From bestowing the moniker of Sannin to corrupting the Akatsuki, Hanzo has played an integral in the series, one that tends to be often overlooked.
Highlights
- Hanzo of the Salamander, despite his impressive feats, is often forgotten due to the focus on the Hidden Leaf in the Naruto series.
- Hanzo’s strong-willed ideals shaped the Hidden Rain Village and its legacy, earning him public favor and becoming their unofficial leader.
- Hanzo’s beliefs and actions played a major role in shaping the Akatsuki, but he eventually became a power-hungry coward, leading to his demise.
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The Naruto series features an extensive number of exceptionally powerful shinobi, each equally capable of unrivaled feats. However, not all received the same repute and popularity, largely due to the Hidden Leaf being the center of the series’ premise. Hanzo of the Salamander is one such unparalleled shinobi, who eventually receded to the background despite boasting feats that clearly set him apart from the rest.
Hanzo’s role in the series is undeniable as he played a major part in shaping Naruto’s premise. From bestowing the moniker of the Legendary Sannin to becoming the reason behind the Akatsuki’s corruption, Hanzo has been a centerpiece to several major events. His anticlimactic demise, however, led to most forgetting about this once-powerful character. Still, there is much more to his characterization than meets the eye, as his strong-willed ideals of faith shaped the Hidden Rain Village and its legacy.
Hanzo’s Rise to the Top
Many know Hanzo as the unofficial leader of the Hidden Rain Village, yet his humble beginnings largely remain unknown. Hanzo’s inexplicable powers were never truly his own as he was imbued with the venom sac of a Black Salamander, a creature native to the Hidden Rain. The result was a venomous ninja immune to toxins, yet capable of suffocating those around him with a mere breath. His newfound powers gave birth to inexplicable abilities with little to no counters, earning him name and notoriety among the shinobi world.
His ideals of peace and prosperity for the Hidden Rain led him to the forefronts of the Great Ninja Wars. Barring belligerents from using his homeland as a free-for-all battleground was his main priority, as he earnestly deterred opposing parties from stepping foot in the Hidden Rain. Hanzo’s loyalist beliefs and ideals of peace earned him the public favor, leading to him becoming the unofficial leader of his home village.
Hanzo’s name spread far and wide, and his presence became a threat for even the strongest of shinobi. The Great Nations ordered their shinobi to retreat once Hanzo was sighted on the battlefield, knowing full well what he was capable of. His feats furthered his popularity among the people of his village, evident from Yahiko and Nagato initially commending Hanzo’s efforts for peace.
Hanzo’s Convictions on the Battlefield
Hanzo faced off against hordes of shinobi throughout his lifetime, yet only a few were able to escape unscathed. Since he was a man of ideals and faith, he would test those that stood against him, and if they showed potential, he would spare their lives and bestow upon them a moniker. Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade were the only three shinobi that survived Hanzo’s inescapable wrath during the Second Great Ninja War. To honor their strength and potential, Hanzo deemed them the Legendary Sannin of the Hidden Leaf.
Hanzo believed that those with a strong will, despite being defeated, are no less than heroes, and his monikers served as a way to eternalize these legends. Mifune, a samurai from the Land of Iron, underwent a similar experience with Hanzo. Hanzo witnessed potential and faith in Mifune, offering him the antidote and sparing his life in honor of his willingness to lay down his life.
Hanzo’s Role in Shaping the Akatsuki
Hanzo’s beliefs and actions played a major role in shaping the Akatsuki that fans know today. His initial convictions inspired Yahiko and Nagato to preserve peace within the Hidden Rain and stop the Great Nations from desecrating their homeland. The Akatsuki portrayed their allegiances by the use of Hanzo’s forehead protector. Hanzo took note of the Akatsuki and their acts of service, even going as far as calling them a gift from Jiraiya for sparing his life.
However, these very sentiments eventually dissipated with the introduction of a third party – Danzo Shimura. Danzo grew closer to Hanzo and eventually manipulated him into believing the Akatsuki were after his power and status quo within the Hidden Rain. A string of planned events further cemented this narrative, leading to Hanzo kidnapping Konan and forcing Yahiko to kill himself. The event shook the Akatsuki to its care, with the organization changing direction, one controlled from the shadows by Obito.
Hanzo’s Fall From Grace
The Akatsuki’s growing popularity and external threats led to Hanzo turning into a power-hungry coward, desperate to keep the village within his grasp. He barred anyone from meeting him and withdrew from society, simply to avoid the risk of assassination. He let go of his initial beliefs of peace and prosperity, and instead focused entirely on self-preservation.
The ghosts of his past eventually came back to haunt him, as Nagato, through Yahiko’s vessel, slayed Hanzo and freed the Hidden Rain from his clutches. His demise was rather anticlimactic, as he helplessly tried to clench to life, with no remorse for his actions. Hanzo became such a lowly being in Nagato’s eyes that he was never given a proper burial, with his remains left to rot and be forgotten.
Naruto is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Anime
