Anime & Manga Guide

Sasuke Uchiha - The strongest student in Naruto's class, Sasuke is cold and aloof. Sasuke excels at both taijutsu (hand-to-hand combat) and ninjitsu (techniques that manifest the ninja's energy or 'chakra' into a physical form). His symbol is a Japanese-style fan. His personal goal is to kill a certain person.

Sakura - Also a classmate of Naruto. Although most girls in the class idolize Sasuke, Sakura is especially determined to win his heart. Self-concious of her merely average looks, Sakura is strong-willed and has talent at chakra control and illusion-breaking. The word sakura means cherry blossoms.

Iruka - A schoolteacher who never gave up on Naruto, Iruka is responsible for training the village children in ninja arts.

Rock Lee - A junior ninja with no ability for genjutsu or ninjitsu, Lee uses exclusively taijutsu (hand-to-hand combat). He dreams of defeating someone from an aristocratic ninja family like Sasuke or Neiji in order to prove that hard work can beat raw talent. Lee's hobbies include copying Gai-sensei and trying to get Sakura to date him.

Neiji - One of the top-rated junior ninja, Neiji has an inherited ability to see the chakra flow in his opponent's body. Although he and Lee are in the same squad, Neiji belives ninja with Kekkei Genkai (inherited powers) are superior to others. Neiji has the same eyes as Hinata.

Ten Ten - Teammate of Rock Lee and Neiji, student of Gai-sensei and entrant in the Chuunin Exam. Specialty is item summoning.

Kiba - Classmate of Naruto and teammate of Hinata and Shino. Animal affinty is dogs and Kiba is never seen without his canine partner Akamaru. Likes to talk big and always clashes with Naruto.

Shino - A silent and mysterious genin who never removes his shaded glasses. Member of Team 8. Animal affinity is insects.

Hinata - A shy, below-average student with pupil-less eyes, Hinata has a secret crush on Naruto, and like Naruto has a long way to go to develop her full potential.

Kurenai - Jounin leader of Team 8 (Kiba, Shino, Hinata). Specialty is genjustsu.

Ino - A classmate of Naruto, she and Sakura were once friends but eventually became rivals. Her teammates are Shikamaru and Choji.

Chouji - An oversized genin who is always eating - but don't call him fat!

Shikamaru - A classmate of Naruto and teammate of Ino. Acts like he is lazy and careless but in reality is a superb tactician. Has special power over shadows. Favorite technique is kage-mane no jutsu (shadow-mimicry technique).

Asuma - Jounin mentor of Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji.

Naruto Uzumaki - The powers of a nine-tail fox-demon were sealed inside of him when he was newborn. The villagers despised him because of this, but Naruto did not know that was the reason. Naruto excels at stamina and at surprising people. His personal goal is to become the next Hokage (chief ninja). Naruto's symbol is the spiral and his name refers to spiral shaped fishcakes (naruto). Naruto's special techniques include kage-bunshin no jutsu (shadow clones) and rasengan.

Kakashi - So casual he's almost slack, Kakashi-sensei is actually a master of hundreds of ninja techniques. His left eye is nearly always covered. His hobby is reading an adult novel called 'Flirting Paradise'. Favorite techniques include the energy attack chidori. His animal affinity is dogs.

Gai - The opposite of Kakashi, Gai-sensei is the stereotypical TV drama school-teacher character who likes preaching about hard work and the springtime of youth. Gai's hobbies are physical training and making speeches. His students include Rock Lee and Neiji. Gai's animal affinity is turtles.

Sarutobi Hokage-sama - Hokage is the title of the chief ninja of Konoha village. The Fourth Hokage was killed in the battle to contain the nine-tail fox demon that was eventually sealed into Naruto's body. So the Third Hokage, Sarutobi, had to come out of retirement and resume the title in spite of his age.

Konohamaru - Grandson of the current Hokage. A spoiled child who finds it difficult to live under his grandfather's shadow. Not very well behaved, Konohamaru idolizes Naruto and also wants to become Hokage one day and be recognized as his own man.

Ebisu - Konohamaru's tutor. Although he is supposed to be an elite ninja, Ebisu seems very weak against Naruto's sexy-no-jutsu 'centre-fold girl' transformation technique.

Haku - Highly skilled disciple of the rogue ninja Zabuza. Perhaps under different circumstances, he and Naruto would have been friends.

Kankuro - A genin from the hidden village of Sand, teammate of Gaara and participant in the Chuunin Exam. Has scary face makeup and always carries a mysterious wrapped-up item on his back.

Temari - Cunning and determined Genin-level kunoichi (female shinobi) from Sand. Fan user.

Gaara - A ninja from the village of Sand, Gaara may be the most dangerous junior ninja at the chuunin exam. Even his Sand allies seem afraid of him. Always carries a large gourd. Has the kanji symbol 'love' tattooed on his forehead.

Jiraiya - A senior ninja sometimes known as the Frog Hermit. Like Kame-sennin in Dragonball or Happosai in Ranma, Jiraiya is an incorigable lecher, earning him the nickname ero-sennin ("pervert-hermit") from Naruto. He is actually one of the three strongest ninja from Konoha. His animal affinity is (obviously) frogs.

Orochimaru - A sinister ninja with terrifying powers, he is connected to the past and present of many of Konoha's most important ninjas. His exact whereabouts are currently unknown.

Tsunade - Female member of the trio known as the sannin. A Konoha kunoichi (female shinobi) of fearsome strength and unrivalled medical knowledge. Tsunade had been away traveling for many years and her whereabouts were unknown. Her animal affinity is slugs and snails.

Shizune - Tsunade's assistant and senior student. Tries to keep Tsunade in line but usually without much success. Her animal companion is the pig Ton-Ton.