Kakuzu

Name: Kakuzu



First Manga Appearance: Chapter 312
First Anime Appearance: Episode NA
Name Meaning: Kaku=Angle or Shogi bishop, zu=metropolis or capital
Hidden Village: Waterfall Village (Missing-nin)
Rank: Unknown
Squad: Akatsuki, Partner-Hidan
Notable Features: Body chunks held together by black tendrils, Uses opponent's hearts to gain elemental affinities and extend life
Notable Quotes: ________
Special Abilities: Black tendrils and elemental nature stealing

Stats:
(Post-timeskip 10 Point Scale)
Ninjutsu: 10
Genjutsu: 6
Taijutsu: 8
Intelligence: 9
Power: 8
Speed: 8
Stamina: 9
Seal Knowledge: 7

History:
Akatsuki member Kakuzu partners with Hidan. Kakuzu is very focused on money, using bounty hunting to help ensure his desires are met. His bounty hunting side-trips always delay he and his partner's missions, much to Hidan's annoyance.

Kakuzu was much older than he appeared, recalling that he once fought Shodai Hokage. The outcome of the match is not known. Kakuzu was able to extend his life by withdrawing the hearts of his opponents. This also allowed him to utilize their chakra nature affinity, granting him access to all five chakra elements. Kakuzu's body was held together by mysterious black tendrils, which sewed together various chunks of his body. These stitches could be removed to allowed him to extend his body parts. Kakuzu eventually fled Hidden Waterfall and joined Akatsuki. He was partnered with another fellow "immortal" in Hidan. Hidan and Kakuzu were directed to capture the two-tailed bijuu Jinchuuriki Nii Yugito. This kunoichi from Hidden Cloud was highly skilled and not easily captured by the pair. The Jinchuuriki seemed to have been assigned as Kakuzu's personally to capture.

After handing off Yugito to Zetsu, Hidan and Kakuzu headed to the Fire Country Temple in search of a bounty head. There Kakuzu and his partner wiped out many of the monks and killed Chiriku, Kakuzu's bounty target. The two men then headed to a bounty station to cash in Chiriku. After receiving his money Hidan and Kakuzu were attacked by a team from Konoha. In the battle, Hidan killed Sarutobi Asuma and the two men were forced to withdraw after being contacted by the Akatsuki leader. They assisted in the withdrawing of the Nibi from Yugito and then sealing it and the Sanbi in the King of Hell Statue.

On their journey to find their second Jinchuuriki, they were stopped by Team 10 and Kakashi. The team was set on revenge for Asuma's death. Shikamaru led Hidan off to fight alone and Chouji, Ino and Kakashi began to battle Kakuzu. Seeing Kakuzu use a Earth element jutsu to harden his body, Kakashi quickly moved to pierce Kakuzu's heart with Raikiri, as Lightning beat Earth. Kakuzu wasn't dead though. He removed his cloak revealing four tendril entities. These entities wore masks and contained the hearts of opponents he had fought. The Earth entity was killed and he began to attack using his other masks. Chouji managed to damage the Lightning mask and Hidan unfortunately damaged Kakuzu's original Water heart with his jutsu.

Kakuzu was forced to absorb the Lightning heart to live and he moved to unleash more Fire and Wind attacks. Naruto and Team 7 arrived to assist and Naruto asked to take on Kakuzu alone, to prove his growth. He moved to attack with his new Fuuton Rasen Shuriken, but it failed. He then tried again, using a clone diversion wielding Rasen Shuriken as well to get access to Kakuzu's blindside. The attack struck home, destroying Kakuzu's hearts and critically wounding him in a maelstrom of destruction. Kakuzu couldn't believe such young people had beaten him and Kakashi told him that to one who fought Shodai, they would be kids. But now Kakuzu was just a beaten old man. Kakashi then finished Kakuzu off with a Raikiri. Kakuzu's body was then taken back to Konoha for autopsy.

---

The following topic should be used to discuss your thoughts on this individual. You may discuss his strengths and weaknesses, his personality and abilities and his missions in the field.