One of Naruto’s most iconic abilities is his use of the Nine Tails’ powers. Completely engulfed in sinister chakra ready to demolish his opponents. As everyone knows, Naruto is the host of the Nine Tails, a Jinchūriki. Just like him, there are eight other ninjas with this characteristic, who are the host of the powerful and deadly Tailed Beasts.

Their lives are difficult, and they are ostracized by the villages. However, they are vital for the survival of the ninja world. Here’s how the Jinchūriki work in Naruto and why they exist. As both military assets as well as the legacy of Shinobi history.

The Origin of Jinchūriki

An Important Element of Shinobi History

1000 years ago, the world was tormented by an extremely powerful monster known as the Ten Tails. He ravaged entire regions and killed countless people until the twins Hagoromo and Hamura Ōtsutsuki battled the monster together and were able to not only defeat it but also seal it inside Hagoromo. By doing this Hagoromo became the first Jinchūriki. With the power of the 10 Tails inside him, he blessed the world with his godlike abilities. He performed great deeds and promoted peace throughout the world, which eventually earned him the title of the Sage of the Six Paths.

In time, he knew that when he passed away, the 10 Tails would be freed upon the world again, bringing destruction with it. So he split the 10 Tails into nine creatures known as Tailed Beasts. Each of these has tails going from one to nine. Tailed Beasts saw the sage as their father, and before he passed away, he wished for them to have a happy life and continue his legacy of peace whenever they are sealed into another Shinobi in time.

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For years, humanity exploited the nine tailed beasts as sources of power in greedy ambitions and war. It wasn’t until the establishment of the hidden villages that an accord was decided between the lands to split the Tailed Beasts among them, and each of them had a dedicated selected villager to become the host of the Tailed Beast. Through a special ritual, a child will be turned into the host of a tailed beast, and usually to keep them from harm they will be related to the respective village’s Kage. However, more often than not, each of the Jinchūriki live difficult lives.

The Life of a Jinchuriki

Great Power Alongside Great Suffering

Because all of these Shinobi are the hosts of extremely powerful monsters that have caused great destruction upon the world, they are often met with extreme cruelty by the rest of the villagers. They are ostracized and tormented by others as they see these Shinobi as an extension or even a personification of the respective tailed beast. They ignore their feelings as a person and often as a child, as they consider them extremely dangerous. This is exactly the life that the series protagonist Naruto Uzumaki lived as well as his friend Gaara.

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However, once a Jinchūriki develops the powers and reaches a certain level of bond with their tail beast, they are able to willingly utilize the beast’s power. This turns them into one of the most powerful Shinobi in the respective villages. In the case of Gaara, he was deemed to be completely invincible as he spent all of his life without even being touched by an enemy attack. However, the life of a Jinchūriki is not always suffering as there have been cases of Jinchūriki eventually being accepted and even revered by the villages.

Yagura, the Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails, became the Kag of his village at a very young age. Gaara the Jinchūriki of the One Tail, also became the Kage at age 16 and was an incredibly valuable and respected leader. Killer Bee, the Jinchūriki of the eight Tails, became a very beloved and respected public figure in his village, earning him the love and praise of the village. And lastly, Naruto Uzumaki became not just the hero of the Fourth Great Ninja War but, as he had set himself to since childhood, the seventh Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, earning the love, respect, and admiration of the Hidden Leaf people.

Naruto

Release Date

October 2, 2002

Network

Adult Swim