Maki

Maki ( マキ ) is a kunoichi from Sunagakure .

## Background [ ]

Maki was the student of Pakura and would regularly train with her. During one such training session where the two sparred, Pakura observed that Maki was improving greatly and that she should retain her resolve for revenge on Kirigakure for killing her father as it would make her stronger. When Pakura was killed in battle, Maki was deeply affected by this and even while the village plotted to get their revenge on Iwagakure for killing her, she mourned the loss of her sensei at her grave.

## Personality [ ]

Maki is a calm and level-headed kunoichi. She is also very determined and driven seen during her training where she wanted Pakura to train her despite the latter just coming off a mission and then wanting to retry an attack after it had failed to capture her sensei. She also holds her master in very high regards as she opted to stop her during the Fourth Shinobi World War rather than see her besmirch the legacy which she had left behind. Maki held a deep grudge against Kirigakure for the death of her father, but since the formation of the Allied Shinobi Forces, this mind-set had changed and she has even noted that this war will more than likely usher in a new era for the relations between the villages.

## Appearance [ ]

Maki has bright blue eyes (grey in the anime) and shoulder length dark hair. Her most notable feature are the red markings on her face (purple in anime). She wears the standard attire of a Sunagakure ninja including the turban. She also carries a huge roll of cloth to use in her techniques with her. As a child, her hair was much shorter and she wore a yellow blouse with a red shirt underneath that exposed her navel, a black skirt, thigh-length fishnet stockings and sandals. During the Fourth Shinobi World War , she sports the Allied Shinobi Forces ' forehead protector.

## Abilities [ ]

Maki is an elite Suna kunoichi. She has the ability to manipulate cloth using her Cloth Binding Technique , which she can use to completely immobilise an opponent. To make sure that her opponents won't get away, she can add seals on the cloth that will prevent them from being summoned by others, as long as the seals remain intact.

In the anime, Maki has displayed other ways to use her cloth, using it as a mean to conceal her escape. If the cloth is humidified, it can also be used both offensively and defensively against heat-based attacks . She has also shown that she can use the cloth to defend herself and allies, by wrapping it around the area. As a child she was shown to have a knack for diversion attacks, using a scroll that first summoned a smokescreen and then a few seconds later a weighted net to capture the target.

## Part II [ ]

### Kazekage Rescue Mission [ ]

Maki is one of the Suna shinobi that were selected to assist Team Kakashi and Chiyo in their mission to rescue the Kazekage, after Team Kakashi had already left. She and other Suna shinobi made their way towards the Land of Rivers .

In the anime, Maki is one of the Suna shinobi that, along with Temari , would accompany Team Kakashi during their mission to the Akatsuki hideout at the Land of Rivers, but were ordered to do border patrol, in case of an enemy attack during the absence of the Kazekage . Chiyo accompanied Team Kakashi instead.

### Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation [ ]

Maki is incorporated as a main part of Kakashi Hatake 's plan to stop the reincarnated shinobi starting with Zabuza in order to lift the mist shrouding the battlefield. Because of Haku 's interference, Zabuza managed to injure Kakashi, concerning Maki, though Kakashi made her stay alert for his signal. After Ensui paralyses Haku and Zabuza through Kakashi's shadow, Kakashi gives Maki the signal. She then uses her Cloth Binding Technique to completely immobilise Zabuza and Haku even as they regenerate. As an added precaution, she places seals on top of the bound bodies, to prevent them from being re-summoned.

In the anime, as dawn broke on the war's second day, Maki encountered Pakura and learned the full story of her mentor's death. Though attempts to reason with her fail, Maki's progress convinces Pakura to hold Gari off long enough for the group to run before Kabuto Yakushi removed her consciousness. As the group successfully retreat to the forest, Maki goes off on her own to pray. Later, she was among the many shinobi fighting against Fuguki , Pakura, Gari, and Mangetsu .

### Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax [ ]

Continuing to battle her mentor, Maki and her allies witnessed Pakura's soul ascending. Before her ascension back to the afterlife , Pakura told Maki to not die in vain.

## Trivia [ ]

- "Maki" ( 巻 ) means "a roll of cloth", which may be a reference to her Cloth Binding Technique .
- In chapter 523 , Maki's name is also written as Aki ( アキ , Aki ).
- In the anime, Maki is given drastically different colours, despite first appearing in a coloured image. Her facial markings were changed from purple to red in episode 218 of Naruto: Shippūden .

## Quotes [ ]

- (To Pakura ) " You cannot erase the past, but you can help create the future! "

## References [ ]