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Rock Lee
Naruto character
First appearance Naruto manga chapter 36
Naruto anime episode 21
Voiced by Japanese
Yoichi Masukawa[1]
English
Brian Donovan[2]
Profile
Age 13[3]-14[4] in Part I
Date of birth November 27[4]
Ninja rank Chunin
Ninja team Team Guy

Rock Lee (ロック・リー Rokku Rī?) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Naruto created by Masashi Kishimoto. He is a member of Might Guy's Team Guy, consisting of himself, Neji Hyuga, and Tenten.

Contents

[edit] Creation and conception

According to an interview with Masashi Kishimoto in Shonen Jump's Naruto Anime Profiles Episodes 1-37, Rock Lee is his most fun character to draw.[5] He also has stated that Sakura Haruno and Rock Lee were meant to symbolize human weakness (at least in the beginning).[issue # needed] Like Guy, Lee is modeled after the martial artist Bruce Lee and even has the same birthday.

[edit] Character outline

[edit] Background

Lee is unable to use any type of ninjutsu or genjutsu.[6] His fellow students teased him for this handicap while he was in the Academy (calling him a "hot-blooded dropout"), though Lee ignored their words and began specializing in taijutsu, hoping to become a powerful ninja despite his inability to use standard ninja techniques. Upon being assigned to Team Guy, Might Guy took a personal interest in Lee's attempts to prove himself and began to help him in his dream of excelling in taijutsu. With Guy's assistance Lee learned many advanced taijutsu abilities, bringing him ever closer to achieving his goal of becoming a splendid ninja.

[edit] Personality

Lee is known for speaking respectfully to others, being very proper in both English and Japanese language versions, and never using contractions. He also uses formal Japanese, applying proper titles ("-san", "-kun", etc.) to anyone he meets. His relationship with Guy has also caused him to acquire many of Guy's traits. Lee's green jumpsuit and shiny bowl haircut, having already had Guy's distinctive thick eyebrows (leading to the nickname of "Bushy Brow" or "Fuzzy Eyebrows"), are direct results of his modeling himself in his sensei's image. Guy's influence has also caused the reshaping of Lee's personality, and his dedication to his promises.

Lee has a number of other odd personality traits, though whether or not they are results of Guy's mentorship is unknown. He also has a keen sense of honor and respects his opponents, refusing to hold grudges against those who have defeated him and returning favors to those that have helped him. His attempts to prove and better himself are recurring themes for his actions throughout the series. He is generally optimistic and believes that with hard work and passion, he can surpass a natural genius, but can be prone to depression when faced with setbacks. His drive to succeed is initially most evident with his rivalry with Neji Hyuga, having learned from Guy that having a rival will provide incentive to succeed.

Shortly after his introduction, Lee reveals that he likes Sakura Haruno, asking her to be his girlfriend and vowing to protect her immediately after they meet. While she does not seem to share these feelings for him and considers him weird, Lee maintains these feelings throughout the Chunin Exams. At one point, he comes to her rescue, against three to one odds and uses forbidden techniques in an attempt to protect her, considering her someone dear to him. Sakura becomes more appreciative after this, punching Naruto whenever he insults Lee. Despite this, she does not seem to have any feelings for him, as she refers to him by the more formal "Lee-san", as opposed to "Lee-kun".

[edit] Abilities

Guy's leadership has also influenced Lee's training habits, which, coupled with his hard-working resolve, has allowed Lee to rapidly improve. When making a promise, for example, Lee assigns himself arduous tasks to complete in the event that he doesn't provide. Since Guy began training him, Lee has worn heavy weights on his ankles, increasing his strength at the cost of inhibiting his speed to levels that his peers still consider quite fast. Upon removing the weights, Lee's speed vastly increases, making it almost impossible to see his movements with the unaided eye.

Through Guy's teachings, Lee has learned many powerful taijutsu techniques. The most basic of these is his Strong Fist style of combat, a martial art style focusing on external damage. Lee has also learned how to open the first five of eight chakra gates, a feat that is difficult for even the most talented ninja. Lee has also learned or developed a number of taijutsu techniques that take advantage of the extreme power and speed he gains from opening chakra gates. Lee has manifested a natural predisposition towards the Drunken Fist (酔拳 Suiken?, English TV: "Loopy Fist"), a unique battle style that can't be learned or taught and is reminiscent of the actual Zui Quan martial art. When he drinks as little as one drop of alcohol, he becomes inebriated and rude, as well as an unpredictable fighter. His alcoholic lapses are relatively brief, and he has no memory of his actions once he has returned to his normal self.

[edit] Plot overview

Rock Lee would enter the Chunin Exams with the objective of fighting against powerful opponents. During his battle with Gaara during the Chunin Exams, Lee's attempts to prove himself have terrible consequences for him. After Gaara's attacks further damage his body, crushing his left arm and leg, Lee is left injured so badly that he can no longer pursue life as a ninja. Lee would go through a hard experience as he sees his rivals getting stronger. When Tsunade offers him an operation that carries a fifty percent chance of returning him to his former state, and a fifty percent chance of killing him, Lee is hesitant to accept the operation. He decides to take the operation and survives to it. Immediately after the operation Lee goes to the mission of Team Shikamaru and assist them. In Part II, Rock Lee has reached the rank of Chunin, and is still part of Team Guy. He, along with the rest of Team Guy, assists Team Kakashi during the Rescue Gaara Arc.

[edit] Appearances in other media

In the third Naruto movie, Lee acts as the third member of Team 7 for the movie's duration. During his battle with Kongou, Lee shows proficiency with nunchaku and a bo, both of which are made from his ankle weights.[7] In the fourth movie, which is set in Part II, Sakura Haruno, Naruto Uzumaki, Neji Hyuga and Lee are assigned to escort the maiden Shion.[8] He also stars in the third original video animation participating in a tournament.[9]

Lee is a common playable character in Naruto video games. As he cannot use ninjutsu or genjutsu techniques, moves such as taijutsu from opening chakra gates serve as the equivalent of other characters' special ninjutsu moves. To reflect the strain on Lee's body, such moves generally take away some of his health. In the Clash of Ninja and Ultimate Ninja series, his health slowly drains after opening the gates, but his attacks become extremely strong.

[edit] Reception

Rock Lee has ranked highly in the Shonen Jump popularity polls for the series, continuously placing in the top ten and reaching fifth place once.[10][11] In later polls, Rock Lee lost his top ten status.[12] There has not been another poll as of 2005. Several pieces of merchandise based on Rock Lee have also been released, icluiding action figures of his Part I and Part II appearance,[13][14] plush dolls,[15] and keychains.[16]

Several publications for manga, anime, video games, and other related media have provided praise and criticism on Rock Lee's character. IGN comments that Rock Lee is one of their favourite characters and compare him with Bruce Lee and Noel Gallagher due to his personality.[17] Anime News Network praises Rock Lee to be one of the best characters of the Chunin Exams Arc, commenting on a "entertaining but disposable" bin. They also comment that Lee is the goofiest looking character from the series, and praise the author for being able to turn him "damn cool when the action starts."[18] Active Anime celebrated Rock Lee's introduction in the series as a comedy relief to the growing tension of the Chunin Exams.[19]

ca:Rock Lee el:Rock Lee es:Rock Lee fr:Rock Lee id:Rock Lee it:Rock Lee hu:Rock Lee ms:Rock Lee ja:ロック・リー no:Rock Lee pl:Lee Rock pt:Rock Lee ru:Рок Ли sv:Rock Lee th:ร็อค ลี vi:Rock Lee tr:Rock Lee zh:李洛克


[edit] References

  1. ^ Yoichi Masukawa. Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2008-02-14.
  2. ^ Brian Donovan. Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2008-02-14.
  3. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2002). NARUTO―ナルト―［秘伝・臨の書］. Shueisha, 133. ISBN 4-08873-288-X. 
  4. ^ a b Kishimoto, Masashi (2005). NARUTO―ナルト―［秘伝・闘の書］. Shueisha, 165. ISBN 4-08873-734-2. 
  5. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). Naruto Anime Profiles, Volume 1: Episodes 1-37. Viz Media, ?. ISBN 1421506572. 
  6. ^ Naruto chapter 82, page 9
  7. ^ Naruto (movie 3). Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
  8. ^ Naruto Shippūden (movie). Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2008-01-29.
  9. ^ Naruto (OAV). Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2008-02-18.
  10. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2005). "Chapter 60", Naruto, Volume 7. Viz Media. ISBN 1-59116-875-9. 
  11. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2006). "Chapter 107", Naruto, Volume 12. Viz Media. ISBN 1-4215-0242-9. 
  12. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2008). "Chapter 245", Naruto, Volume 28. Viz Media, 8-9. ISBN 1-4215-1864-3. 
  13. ^ Amazon.com: Shonen Jumps Naruto Rock Lee. Amazon.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.
  14. ^ NARUTO－ナルト－疾風伝 忍形コレクション. TV Tokyo. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.
  15. ^ Amazon.com: NARUTO ROCK LEE 12"PLUSH TOY. Amazon.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.
  16. ^ Amazon.com: Naruto - Rock Lee Character Keychain. Amazon.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-19.
  17. ^ Sparrow, A.E. (2007-11-09). IGN: Naruto Reader's Guide. IGN. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  18. ^ Kimlinger, Karl (2006-11-02). Naruto GN 8-10 - Review. Anime News Network. Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  19. ^ DVD Reviews: NARUTO UNCUT BOX SET 2. Active Anime (2006-07-03). Retrieved on 2008-02-08.