Any Naruto fan will certainly agree that the story in this series is very broad, complex, and rich with references to several myths/folklore. With over 26 seasons, 720 episodes, and countless characters, Naruto's journey is so long that not even a scroll of Konoha would be enough to cover the entire story. The same goes with the various kinds of supporting characters with their respective fascinating backstories.

Most of these supporting characters can be traced back to stories that date back several hundred years even before the anime first aired in 1999. Masashi Kishimoto drew inspiration from various sources when writing the Naruto storyline, including from Japanese folklore and various yokai. These inspirations eventually lead to the creations of the characters in Naruto. On this occasion, Dunia Games would like to give you a list of characters in Naruto that are inspired by Japanese folklore. Without further ado, let's get into it.

1. Kaguya Otsutsuki

Kaguya Otsutsuki descended to earth to harvest the chakra fruit from a divine tree for her family from another world. Kaguya appears in a bamboo forest, and instead consumed the chakra fruit and eventually became the ancestor of shinobi. Kaguya's story shares some similarities with the legend of a bamboo cutter from the Heian period. Found as a baby inside a glowing bamboo stalk, princess Kaguya is raised by a gentle bamboo cutter and grows into a beautiful girl. After growing up with the affection of the Emperor of Japan, Kaguya reveals her origins and returns to life on the moon.

2. Hiruzen

Hiruzen Sarutobi or old man Hiruzen, is the third Hokage of Konoha. He was considered to be on-par with the first Hokage, earning him the title "God of Shinobi". This character is actually based on Sarutobi Sasuke, a ninja from the Kodan era. He's also known as one of the Sanada Ten Braves, and Sarutobi Sasuke was known for his strength and monkey-like abilities and is described as a superhero-esque ninja with his unrivaled powers.

3. Minato and Kushina

Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki found each other and became a shinobi couple who fought together during the war. After saving Kushina from an enemy, Minato spent the rest of his life together with her by tying the knot. Despite their tragic ending, their encounter is actually based on the Japanese legend/myth about love and marriage. The myth basically says that each person's little finger is tied with an invisible red thread that guides them to the person they are supposed to end up with. The same goes with these characters, Kushina's red hair helped Minato to always find her in the crowd.

Read Also:

• 5 Things That Don't Make Sense about Team 7 in Naruto

• 5 Drastic and Striking Changes in Konoha from the Naruto Era to the Boruto Era

• 5 Reasons Why Naruto and Sasuke are Equal in the Boruto Series

4. Legend of the Sannin

The legendary Sannin were a trio of Konoha ninjas who survived Hanzo's attack during the Second Shinobi War. They were known as the strongest shinobi of their time, which earned each of them a special name: Tsunade's slug Katsuyu, Orochimaru's snake Manda, and Jiraiya's frog Gamabunta. These characters are actually based on the legend "The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya". In the original story, Jiraiya and Tsunade are trained to defeat Orochimaru following the destruction of their clan. Using toad and slug magic, they defeat Orochimaru by exorcising the snake spirit within him. The Orochimaru in the legend is pardoned at the end of the story with Tsunade and Jiraiya eventually getting married.

5. Fujin and Raijin

The legendary Stupid Brothers were criminal shinobi brothers who were locked up in the Konoha Penitentiary after they brutally murdered their comrades. They were fooled by Mizuki into rampaging through Konoha and their foolishness is equal to their sheer strength. Their names derived from the two Japanese deities for wind and thunder. In Naruto, they were fearsome troublemakers.

6. Kakuzu

Kakuzu was an S-rank shinobi from Takigakure. Failed in assassinating the first Hokage, Kakuzu joined Akatsuki and was partnered with Hidan. Kakuzu's looks in the anime is actually taken from the Japanese folklore, namely Kuchisake-onna, or the slit-mouthed woman, a creature with straight black hair and malicious intentions. This creature was armed with sharp scissors, she would close in on passersby and ask if they found her beautiful, if they answered no, she would cut the person into ribbons after showing her disfigured face.

So, those were some Naruto characters that are based on Japanese folklore and legends. Stick around for more anime and gaming info, and make sure to follow Dunia Games on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates. You can also buy vouchers for various games, such as Mobile Legends, Free Fire, and Call of Duty Mobile, at lower prices by making your top-ups at Dunia Games! Also, don’t forget to download Dunia Games APK!

Read Also >> These are 5 Moments When Naruto Get Valuable Lessons From His Enemy