Part 1 Sasuke Uchiha [Land of Waves Arc]

Introduction

Sasuke Uchiha (うちはサスケ, Uchiha Sasuke) is one of the last surviving members of Konohagakure's Uchiha clan. After his older brother, Itachi, slaughtered their clan, Sasuke made it his mission in life to avenge them by killing Itachi. He is added to Team 7 upon becoming a ninja, and, through competition with his rival and best friend, Naruto Uzumaki.

Bio

Physical Appearance

Sasuke bears a strong resemblance to Izuna Uchiha:[23] he has black eyes and spiky black hair with a blue tint. Sasuke's hair is long and has hung over his face as bangs since he was a child.

Outfit

Sasuke's typical clothing has changed a number of times throughout his life, but the Uchiha clan's crest is usually present somewhere on his clothing, such as the back of his shirt collar. For most of Part I, he wears a navy blue, short-sleeved shirt with a high collar, white shorts, and, for a time, white arm warmers.

Background

Sasuke is the second and youngest son of Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha; they named him after Sasuke Sarutobi in the hopes that he would someday be just as strong of a shinobi.[10] Sasuke grew up in the shadow of his older brother, Itachi, a natural prodigy who many in the Uchiha clan and the village would constantly compare Sasuke and any of his accomplishments to. Sasuke himself adored Itachi, never passing up an opportunity to spend time with him. Although Itachi welcomed his company, letting Sasuke watch him train and taking him on adventures into the forests,[11] Itachi in return rarely helped Sasuke himself become a better shinobi; when asked, he would often instead poke Sasuke's forehead and promise to do so some other time. Sasuke found this annoying, but didn't allow it to blemish his high opinion of his brother. On entering the Konoha Ninja Academy, Sasuke proved to be the standout of his class, consistently getting top grades.[12] However, he could never meet the same milestones Itachi had set, resulting in their father paying Sasuke little attention.[13] Aware of this neglect, Itachi, despite being increasingly busy, tried to stand in for their father by giving Sasuke the recognition he craved, at times even blackmailing Fugaku to spend time with Sasuke. As time went on, Itachi started becoming distant with and cold towards their family, culminating in a falling out with much of the Uchiha clan on their suspicion that he'd killed his best friend, Shisui Uchiha. Sasuke did not understand the reason for this, but he didn't mind the side-effect: his father began taking an interest in his development. Fugaku taught Sasuke how to perform the Great Fireball Technique, which he mastered in a week.[14] Fugaku stated his pride in Sasuke for this accomplishment, but at the same time encouraged him not to follow in Itachi's footsteps.

Uchiha Clan

The Uchiha Clan (うちは一族, Uchiha Ichizoku) is a well known clan of Konohagakure,[1] reputed to be the village's strongest because of their Sharingan and natural battle prowess.[2] After helping found Konoha decades ago, the Uchiha grew increasingly isolated from the village's affairs, culminating in most of their deaths during the Uchiha Clan Downfall. Few Uchiha now survive into the present day.

Sharingan

The Sharingan (写輪眼, literally meaning: Copy Wheel Eye, meaning (Viz): Mirror Wheel Eye) is the dōjutsu kekkei genkai of the Uchiha clan that appears selectively among its members.[1] It is regarded as one of the "Three Great Dōjutsu", the others being the Byakugan and the Rinnegan.[2] While its powers originated from Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's Rinne Sharingan, its independent form was first manifested by Indra Ōtsutsuki (Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki in the anime).

Perosnality

Sasuke was a happy child, eager to please and be worthy of his clan name.[15] One of Sasuke's most significant bonds is the one he has with his older brother, Itachi, who by merely being mentioned can elicit strong reactions from Sasuke's otherwise calm demeanour. Sasuke adored Itachi when he was a boy, enjoying his company above all others'; as an infant, he would cry whenever he was held by someone besides Itachi and would immediately be happy once held by his big brother again.[16] When Itachi murdered the rest of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke was crushed not only by the loss of his family but also by what Itachi told him: that he had never loved Sasuke. Sasuke devotes years of his life to avenging their family by killing Itachi, which Itachi encourages whenever they meet. At the same time however, he became determined to do so through his own means, including rejecting Itachi's instructions of obtaining the Mangekyō Sharingan for power, simply to not give Itachi the satisfaction. With his new outlook, he became cold toward others, unmoved by and uninterested in what they do or think of him, choosing instead to keep to himself. He stopped using honourifics, something considered rude in the Japanese language. His only goal in life became to take revenge for his clan's deaths by any means, even if it meant acquiring power that wasn't his own.[17][18] In his pursuit for the power to take his revenge, whenever he meets new people, he makes an evaluation of their abilities: those he perceives to be weaker than himself he arrogantly disregards, giving them little attention so that they won't hold him back; those he perceives as stronger he fixates over and tries to surpass. As a member of Team 7 he is repeatedly exposed to Kakashi Hatake's philosophy that there is strength in teamwork. For a time, Sasuke accepts this, experiencing it first-hand on several of Team 7's missions.

Chakra

Chakra (チャクラ, Chakura) is a supernatural substance native to lifeforms on some planets. Due to it being the component to create Chakra Fruit, the Ōtsutsuki Clan travel from planet to planet to absorb all the chakra on them in order to create the fruit to consume. Chakra is essential to even the most basic jutsu. Through various methods, the most common of which is hand seals, chakra can be controlled and manipulated to create an effect that would not be possible otherwise, such as walking on water, exhaling fire, or creating illusions. Chakra is ordinarily not visible to the unaided eye unless it is highly concentrated or manifested in large amounts. This is rarely seen due to the restrictions of eight specific tenketsu known as the Eight Gates, which limit the amount of chakra an individual can release at a single given time. Chakra is created when two more primal energies, known collectively as one's "stamina" (スタミナ, sutamina), are moulded together. Physical energy (身体エネルギー, shintai enerugī) is collected from each of the body's cells and can be increased through training, stimulants, and exercise. Spiritual energy (精神エネルギー, seishin enerugī, English TV: Mental Energy) is derived from the mind's consciousness and can be increased through studying, meditation, and experience. These two energies becoming more powerful will in turn make the created chakra more powerful. Therefore, practising a technique repeatedly will build up experience, increasing one's spiritual energy, and thus allowing more chakra to be created. As a result, the ninja is able to do that same technique with more power. This same cycle applies for physical energy, except the ninja needs to increase their endurance instead. Some unique individuals have substantial potential that enables them to exponentially increase their chakra reserves in a relatively short amount of time.

Abilities

Sasuke is very skilled in taijutsu, able to hold his own in hand-to-hand combat against multiple opponents at once. His most consistent physical display is his speed and reflexes, which was further heightened by replicating Rock Lee's movements.[43] His speed is even shown to match, if not exceed various other fast techniques like the Shield of Sand[44] and Lightning Release Chakra Mode respectively, and enough to physically incapacitate opponents before they realise he's even approached them.[45] Between his increased speed and taijutsu prowess, it becomes very difficult for his opponents to find enough time to perform even a single hand seal

Intelligence

Sasuke is very intelligent, having earned the best grades in his Academy class.[85] This despite many of his classmates themselves being exceptional performers,[86] including Sakura who scored perfect scores in all her tests.[87] In combat, while usually offensive without pause, Sasuke is very observant, being mindful to all factors as he goes and analysing his opponents' techniques to understand their mechanics and purposes. He is accordingly accustomed to coming up with tactics on the fly, choosing whatever approach, no matter how elaborate, will be most successful at the exact moment. His strategies could be considered irresponsible or risky, as he has on more than one occasion placed himself or allies in harm's way.

Ninja Tools

Kunai (クナイ), like shuriken, are one of the most common tools used by shinobi. It is a black dagger — about the length of one's hand — with a handle wrapped in bandages and a ring-like pommel. While usually kept in a shinobi's weapon pouch, they can also be kept on spring-loaded wires up the user's sleeve Shuriken (手裏剣), like kunai, are one of the more basic weapons seen in the Naruto series. They are sharpened, four-pronged metal stars, useful for throwing. They can also be used for close combat, but not very efficiently. Although small, they can be used to distract, pin down enemy shinobi, or, if accurate enough, kill or incapacitate an enemy. They have an open circle in the centre, useful for grabbing with a finger, to avoid cutting oneself, or to put thread through. The circle is also beneficial to the weapon's overall aerodynamics, ensuring more accurate trajectories. Wire Strings :These thin pieces of wires are highly durable tools that can be used for a variety of purposes, such as rappelling, manipulating weapons, setting traps, and binding or restricting an opponent's movements. Fūma Shuriken (風魔手裏剣) are large, four-bladed projectile weapons possessing pre-eminent sharpness and lethality. This type of shuriken is considered characteristic to the famous Fūma clan, after whom they were named and who possibly developed them. However, their use is not limited to this clan. The most commonly used ones can be collapsed for easy storage, leading to its nickname Shadow Windmill (影風車, Kage Fūsha).

Jutsu

Fire Style-Fire Ball Jutsu:The user kneads chakra in their body and turns it into fire, which they then expel from their mouth; the more chakra they use, the more flames that are produced. Sometimes the flames lack a distinct shape, being only a stream, but more often than not they take the form of a giant orb that maintains its shape until hitting a target. Upon impact, the fireball is powerful enough to crater the ground and vaporise the surroundings.[1] Against living targets, the fireball can cause extensive burns.The Great Fireball Technique was created by the Uchiha clan, and over time became one of their signature abilities.[2] The Uchiha in fact used the Great Fireball Technique as a coming of age rite, with members not being considered true adults until they learned to perform it.

Naruto Part 1:Bell Test

Upon graduating from the Academy, Sasuke is added to Team 7 under the leadership of Kakashi Hatake. Sasuke makes clear during their first meeting how little interest in the team he has, his only goal in life being to kill Itachi. One of his teammates, Sakura Haruno, tries to bond with him by sharing her envy of their other teammate, Naruto Uzumaki's, lack of parents, but this only offends Sasuke. To test their qualifications, Kakashi gives the three a bell test, stating that whichever of the three takes one of the two bells on his person will officially become genin. Of the three, Sasuke comes closest to taking a bell, his skills being great enough to force Kakashi to stop reading his copy of Icha Icha. He ultimately fails, just like Naruto and Sakura. Kakashi explains that the goal of the test was to use teamwork, to do together what none of them could do by themselves. He is persuaded to allow them to try again after lunch, but instructs Sasuke and Sakura not to feed Naruto. They feed him anyway, needing him in top-form if they're to work together. Kakashi sees this and, because they care more about the team than listening to his instructions, allows them all to pass.

Naruto Part 1:Land of Waves Arc

After a series of uneventful D-rank missions, Naruto is able to secure a C-rank mission for Team 7: escorting Tazuna to the Land of Waves. Soon after leaving Konoha they are attacked by the Demon Brothers. Naruto is paralysed with fear, forcing Sasuke to step in to disarm them and protect Tazuna until Kakashi can capture them. Tazuna confesses that assassins have been hired to kill him but that he couldn't afford the bodyguard detail he needs. Although the mission is now A-rank in nature — far beyond the skill of genin — Team 7 decides to continue with it; for his earlier indecision, Sasuke declares Naruto a scaredy-cat (ビビリ君, bibiri-kun). When they arrive in the Land of Waves, however, and are confronted by Zabuza Momochi, Sasuke experiences a crisis of his own, overwhelmed by the battle between Kakashi and Zabuza. He quickly regains his composure and, when Kakashi is caught in a Water Prison, he teams up with Naruto to break him out. In the end, Zabuza is seemingly killed by Haku, allowing Team 7 to escort Tazuna back to his house. Kakashi finds Zabuza's death suspicious and decides the train the team in case he returns. He has them perform the Tree Climbing Practice to improve their chakra control, which will help them against Zabuza. Although Sasuke's control is initially much better than Naruto's, Naruto improves rapidly using advice from Sakura, who herself mastered it from the start. Sasuke asks for Naruto to share Sakura's advice with him, and from competition between them they each climb to the top of their trees. Naruto is exhausted from the training, so Team 7 leaves him behind the next morning as they resume their escort duties. They are met by Zabuza and Haku, the latter of whom Sasuke faces in battle. Because of Sasuke's speed and refined chakra control, Haku imprisons him with his Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals. Naruto arrives to help but, unaware of how Haku's mirrors work, joins Sasuke within the prison.

Naruto Part 1:End of the Land of Waves Arc

Sasuke is unable to melt the mirrors with his fire and Naruto is unable to break free with his shadow clones, leaving them at the mercy of Haku's senbon. As time passes, however, Sasuke becomes increasingly able to dodge Haku's attacks, a benefit of his awakening Sharingan. Seeing this, Haku decides to finish off Naruto so that he can focus on Sasuke. Sasuke shields Naruto from Haku's attack with his own body; when Naruto asks him why, Sasuke claims his body acted on its own. Sasuke seemingly dies from his injuries. In truth, Haku only struck Sasuke's vital points to put him in a temporary death-like state, so he wakes up a short time later. By the time that he does, both Haku and Zabuza are dead, so their bodyguard services are no longer required. When their injuries heal they return to home via the newly-constructed Great Naruto Bridge.