Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Roshi (老紫) |
| Species/Race | Human; jinchūriki of the Four-Tails 363 397 |
| Gender | Male 363 |
| Affiliation | Iwagakure; later held by Konoha 366 397 740 |
| Occupation/Role | Shinobi and former Iwagakure battlefield weapon 422 517 |
| Status | Alive; released from a Konoha cell under Anbu escort in his latest documented appearance 740 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 363 363 |
Power Progression
| Stage / Realm / Level | Chapter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lava Style Chakra Mode | 368 | Envelops himself in lava armor by drawing on the Four-Tails’ power; his strongest mode short of tailed-beast transformation 368 421. |
| Tailed Beast Transformation — Form Two | 370 | Enters a four-tailed, part-beast state after Yuu shatters his lava armor and gravely wounds him. Its chakra supports his movements but cannot fully heal the wound 370 371. |
| Full Tailed Beast Transformation | 380 381 | Allows the Four-Tails to emerge in its complete form. Roshi loses consciousness, and the beast’s release risks his life 380 381. |
| Strengthened Lava Style Chakra Mode | 421 422 | Activates the mode with the Four-Tails’ full cooperation, making it more than a level stronger than before 421 422. |
Background / History
Roshi became the Four-Tails’ jinchūriki as a child and spent years learning to wield its power. His Lava Release earned him a reputation as one of Iwagakure’s most formidable shinobi; during a war against Kumogakure, his lava inflicted devastating casualties on Cloud ninja. His ideals nevertheless clashed with those of the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki 363 377 422 423.
Ōnoki sent Roshi and fellow jinchūriki Han to kill Saiki Yuu. Roshi insisted on fighting alone, but Yuu cut through his lava attacks, shattered his armor, and defeated him even after he entered Form Two. Yuu then forced the Four-Tails to emerge, subdued it, and took Roshi alive to Konoha’s front-line camp 363 368 370 375 381 394 397.
Yuu kept Roshi to produce decorative lava fireworks. Fear of Yuu drove Roshi and the Four-Tails to cooperate on the task. At a later confrontation with Iwagakure, their display was mistaken for an attack, prompting Stone ninja to expend their chakra on defenses. Roshi had not intended to strike his village 378 406 408 421 424 426.
Roshi and Han were later imprisoned in Konoha. When Danzō approached them about opposing Yuu, they instead planned to turn on him. After Anbu released them from their cell, Roshi and the Four-Tails prepared to use a Tailed Beast Bomb against Danzō to win Yuu’s favor 561 562 563 740.
Appearance
Roshi is red-haired. His most conspicuous changes in appearance occur when he uses the Four-Tails’ chakra 367 368 370.
- Lava Style Chakra Mode: Molten rock covers him like armor, and his eyes resemble molten spheres 368.
- Form Two: He takes on a part-human, part-beast appearance with four tails 370.
Personality
Roshi is stubborn and proud of both his strength and his Lava Release. He resents Ōnoki’s lack of faith in him, reacts angrily to Yuu’s insults, and initially refuses to call his prized chakra mode by Yuu’s humiliating name, “Fireworks Chakra Mode” 363 368 378 421.
His compliance with Yuu is driven largely by fear, not indifference to Iwagakure. He hesitates when ordered to perform before his former allies and worries that, if Yuu kills him, the Four-Tails might help devastate the village. Over time, he becomes more willing to coordinate with the beast, though the two continue to argue 403 408 421 740.
Abilities & Skills
Lava Release
Roshi produces intensely hot lava for direct attacks and wide-area effects 367 368 423.
- Scorching River Rock Technique: Spits multiple lava spheres from his mouth 367.
- Needle Under the Sea: Concentrates his Lava Release chakra into a heated punch; Han regards it as Roshi’s strongest offensive technique short of tailed-beast transformation 369.
- Lava spheres: Combines Lava Release with tailed-beast chakra to launch large spheres into the sky. Working with the Four-Tails, he adapts the explosions into a fireworks display 408 422 423 426.
Four-Tails’ Chakra
Roshi can draw on the beast’s chakra for lava armor, transformation, and a Tailed Beast Bomb 368 370 371.
- His Lava Style Chakra Mode becomes stronger when the Four-Tails willingly cooperates 421.
- Form Two’s chakra helps sustain him after severe injury, but Yuu’s Armament Haki inhibits its healing effect 370 371.
- Access is not guaranteed: after Yuu subdues it, the Four-Tails locks itself behind the seal and prevents Roshi from drawing on its chakra 398 401 405.
- Releasing the beast completely can leave Roshi unconscious and at risk of being overtaken 381.
Relationships
- Four-Tails — The beast sealed within Roshi. Once eager to escape, it hides from Yuu after being wounded; shared danger gradually pushes it and Roshi into a working partnership 396 402 408 740.
- Saiki Yuu — Defeats and captures Roshi, then coerces him into making fireworks. Roshi fears him and later seeks to prove his usefulness to him 377 378 403 740.
- Han — Fellow Iwagakure jinchūriki and companion. Han initially lets Roshi fight Yuu alone, later tries to reach him after his defeat, and is imprisoned alongside him 363 376 561.
- Ōnoki — Tsuchikage whose ideals conflict with Roshi’s. Despite their differences, Ōnoki regards Roshi’s loyalty to Iwagakure as unquestionable 363 422.
- Danzō — Offers Roshi and Han a chance to oppose Yuu; they secretly plan to attack Danzō instead 562 563 740.
Notable Quotes
“We’ll combine our strength. You control the power, and I’ll control the shape.” 408