August 27, 2024
Naruto | Anbu Black Ops | Lore, Strongest Members & More!
Who are the Anbu Black Ops in the Naruto anime series? Learn more about Konohagakure's secret organization and its skilled shinobi.
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The Anbu Black Ops, known simply as Anbu, is an elite and covert task force in the world of Naruto. Operating in the shadows of Konohagakure, these masked ninjas are handpicked for their exceptional skills and unwavering loyalty. The Anbu handle top-secret missions, including assassination, espionage, and protecting the village from unseen threats.
With members like Kakashi Hatake and Yamato, whose pasts are full of mystery and struggle, the Anbu's presence adds a layer of intrigue and complexity to the series. Their signature animal masks and swift, silent movements make them an iconic part of the Naruto universe. Whether it's taking down rogue shinobi or safeguarding the village's secrets, the Anbu Black Ops play a crucial role in maintaining the balance and security of the Hidden Leaf Village.
What is the Purpose of the Anbu Black Ops?
The Anbu are Konoha’s secret organization, tasked with maintaining peace in the ninja world from the shadows. While its members may not necessarily be the strongest shinobi in Konoha, they are undoubtedly the most skilled, especially when it comes to stealth. Stealth is the Anbu’s forte; it’s how they operate and have managed to keep their identities and actions hidden from the public while neutralizing numerous threats over the years.
Every ninja in the Anbu Black Ops can effectively spy on targets, infiltrate enemy ranks, eliminate opponents in combat, or resort to more drastic measures such as harsh interrogation. Being an Anbu means the job comes before everything else, including personal feelings, friends, or—as Itachi proved—even family. Anbu shinobi are ruthless, loyal to the village, and committed to completing their missions, going so far as to destroy their own bodies if they fail to do so.
Moreover, the Anbu Black Ops also act as the Hokage’s personal guards, protecting them from the shadows and staying ready to eliminate any threat that comes near the village’s leader. However, not everyone can become the Hokage’s protector – one must be carefully chosen for the job. That being said, let’s see how the Anbu Black Ops are recruited.
How Do Shinobi Become Anbu?
Unlike the average citizens of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, who can become ninjas by attending the Academy, the process of becoming a member of the Anbu Black Ops is quite different. First and foremost, there isn’t a special program where one can apply to join this group; instead, its leaders and captains select their members based on various traits.
The most important characteristic every Anbu must possess is the willingness to trust their comrades, the mission, and, most importantly, the Hokage. Additionally, every member must possess extraordinary combat, infiltration, and other crucial abilities needed for the extremely difficult missions of this organization. Lastly, while some very strong shinobi, like Naruto, possess lots of chakra and great skills, their good-hearted and people-loving nature does not align with the Anbu Black Ops' requirements.
Apart from being selected by Konoha's Kage, the higher-ups of the Anbu often scout for young shinobi from the Academy who show potential and may be interested in joining their ranks to serve the village in a different capacity. This is how Kakashi was recruited at the age of thirteen, a path later followed by Itachi Uchiha, who became the youngest Anbu member at eleven years old.
After becoming a proud member of the Anbu Black Ops, every shinobi undergoes a unique type of training tailored specifically for their upcoming missions. During this period, ninja ranks are disregarded, and each shinobi is treated as a novice until they master the ways of the Anbu. Once ready, these fully trained Anbu receive their code names and masks, assuming their roles as Konoha’s hidden protectors.
The Root Faction in Naruto
Being part of such a powerful organization can awaken greed in individuals, leading them to pursue their own ideals, goals, and personal gain, often causing chaos in the process. Some may even establish their own sub-groups, recruit ninjas, and pursue objectives that diverge from those of the Anbu. Danzo was such a person and thus created the Root faction.
Root initially followed the Anbu's foundational goal of protecting Konoha, but they pursued this objective in a much more barbaric and morally gray manner. Danzo's strong and self-centered desire to seize leadership and potentially overthrow the Hokage led Root to infamy, as their actions often clashed with the village's ways and were frequently disapproved of.
Moreover, Root enforced a strict code of silence among its members, preventing them from sharing any information about the group, Danzo, or other secrets they held. However, it's important not to view Root solely as a villainous group that had the goal of destroying Konoha. Instead, they were a team of vigilantes who, despite their methods, shared a common goal with the Anbu: protecting the village.
Kirigakure’s Hunter-nin Squad
Another branch of the Anbu Black Ops is Kirigakure's hunter-nin, a specialized force tasked with tracking down rogue missing-nin. Similarly to the Anbu, this organization possessed highly skilled members, who had a slightly more human appearance and used more ruthlessly efficient methods of eliminating targets.
However, the anime and manga series do not explore the hunter-nin in detail, providing only basic information about them. Fans were introduced to this group early through characters like Haku, a hunter-nin from the Village Hidden in the Mist who pursued Zabuza and encountered Team 7, ultimately joining forces with them to defeat the formidable missing-nin. In addition to Haku, Ao was another notable hunter-nin who served closely with the Fifth Mizukage and played a significant role in the Fourth Great Ninja War as the leader of the Sensor Division.
The Strongest Members of the Anbu Black Ops
When it comes to the Anbu Black Ops, only the most skilled and dedicated shinobi are chosen to join their ranks. These elite warriors are tasked with the most dangerous and covert missions, and their strength and abilities are legendary. From Kakashi Hatake, known for his Sharingan, to Itachi Uchiha, whose genius and sacrifice are one of a kind, the strongest members of the Anbu Black Ops represent true protectors of Konohagakure.
Itachi Uchiha
As a prodigious child with skills surpassing even the most advanced ninjas, Itachi Uchiha gained the attention of everyone in Konoha, ultimately being recruited by the Anbu. Joining the secretive organization at the age of eleven and later leading a squad by the time he was thirteen, Itachi solidified his status as the youngest and arguably the strongest member of the Anbu Black Ops.
In the Anbu, Itachi was assigned the most challenging missions, eliminating every target necessary to keep the Village Hidden in the Leaves safe. The most difficult mission he ever undertook was wiping out his entire clan. To prevent a civil war within Konoha, the Third Hokage made sure to put Itachi to this task who, with the help of his clanmate Obito, eliminated everyone but his little brother Sasuke.
Shisui Uchiha
Although he did not have the opportunity to showcase his skills against the most powerful villains in Naruto, Shisui is arguably one of the strongest characters in the series. In his youth, he was on par with Itachi’s mastery and skills, wielding a powerful Mangekyo Sharingan that gave him the ability to defeat his enemies with ease.
Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami allowed him to put his opponents under a genjutsu so powerful that it altered their thoughts, making them easy to manipulate and defeat in combat. Additionally, his signature Body Flicker Technique granted him unparalleled speed, earning Shisui the title of the fastest shinobi in the world of Naruto. With these skills, he became a member of the Anbu Black Ops, dedicated to protecting his village until Danzo’s greed drove the skilled Uchiha to take his own life.
Kakashi Hatake
Ever since he was young, Kakashi has been a skilled ninja, training under both his father and Minato Namikaze. After going through a difficult period, Kakashi transformed into a cold and focused shinobi ready to take on any task, becoming a perfect fit for the Anbu Black Ops. At thirteen years old, Kakashi joined this organization and was quickly promoted to Squad Captain, proving how powerful he was.
Later, after doubting the Third Hokage’s ideals and skills, Kakashi transferred to the Root, serving under Danzo and going on morally gray missions. With his sword skills, mastery of the Chidori, and proficient use of the Sharingan, Kakashi quickly gained recognition in the village and earned several iconic nicknames such as Kakashi of the Sharingan. He created a name for himself, a name that everyone in the shinobi world would know.
Orochimaru
While it's not plot-altering information, Orochimaru was, in fact, a part of the Anbu Black Ops. After fighting for Konoha in the Second Great Ninja War, the Legendary Sannin chose the selfish path toward obtaining immense power, using the Anbu as a way to achieve his goals. He served the Root under Danzo, infiltrating the higher levels of the village to gather valuable information.
However, after his secrets were exposed, Orochimaru left the Anbu and continued his quest for unmatched strength by joining a different yet powerful organization—the Akatsuki. Not much is known about Orochimaru’s time in the Anbu but, considering his jutsu mastery, he can easily be considered one of the strongest members of the Anbu.
Danzo Shimura
After deciding to operate on his own terms, Danzo Shimura created a sub-group of the Anbu called the Root, leading them on missions he deemed necessary. Unlike the other shinobi in the village, Danzo was one of Konoha’s dirtiest individuals, caring only about his own goals and striving to seize all power for himself—in other words, to become the Hokage.
Nevertheless, Danzo was a powerful ninja, possessing multiple stolen Sharingan embedded in his Hashirama-cell-infused arm, which he could use at will. With these Sharingan, Danzo could use techniques such as Izanami and Izanagi, posing a significant threat to every shinobi. However, stealing Shisui’s Magekyo Sharingan and the cunning way of leading the Root earned Danzo the title of one of Naruto’s most hated characters.
Kabuto Yakushi
Kabuto is another character whose history with the Anbu, while not the main focus of his development, remains an important part of his backstory. Before aligning with Orochimaru, Kabuto was somewhat loyal to Konoha, serving as a member of the Root. However, he soon abandoned the organization and pursued more villainous objectives.
When he was in the Anbu, Kabuto was a formidable shinobi who earned praise from Tsunade and was even considered to be on par with Kakashi. He excelled in using various techniques, with his medical ninjutsu standing out as his strongest suit. It's undeniable that if Kabuto had remained in the Anbu, he would have become one of the most important shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village.
Yamato
Yamato is a character with a fascinating and sad backstory that shaped his development. As the only survivor of Orochimaru’s experiment, where he attempted to infuse multiple infants with Hashirama Cells, Yamato gained extraordinary power and mastery over the Wood Release nature transformation, making him a highly valuable member of Konoha’s Anbu Black Ops.
Being the first to recognize Yamato's strengths, Danzo recruited him into the Root sub-group, where he followed orders that included attempts to harm the Third Hokage. Luckily, after meeting Kakashi Hatake, Yamato’s view of the world changed and he eventually became Team 7’s leader. During his tenure with Kakashi's team, Yamato used his skills to control Naruto’s Nine Tails form, proving his remarkable abilities.
Sai
After being introduced as Sasuke’s replacement in Team 7, Sai gradually became one of the most intriguing and liked characters in Naruto. However, before joining forces with Naruto and Sakura, Sai had a rich history in the Anbu. He served in the Root squad, where he was subjected to Danzo's brainwashing, leaving him unable to feel, express, or understand emotions.
As for his combat abilities, Sai was widely considered one of the strongest members the Anbu ever had, demonstrating skills the organization valued highly. With his unique ability to draw and summon any animal, Sai could pose a threat to any shinobi – something he showcased on multiple occasions. Later, recognizing Sai's abilities and loyalty, Naruto, as the Seventh Hokage, appointed him as the leader of the Anbu.
Final Thoughts on the Anbu Black Ops in Naruto
In the world of Naruto, the Anbu Black Ops remain a symbol of secrecy and strength. Their dedication to the Hidden Leaf Village, performing tasks not many ninjas could handle, is a testament to their unparalleled skills and commitment. Characters like Kakashi and Itachi once wore the Anbu mask, showcasing their strength, influence, and the heavy responsibilities they bore.
Through their silent vigilance, the Anbu ensure that peace and order are maintained, no matter how big the challenge and danger are. However, not all Anbu squads share the same ideals. Danzo's Root, a darker faction of the Anbu, operates with a ruthless approach, often blurring the lines between right and wrong for the sake of the village.
Nevertheless, the Anbu Black Ops will always remind fans of the hidden sacrifices some shinobi made for Konoha’s safety. Their legacy is a powerful reminder of the unseen heroes who fight in the shadows, ensuring this squad remains a beacon of hope and strength in the ninja world.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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