Kabuto

Biodata

Power Progression

Background and History

Orphanage and Root

Yakushi Nonō found Kabuto injured and suffering from amnesia after a battle. She healed him, brought him to her orphanage and named him after a helmet another child had given him. His poor eyesight became apparent when he could not read a clock without her glasses 99.

Kabuto learned Medical Ninjutsu from Nonō and helped treat shinobi to support the financially struggling orphanage. After Danzō threatened Nonō and demanded a child for Root, Kabuto volunteered to leave, telling the other children he wanted to train as a ninja 100 101.

Loss of Nonō

Kabuto spent years infiltrating the major villages under false identities, hoping eventually to return to Nonō. In Iwagakure, he struck a pursuer with a Chakra scalpel and discovered too late that she was Nonō. He tried to heal her, but froze when she repeatedly failed to recognize him; his healing stopped and she died 101.

Orochimaru revealed that Danzō had sent Nonō to kill Kabuto under the promise of securing his freedom. Root had gradually substituted another person’s photographs for Kabuto’s, preventing Nonō from recognizing him. After Kabuto attacked him in grief and anger, Orochimaru offered him a place as his assistant and an identity as Nonō’s son 102.

Orochimaru and the War

Working for Orochimaru, Kabuto gained Sasori’s trust as a double agent, assisted with experiments and collected information on Orochimaru’s subjects. After implanting Orochimaru’s remains, he gathered bodies and sacrifices for Impure World Reincarnation 103.

In the future shown by the inventory, Kabuto allied with Obito and sought Sasuke in exchange for his military support. He captured Yamato, whose Wood Release was used to strengthen Obito’s White Zetsu army, and summoned numerous dead shinobi for the Fourth Shinobi World War 104 105 106.

Itachi broke free of Kabuto’s control and reached his cave with Sasuke. Because killing Kabuto would not stop Impure World Reincarnation, the brothers fought to capture him; Itachi ultimately trapped him in Izanami’s repeating loop 106 107 109 110.

Appearance

Kabuto had white hair as a child and wore glasses to correct his poor eyesight 99 101.

• After implanting Orochimaru’s remains, he developed snake-like facial scales and a half-human, half-snake appearance 103.
• In his later form, he resembled Orochimaru closely enough that Sasuke initially mistook him for his former teacher 107.
• During his fight with the Uchiha brothers, he had a snake horn and could manifest Orochimaru’s head from his body 108 109.

Personality

As a child, Kabuto was cheerful, considerate and mature enough to understand the orphanage’s financial difficulties. He wanted to buy Nonō a new pair of glasses and concealed his real reason for joining Root so she would not worry 100 101.

His years as a spy left him uncertain of who he was beneath his disguises. Nonō’s failure to recognize him shattered the identity he had held onto; later, he defended his pursuit of power and accumulated abilities as a way to become his true self 101 102 109.

Abilities & Skills

Medical Ninjutsu

Nonō taught Kabuto the Mystical Palm Technique, which he mastered while still a child 100.

• Treated wounded shinobi at a medical front line 100.
• Used a Chakra scalpel in combat and attempted to heal Nonō after fatally injuring her 101.
• Attacked Orochimaru with a Chakra Blade after learning Root’s role in Nonō’s death 102.

Espionage

Kabuto infiltrated the major ninja villages, adopting different identities and gathering intelligence for Root. He later used Sasori to make contact with the Akatsuki while secretly working for Orochimaru 101 103.

Impure World Reincarnation

Kabuto researched and used Impure World Reincarnation to summon dead shinobi as fighting forces 103 104.

• Collected remains and captured people to serve as sacrifices 103.
• Reanimated former Akatsuki members, Kage, Jinchūriki and other powerful shinobi for the war 106.
• Spoke to Madara through the reanimated Mū and claimed to have prepared Madara’s reincarnation to surpass his strength in his prime 91.
• Told Itachi that killing him would not stop the technique 107.

Sage Mode and Serpentine Abilities

Kabuto fully mastered Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode after inheriting Orochimaru’s power 104.

• Sage Art: White Rage Technique — Produced intense light and sound that impaired his opponents’ senses; his snake-like corneas protected him from the light 108.
• Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation — Controlled surrounding material to attack Itachi with earthen spikes 109.
• Snake techniques — Used giant snakes, snake clones and skin shedding to attack, conceal himself and evade capture 107 108.
• Acquired traits — Used abilities derived from Suigetsu’s body alteration, Karin’s recovery and Jūgo’s sensory power 108.
• Water Release — Used Great Waterfall Technique and Hidden Mist against the Uchiha brothers 109.

Kabuto deprived himself of sight to counter the Uchiha’s visual techniques, but Itachi’s Izanami did not require eye contact 109.

Relationships

• Yakushi Nonō — His adoptive mother and Medical Ninjutsu teacher. He left the orphanage to protect her, then unknowingly struck her during Root’s assassination scheme 99 100 101.
• Orochimaru — Recruited Kabuto as an assistant after explaining Root’s manipulation. Kabuto later implanted his remains and inherited his power 102 103.
• Shimura Danzō — Forced Kabuto into Root and arranged the operation that led to Nonō’s death 100 101 102.
• Sasori — Trusted Kabuto as a spy, unaware that Kabuto was using him to reach the Akatsuki for Orochimaru 103.
• Obito Uchiha — Formed a wartime alliance with Kabuto, though he did not fully trust him 104 105.
• Itachi Uchiha — A reanimated shinobi who escaped Kabuto’s control and trapped him in Izanami 106 109 110.
• Sasuke Uchiha — Kabuto sought Sasuke as the price of his alliance with Obito and later fought him alongside Itachi 104 107.

Later Reference

• Boruto identified Kabuto as the director of the Konoha Orphanage 348.