Ikada Funato

**Ikada Funato** (舟戸イカダ, *Funato Ikada*) is a boy from the Land of Water that was born into the Funato clan, and an apprentice to the shipwright Kajiki.

## Background

Ikada was born in the northern seas of the Land of Water, the youngest son of Funato clan head, Araumi. During a battle against Kirigakure, his mother Minamo was struck down and frozen in ice while protecting him. He was a newborn at the time, and as such has no memories of her. From a young age, he was often mocked by his older brothers for not having any aptitude for battle or wielding the Funato power. Eventually, he was brought before the shores for a special ceremony like all Funato blood to determine his inherited power. Against his wishes, he was hurled into the ocean as raging storm took place. His Funato abilities manifested, causing a massive wave that saved him from drowning.

Eventually, he didn't feel at home as a pirate and developed a passion for boats. When his father was captured, Ikada decided to leave the clan behind to pursue his dream, which his family did not take well aside from his older sister, Seiren, who had helped him. The two siblings would keep in contact. After failing to keep a steady job, Ikada was taken in as Kajiki's apprentice in shipbuilding.

## Personality

While born into the Funato clan, Ikada never had the desire for combat or pillaging. He cares about his family, but openly believes he has no place amongst them and their pirating lifestyle. Lacking gills like the rest of his family, he believed himself to be a failure. By nature, Ikada is a very passionate boy, looking up to his teacher Kajiki and eager to become a great shipbuilder himself. His dream is to make his own huge ship to sail around the world. He believes like his master that ships are a way to help lands connect together. Ikada is very insecure about the unique condition of his hands, preferring to keep it a secret from others in fear of being ostracised for them.

Ultimately, despite their differences, Ikada is still loyal to his clan at heart. Between his family's constant scolding of his indecisiveness and the passing of his beloved sister, Ikada abandoned his life dream as a shipbuilder, desiring revenge. From there, Ikada became driven to crush all who opposed him, willing to take charge of the Funato alongside his father. He expressed his newfound hatred for the Land of Water for taking Seiren from him, and his regret of avoiding battles. He also became more ruthless and arrogant, openly announcing destruction, willing to endanger and abandon clan members for the sake of military advantage, and declaring that anyone unable to keep up with them is unworthy of the name Funato. Despite this willingness to risk his clan members' safety, he still cared deeply for them as their deaths are what drove him into his path to vengeance. So driven by his newfound loyalty to the clan and hatred of Kirigakure, he destroyed one of Kaijiki's ships, both as a rejection of his former dream and as a show a strength. He claimed that his dream was no more than an excuse for his perceived weakness, an escape route from his inferiority to the rest of his family, and that was what awoke his true powers that permitted him to return to his clan as a proud member.

This new attitude however ultimately was driven more by hatred than genuine belief, as pointed out by Boruto. Seeing Boruto and his team willing to make such a self-sacrifice for the sake of peace resonated with Ikada, finally letting go of his hatred, and desiring to end the war. Admitting to his own mistakes, Ikada was willing to accept whatever punishment was decided upon him. In the end, he still proved to desire to be a shipbuilder, overjoyed when he was given another chance at it.