Ishikawa

Ishikawa ( イシカワ ) was the First Tsuchikage ( 初代土影 , Shodai Tsuchikage , literally meaning: First or Founding Earth Shadow) who founded Iwagakure in the Land of Earth . In the anime, he was stated to be a member of the Kamizuru Clan .

## Background [ ]

At the first meeting of the five Kage , Ishikawa, accompanied by Mū , sat alongside the others, where he noted that he had come in good faith to endorse the meeting of the five Kage, but noted that he would not sign so easily to agreement. True to his words, he expressed outrage when the First Kazekage made a demand that instead of receiving a tailed beast , as the sand priests had already sealed away one , they requested 30% of whatever they would pay for a tailed beast from Konoha . As infighting broke out and Hashirama Senju made his plea to them to preserve the future of their children and unite, he looked on intently.

In the anime, Ishikawa had a collection of sacred scrolls that contained secret techniques of his bug-tamer arts which at some point of time he hid, even from his own clan .

At some point during his tenure, Ishikawa tasked his grandson Ōnoki with cleaning the Stone Monument of their village, under his direct supervision. During the exercise, he explained that the stone was a symbol of the tough, unmovable will of the shinobi of Iwagakure — something that he regarded as " essential ". Although describing Ōnoki as possessing such a will, he warned how forsaking it would result in a life filled only with excuses and hatred.

## Personality [ ]

Ishikawa seemed to be a composed individual, with wisdom and experience befitting of his age. By his own admission, he was able to discern the value of a stone and a person's will alike by merely looking at them. Ishikawa was also known for his love of puns, as a consequence of this, he had a tendency to make reference to stones and their properties while speaking, aptly demonstrated during his advice to Ōnoki about discovering his innate strong will. This tendency, however, would lead to his own grandson to detest the use of puns.

## Appearance [ ]

During old age, Ishikawa had grown a bristling moustache and long beard, both of which had dark alternating highlights running through his grey hair. He also had a tendency to squint, or otherwise only opening just one of his eyes when necessary. He wore the traditional Kage attire — consisting of the customary hat and cloak — over a dark, loose-fitting, full-length gown that was tied using a lighter sash around his waist.

At the first meeting of the five Kage, he wore a dark-coloured kimono with light-coloured trimmings, while his long hair hung loosely around his face.

## Abilities [ ]

Though his capabilities remain largely unknown, overall, as the founding Tsuchikage, Ishikawa was undoubtedly a powerful shinobi. He was able to use Earth Release to make his body light enough to fly.

In the anime, it was alluded that he used bee-based ninjutsu as part of his fighting style .

## Part II [ ]

### Kaguya Ōtsutsuki Strikes [ ]

Main article: Kaguya Ōtsutsuki Strikes

Subsequent to Kaguya Ōtsutsuki being sealed by Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha , Ishikawa and the other deceased Kage were summoned from the Pure Land by Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki to aid him and the Hokage in summoning Team 7 , the tailed beasts and Madara Uchiha from Kaguya's dimension . After Hagoromo congratulated Naruto and the rest of Team 7 he mentioned how much the shinobi world had undergone, before his and the other Kage's souls were returned to the Pure Land.

## Legacy [ ]

Many years after his reign, Ishikawa's family would produce two more Tsuchikage, his grandson Ōnoki becoming the Third, and his great-great granddaughter Kurotsuchi becoming the Fourth. In the anime, some time after his passing, Ishikawa's clan fell into disgrace, leading some of his direct descendants to attempt to find his secret scroll of forbidden techniques in hopes of restoring their former glory.

## Trivia [ ]

- "Ishikawa" ( 石川 ) literally means "stone river".
- His name may have also been taken from one of the prefectures in Japan .
- Alternatively, his name could originate from the legendary sixteenth-century ninja Ishikawa Goemon ( 石川五右衛門 ).
- When Ishikawa's spirit was summoned by Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki , he appeared as his younger self as seen during the first Kage Summit, despite having an older appearance during Ōnoki's childhood.

## Quotes [ ]

- (To Ōnoki ) " If you forsake your will while hitting a wall… you will begin to make excuses and obtain hatred in exchange of your determination. Listen now… you have to step forward without abandoning your will! "

## References [ ]