Kimimaro

**Kimimaro** (君麻呂) is the sole survivor of the Kaguya clan. Upon dedicating his life to Orochimaru, he became the leader of the formerly-named **Sound Five** (音隠れの忍五人衆, *Otogakure no Shinobi Gonin Shū*, *literally meaning:* Hidden Sound Shinobi Five People), until he fell ill, which forced him to leave the group.

## Background

Being a rare possessor of his clan's Shikotsumyaku kekkei genkai, the clan patriarch feared Kimimaro's abilities and had him locked up in a cage unless needed for battle. The Kaguya clan was wiped out when they attacked Kirigakure, seemingly for no reason other than the desire to kill and show off their ferocity. Having underestimated their opponents' defences, they were slaughtered, with Kimimaro the sole survivor. Wandering soon after, Kimimaro was eventually found by Orochimaru, and recruited as one of his most loyal ninja. In the anime, Kimimaro met Haku and Zabuza upon their departure from the Land of Water. Haku appeared to sympathise with Kimimaro for his loneliness and lack of purpose by looking into eyes. However, he was forced to keep moving by Zabuza, and left Kimimaro to be.

Under Orochimaru, Kimimaro found purpose in his life as he desired to ensure the continuation of his master's dreams and ambitions. Though Orochimaru took him under his wing to be one of his future hosts, Kimimaro did not mind such a fate if it meant being of aid to his master. Soon after, Kimimaro met Jūgo, a berserker whom Kimimaro felt a kindred spirit with. Kimimaro's friendship with Jūgo led to the events that resulted with him being branded by the cursed seal that Orochimaru developed from his research on Jūgo, whom Kimimaro talked into being experimented on in hopes that it would help him. With his new-found powers, Kimimaro defeated all four members of the Sound Four single-handed to be inducted into the renamed Sound Five. However, Kimimaro became afflicted by an unknown disease that destroyed what remaining worth he was to Orochimaru. Kabuto Yakushi attempted to cure Kimimaro, but to no avail due to Kimimaro's unique structure and lack of medical information on his clan. Kimimaro was left bedridden to extend his wavering lifespan, unable to participate in the Konoha Crush, which Kabuto claimed to be the factor that led to their defeat and retreat.

In the anime, it was shown that Kimimaro acted as a herald to shinobi clans in the Land of Sound in order for them to swear loyalty to Orochimaru, such as the Fūma clan. After infiltrating Konoha during the Chūnin Exams, the Sound Five killed three Kusagakure genin, so that Orochimaru could impersonate Shiore. At this point, he gave a bloody cough, but decided to ignore it. However, while participating in the assassination of the Fourth Kazekage and his bodyguards so that Orochimaru and the Sound Four could impersonate them, Kimimaro's disease fully manifests. He is sent back to Otogakure to be placed by Kabuto in intense medical care to keep him alive for as long as possible. Hearing that his failing health has caused him to be of no use to Orochimaru, Kimimaro began silently crying for losing his purpose.

## Personality

Unlike the rest of his clan, Kimimaro didn't have a particular interest in fighting or killing and saw his abilities only as a means to be of use to others. He was a calm and quiet individual who would dedicate himself to whatever mission was at hand. As a child, he was more gentle despite his natural talent for combat and unique abilities which made him the strongest of his clan, as seen from him not wanting to hurt others he had no involvement with, and his interest in flowers. His gentleness is also reinforced by how empathetic and kind he was to Jūgo, being one of the few people able to keep Jūgo from losing control over himself.

After meeting Orochimaru, Kimimaro developed a strong devotion towards him, bordering on religious zeal or considering him a father figure (the manga suggesting the former, and the anime suggesting the latter), seeing Orochimaru's apparent kindness as a reason from him to exist under the notion that serving Orochimaru in any way is the only purpose he has. Though Kimimaro's relationship with Orochimaru was similar to Haku's relationship with Zabuza, the only difference was that Orochimaru ultimately lost interest in him when he became of no use to him. Regardless, finding a new way to assert his existence, Kimimaro's dedication to Orochimaru was so great that he both willed his body to fight and proved to be an extremely dangerous opponent for the likes of Naruto Uzumaki, Rock Lee and Gaara. Gaara compared the eyes of Kimimaro to those of Sasuke Uchiha's, the eyes of those who only sought to prove their own existence, nothing more. Even after being reincarnated by Kabuto, Kimimaro retained his loyalty to Orochimaru and intended to carry out Kabuto's orders. Gaara commented on Kimimaro to be hasty, and he had an extreme distaste for weak opponents, or "trash" ninja as he put it. As a result, he would kill any he considered "trash" ninja, regardless if they were friend or foe as was with the case of Tayuya for her group's failure to deliver Sasuke in time.

Despite his verbal disrespect of his opponents and over underestimating of their abilities, Kimimaro differs from his four colleagues in three ways: the first having a sense of honour in battle, as demonstrated when he halts to allow Lee time to take his medicine (though unaware it was actually alcohol that would strengthen Lee's combat abilities). Second was he does not have any faults that would hamper any progress, and even found how his team being so late to be intolerable, something Orochimaru took confidence in. Third was that he rarely showed any emotion other than surprise, except in moments relating to his ideals as seen when Gaara's insulting of his faith in Orochimaru caused him to become enraged before his death or when he sadly discovered his usefulness to Orochimaru has become lost forever. After his death. he was resurrected