Shojoji

, renowned as , is a missing-nin and the crime boss of the Mujina Bandits.
== Background ==
At some point, Shojoji became a missing-nin, formed the Mujina Bandits and was listed toward the top of Konoha's Bingo Book though his identity remained largely unknown thanks to his kinjutsu. Sometime in the anime, he had infiltrated a secret facility in Amegakure with the intention of robbing it, only to have encountered members of Kara in the basement. After listening to them discussing the Kāma seals, Shojoji fled the scene on the instinct the group were trouble.
In the anime, a group of shinobi pursuing the Mujina Bandits had Shojoji and his second-in-command Tsukiyo cornered. Determined to keep his gang's reputation intact even while captured, Shojoji consumed Tsukiyo; using the former's form to hide his true identity. He was then locked up in Hōzuki Castle.
== Personality ==
Shojoji is a callous, indifferent and selfish man. He is also very remorseless, killing anyone he finds too troublesome to keep around, and even sacrificing his second-in-command simply to prevent his reputation as the leader from being tarnished by having his capture publicised. He also has a very high opinion of himself, viewing himself as the same calibre as Orochimaru of the Sannin and likewise feels insulted that he was not to be made into a card for the Extreme: Shinobi Picture Scrolls.Boruto chapter 13 Even while locked up in solitary confinement, he retained his composure and revealed himself a schemer, plotting goals through his connections. However, Shojoji's arrogance wasn't completely untouchable, as, despite retaining his arrogance while being interrogated by Ibiki Morino and Sai Yamanaka, Shojoji quickly dropped his arrogance and became frightened and began deliberately answering their questions upon merely watching Sasuke Uchiha enter the room. 
A very sadistic man, he openly declares his joy of eating people to the point of even considering himself beyond normal humanity; his cannibalistic tendencies evident that he even expressed his desire to add condiments to Boruto's brain before consuming it. In the anime, Shojoji's sadism extends to sowing worldwide chaos and destruction, as he planned to infiltrate and disguise all the way up to the daimyō, Ikkyū Madoka, in order to eventually create a lawless world where people would be free to commit heinous crimes. Fitting with his demeanour, Shojoji is very lazy. Rather than training to improve himself, he relied almost exclusively on the few techniques he has to act as a shortcut, such as stealing a person's memories and skills or simply deflecting all his enemies' attacks. 
He even puts little effort in assembling his followers, due to the fact of him not taking into account their actual efficiency in combat. He is also very boastful and long-winded. Despite this, however, he has shown to be quite intelligent, seeing through deceptions like false personas, and cunning enough to trick a desperate Benga into releasing him from Fire Release: Heavenly Prison.Boruto episode 146 He has also shown to be a well-researched man as he knew about Boruto Uzumaki's skills.Boruto chapter 14 Additionally, he has shown great survival instincts, quickly realising that Kara was too dangerous for him to face and fleeing before they could become aware of him.
== Appearance ==
Shojoji is a very large man both with regards to his height and girth. He has a green-coloured fauxhawk slicked back with what appears to be a shaved design on either side of his temples. He sports a "friendly" muttonchop facial hairstyle where his sideburns connect to his moustache and the absence of a beard except for a slight stubble. When first seen — albeit only partially — he wears a dark-coloured outfit and appeared to have an irezumi on his left shoulder and back. In his début, he wore the same clothes as his victim Yamaoka though because of their vast difference in size, Shojoji's considerable stomach area bulged from the shirt and he left both the vest and a few buttons as the top of the shirt open. He also wore a chain around his large neck.
== Abilities ==
Shojoji is a very powerful shinobi, being one of the top names in Konoha's Bingo Book, as well as giving jōnin a hard time in combat.Boruto episode 172
=== Physical Prowess ===
Despite his large size, he is noticeably fast, as he is able to intercept Tentō's attempted suicide, and is even able to catch Boruto off guard. He is also proficient in taijutsu, as shown by him being able to defeat all of Boruto's clones. He showed noticeable reflexes, on account of his ability to react to sneak attacks even while blinded from a smokescreen. He is proven to be a skilled actor, as he remained undetected for the duration of posing as Yamaoka.Boruto chapter 12
=== Ninjutsu ===
Shojoji gained his epithet from his ability to transform into his victims with his Corpse Clone Technique. He has further shown to be capable of using Wind Release to create a reflective barrier to repel physical attacks, and a wind sword to attack with. By his own admission, he did not require mastering many techniques, instead relying on the very few he has to succeed.
In the anime, seemingly after consuming Tsukiyo, he displayed skill with Lightning Release, able to launch bolts from his fingertips, which can instantly kill a target and shatter rocks. He could also produce tendrils of lighting to strike from a distance. This lightning is similar in appearance to Kumogakure's Black Lightning, but with a pink glow instead. He also could used a variety of shadow-manipulation technique similar to the Nara Clan, including producing tendrils, swords, and even clones of the enemies with their same abilities. He's also capable of using one-handed seals.
== New Era ==
=== Mujina Bandits Arc ===
In the anime, while in prison, he found by chance Kokuri, a deserter of the Mujina Bandits. Recognising "Tsukiyo", Kokuri desperately punched himself and blamed it on Shojoji, getting him sent to solitary confinement. Despite being confined, Shojoji had connections in the prison, sending an ally to kill Kokuri to make sure the deserter would reveal none of the Mujina Bandits' secrets.
Later, after the first attempt to kill Kokuri failed, he contacted the chief guard Benga, taking advantage of the man's greedy nature and bribed him to have Kokuri placed in cell of low security to ensure the traitor's demise. Later, Sarada Uchiha approached the man, pretending to be a reporter writing a story on the Mujina Bandits, but Shojoji saw through her act and asked why she was pretending to be a reporter.
Shojoji later suggested for Benga to Kokuri transferred to the Hōzuki Castle #2, where several members of the Mujina Bandits could easily act to kill Kokuri. Originally, Benga said he didn't have the authority, but later, when Mujō, the warden, fell ill, it gave Benga full control of the prison, happily agreeing to transfer Kokuri in exchange for Shojoji's promise of given Benga all of Kokuri's stolen money. When Benga tried to claim his reward for getting rid of Kokuri, Shojoji saw through his lie, realising that Kokuri escaped. He manipulated Benga into releasing him and undoing his Heavenly Prison, on the grounds that he would deal with the breakout attempts and fugitives that threatened Benga's position. He quickly killed Benga, and proceeded to attack Kokuri and the Konoha genin.
Using his array of shadow-manipulation techniques, he was able to pressure the children quickly. With the help of Kokuri, they were able to see through the weakness of his technique and overpower him. Despite this defeat, he was able to snatch Kokuri, and once unseen underwater, he used his Corpse Clone Technique to devour Kokuri and assume his form. Lying to the genin that "Tsukiyo" drowned, Shojoji was able to escape prison a free man. To better hide his true identity, Shojoji was forced to reveal all he knew in collaboration with the secret notes Kokuri took of the Mujina Bandits. Once done, Shojoji returned to his base to resume his role as leader.
Several months later, Shojoji tasked a three-man platoon from his missing-nin faction to break into Konohagakure's bank and retrieve an unknown item. During which, the Fire Daimyō Ikkyū Madoka came to the village to discuss matters with the Hokage. He came with his son Tentō. This inspired Shojoji for a new plan. While the Daimyō's son was bonding with Boruto and learning to throw a shuriken, Shojoji consumed Yamaoka, Tentō's butler, and assumed the man's identity. After doing so, he spoke with another member of the Mujina Bandits stating that there was no way that the Daimyō will refuse his demands once they initiated their plan. Upon capturing Tentō, they sent the daimyō their demands of 500 million ryō and the release of all prisoners in the Hōzuki Castle. While waiting for the daimyō to respond, Shojoji decided to pass the time mocking Tentō. As the boy attempted to thwart Shojoji's plans by committing suicide, Shojoji quickly stopped him, deciding to use his Corpse Clone Technique on him. As he prepared to consume Tentō, he is stopped by Boruto Uzumaki, who Shojoji recognises as the Seventh Hokage's son.
Shojoji sent his men to deal with Boruto, who swiftly defeated them all. In the anime, Shojoji mockingly revealed to Boruto that he was Tsukiyo in disguise and was able to escape the prison by using his Corpse Clone Technique on Kokuri. Tentō warned Boruto about Shojoji's Corpse Clone Technique, which Shojoji used the distraction to attack. As Boruto managed to evade being devoured, he countered with shuriken. Shojoji easily repelled it with his Wind Release: Shield of the Wind Count. As he continued to repel Boruto's attacks, Shojoji gloated about how invincible his techniques made him. Boruto attempted to catch him off guard with a smoke bomb. Shojoji however anticipated Boruto's attack with shadow clones. As he dispelled the clones and subdued the genin, Shojoji began proclaiming how he would eat Boruto. Suddenly, he found a shuriken lodged in his back. As he turned expecting to find another shadow clone, he was shocked to see it was actually Tentō who threw it. Enraged at his captive attacking him, Shojoji forgot about Boruto, thus allowing him to land a hit on Shojoji with his Rasengan.
An enraged Shojoji survives the hit vows to devour Boruto. As Boruto prepares another Rasengan, the mark on his right palm suddenly reacts violently, spreading down his wrist and leaving him paralysed with pain. At the sight of the mark, Shojoji is terrified, wondering if Boruto was part of a certain organisation. As Boruto made it clear that he was clueless to such a group, Shojoji prepared to attack again, only to be apprehended by Mitsuki and knocked out by Sarada. He's later interrogated by Ibiki and Sai. While arrogant and demanding compensation at first, the sudden arrival of Sasuke leaves him very compliant to answering their questions. Sasuke asks him what he knows about Boruto's mark. Shojoji insists that he knows very little because he retreated from his theft of the group after what he determined of them. He said that they were called "Kara" and they had marks like Boruto's and had vague similarities to Orochimaru's Juinjutsu. In the anime, Sasuke was able to probe Shojoji's mind and learned that Kara's last known location was hidden in Amegakure.
=== Kara Actuation Arc ===
In the anime, to test Boruto's growth to defeat Deepa, Kakashi Hatake had Ibiki arrange for Shojoji to be brought to the Konoha Military Police Force facility as a sparing opponent for the genin, due to Shojoji's similar nature and powerful defence jutsu. He agreed on the condition of having his sentence reduced, but the condition was only agreed upon if Shojoji defeated Boruto. Shojoji was excited at the idea of getting revenge on him. Boruto on the other hand remained confident he could win after his recent progress.
Boruto was able to keep up with Shojoji, but his wind counters were able to repel even Boruto's Wind Release: Rasengan. He taunted Boruto over his inability to overcome that defence, but he was able to defeat it with his Compression Rasengan. Kakashi observed that were it not for his wind counter defusing some of the impact, Boruto's jutsu would've killed Shojoji.
== Trivia ==
* Like his gang the Mujina Bandits, and fellow villain Tanuki Shigaraki, Shojoji's name is a reference to shapeshifting yokai from Japanese folklore: Shojoji temple is the setting for a famous folktale in which a tanuki tricks a group of monks by transforming into a teakettle, and is also the subject of a popular children's song, .
== References ==
de:Shojoji
ru:Шоджёджи
pl:Shojoji