A

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	A (艾)
Alias(es)	Fourth Raikage; Lord A
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Kumogakure
Occupation/Role	Fourth Raikage; one of the Five Kage
Status	Deceased; died in the Demon Country while covering his subordinates' escape 267
First Appearance	Chapter 18

Background / History

A led Kumogakure as the Fourth Raikage. When Konoha framed Kumogakure for an attack on its outpost amid the Hyuga diplomatic crisis, he rejected the accusation and chose to personally strike the Land of Fire defense line rather than accept Konoha's narrative 18.

Mabui used the Heavenly Transfer Technique to send A and Killer B to Moon Valley. His physique could endure the technique's extreme high-speed movement, a feat that would tear apart an ordinary person 18.

Appearance

A is a tall, powerfully built man whose combat presence is marked by dense Lightning Release chakra.

• Muscular physique honed through Nintaijutsu training 18
• Dark, thick fists capable of smashing a solid wooden desk and cracking the floor beneath it 18
• Hair stands on end when enveloped in Lightning Release Chakra Mode 18 252
• Lightning chakra can condense into a tangible armor around his body 19 252

Personality

A is blunt, volatile, and prone to answering threats with immediate force. Konoha's accusations against Kumogakure enraged him enough to smash through his office wall and personally deploy to the front 18.

His aggression is tied to strong loyalty toward Kumogakure. He closed Asui's eyes after finding the elite jōnin's body, fought alongside Killer B without hesitation, and later died ensuring his subordinates could escape the Demon Country 19 267. His confidence in his speed, strength, and Lightning Release Armor also leaves him vulnerable to opponents who exploit his direct fighting style 20 252.

Abilities & Skills

Lightning Release Chakra Mode

A surrounds himself with high-density Lightning Release chakra, gaining extreme speed, physical power, and durability.

• Forms a visible Lightning Release Chakra Armor that repels debris and withstands heavy impacts 19 252
• Moves too quickly for ordinary vision to follow at his highest output 252
• Relies on a physique strong enough to survive the Heavenly Transfer Technique's extreme transit speed 18
• His close-range, straight-ahead approach was exploited by Kabuto's maze and repeated Sage Art attacks 252 255

Nintaijutsu

A is among the rare shinobi who push their body and Lightning Release together to an exceptional level.

• His physical conditioning enabled him to endure the Heavenly Transfer Technique 18
• His hand-to-hand power could once sever one of the Eight-Tails' horns with a single strike 20
• He can shatter large boulders and force his way through earthen barriers while armored in lightning 252
• Menma's defenses and counterforce shattered A's hand and later both arms during their Moon Valley battle 20

Lightning Oppression Horizontal Chop

A hereditary Lightning Release hand-blade technique delivered during a high-speed dive.

• A sharp close-range strike refined through bone-shattering training 20
• Previously used to sever the Eight-Tails' left horn 20
• Striking Menma directly caused devastating rebound damage to A instead 20

Hell Stab

A mastered the Third Raikage's piercing Lightning Release secret technique.

• Four Finger Thrust — concentrates Lightning Release chakra into four extended fingers for powerful piercing attacks 252
• One Finger Thrust — concentrates the chakra into his index finger to maximize penetration 252
• Used to break through Kabuto's thick maze walls, but repeated use drained his chakra and strained his body 252

Relationships

• Killer B — his brother and battlefield partner. The two deployed together to Moon Valley and coordinated against Menma despite A's frequent irritation with B's rapping 18 19 20.
• Mabui — Kumogakure kunoichi who operated the Heavenly Transfer Technique for A and B's deployment 18.
• Darui — Kumogakure shinobi under A's command; became acting Fifth Raikage following A's death 251 267.
• Uzumaki Menma / Ame-no-Minaka-Nushi — adversary who overwhelmed A and Killer B at Moon Valley, leaving A severely injured 19 20 22.
• Yakushi Kabuto — adversary in the Demon Country. Kabuto trapped A in a Sage Art-created stone maze and exhausted him through attrition 251 252 255.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Konoha–Kumogakure Crisis

After Konoha framed Kumogakure for an attack and seized the political advantage, A refused to submit. He ordered Mabui to prepare the Heavenly Transfer Technique and brought Killer B to the Land of Fire defense line himself 18.

Moon Valley Battle

A and B discovered the bodies of Kumogakure shinobi, including Asui, and identified the attacker as a likely perfect jinchūriki using high-speed Lightning Release 19. They confronted the masked Menma, but Menma's Azure Dragon summon, chakra-shredding power, and black sphere attack overwhelmed them. A suffered shattered limbs and severe injuries, while Kumogakure eventually retreated from the conflict 19 20 22.

Demon Country and Death

A later entered the Demon Country disguised among Kumogakure's forces. He confronted Kabuto, but Kabuto avoided direct combat, repeatedly using Sage Arts and an expanding earthen labyrinth to exhaust and injure him 251 252 255. A ultimately died while covering his subordinates' escape, leaving Darui as Kumogakure's acting Fifth Raikage 267.

Notable Quotes

“Prepare the Heavenly Transfer Technique! I'm going with Killer B to personally attack the Land of Fire Defense Line!” 18

“B! Watch out, this guy's strong!” 19