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Beasts - Advanced
Bijuu Directory
Featuring the Nine Bijuus from the Japanese Legend and the tale itself, this is a brand fresh
official collection of information.
Personal Notes: For a moment I associated the Immortal Woman to Sakura <insert
snicker> and Iron Crutch Li to Lee, and even some of the others to characters from the
Rookie 9 + Gai Team; but everything is too vague.
一尾 | 守鶴 - One Tail
(Ichibi), Shukaku
二尾 | 貓 又 – Two Tail
(Nibi), Nekomata
Tale in the Legend of the Tailed Beasts: Nekomata is a bijuu in the form of cat, and
possesses the power of death. This Bijuu lives in a place called “Forest of Death” (Not a
mistranslation.) in Hokkaido, to the north. His appearance is a black cat monster (depicted
with huge, black angel wings). He’s the Death God’s pet. Nekomata feeds on dead people’s
spirits, and can summon these to fight for him. He uses a third eye at the top of its head to
consume the spirits.
Situation in the Ancient War of the 9 Gods: Trying to dominate his enemies, Nekomata
forms an alliance with Houkou, and attacks Kyuubi. They have a disastrous defeat, and
Nekomata is rescued by the Death God, escaping death by a hair’s breadth. Battled 3 times;
2 Wins, 1 Loss.
Wins: Kaku, Isonade
Losses: Kyuubi
Fate: Nekomata ends up killed by Kyuubi later, and in that instant his spirit is summoned
by the Death God. The body was kept in a shrine in the Forest of Death, sealed by the
Death God himself.
Japanese Myth Appearance: A species of two tails black cat, with slightly more pointed
ears and bigger canines.
Ability: Death; may control deceased person's spirits (May be related to Gaara) as well as
different dark beasts
Bijuu Strength Ranking: 4th
Bijuu Chakra/Stamina Ranking: 8th
Symbolic Element: Darkness (God of Darkness)
Origin / Discovered in: Hokkaido’s “Forest of Devils” (Different of Forest of Death)
Personal Notes: This better have had a female Jinchuuriki.
More info about Nekomata: it is said it can walk erect. The original Bijuu was a old cat,
depicted as a fat, old lady’s image also.
People knew of it, and in fear of having their cats turned into the monster, they cut its tails
to prevent the transformation when the time came – a bifurcation. By gesturing with its tail
(and walking erect), Nekomata can animate and control the dead to do their bidding, or
even dance for their amusement. Sometimes it eats its owner, then changes into an human
appearance, waiting for a next opportunity. Nekomata eats the person it hates, but if the
person is even more wicked, the crueler the cat becomes. When it sees the person,
Nekomata won’t differ the bad and good anymore, and injures the person as much as it can.
There is also a good Nekomata in the legend, that often turns into a young girl’s appearance
to approach the society; with a very docile nature, likes eating fish, has a beautiful body
and likes depending upon others. Otherwise, the Nekomata’s appearance becomes of a old
woman, that displays bad habits in public and always has an air of dread around her; which
if around people for an extended period can cause disease and pestilence.
Nekomata can also do other magic, but their most well-known and common power is that of
animating the dead and manipulating them to whatever ends the particular nekomata
wishes. A nekomata must be appeased by attention, food, and respect, and while many are
fickle and turn their attention at a moment's notice, they do not tend to forget when they
are insulted and by whom, holding grudges. To gain revenge, these nekomata usually
controlled the tormentors' dead relatives, haunting them until the nekomata was appeased
with food, apologies and attention.
---
三尾 | 磯憮 –
Three Tails (Sanbi),
Isonade
Tale in the Legend of the Tailed Beasts: Isonade is a shark shaped Bijuu with a sharp
horn on the forehead. It lives in the deep waters on the West of Japan, fighting pirates.
Every few months, Isonade will swim to the surface of the sea from the deep waters, to
breath some fresh air. However, when he does this, storms erupt, oceans rage, and all ships
will be swallowed by him as food. Isonade has a subordinate fish called Samehada (?)
(Same name as Kisame's Sword. Depicted differently, but with same pronunciation).
Samehada attaches itself to Isonade’s stomach, and absorbs its food to create huge
amounts of chakra, proceeding to send it back to its body. Samehada’s power can enable
Isonade to get 5 times the quantity of chakra it could originally get. Therefore, when
Isonade battles, he will have unlimited chakra to receive from Samehada.
Situation in the Ancient War of the 9 Gods: Battled 4 times; 2 Wins, 1 Loss, 1 Flee
Wins: Kaku, Shukaku
Losses: Nekomata
Escapes: Yamata no Orochi
Fate: A fisherman and brave warrior from Yokohama, called Takuma Muramasa, sacrifices
himself in behalf of two villages in a courageous act, getting near Isonade and sealing his
personal servant Samehada in the “Tool of Power: Pot of the Shark-named fish” from
seal in the Water Shrine. Isonade then becomes unable to draw the massive chakra, and
ends up getting exausted and sucked by the Tool’s seal in the Water Shrine as well.
Japanese Myth Appearance: A big shark/fish(?) with 3 tails and 3 fins. Has a dark blue
body color, is attracted by blood (like all sharks); has a personal servant, a small fish named
Samehada, as shown above, that is responsible to help Isonade absorb and digest Chakra in
5 times his original capacity.
Ability: Generic water powers, can control the currents of water.
Bijuu Strength Ranking: 6th
Bijuu Chakra/Stamina Ranking: 7th
Symbolic Element: Water (God of Water)
Origin / Discovered in: Four Nanju Country Islands - Yawagawa Sea Area
(*COUGH*Nanju is Kisame's Akatsuki Rank*COUGH*)
Personal notes: Well, if this bijuu doesn’t scream KISAME to you, then this note is indeed
useful. The Samehada connection is frightening (absorbs chakra), but there can be more
about it, explaining WHY Kisame’s chakra reserve is SO big (as being the biggest in
Akatsuki).
KISAME-
---
四尾 | 鼠鮫 -
Four Tails (Yonbi),
Sokou
Tale in the Legend of the Tailed Beasts: Sokou is a bijuu that looks like a reptile. It
was a creature that lived near Mount Fuji. Because of the toxic gas and the volcaninc ash,
he was transformed into a half-rooster, half-snake monster. The Rooster and Snake are
husband and wife in Sokou’s body. Everything around it withers away or dies, because of its
poison. According to the Legend, whenever he hibernates in Mount Fuji, the snoring he
causes will make the volcano erupt.
Situation in the Ancient War of the 9 Gods: Battled 4 times; 3 Losses, 1 Flee
Losses: Shukaku, Kaku, Houkou
Escapes: Raijuu
Fate: Sokou was sealed by a master of demonic arts, called Yamazaki Ishiro, with the
“Tool of power: Netted Moon Cage” to the seal in the Mount Fuji’s base. Sokou becomes
unable to send out his poisonous gas from the mountain for all eternity.
Japanese Myth Appearance: A four-tailed Rooster / Snake mixture. The lower part of the
body is a Snake, while the upper part is a Rooster. Crawls instead of walking (Just like
desert scorpions *COUGH*Hiruko!Sasori*COUGH*). Most of the body parts have an orange
tone. Lives in the mount Fuji.
Ability: Controls poison, poisonous gas, venoms, and so on.
Bijuu Strength Ranking: 9th
Bijuu Chakra/Stamina Ranking: 6th
Symbolic Element: Poison
Origin / Discovered in: Close to Tokyo, Mount Fuji.
Personal notes: Well, it indeed makes you remember of Sasori. Just a little.
More info about Sokou: If you remember, Sokou is the oriental counterpart of the folklore
creature Cockatrice. Sokou doesn’t have wings like it, though.
Sasori-
五尾 | 彭侯 –
Five Tails (Gobi),
Houkou
Tale in the Legend of the Tailed Beasts: Houkou is a bijuu which looks like a five-tailed
dog. Each tail of this creature represents one elemental power: Wind, Water, Earth,
Lightning and Fire. They can cause catastrophic damage when used. Houkou will willingly
destroy the nature to obtain the power he desires from these elements. He was once badly
injured when he and Nekomata challenged Kyuubi. Strangely enough, he is the god of
Illusion. Houkou lives in a giant, ancient tree.
Situation in the Ancient War of the 9 Gods: Battled 4 times; 3 Wins, 1 Loss
Wins: Sokou, Nekomata, Raijuu
Losses: Kyuubi
Fate: After receiving a severe wound, Houkou runs away to one of Japan's islands, and
hides in a place near Kyushu’s Volcano - a giant tree, to heal his wound. But the tree's
concrete position is not known by anyone.
Japanese Myth Appearance: A species of dog, with 5 long tails. Has a white coloured
body. Each of the tails possess one of the five elemental powers, that used simultaneously
can cause a big earthquake.
Ability: Attacking using mixture of elements; Houkou is skilled in each kind of element
ability, and can also create instantaneously each kind of natural disaster.
Bijuu Strength Ranking: 3rd
Bijuu Chakra/Stamina Ranking: 5th
Symbolic Element: Illusion (Being the god of Illusions)
Origin / Discovered in: Near one of Kyushu’s volcanoes (Akase Lava Volcano, probably)
Personal note: reminds me of Kakuzu with all the masks….
Kakuzu-
---
六尾 | 雷獸 –
6 Tails (Rokubi),
Raijuu
Tale in the Legend of the Tailed Beasts: Raijuu, a bijuu in the form of weasel, has four
legs and very sharp claws. Its cry sounds like thunder. It was originally the god of Thunder,
but because of Yamata no Orochi’s power, it was transformed into a beast. Raijuu can
release a huge amount of eletricity for battle assistance.
Situation in the Ancient War of the 9 Gods: Battled 5 times; 2 Wins, 3 Losses
Wins: Shukaku, Sokou
Losses: Houkou, Yamata no Orochi, Kyuubi
Fate: A ninja called Sarutobi (That’s right, but we don’t know if it’s the series’ Sandaime),
in the legend, effectively eliminated Raijuu by using the technique “Kinjutsu: Raikiri”.
(Now the confusion starts. This is supposed to be Kakashi’s move, but the way of writing
may be different from the actual jutsu, and Kishimoto probably changed this legend to fit
the story anyway). What actually happens is that the technique counters the lightning
released by Raijuu by cutting it, making the beast receive its own attack, and become
severely wounded. (Thus the name lightning edge.) He then is sealed by Sarutobi with the
“Tool of Power: Hidden Thunder Prison” into the seal in the Thunder Shrine.
Japanese Myth Appearance: A species of weasel
with golden yellow fur. The whole body’s fur grows
upright. Its six tails take a lightning shape, (unlike
the crappy image I have, but it’s the closest to the
legend) just like the ancient God of Thunder.
Ability: Fire caused by lightning, Lightning
Thunder, Lightning bolts, Lightning elemental
magic arts; Raijuu may also fly about as a ball of
lightning / fire.
Bijuu Strength Ranking: 5th
Bijuu Chakra/Stamina Ranking: 4th
Symbolic Element: Lightning (God of Lightning)
Origin / Discovered in: Underground the Thunder Shrine in a town in Kyoto
Personal notes: If this is right and we go by speculation, then could Kakashi have battled
with the Raijuu jinchuuriki before? Raijuu also resembles the Pokemon Raikou.
More info about Raijuu: Raiju is also depicted as the companion of Raiden, the Shinto god
of lightning. While the demon is generally calm and harmless, during thunderstorms, it
becomes agitated and leaps about in trees, fields, and even buildings (trees that have been
struck by lightning are said to have been scratched by Raiju's claws).
Another of its peculiar behaviors is sleeping in human navels. This prompts Raiden to shoot
arrows at Raiju to wake the creature up, thus harming the person in whose belly the demon
is resting. Superstitious people therefore often sleep on their stomachs during bad weather.
Other legends say that Raiju will only hide in the navels of people who sleep outdoors.
---
七尾 | 貉 –
Shichibi (Seven Tails),
Kaku (Also read MUJINA)
Tale in the Legend of the Tailed Beasts: Kaku is a bijuu in the form of badger. Its Kanji
is also read as Mujina, which is the name the Japanese subspecies of badger (Meles Meles
Anaguma) receives in some parts of Japan. It has seven tails, and is the smallest bijuu out
of the nine; though it is the most cunning and stealthy. Kaku hunts its prey underground
most of the time. It kills by crumbling/destroying the piece of land that is under its target,
making it fall right into his open mouth. Above land, whenever he is around he can
transform into any type of creature, but he is unable to do it if he doesn’t have clay.
Situation in the Ancient War of the 9 Gods: Battled 4 times; 1 Win, 3 Flees
Wins: Sokou
Escapes: Nekomata, Isonade, Yamata no Orochi
Fate: Kaku’s storehouse of clay in a hole is found, and is burned by warriors. Kaku is
unable to transform, and is defeated by the brave warrior Ikkyo Soujin, who proceeds to
seal it with the “Tool of Power: Remnant Earth Altar” into the seal in the Earth Shrine.
Japanese Myth Appearance: Kaku is the smallest Bijuu. It has a blue color, and is good at
using clay camouflage. Kaku is very difficult to bump into.
Ability: Transformation (Henge), Clay, Earth elemental magic arts
Bijuu Strength Ranking: 7th
Bijuu Chakra/Stamina Ranking: 3rd
Symbolic Element: Earth (God of Earth)
Origin / Discovered in: Underground Sacrificial Altar in the Nagoya outskirts
Personal notes: Resembles Deidara pretty well.
More info about Kaku: Mujina (貉) is an old Japanese term for a badger. In Japanese
folklore, these animals were avid shapeshifters, and one of the forms they were purported
to take was that of a faceless ghost. This particular sort of monster is often referred to by
English speakers as a mujina, but the Japanese know them as nopperabou.
Deidara-
八尾 | 八岐大蛇 -
Eight Tails (Hachibi),
Yamata no Orochi (Also known as Hachimata)
Tale in the Legend of the Tailed Beasts: Yamata no Orochi is a Snake bijuu. It has
crimsom red eyes, eight heads and eight tails (also depicted to having trees and vines
growing around them) and has the power of the Demon world, a symbol of evil. Each head
of Yamata no Orochi represents a symbol: Soul, Ghost, Evil, Devil, Monstrous, Kill, The
Afterworld and Death.
Its powers were originally weak, the members of the Kusanagi clan, when attacking it, acted
carelessly, using the legendary sword Kusanagi no Tsurugi (Oro’s sword). Because of that,
as a consequence, Yamata no Orochi takes the sword from them, absorbing the power
contained inside, and becoming an incredibly powerful creature, and finally storing it in its
body.
With the new power, Yamata no Orochi releases an insane amount of dark energy,
awakening the other Bijuu and becoming arrogant. Yamata no Orochi proceeds to defeat
many of the Bijuu, but when it battles with Kyuubi, it is defeated. The cause of this is
simple: Kyuubi has an unlimited amount of power, making even a hole in the Kusanagi
sword. As this happens, it shows how tremendously powerful Kyuubi is, deserving of the
“King of Bijuu” title. Not even Sarutobi and Enma (I’m not sure how those two are into the
legend) could scratch the Kusanagi no Tsurugi. (That makes connections to the Oro x
Sandaime battle)
Legend also depicted it as having a power able to rival Kyuubi’s [in quality], but the fact is,
Yamata no Orochi’s does have a limit.
Situation in the Ancient War of the 9 Gods: Battled 5 times; 4 Wins, 1 Losses
Wins: Shukaku, Isonade, Kaku, Raijuu
Losses: Kyuubi
Fate: Yamata no Orochi awaits a genius of the Yagami (NOT the Kanji of Yagami from
Death Note, but Yagami as in Eight Gods: 八神) clan, which is the arch enemy of the
Kusanagi clan. The purpose is to awake it [Yamata no Orochi], in order to fight Kyuubi
again.
Since Yamata no Orochi’s power inherits in the Yagami Clan, If the heir appears as the first
genius in 1000 years that is able to awake Yamata no Orochi’s ability, it will be completely
restored. Once the process is done, the genius with such crucial task will be destroyed due
to the true body of Yamata no Orochi resurfacing, which
has an all-new power. It won’t be found before the decisive
battle with Kyuubi, and will be able to kill no matter of
thing, destroy any type of place, and attain infinite vision
(as Kyuubi has). The core of Yamata no Orochi’s power is
in a kind of forbidden sealing jutsu. As soon as the Yagami
clan heir comprehends enough of it, a bigger, much
stronger power will surface in the grasp of Yamata no
Orochi.
Japanese Myth Appearance: A super Snake of Eight
heads and Eight tails, attached to a single body. Has a
deep brown color. It definitely is the biggest bijuu - the
lenghth of it is over eight mountains. Originally, it was
weaker than Houkou and Nekomata; however, that was
1000 years before a brave warrior tried defeating it with
the Kusanagi no Tsurugi. In the process, the sword’s power
is absorbed instead by Yamata no Orochi, thus greatly
expanding his power. He continues though to be able to
use freely the sword in his belly.
Ability: The legendary sword: Kusanagi no Tsurugi;
summoning of evil spirits
Bijuu Strength Ranking: 2nd
Bijuu Chakra/Stamina Ranking: 2nd
Symbolic Element: Devil
Origin / Discovered in: An old battlefield in Osaka
Personal notes: Now, everyone knows this one resembles Orochimaru, but what I like is
the “Yagami genius” legend, which OF COURSE screams Sasuke.
More info about Yamata no Orochi:
There is the story of the killing of the Eight-Headed Serpent by Susanoo. According to the
legend, a local town had been living in fear of the Serpent, and the townspeople offered the
sacrifice of a young girl each year to keep it appeased. Lord Susano heard about the town's
dilemma, and became determined to slay the beast. He exterminated the serpent by serving
it alcohol, and then cutting off its heads while it was intoxicated. Between the Kagura
performances, this one is the most famous.
九尾 | 九尾の妖狐 –
Nine Tails (Kyuubi),
Kyuubi no Youko
FAQ:
A.Q.T.W.S.B.A (Annoying Questions That Will Surely Be Asked)
Q. What is Bijuu?
A.Bijuu (尾獣) or tailed beasts, are nine beasts that have each a different number of tails,
and are named based on this number from Ichibi to Kyuubi. The Bijuu have an unimaginable
amount of chakra. They are scattered around the world of Naruto.
Q. What’s Jinchuuriki?
A. Jinchuuriki (人柱力) is a person within whom a Bijuu has been sealed at birth. Generally
he/she grows up to exhibit extraordinary powers. Chiyo sealed Shukaku in Sabaku no Gaara
by the Yondaime Kazekage’s orders, and Yondaime Hokage sealed Kyuubi no Youko in
Uzumaki Naruto in order to save the village.
Q. Is this all true?
A. The legend of the Tailed beast was a trustful transcript from a famous mythology
collection that has been running in many Japanese / Chinese websites. Through reading it
we’ve spotted definite connections (I.E. Isonade, Oro, etc.) that indeed make it a trustful
source.
Q. How can I contribute?
A. Anything from a trustful source you cannot encounter here, or maybe pointing a
translation error, submitting more images, etc. Also, reading it all before trying to post
comething convincing.
Q. Who are the other Jinchuuriki?
A. As of now it is not known. It is believed they’ll be revealed later in the series (how about,
next chapter?)
Q. What about Tengu and other creatures? I heard Lee is its Jinchuuriki...
A. Tengu is not a tailed beast, but just a Youkai; that indeed resembles some of Lee’s
characteristics. Therefore Lee is not a Jinchuuriki. You could say Kishimoto inpired the
character on it.
Q. I’ve seen this tailed beast in a certain game, blah blah
A. Well, getting info from game sources may not be very safe, as the developers may
change it to fit the game’s purposes and such.