Early Naruto dodging shuriken

Naruto

(Early era profile)


Context

Naruto (ナルト) is a manga  series that started in 1997. The story of this boy ninja was enormously popular, leading to an animé  adaptation and robust sales in Western countries.

Naruto is an interesting character on his own, but he also has a vast host of supporting characters, an intricate history, and a lush backdrop setting.

This profile covers the first 20 episodes of the series which is available on Cartoon Network. Essentially, this version is Naruto at the beginning, while he is still learning techniques, during the “Land of Waves” arc.


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Background

  • Real Name: Naruto Uzumaki.
  • Marital Status: Single.
  • Known Relatives: Minato Namikaze (Fourth Hokage, father, deceased), Kushina Uzumaki (Mother, presumed deceased) Note: Naruto’s parents were not named until the Shippuden Series, much later than this version.
  • Group Affiliation: Team 7, Hidden Leaf Village.
  • Base Of Operations: Village Hidden in the Leaves (Konohagakure), somewhere in the Land of Fire, presumably in a mythic Japan.
  • Height: 4’ 8” Weight: 90 lb. Age: 12-13.
  • Eyes: Blue Hair: Blond, spikey


Team 7

Naruto’s growth in the series is promoted primarily by his relationships with the others in his four-man cell, Team 7. Among the group were Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Kakashi Hatake, their Jonin squad leader. Naruto’s motivation is often a combination of his desire to impress Sakura and his aspiration to surpass Sasuke.


Video

The most official thing I can find, since everything else will be deleted forever.


Powers and Abilities

At this point in his career, Naruto is a sub-standard Ninja Genin. He graduated last in his class from the Hidden Leaf Villages’ Ninja Academy. His most remarkable talent is to heal from virtually any injury, however severe, overnight.

Naruto has studied several Ninja arts, called “Jutsu”, but has excelled in only a few. He specializes in the Shadow Clone Jutsu, which allows him to make copies of himself. Though he’s initially strongheaded and charges into situations before thinking, he is also starting to use his cloning ability more strategically. This shows that he has learned a lot more than his teammates think.

The Nine-Tailed Fox, part 1

As the host of the demon fox, both Naruto’s body and mind (occasionally) are influenced by it.


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Physically, Naruto has some of the demon fox’s characteristics, such as whisker-like marks on his cheeks and larger canines than normal. He also has increased stamina and healing ability, which allows him to recover from major injuries within a day and minor injuries within a few seconds.

Mentally, Naruto remains largely unaffected, save for a few animalistic traits that slip through. One example is his occasional tendency to leap between trees on all fours.

Since the demon fox was sealed inside Naruto at birth, it is unclear just what parts of his personality it has had an effect on. However, it could explain Naruto’s devilish side for pulling pranks to gain attention. It may also explain his stubbornness to never back down from a challenge. These traits become more pronounced as he draws upon the demon fox’s chakra.

The demon fox’s chakra usually comes to Naruto during life threatening or other stressful situations, given to him by the fox itself to ensure its survival.

The Nine-Tailed Fox, part 2

The reason Naruto is able to access its chakra is because of the unique way in which it was sealed. Though the fox remains trapped within Naruto, its chakra can leak out through the seal and mix with Naruto’s. The fox’s near-limitless supply of chakra becomes an invaluable weapon for Naruto, often turning the tide of a difficult battle in his favor.

This tremendous power is not without its disadvantages, however. When he first accesses it, Naruto is unable to retain control when using the demon fox’s chakra. This allows its innate rage and anger to take over his personality. Over time, Naruto gains more control over the demon fox, allowing him to retain his own personality while using its chakra.

However, his degree of control is determined by the amount of chakra he draws upon and his emotional state. He becomes more emotional and draws on more of the demon fox’s chakra. This is because his own personality is gradually supplanted by the demon fox’s.

The Nine-tails’ power first comes to Naruto during his battle on the Bridge with Haku and Zabuza. It greatly increased his speed and strength, healed his previous injuries, and renewed his chakra supply.


History

Naruto Uzumaki is a young boy who has the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox sealed within him.

Twelve years before the start of the series, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox attacked the ninja village Konohagakure (The Village Hidden in the Leaves). It slaughtered many people. In response, the leader of Konohagakure – the Fourth Hokage – sacrificed his life to seal the demon inside Naruto when he was a newborn.

The Hidden Leaf Village, however, regarded Naruto as if he were the demon fox itself. They ignored him throughout most of his childhood. A decree made by the Third Hokage forbade anyone mention the attack of the demon fox to anyone.

Years later, Naruto was tricked by the renegade ninja Mizuki into stealing a forbidden scroll, but was stopped by his teacher, Iruka Umino. Once he realized he was tricked, Naruto uses the Shadow Clone Technique from the scroll to defeat Mizuki. That encounter made Naruto realize he was the container of the demon fox.

Team Seven

The main story follows Naruto and his friends’ personal growth. Naruto befriends two comrades, Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno. They are assigned with him to form a three-person team under an experienced sensei named Kakashi Hatake.

Naruto also befriends other characters that he meets throughout the series. 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 Konohagakure.

Naruto is seen to be a prankster and a loner. He lives by himself in a small apartment, and has supposedly done so for years.

Even though Naruto was treated as an outsider, he was befriended by his compassionate ninja instructor named Iruka Umino. Although Iruka’s own parents perished during the battle with the demon fox, he refused to view Naruto as the cause of their deaths.

Instead, Iruka attached himself to Naruto. This is because he was similarly isolated after the death of his parents, causing him to seek recognition. Naruto was deeply moved by Iruka’s kindness and confidence in him. As a result, Naruto values Iruka more as a father figure, as well as an instructor.

Naruto graduated from the Academy after mastering the Shadow Clone jutsu and defeating the rogue ninja Mizuki. He was assigned to Team 7 under the instruction of Kakshi Hatake.


Description

Spiky blond hair, wears an orange jumpsuit, sealing jutsu tattoo around his belly button


Personality

Before graduating from the Ninja Academy, Naruto had a fierce desire for attention. As a result, Naruto would prank the villagers and vandalize the monument that depicted the Hokages.

Naruto’s skill in ninjutsu was very limited at the beginning of the series. His most dangerous jutsu was his “Sexy Technique”; transforming himself into a naked female version of himself simply to stun his male instructors. This even stunned the Third Hokage on several occasions.

Naruto is determined to achieve the rank of Hokage to attain recognition. When he graduates and learns under an official ninja master, he becomes the “Number One Loudest, Unpredictable, Hyperactive Knuckleheaded Ninja” of Konoha. At least according to his teacher Kakashi.

Despite his brash, headstrong, and even slightly dumb nature, Naruto is a clever prankster who overcomes his opponents through a combination of willpower, clever diversions, and often, dumb luck (though as Kakashi states, luck is very important).

Naruto’s exuberant personality and fiery desire for self-improvement strongly impacts the lives of those around him. At the beginning of the series, Naruto befriends Konohamaru, the grandson of the Third Hokage, and it is through his brief tutelage that Konohamaru learns that the path to success is through hard work.

Other traits

Naruto has a great sense of humor, albeit somewhat perverted in some cases. He smiles and laughs at most times. Despite this at times, he smiles to hide whatever is bothering him so no one worries about him; those who are closest to him see right through it. Outside his world, he’s just an ordinary, loud, hotheaded kid with a fierce will and a knack for getting into trouble.

Naruto also has a less keen sense of etiquette than many of his peers do, typically saying what he means regardless of how he believes the listener will react to it, and rarely using honorifics for people.

One of Naruto’s hobbies is gardening, even though Naruto was beaten in episode 20 for not knowing the difference between weeds and herbs, though this may have been due to carelessness in his effort to outdo Sasuke.

Despite rapidly maturing throughout the series, Naruto retains a naïve streak and a knack for childish accessories. For example, his pajamas always include a comical black nightcap with eyes and teeth. Naruto also keeps his money in a chubby, green-frog wallet he affectionately calls Gama-chan.

Naruto is an avid eater with a huge appetite. His favorite food, ramen, serves as a bond between Naruto and anyone who would treat him to it. In many episodes, he can be seen devouring enormous servings of ramen in a variety of flavors.

Other other traits

Naruto is quite dense in most cases (which often results in Sakura or someone nearby hitting him), missing details that are obvious to the viewer and many other characters. Yet he can actually be quite observant when he wants to be, or the subject interests.

During their first meeting with Rock Lee, it is Naruto who points out to the rest of Team 7 that Lee’s handwraps hide his battered and bruised knuckles, indicating Lee is the type of person who trains non-stop.

Naruto’s perpetual determination and refusal to back down has been known to rub onto other characters from time to time. Naruto’s cheering has rekindled spirits of fighters in hopeless situations. One notable example is Hinata Hyuga, whose admiration for Naruto’s persistence causes her to develop a crush on him.

Naruto’s willingness to risk death to save his friends has even impressed Gaara, a previously impulsively murderous child who also is host to a demon. Under Naruto’s positive influence, Gaara has become more aware of lives other than his own, to the point that he would sacrifice himself for his village.

Naruto’s numerous monologues about the values he holds dear have inspired changes of heart in many more of his opponents, notably Zabuza Momochi and Neji Hyuga.

Although Naruto grew up in isolation, Kakashi notes that he has an ability to make friends with everyone he meets. That often quickly changes how they view him. This ability to find friends sets Naruto apart from others who had lived in isolation. Naruto suspects that without this ability, he would have become like some of the evil people he faced.


Quotes

“Believe it !!!”

“To be the greatest hokage, that is my dream ! Then the whole village will have to look up to me, like I’m somebody ! Somebody important !”

(Naruto has been caught in Kakashi’s trap)
Kakashi: “Think before you use a jutsu, or else your opponent might use it against you. Oh, and… if the bait is obvious… don’t take it.”
Naruto: “I get it, I get it !”
Kakashi: “No, you don’t get it, thats why I’m telling you. You *think* you get it, which isn’t the same as actually getting it. Get it ?”

(Naruto has just been wounded, and opens the wound with a kunai to drain the poison)
Naruto: “I will never back down again… I’ll never let someone else rescue me. I will never run away, and I will *not* lose to Sasuke. Upon this wound I make this pledge. Believe it ! Bridgebuilder, I will complete this mission, and protect you with this kunai knife !”
Kakashi: “Uh, Naruto… your speech was cool and all… how you took out that poison… but if you lose any more blood, you’re going to die.”


DC Universe History

Naruto and his cast can be used in any game where ninja are a significant feature; The Hidden Villages, being highly important to the political structure of Naruto’s world, ought to be inserted as well, if only as Background.

I’d like to note that Naruto’s signature move, the Shadow Clones, disappear in a puff of smoke when finished off, just like Marvel’s Hand Genin do. It makes me wonder if the ubiquitous Hand aren’t actually a single Genin making use of Clones.



Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG

Tell me more about the game stats

Naruto (Early)

A 760 Point Character

Dex: 05 Str: 03 Bod: 05 Motivation: Thrill
Int: 05 Wil: 06 Min: 04 Occupation: Genin/Number One Loudest, Unpredictable, Hyperactive Knucklehead Ninja
Inf: 04 Aur: 06 Spi: 06 Resources {or Wealth}: 002
Init: 018 HP: 035

Powers:
Damage Capacity (Physical): 05, Mind Over Matter: 07, Regeneration: 04, Jumping: 02, Gliding: 04, Running: 04

Bonuses and Limitations:

  • Damage Capacity may be used vs the Fatiguing Damage from Jutsu use.
  • Mind over Matter ditto.
  • Gliding: Contingent to Jumping, Can only be used with Jumping, Gliding extends the horizontal distance of Jumping without increasing the height jumped.

Skills:
Acrobatics: 06, Charisma (Persuasion): 06, Evasion (Ranged only): 06, Martial Artist: 05, Military Science (Camouflage, Cartography, Danger Recognition, Cryptography): 04, Occultist (Identify (Ninja) Artifact, Ritual Magic): 04, Thief*: 05, Weaponry (Melee Weapons, Missile Weapons)*: 05

Advantages:
Area Knowledge (Village Hidden in the Leaves), Silent Assistant: Third Hokage (Hiruzen Sarutobi), Lightning Reflexes, Scholar (Shadow Clone Jutsu, Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, Sexy Jutsu), Ultra Luck.

Rituals:
See the boxed section on Naruto’s Jutsu.

Connections:
Team 7 (Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Sensei Kakshi Hatake) (High), Sensei Iruka Umino (Sensei of the Leaf Village’s Ninja Academy) (High), Hidden Leaf Ninja (Low).

Drawbacks:

  • Age: Young (12-13).
  • Alter Ego (Uncontrollable [the Nine-Tailed Fox]).
  • Guilt.
  • MIA (Ramen).
  • MIA (Being Annoying).
  • SIA (Competitiveness).
  • SIA (Becoming Hokage).
  • Reputation: Nine Tailed Fox.
  • Socially Inept (Minor).
  • Oblivious.
  • Misc.: body mass is 1 AP.

Equipment:

  • Shuriken [BODY 03, EV 02, Ammo: 06, HP Cost: 6].
  • Kunai Blades [BODY 05, EV 03, HP Cost: 13].
  • Smoke Bombs [BODY 01, Ammo: 04, Fog: 06, R#: 2, HP Cost: 8].
  • Paper Bombs: [BODY 01, Bomb: 06, Grenade Drawback, R#02, HP Cost: 14].

Naruto’s jutsu

All Jutsu are Fatiguing (-1), have a 1 Phase Casting Time, and with certain exceptions, require the correct hand signs to cast. Where hand-signs are not required, it is noted. This means, of course, that Jutsu cannot be cast if one’s hands are restrained.

One odd bit of trivia that is probably genre-related: Everyone in the series, virtually without exception (the exception being Haku, who was different in several ways) cries out the name of the Ninja Art they are using while casting. Out Loud. While technically this should allow their opponent to formulate a better defense, it does not seem to work that way.

Sexy Jutsu

[Chameleon: 08, Charisma: 08, Attractive Advantage (31HP)].

A jutsu developed by Naruto himself as a gag, Sexy jutsu transforms him into a naked, beautiful teenaged girl, which is good for a distraction. Sexy jutsu doesn’t seem to require hand signs.

Harem Jutsu

Combines Sexy Jutsu w/ Shadow Clone or Multi Clone Jutsu. Also developed by Naruto, this jutsu combines his Sexy Jutsu with his Shadow Clones to make a gaggle of beautiful, naked women. An even better distraction.

In some situations (specifically, if the opponent is particularly lecherous or a total virgin), use of the Sexy or Harem jutsu constitutes a Mind Blast: 08 attack (Possibly a multi-attack in the case of the Harem Jutsu), the results of which usually Stun the opponent. This causes him to suffer an AP of Knockback with blood flying out of his nose (presumably it works only on some males… tho possibly on some lesbians, too). It’s a genre thing. ^_^

Clone Jutsu

[Illusion: 08, Only to create duplicates (35 HP)].

A standard jutsu required by all Academy students to become a Genin. This jutsu creates a clone of the user, which can used to create a diversion or cause confusion. Unlike the Shadow Clone, these clones aren’t real, and thus cannot do any damage, and they disappear when hit. Naruto knows this jutsu, but rarely uses it since his Shadow Clones are generally more useful.

Shadow Clone Jutsu

[Split: 03, No reduction (29 HP)]. Unlike the normal Clone jutsu, this jutsu creates not just an illusion, but real bodies of the ninja, complete with normal Equipment.

The user’s chakra is evenly distributed among the user and every clone. This could be very dangerous if the user is low on chakra or makes many clones (like with Multi Shadow Clone jutsu), making this technique forbidden), something Naruto doesn’t have to worry about, since his chakra supply is very high thanks to the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Shadow Clones can’t be detected by Byakugan (Neji Hyuga states this during his fight with Naruto during the Chunin exam). This is because the clones are real bodies with real chakra systems, identical to the user. It can be detected by Sharingan.

Because the clones are real they can do real damage and can take some damage themselves, being even able to bleed, although they’ll still disappear when enough damage has been done, which is usually after one hit. Naruto has proven able to maintain a Shadow Clone’s existence after it’s been hit to trick an opponent into believing he (the real one) has been taken out.

Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu

[Split: 07, No reduction per Clone, Exponential Split (48 HP)].

It is likely that the Shadow Clone jutsus have the “No Reduction of Abilities Upon Split Death” Bonus…. But this has not been confirmed in situ, as clones usually dissipate on taking an AP or two of Damage. If the GM insists on having this (since the clones vanishing may be considered “death”), the Jutsu becomes much more expensive.

Also note that, on occasion, Naruto seems to use normal “Shadow Clone” and “Multi Shadow Clone” justsus interchangeably.

Substitution/Transformation Jutsu

[Illusion: 08, Creates a Duplicate, Cloaks User w/ Invisibility (35 HP)].

The user assumes the appearance of another person or animal (Transformation), or throws the users image over an inanimate object (Substitution) and replaces himself with it. This is one of the basic jutsu taught at the Ninja Academy.

Wall Walking Jutsu

[Cling: 03 (2 HP)].

Disguise Jutsu

[Invisibility: 02 (10 HP)].


The Nine-Tailed Fox

When the Change comes over him, the Alter Ego changes are: Dex: 07, Str: 08, Bod: 07, Regeneration increases to 10, He acquires Superspeed: 08. Furthermore, ll his other Powers and Skills are at +1 CS while the change is in effect.

He also has Distinct Appearance while under the influence of the demon fox. His hair becomes bristly, his facial scars are more pronounced, his eyes grow catlike and yellow, and he grows fangs.

These are recognizable as demonic traits to anyone familiar with the culture. He is also surrounded by a visible flamelike aura of chakra, but it is unclear at his point whether this does anything or not.

By Pufnstuff.

Helper(s): Tom Eilers, Roe, Bryan Gittens, Alan Wilkinson, imdb.com, wikipedia.com, Viz Media’s Naruto Manga.

Source of Character: Naruto anime (American version) Episodes 1-20.