Shikamaru Nara
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| Shikamaru Nara | |
|---|---|
| (奈良シカマル) | |
 Shikamaru Nara by Masashi Kishimoto |
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| Debut | Manga Chapter 34 Naruto Episode 1 |
| Seiyū | Shotaro Morikubo Nobutoshi Canna (Naruto episode 141 stand-in) |
| Voice actor(s) | Tom Gibis |
| Profile | |
| Age | 12-13 in Part I 15 in Part II |
| Birthday | September 22 |
| Blood Type | AB |
| Height | 152.1 cm |
| Weight | 42.9 kg |
| Known relatives | Shikaku Nara (father) Yoshino Nara (mother) |
| Information | |
| Current rank | Chunin |
| Current affiliation | Nara clan, Konohagakure |
| Current team | Team 10 (Kakashi Hatake, Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi) |
| Previous team | Team 10 (Asuma Sarutobi, Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, Choji Akimichi) Team Shikamaru (Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, Neji Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, Naruto Uzumaki) Niju Shotai (Asuma Sarutobi, Shikamaru Nara, Izumo Kamizuki, Kotetsu Hagane) |
| Signature jutsu/Kekkei genkai | |
Shikamaru Nara (奈良シカマル Nara Shikamaru?) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Naruto.
"Shika" means deer (鹿), and "-maru" (丸) means "round", "circle", or "well-developed", but is commonly used as a suffix in boys' names. The names "Ino", "Shika" and "Cho" are also a pun on the "Ino-Shika-Cho" winning combination in Hanafuda.
His surname, Nara, is taken from the Nara Prefecture in Japan, and Nara ko-en (Nara Park), a park famous for deer whose antlers are used for medicines. Coincidentally, Nara Animation is also one of the production companies behind the Naruto anime. Nara was also the era when Buddhism was introduced to Japan. The Buddhist monasteries founded in the Nara Prefecture took the deer as their symbolic protector, and made hunting deer illegal in the prefecture. "Nara" also refers to maple, which is the plant associated with the shika card in Hanafuda.
In Shonen Jump's character popularity polls, Shikamaru has been in the Top 10 since the third poll and is usually in the 4th or 5th place. In the most recent poll, however, he was placed 10th. He is the only character on his team to make it to the top 10.
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[edit] Background
Shikamaru Nara is a lazy member of Asuma Sarutobi's Team 10, consisting of himself, Choji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka. Because their fathers were teamed together in the past, Shikamaru is on good terms with Choji and Ino, and as such the three work very well together. Of his teammates, Shikamaru is closest with Choji, who repays Shikamaru's confidence in him with unyielding loyalty to Shikamaru. This is because when they were younger Shikamaru always helped Choji out and stuck with him. Shikamaru's favorite foods are mackerel and kelp, with his least favorite being boiled eggs. His favorite phrases are "live each day quietly" and "life is serene".
Being an extremely unenthusiastic person, Shikamaru lives his life avoiding work. In his free time, Shikamaru typically takes naps, watches clouds, and plays thinking games such as Shogi and Go. When put into a situation where he potentially needs to put effort into something, he attempts to try to find a way to avoid it such as by forfeiting a battle or by pretending to be preoccupied with something else. In the instances where he can't avoid these situations, Shikamaru tends to remark "how troublesome" (めんどくせぇ mendokusē?, English TV "what a drag"). He is fully aware of this side of his personality, and even dubs himself "the number one at running away" or "the number one coward".
Despite his lazy attitude, Shikamaru is quick to act when duty calls or his teammates are in danger. Using his Shadow Imitation Technique and its many variants, Shikamaru often plays the part of stalling enemies so that his comrades can get to safety or to simply buy time. Although this role puts him in a dangerous position once he can no longer stall the opponent, Shikamaru is more than willing to serve it, feeling that sacrificing his life to ensure the safety of his friends is worth it.
While Shikamaru is frequently put into situations that would call for his self-sacrifice, his genius and his exemplary strategic skills have thus far allowed him to escape these dangerous encounters relatively unscathed. Asuma, suspicious that Shikamaru was always able to beat him at Shogi and Go despite receiving abysmal grades at the Academy, disguised an IQ test as a series of puzzles to see how smart Shikamaru really was. In doing so, Asuma found Shikamaru to have an IQ of over 200, and learned that Shikamaru's poor grades were a result of him finding the lifting of a pencil to be too troublesome. When using this trait in battle, Shikamaru puts his fingers together to create a square and closes his eyes so that he can concentrate. While in this pose, Shikamaru considers every element that is relevant to the situation at hand and analyzes the information to its fullest. Once finished, Shikamaru is able to plan out a battle ten moves in advance and can devise over a hundred strategies to use against the opponent.
One of Shikamaru's more distinctive characteristics is that he finds all women to be bossy and "troublesome". This viewpoint seems to be largely due to his mother's tyrannical personality, though also seems to be influenced by his father's identical view of women. Of the women he has met, Shikamaru finds his mother, his teammate Ino, and the Sand ninja Temari to be the most troublesome women he knows. Despite his opinions on women, he has expressed a notably mature interest in marriage and raising a family, his goal in life being to, "Marry someone who is not too ugly and not too beautiful. Have two children, a girl, and then a boy. Retire after my daughter is married, and my son becomes a successful ninja and spend the rest of my life playing Shogi or Go. A nice, carefree retirement. Then die before my wife."
[edit] Part I
[edit] Chunin Exam arc
During the preliminary matches of the Chunin Exam, Shikamaru is pitted against Kin Tsuchi. After throwing two needles with bells attached at Shikamaru, Kin attempts to confuse Shikamaru by ringing the bells with an attached string. Although she succeeds and manages to attack Shikamaru, Shikamaru is able to send his shadow along the path of the strings to capture Kin, the latter not noticing that such thin strings couldn't cast a real shadow. With Kin trapped, Shikamaru throws a shuriken at Kin and Kin, forced to copy Shikamaru, does the same. As Shikamaru dodges Kin's shuriken and Kin, in turn, dodges Shikamaru's, Kin's head is slammed against the wall behind her, knocking her unconscious.
In the final rounds of the Chunin Exam, Shikamaru is matched against Temari. After studying the fighting arena and the elements that effect it, Shikamaru attempts to capture Temari with his shadow. Temari, having seen Shikamaru's ability earlier, makes sure to stay out of his shadow's range. Despite this precaution on Temari's part, Shikamaru uses various tactics to increase the distance his shadow can reach, all the while buying time for the sun to set and give him more shadows to work with. As Temari evades his attacks and prepares to finish the match, she is caught by his shadow, Shikamaru having navigated her to a position where he could easily trap her without her notice. Although Shikamaru appears to be in a position where he can win the match, he forfeits, having exerted too much chakra in capturing Temari to fight later battles.
When the invasion of Konoha begins, Shikamaru, despite his best efforts to avoid it, is recruited to join a team to follow Sasuke Uchiha. As they follow Sasuke's trail, they discover that eight Sound ninjas are following them, and Shikamaru chooses to stay behind so that he can stall them while the others continue to pursue Sasuke. Lulling the eight into a false sense of security, Shikamaru is able to trap the group with his shadow. A ninth Sound ninja, however, follows closely behind to protect the others from such an ambush. Despite correctly predicting the location of the ninth ninja, Shikamaru runs out of chakra before he can capture him as well. As the group is freed from his shadow and Shikamaru looks to be finished, Asuma appears and singlehandedly defeats the nine.
[edit] Sasuke Retrieval arc
Despite having forfeited his match during the Chunin Exams, Shikamaru is elevated to the rank of Chunin due to his ability to properly gauge his own weaknesses, a necessary trait for any leader. For his first mission as a squad leader, Shikamaru is assigned to assemble a team to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha, who has abandoned Konoha. After recruiting Choji, Naruto Uzumaki, Neji Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Akamaru to his cause, the group sets out.
During the course of the mission, Shikamaru's team slowly breaks away to combat Sasuke's escorts, the Sound Four. As the rest of his teammates find themselves preoccupied with their own opponents, Shikamaru is forced to fight Tayuya. Using her flute, Tayuya controls three demon-like creatures in battle against Shikamaru. Using a flash-bang to extend the shadows in the area, Shikamaru manages to capture the three and turn them against Tayuya, forcing her to call them off. Her physical means of attack gone, Tayuya begins casting genjutsu to combat Shikamaru, which Shikamaru tries to repel with his newly learned Shadow Neck Bind Technique. Although he is able push Tayuya to her limits and escape her genjutsu multiple times, Tayuya's strength outmatches him. Just as Shikamaru is about to be finished, Temari arrives to help. Although he advises her to retreat, Temari ignores his opinion and defeats Tayuya with little effort.
In the mission's aftermath, Sasuke manages to escape, resulting in the mission's failure. In addition, all members of the retrieval team were heavily injured during the failed mission, with two left near death. Although Shikamaru believes himself to be a failure as a leader and a ninja because of his team's fate, his father reminds them that as long as he leads his friends he can save them from death, something he can't do when he isn't their leader. This, coupled with his team's full recovery, gives Shikamaru a resolve to never put his teammates in danger again.
[edit] Anime filler arcs
During the filler arcs, Shikamaru is appointed as an instructor of the Ninja Academy. He also leads his fellow Konoha Genin in their missions, though not before complaining about it despite being much more comfortable with the position. During the Konoha 11 arc, Shikamaru proves to be a shrewd detective and catches onto a number of otherwise insignificant details, eventually enabling him to defeat Gennou at his own game. In the final filler arc, Shikamaru comes to the aid of Temari, wanting to repay the debt of saving his life during the Sasuke Retrieval arc.
[edit] Naruto the Movie 2
Shikamaru plays a major role in the second movie as Sasuke's replacement. Shikamaru is the first to discover that human souls are used to create the knights. Near the end of the movie, he fights Kamina, who can transform into a large bat. With Kankuro's help, he is able to defeat her. Shikamaru also saves several people from Haido's castle, which collapses due to the Gelel reaction.
[edit] Part II
Over the timeskip, Shikamaru has changed very little, the only real difference being that he has gotten noticeably taller. He has also begun to wear ear studs instead of earrings, a gift to him from Asuma. During the Chunin Exams at the start of Part II, Shikamaru serves as one of the exam's proctors. Shikamaru's abilities with his shadow have also improved as he is no longer bound to keeping his shadows on a surface, as demonstrated by his new Shadow Sewing ability.
[edit] Hidan and Kakuzu arc
Shikamaru is teamed up with Asuma, Kotetsu Hagane, and Izumo Kamizuki as members of the Niju Shotai. His team, along with the entire group, is ordered to search for and, if possible, capture a pair of Akatsuki members who have entered the Land of Fire. Shikamaru and his team eventually track down the Akatsuki member Hidan at a bounty station, where Shikamaru restrains him while the rest of the team attempts to finish him. When Hidan proves unfazed by the attack and his teammate, Kakuzu, comes to his aide, Shikamaru is forced to release Hidan and fall back.
As Asuma battles Hidan, Hidan manages to consume some of Asuma's blood. In doing so, Hidan begins a ritual that causes all damage done to him to be done to Asuma as well. Because of Hidan's apparent immortality, he is able to use this to advantage, giving himself injuries to easily harm Asuma while not being affected by the lethal blows himself. To help Asuma, Shikamaru captures Hidan with his shadow once again and begins his meditative analysis of all Hidan's actions and words up to that point. He quickly realizes that Hidan needs to remain within the seal he has drawn on the ground to remain "linked" with Asuma, so Shikamaru pulls him out of it. With damage done to Hidan no longer harming Asuma, Shikamaru ties Hidan down with his Shadow Sewing technique, allowing Asuma to decapitate the Akatsuki member.
This, however, is not enough to kill Hidan. After Kakuzu reattaches his partner's head, he joins the fight and pins down Izumo and Kotetsu while Hidan manages to bind Asuma to his curse jutsu again. As Shikamaru rushes to the aid of his sensei, Hidan impales himself with his pike, severely injuring Asuma. After the arrival of a backup squad consisting of Ino and Choji as well as the retreat of the Akatsuki duo, the Konoha ninja attempt to take Asuma to safety where he can be healed. Asuma, however, knows that he won't survive, and decides to give parting words to his young teammates. To Shikamaru, Asuma says that he has great potential, perhaps enough to one day become Hokage. After Asuma enjoys one last cigarette, he dies, and Shikamaru finishes smoking the rest of the cigarette in his sensei's memory.
During Asuma's funeral, Shikamaru is noticeably absent, instead reading up on how to channel his chakra into Asuma's trench knives. Since chakra knives absorb the property of the user, he is able to channel his shadow chakra into the blades. After packing up his gear, Shikamaru leaves Konoha with Choji and Ino to avenge Asuma's death. Before they can leave, however, Tsunade confronts the trio saying that they cannot go without a more experienced ninja present to act as captain. Kakashi Hatake appears from the shadows, volunteering to lead Team 10 in Asuma's stead. With Tsunade's approval, Shikamaru works Kakashi into his plan for defeating the Akatsuki duo, and gives Kakashi something to use if he gets the chance to do so. As they head out to confront the Akatsuki pair, Kakashi remarks at how great a plan Shikamaru was able to come up with in such a short period of time.
Upon finding Hidan and Kakuzu, Shikamaru uses Asuma's trench knives, swelling with his shadow chakra, to restrain the Akatsuki members by pinning their shadows. With the two unable to fight back, Shikamaru prepares to trap the two with his shadow, though only manages to capture Hidan. With Hidan under his control, Shikamaru uses Hidan to attack Kakuzu, forcing the latter into a corner and allowing Kakashi to deliver a Lightning Blade to his heart, apparently killing him. Kakuzu, having four spare hearts, survives the attack, and manages to free Hidan from Shikamaru's control.
As Team 10 regroups, Shikamaru volunteers to distract Hidan while the others focus their attention on Kakuzu. After Kakashi gives Shikamaru a small capsule, Shikamaru sends multiple waves of his shadow at Hidan in an attempt to trap the immortal. Hidan, having fallen for Shikamaru's technique so many times, is determined not to fall prey to it again and makes sure to avoid Shikamaru's shadow. In doing so, he doesn't pay attention to Shikamaru, allowing Shikamaru to easily punch him in the face. Trapped by Shikamaru's shadow as a result, Hidan is lead away by Shikamaru.
Upon reaching his destination, Shikamaru surrounds the area in exploding tags, preventing Hidan from escaping. Once Shikamaru's shadow recedes, Hidan attacks him, managing to get some blood in the process. After consuming the blood and drawing his symbol, Hidan stabs himself in the heart, causing Shikamaru to collapse. As Hidan begins to walk away to reunite with Kakuzu, Shikamaru tries to decapitate him, though fails to make a cut deep enough. Surprised that Shikamaru is alive, Hidan learns that the capsule Kakashi had given Shikamaru was filled with Kakuzu's blood, and the blood Hidan consumed for his ritual was from the capsule; effectively, Hidan destroyed another one of Kakuzu's hearts.
As Hidan tries to kill Shikamaru in retaliation, he is again stopped by Shikamaru's shadow. With Hidan restrained, Shikamaru covers Hidan with the surrounding exploding tags, tying Hidan to the spot. With Hidan unable to fight back, Shikamaru activates a preprepared mark to cause the ground beneath Hidan to break away. Finally having a chance to avenge Asuma's death, Shikamaru lights a cigarette and is congratulated by a vision of Asuma for finally defeating the immortal. As the image fades, Shikamaru flicks the cigarette at Hidan, setting off all of the exploding tags at once. As his remains fall into the pit below, Hidan promises to kill Shikamaru in any way possible, to which Shikamaru responds by causing the pit to cave in, trapping Hidan beneath the rubble and burying him alive.
After the battle, Shikamaru returns to Konoha with everyone else. Upon visiting Asuma's grave, Shikamaru finds Kurenai Yuhi waiting there. After he reminisces about Asuma, Shikamaru vows to protect Asuma and Kurenai's unborn child for Asuma's sake.
Shikamaru is last seen playing a game of Shogi with his father Shikaku Nara. They discuss the meaning of Asuma's advice regarding the "king". Shikamaru says that the "king" is the unborn generation who would become the future ninja of Konoha, being the most pivotal to the village's survival. Pleased in his son's growth Shikaku proceeds to win the game outright, saying he needed to focus harder if he was to protect the "king".
[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.
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Characters in Naruto
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| Ninja: | Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno & Kakashi Hatake Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, Ino Yamanaka & Asuma Sarutobi Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuga & Kurenai Yuhi Rock Lee, Neji Hyuga, Tenten & Might Guy Gaara, Kankuro & Temari Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Tsunade & the Third Hokage Zabuza Momochi & Haku • Kabuto Yakushi • Sai & Yamato |
| Ninja groups: | Genin • Chunin • Jonin • Hyuga clan • Uchiha clan • Other clans • Minor enemies |
| Akatsuki: | Organization • Hidan • Kakuzu • Sasori • Other members |
| Countries: | Land of Fire • Land of Sound • Land of Wind |
| Animals: | Tailed beasts • Summons |
