditampilkan hanya 1, 5, atau 9 ekor saja. Jarang sekali cerita yang menampilkan rubah dengan jumlah ekor selain tiga angka di atas.

Gaara

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gaara
Naruto character
Gaara by Masashi Kishimoto
First appearance	Manga chapter 35 Naruto episode 20
Voiced by	Akira Ishida (Japanese) Liam O'Brien (English)
Profile
Age	12-13 in Part I 15 in Part II
Date of birth	January 19
Known relatives	Fourth Kazekage (father, deceased) Karura (mother, deceased) Temari (sister) Kankuro (brother) Yashamaru (uncle, deceased)
Information
Current rank	Fifth Kazekage
Current affiliation	Sunagakure
Previous team	Team Baki (Baki, Temari, Kankuro, Gaara)

Gaara (我愛羅, Gaara^?) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Naruto created by Masashi Kishimoto. He is the youngest child of the Fourth Kazekage, making him the younger brother of Kankuro and Temari.

He is known as "Gaara of the Sand" in the Viz translation, "Gaara of the Desert" in the English anime, and "Sabaku no Gaara" (砂瀑の我愛羅, "Sabaku no Gaara"^? Gaara of the Sand Waterfall) in the original Japanese (Sabaku 砂瀑 means "sand waterfall", but sabaku 砂漠 means "desert", thus the more common "Gaara of the Desert").

In the annual Shonen Jump polls for the most popular character, Gaara consistently ranks in the top ten, usually between seventh and tenth spot.^{[issue # needed]}

[edit] Background

Prior to Gaara's birth, Sunagakure saw a series of budget cuts that made it difficult for the village to operate. As a result, Gaara's father ordered Chiyo to seal the One-Tailed Shukaku within Gaara during his birth in the hopes that he would become the ultimate weapon for the village. Because a sacrifice was needed, Gaara's mother, Karura, was used. Before she died, Karura cursed Sunagakure, hoping Gaara would avenge her death. As with the other demon hosts, Gaara acquired a physical trait of the tailed beast inside him - in his case, dark rings around his eyes resembling those of the Shukaku. These rings are also indicative of his insomnia--he cannot sleep, or else the Shukaku will consume his personality.

Gaara was trained by his father, but raised mainly by his maternal uncle, Yashamaru. Because of the power of Shukaku, the villagers of Sunagakure hated and feared Gaara, seeing him only as the monster sealed within him. For a time, Yashamaru seemed to be the only person who cared about him; when he would mistakenly harm others due to the subconscious abilities granted to him by Shukaku, Yashamaru would be the only one who understood that Gaara hadn't intended to harm anyone. Gaara's father, however, did not see him in the same light, and viewed his frequent attacks upon villagers as a result of a failed experiment that was a threat to the village.

Because of the danger Gaara represented, his father asked Yashamaru to kill Gaara. As a result, Yashamaru tried to assassinate Gaara, though Gaara's abilities defeated him with ease. Although Gaara tried to dismiss this attack as an order of the Kazekage, Yashamaru corrected him by saying that he had willingly accepted the mission. Having never truly loved Gaara, Yashamaru hoped that killing him would avenge the death of his sister, who had named Gaara after the phrase "a self-loving carnage" (我を愛する修羅, Ware wo ai suru shura^?), a sign of her hate for Gaara. In a last effort to kill him, Yashamaru detonated a number of explosive tags covering his body, asking Gaara to "please die". Gaara survived the blast without injury and lost the only person he thought had cared for him. From the ages of six to twelve years old, Gaara would encounter many assassins sent by his father.

[edit] Personality

While Gaara had initially tried to be friendly towards others despite their fear of him, Yashamaru's actions and words changed him. Realizing that nobody loved him, Gaara used his sand to create the kanji on his forehead (愛, "Love") as a symbol of a "demon loving only himself". He became emotionally withdrawn, all but silent, and consumed with a bitter loathing for everyone but himself. He learned to find pleasure and eventually a reason to live in annihilating the numerous assassins sent to kill him – and by extension, anyone who threatened his existence. Gaara's insomnia, forced upon him by the fear that the demon inside him would eat away at his personality if he were to fall asleep, only furthered his instability and desire to kill. In time, Gaara's father came to appreciate Gaara and the uses he could serve, and canceled all assassination orders in the hopes that Gaara would become an effective tool for Sunagakure.

For his first assignment as the village's weapon, Gaara is entered into the Chunin Exams taking place in Konoha to play a key role in the village's eventual invasion. While he enjoys the opportunity to kill others for much of the exam's early stages, he is eventually pitted against Rock Lee during the preliminaries. With his strength and speed, Lee is able to overcome many of Gaara's defenses, becoming the first person to ever hit Gaara. While Lee is able to deliver a number of ordinarily debilitating blows, Gaara's sand allows him survive each attack and eventually gain the upperhand on Lee. While the match is stopped before further harm can come to Lee, their match allows Gaara a change in ideals; rather than determine his own existence by killing anyone he meets, Gaara finds a drive to kill those strong enough to defeat him, and begins to long to find a formidable opponent.

Gaara's wishes are soon realized and he is matched against Sasuke Uchiha during the exam's finals. With his Chidori Sasuke is able to badly injure Gaara near his shoulder, so much so that Gaara is unable to participate in Konoha's invasion as planned. Despite this setback, Gaara's wound magnifies his desire to kill Sasuke and the two soon resume their battle. With Gaara's encouragement Sasuke is able to give additional injuries to Gaara, though his rapidly progressing Shukaku transformation leaves him unfazed by the attacks. When Sasuke is no longer able to battle and Gaara goes in for the kill, Naruto Uzumaki arrives to save him. With the desire to save his friends from Gaara, Naruto meets him in battle and is eventually able to defeat him despite being in full Shukaku form. Realizing that Naruto's strength stems from his desire to protect others, Gaara abandons his prior ideals and decides to acquire strength by caring for others.

Gaara's new disposition is first seen when he comes to Rock Lee's aid during the Sasuke Retrieval arc. Upon seeing that the injuries Lee received during their last battle have yet to fully heal, Gaara repeatedly stops him from fighting, concerned that Lee will only harm himself further. These new ideals are seen again during the anime's filler arcs, where Gaara acquires a student named Matsuri. As the two begin training, Gaara worries that all of the potential training weapons might cause Matsuri injury, so he has her train with the least harmful weapon present. When she is later kidnapped, Gaara and his siblings go out to rescue her, and with the help of the Konoha ninjas they succeed in their task.

Temari, Gaara, and Kankuro in Part II

Over the timeskip, Gaara's personality changes a great deal. While in the past he was fairly hostile to his siblings (to a point which they were both scared of him), he has since come to hold them in a higher regard, and talks to Kankuro about his problems and dreams. As a result of becoming the Fifth Kazekage (五代目風影, Godaime Kazekage^?), Gaara now acts as the villager's source of protection and values their lives over his own. The villagers, in turn, have also begun to hold Gaara in a more admirable regard, especially amongst the younger females of the village. However, much of the Elder population, especially with the higher ranks, still holds malice towards him and call the younger generation fools for believing in him.

[edit] Abilities

As the host of Shukaku, Gaara possesses the ability to manipulate sand at will, typically moving it through the air to serve various purposes. The amount of sand he can control at one time is fairly immense, as in Part II he is able to gather enough sand to cover Sunagakure as a shield. If sand is lacking in abundance, Gaara can use what little sand there is to break apart minerals in the ground to create more sand. While he can control any sand (assuming it isn't wet), ordinary sand requires that he exert more chakra to manipulate it, tiring him at a rapid rate. As a result, Gaara keeps his own chakra-enhanced sand with him at all times in a calabash gourd he carries on his back, though this gourd is itself made of sand. Because this sand is already infused with his chakra, Gaara has a great deal more control over it, enabling stronger and faster attacks with it.

During battle, Gaara rarely moves, attacking with his sand from a single location and rarely using taijutsu. When first introduced his basic means of attacks is to first use Desert Coffin (砂縛柩, Sabaku Kyū^?, English TV "Sand Coffin") to capture, immobilize, and potentially suffocate an opponent with sand. Once the opponent is subdued, he uses Desert Funeral (砂漠送葬, Sabaku Sōsō^?, English TV "Sand Burial") to cause the sand to crush the opponent with varying intensities. In time he is able to increase the scale of these attacks; by first using Quicksand in the Style of a Waterfall (流砂瀑流, Ryūsa Bakuryū^?), Gaara covers a large area in an ocean of sand, and then uses Desert Imperial Funeral (砂漠大葬, Sabaku Taisō^?) to compress the sand and crush all that it covers. If Desert Imperial Funeral fails to kill an opponent, he can use Prison Sand Burial (獄砂埋葬, Gokusamaisō^?) to loosen the ground beneath an opponent and allow them to sink hundreds of feet underground, where the sand compresses to such an extent that the opponent is no longer able to move. A variation on this theme of "capture and crush" is Flowing Desert Dragon (Ryū Sabakuryū) which creates a wave of sand that collapses in a sphere over the opponent.

As the second element of his stationary combat style, Gaara has a number of sand-based defenses to be used in case an opponent gets too close. His primary defense is his Shield of Sand (砂の盾, Suna no Tate^?), an automatic sand shield that surrounds and protects him from damage whether he wants it to or not. Gaara can control the shield to some degree, strengthening it to steel-like quality or calling upon it to completely encase himself. While an effective defense, the shield can be overcome with high speed attacks or simply be broken through with incredibly forceful strikes. Should this happen, Gaara has a layer of sand covering his body called the Armor of Sand (砂の鎧, Suna no Yoroi^?). Although it's a useful secondary defense, the armor requires large amounts of chakra to remain active and also has the side-effect of weighing Gaara down. If need be, Gaara can protect himself before being put into danger by using Desert Prison (砂漠牢, Sabaku Rō^?), which dedicates a desert's worth of sand to containing a single opponent.

In addition to these basic methods of offensive and defense, Gaara also has a number of miscellaneous attacks that, while capable of being an attack or a shield, are not limited to such purposes. By making a Sand Clone (砂分身, Suna Bunshin^?) of himself, Gaara can have an ally to be used in battle or a mere distraction to be used to buy him time. Unlike most other clone-jutsu in the series, the Sand Clone can retain its shape after more than one attack, and can even reform itself or capture an opponent upon being dispersed. Sand Drizzle (砂時雨, Suna Shigure^?) allows him to collect sand in the air that rains down on the opponent at high speeds in potentially harmful shapes. With Desert Suspension (砂漠浮遊, Sabaku Fuyū^?) Gaara can use sand as a platform to allow himself and others to float in the air. His Third Eye (第三の眼, Daisan no Me^?) also allows him to create a floating eyeball of sand in any location that he can see through as a means of spying.

At some point in time Gaara begins to be able to form weapons in Shukaku's likeness. The first that is seen is Ultimate Absolute Defense: Shield of Shukaku (最硬絶対防御・守鶴の盾, Saikō Zettai Bōgyo: Shukaku no Tatte^?), which creates a toy-like replica of Shukaku that is roughly twice the size of Gaara. Because the replica is formed under extreme pressure and is built of the strongest minerals it is virtually indestructible, having yet to be penetrated by any force. The anime expands on the idea of having an "ultimate defense" by creating an "ultimate attack": Ultimate Absolute Attack: Shukaku's Halberd (, Saikō Zettai Hōgeki, Shukaku no Hōkō^?). The attack creates a spear under the same conditions as the replica, only the blade resembles one of Shukaku's claws. Like the shield, this attack has yet to meet a defense it can't break.

Gaara in his half Shukaku form.

In desperate situations, Gaara can take on the form of Shukaku by layering sand on his body, making him many times more powerful than he already is. Shukaku's personality grows more dominant during this transformation, increasing Gaara's homicidal tendencies. Once finished, Gaara assumes a human-sized version of Shukaku wherein he relies on his brute strength to destroy everything around him. While in this form Gaara can use Sand Shuriken (砂手裏剣, Suna Shuriken^?) or Sand Halberd (砂戈, Suna Hōkō^?) to hurl sand-based forms of the weapons at an opponent. Shukaku also gives him the ability to utilize wind-based attacks such as Wind Release: Infinite Sand Cloud Great Breakthrough (風遁・無限砂塵 大突破, Fūton: Mugen Sajin Daitoppa^?, English "Wind Style: Sandstorm Devastation"), which spews large amounts of sand from his mouth, devastating both the enemy and a large area around him.

If need be, Gaara can almost instantly create a life-sized version of Shukaku should the human-sized form fail. In this form, he remains deep within the Shukaku copy safe from harm though unable to move. Gaara can also unleash the spirit of Shukaku through his Feigning Sleep Technique (狸寝入りの術, Tanuki Neiri no Jutsu^?, English TV "Play Possum Jutsu"), which forces him to sleep to allow the Shukaku copy to operate at its full potential. To do so, however, Gaara must emerge from within the copy, leaving him open to attack for the duration of the jutsu. While Gaara is initially dependent on waking independently or through someone else's intervention to regain control of his body, he begins to be able to suppress Shukaku by himself towards the end of the anime's filler arcs. By the time Part II begins, Gaara is even capable of using numerous Shukaku arms for attack without losing control of himself.

In Part II, Gaara is captured by Akatsuki and the Shukaku is extracted from his body, causing his death. Chiyo, regretting the life she gave Gaara when she sealed Shukaku in his body years earlier, gives up her life to revive him. While he no longer possesses the Shukaku, Gaara is still able to manipulate sand, though to what degree has yet to be seen.

[edit] Other media

In the second Naruto movie, Gaara helps defend Sunagakure from an onslaught of mysterious knights, killing many of them with his sand until a ship launches projectiles at the battlefield and forces them to retreat. Later, in one of the wrecks of the invading ships, he fights Ranke, one of Haido's henchmen that uses electricity to fight. Once she transforms into a Frankenstein's-monster-like state, she gains the upper hand and becomes virtually immune to Gaara's attacks, as her lightning disrupts his control over sand. He eventually uses Thunder God of Sand (砂雷神, Suna Raishin^?), a technique that neutralized her electrical powers through the creation of lightning rods in the sand. Defenseless, she is finally defeated and killed by Gaara's Desert Imperial Funeral.

In the Clash of the Ninja series of video games, he is a playable character and has several new moves. He can use True Desert Funeral (Shin Sabaku Soso) to create a giant sand clone of himself which holds down the opponent then detonates. Sand Blade Double Attack (Sajin S¨­geki) is a technique where he has a two pillars of sand rise in front of himself and under his opponent, which smash into each other. In Shukaku form, he is also able to use Hot Sand Waterfall Burial (Nesa Bakuso) to cause sand to throw his opponent into the air, where a large amount of sand implodes around them, killing them.

[edit] Sources

• First Official Data Book (秘伝・臨の書キャラクターオフィシャルデータBOOK, Hiden:Rin no Sho Character Official Data Book^?)
• Second Official Data Book (秘伝・闘の書キャラクターオフィシャルデータBOOK, Hiden: Tō no Sho Character Official Data Book^?)
• Jump's 2nd Great Hero Book's Mini Data Book (秘伝・翔の書オフィシャルキャラクターデータBOOK mini, Hiden: Shō no Sho Official Character Data Book mini^?)
• Naruto anime and manga Guidebook (秘伝・翔の書オフィシャルキャラクターデータBOOK mini, Hiden: Shō no Sho Official Character Data Book mini^?)
• Taken directly from the Naruto manga chapters and anime episodes.

[edit] Notes and references

Plot overview

Further information: List of Naruto story arcs

Twelve years before the events at the focus of the series, the nine-tailed demon fox attacked Konohagakure. Powerful enough to raise tsunamis and flatten mountains with a swish of one of its tails, it raised chaos and slaughtered many people, until the leader of the Leaf Village – the Fourth Hokage – sacrificed his own life to seal the demon inside a newly-born child, Naruto Uzumaki. The Fourth Hokage, who was celebrated as a hero for sealing the demon fox away, wanted Naruto to be respected in a similar light by being the containment vessel for the demon fox.

The Leaf Village, however, shunned him, regarding Naruto as if he were the demon fox itself and mistreated him throughout most of his childhood. A decree made by the Third Hokage forbade anyone to discuss or mention the attack of the demon fox to anyone, even their own children. However, this did not stop them from treating him like an outcast and as a result he grew up an orphan without friends, family, or acknowledgment. He could not force people to befriend him, so he sought acknowledgment and attention the only way he knew – through pranks and mischief.

However, that soon changed after Naruto graduated from the Ninja Academy by using his Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to save his teacher, Iruka Umino, from the renegade ninja Mizuki. That encounter gave Naruto two insights: that he was the container of the demon fox, and that there was someone besides the Third Hokage who actually cared for and acknowledged him. His graduation from the academy opened a gateway to the events and people that would change and define his world, including his way of the ninja for the rest of his life.^[4]

The main story follows Naruto and his friends' personal growth and development as ninja, and emphasizes their interactions with each other and the influence of their backgrounds on their personalities. Naruto finds two friends and comrades in Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, two fellow young ninja who are assigned with him to form a three-person team under an experienced sensei named Kakashi Hatake. Naruto also confides in other characters that he meets throughout the series as well. They learn new abilities, get to know each other and other villagers better, and experience a coming-of-age journey as Naruto dreams of becoming the Hokage of the Leaf Village.

Throughout all of the Naruto plot, strong emphasis on character development changes the plot, with very few things happening because of chance. At first, emphasis is placed on Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, who are the members of Team 7. However, other characters are developed, such as Kakashi, Tsunade, and Jiraiya, as well as Naruto's peers in the other teams and villages. Several major villains come into play as well, the first being Zabuza Momochi, a missing-nin from Kirigakure, and his partner, Haku. Later, in the Chunin Exams arc, Orochimaru is introduced as an S-Class missing-nin at the top of Konoha's most wanted list. Later still, a mysterious organization called Akatsuki begins to pursue Naruto for the nine-tailed demon fox inside him.

Characters

Main article: List of Naruto characters

The main characters, Squad 7: Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Naruto Uzumaki and team leader, Kakashi Hatake

Naruto has a large and colorful cast of characters, running a gamut of detailed histories and complex personalities, and allowing many of them their fair share in the spotlight; they are also seen to grow and mature with the series, as it spans several years. As fitting for a coming-of-age saga, Naruto's world constantly expands and thickens, and his social relations are no exception – during his introduction he has only his teacher and the village's leader for sympathetic figures, but as the story progresses, more and more people become a part of his story.

The students at the Ninja Academy, where the story begins, are split up into squads of three after their graduation and become Genin, junior ninja. Each squad is assigned an experienced sensei. These core squads form a basis for the characters' interactions later in the series, where characters are chosen for missions for their team's strength and complementary skills; Naruto's squad 7 becomes the social frame where Naruto is acquainted with Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno, and their sensei Kakashi Hatake, forming the core of his world-in-the-making. The other three-man teams of his former classmates form another such layer, as Naruto connects with them to various degrees, learning of their motives, vulnerabilities, and aspirations, often relating them to his own. The groups of three are not limited to the comrades Naruto's age – groups in the story in general come in threes and multiples of three with very few exceptions.

Sensei-student relationships play a significant role in the series; Naruto has a number of mentors with whom he trains and learns, most notably Iruka Umino, the first ninja to recognize Naruto's existence, Kakashi Hatake, his team leader, and Jiraiya, and there are often running threads of tradition and tutelage binding together several generations. These role models provide guidance for their students not only in the ninja arts but also in a number of Japanese aesthetics and philosophical ideals. Techniques, ideals, and mentalities noticeably run in families, Naruto often being exposed to the abilities and traditions of generation-old clans in his village when friends from his own age group demonstrate them, or even achieve improvements of their own; it is poignantly noted that Naruto's generation is particularly talented.

Character names often borrow from Japanese folklore and literature (such as the names borrowed from the folktale Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari), or are otherwise elaborate puns; often there is a noticeable influence of the story behind the name shouldered by the character.^[5]

Anime details

See also: List of Naruto episodes, List of Naruto: Shippūden episodes, and List of Naruto media

Even though it debuted some time after the manga, the anime quickly caught up, since one anime episode usually covers one or two manga chapters. To prevent overlapping, the anime's producers tend to organize content from the manga chapters into long, uneventful sections followed by short bursts of action, sometimes adding filler content in between. By the time the last canonical arc of the anime concluded, it was quickly gaining on the manga and consequently switched to anime-only filler episodes to allow the manga to broaden the gap once more. Most of the filler episodes are stand-alone stories, with a few being part of arcs that are several episodes long. The filler episodes lasted for 85 episodes, the duration of the first series. After the series moved back into manga-adapted episodes, it was renamed Naruto: Shippūden (疾風伝, Naruto: Shippūden^? lit. Hurricane Chronicles). The new series premiered on February 15, 2007.

The anime generally remains true to the manga, usually changing only minor details (causes of death, loss of limbs, and other injuries have been lessened in the anime) or expanding on parts skipped by the manga. The filler arcs, though unreferenced in the manga (save for a few scant scenes), deal with the breaks between story arcs, most prominently the period between the mission to retrieve Sasuke and Naruto's departure from Leaf Village at the end of the original series. The filler arcs also often shine the spotlight on minor characters that have received little narrative attention otherwise.

New episodes, animated by Studio Pierrot, air weekly on TV Tokyo in Japan during the Golden Time slot (Japan's equivalent of prime time in the US). As of October 5, 2006, it shows on Thursday nights. The series has also spawned four movies, Naruto the Movie, Naruto the Movie 2, Naruto the Movie 3, and Naruto: Shippūden the Movie. The first three are available on DVD,while the fourth one was released on August 4th 2007.

English-language broadcast

On September 10, 2005, Naruto had its hour-long premiere in the U.S. on Cartoon Network's Toonami. The first episode of Naruto premiered in Canada on YTV on September 16, 2005. In the United Kingdom, Naruto premiered on Jetix on July 22, 2006. In Australia and New Zealand it premiered on Cartoon Network on September 27, 2006. It also began showing on Toasted TV on January 12, 2007, in Australia.

In its English anime release, Naruto was aired with a TV-PG rating in the US and a PG rating in Canada. More explicit episodes, such as Jiraiya's debut and the battle with Zabuza, have been given a TV-PG-DS or a TV-PG-V rating.^[6] References to alcohol, Japanese cultural differences, mild language, mild sexual situations, and even blood and death remain in the English version, though reduced in some instances.^[7] Other networks make additional content edits apart from the edits done by Cartoon Network, such as Jetix's more strict censoring of blood, language, smoking and the like. So far, only one episode, the "lost OVA", has received a TV-Y7-FV rating, but this was likely due to Cartoon Network neglecting to update the rating for usually in the timeslot that this special ran in TV-Y7-FV programs ran. Repeated viewings (such as the on August 8, 2007) have listed the special as TV-PG-V, As did all commercials for the special.

Reception

The series' length and popularity is comparable to that of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball, another popular action-oriented shōnen manga. Since its creation, Naruto has spawned a large number of fansites that contain detailed information, guides, and active forums. Some of the first and most popular sites targeted at English speaking audiences were established shortly after the first English manga volume was released in August 2003. Like many other manga and anime titles, Naruto has also spawned its own collectible card game.

Prior to the anime's North American debut in 2005, several scanlation and fansub groups translated the series and made it available for free download on the internet. Despite North American companies' perceived tendency to prosecute fansubbing groups more frequently than Japanese companies,^[8] there are some that have continued to translate new Naruto episodes due to the extremely large gap between the English and Japanese versions.

Although the early part of the series has been called "childish" and "goofy", with a focus on toilet humor, "formulaic battles" and a simplistic plot, the series later develops.^[9]

Volume 7 of the manga has recently won a Quill Award for best graphic novel in North America.^[10] In TV Asahi's latest top 100 Anime Ranking, Naruto ranked 17th on the list.^[11]