Nawaki

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Nawaki (绳树)
Alias(es)	Senju Nawaki 395
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure; Anbu Fire Squad 215
Occupation/Role	Shinobi; Anbu squad leader, Fire Squad captain, Jōnin, and later Anbu Captain 207 215 444 527
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Chūnin-level combat strength	49	His enlarged Water Dragon Bullet cancels enemy Water Release, and he follows with Earth Release to defend against senbon.
Lightweight Rock Technique user	214	Demonstrates sustained flight during his challenge against three Anbu members.
Samehada wielder	229	Gains the sentient chakra-devouring sword after Fuguki Suikazan's defeat; Samehada accepts him and wraps around his wrist.
Jōnin	444	Chosen alongside Minato to lead Konoha's reinforcement mission to the Land of Earth.
Anbu Captain	527	Appointed after losing the Fifth Hokage election to Minato by one vote.

Background

Early life and training

Nawaki is Tsunade's younger brother and Uzumaki Mito's grandson. As a child, he could perform Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique, though his limited chakra reserves made the technique far smaller than Tobirama's version 3 4 207.

He began studying swordsmanship under his brother-in-law, Hatake Kawafune. Kawafune repeatedly slowed down his forms, corrected his stance, and taught him to prioritize flow over speed 8. Nawaki continued basic sword and horse-stance training while Kawafune developed the Flying Thunder God Technique 12 14.

During the Second Great Ninja War, Nawaki's Water Release had grown strong enough to counter multiple enemy techniques, and he displayed Earth Release as well. Orochimaru assessed him as having Chūnin-level strength 49. He later received Tobirama's Water Release collection from Mito and pursued the Lightweight Rock Technique to expand his mobility 78 119.

Misaki and the Anbu

While returning from a mission, Nawaki drove off Grass ninja threatening Misaki, then directly asked her to join him and his companions in Konoha 148. Misaki was subsequently taken into the Senju household and began learning Sealing Jutsu from Mito 161.

After Tsunade became Hokage, Nawaki requested entry into the Anbu to gain real combat experience. Though concerned for him, Tsunade made him a squad leader 207. He proved his worth by defeating three Anbu opponents in a formal challenge, leading to the establishment of the Anbu Fire Squad 215.

Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist

Nawaki accompanied Minato, Nagato, Konan, Yahiko, and the Yuki Clan during the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist's ambush. Drawn to Samehada immediately, he challenged its wielder Fuguki Suikazan despite learning that the sword could absorb Ninjutsu 228.

Against Fuguki, Nawaki combined swordsmanship, Earth Release, venomous snake techniques, and tactical retreating. He baited Fuguki into Minato's attack, allowing Minato to defeat him; Samehada then selected Nawaki as its new wielder 229. Nawaki and Minato continued fighting together through the battle, helping annihilate the Seven Ninja Swordsmen 230 231.

He later fought beside Minato against the Third Mizukage, blocking an attack intended for Minato before the two were overwhelmed and thrown into the sea. Nagato rescued them 242 244.

Later career

As a Fire Squad leader, Nawaki led Anbu against bandits and defeated their leader with large-scale Water Release 271. He later served as a Jōnin on Konoha's Land of Earth reinforcement mission, where he split his troops to search for the Tsuchikage's unit while Minato remained to confront Nagato 444 447.

During the conflict with the Cloud Village, Nawaki faced the Fourth Raikage and Killer B simultaneously. He used Samehada to drain their chakra, trapped them in a Water Prison, and fused with Samehada to dominate the underwater battle 456 457.

Nawaki and Minato later became the leading candidates to succeed Tsunade as Hokage. Minato won by one vote; Nawaki accepted the result and became Konoha's Anbu Captain instead 525 527. During the later conflict involving Impure World Reincarnation, he and Konoha's other younger shinobi helped overwhelm and seal reanimated enemies 567.

Personality

Nawaki is eager to grow stronger and repeatedly seeks demanding opportunities, from Kawafune's sword training to Anbu service and advanced techniques inherited from Tobirama 8 78 207. He is direct in personal matters as well, asking Misaki outright to leave with him rather than disguising his intentions 148.

He is also brash, fond of taunting opponents, and openly uses psychological warfare learned from Kawafune. This tendency appears during his Anbu challenge and throughout his fights with the Seven Ninja Swordsmen 214 229 231. Beneath that arrogance, he adapts quickly under pressure: he changed to a defensive style when Fuguki's fusion with Samehada began draining his chakra, then created an opening for Minato to exploit 229.

Although competitive with Minato over their shared dream of becoming Hokage, Nawaki accepts Minato's victory with maturity and finds purpose in leading the Anbu 392 527.

Abilities & Skills

Water Release

Nawaki specializes in Water Release and possesses chakra reserves sufficient for wide-area techniques.

• His Water Dragon Bullet grew from a small childhood technique into one capable of canceling enemy Water Release 3 49.
• Uses Water Release: Water Blade Slash in conjunction with a sword strike 146.
• Uses Water Release: Water Shockwave to create a large vortex and waterfall-like assault against bandits 271.
• Employs Water Release: Severing Wave and Water Release: Hard Whirlpool Water Blade against the Fourth Raikage and Killer B 456 457.
• Can form a massive Water Prison around opponents, though its scale can endanger nearby allies 457.

Earth Release and Rock Techniques

Nawaki is talented in Earth Release alongside Water Release 119.

• Uses Earth Release: Earth Flow River to disrupt enemy attacks 49.
• Can raise an Earth-Style Wall to block Fuguki's Hair Needle Senbon 229.
• Uses the Added-Weight Rock Technique on his sword to overpower Fuguki in close combat 228.
• Uses the Lightweight Rock Technique to fly and increase his speed 146 214.

Swordsmanship

Kawafune trained Nawaki in foundational swordsmanship, emphasizing proper posture, stable footwork, and flowing movements 8.

• Carries a longsword and combines it with Water and Earth Release techniques 146 228.
• Uses added weight to give his blade overwhelming force against physically larger opponents 228.
• Favors aggressive close-range pressure once he gains an advantage 229.

Samehada

Samehada is Nawaki's primary weapon after it abandoned Fuguki Suikazan and chose him 229.

• Absorbs chakra directly through contact and can consume chakra-based Ninjutsu 228 230 231.
• Drained most of Juzo Biwa's chakra through a single broad slash 230.
• Can absorb the chakra from Killer B's Eight-Tails-enhanced attacks 456 457.
• Can fuse with Nawaki, giving him a half-shark form with gills, webbed claws, and exceptional underwater mobility 457.
• Cannot absorb non-chakra explosive damage; it blocked Explosion Release tags but was still damaged by the blast 231.
• Fusion and prolonged fighting leave Nawaki severely exhausted afterward 457.

Snake Techniques

Nawaki can employ snake-based techniques and summon large snakes.

• Uses Hidden Shadow Many Snake Hands to launch venomous snakes from his sleeve 229.
• Summons a giant snake to assist with transporting captured ninja swords 232.
• Rides a large red snake named Little Red during his wedding procession 395.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Samehada — Sentient chakra-devouring sword formerly wielded by Fuguki Suikazan 229.
• Longsword — Used before acquiring Samehada and enhanced with Water or Rock techniques 146 228.
• Ninja Tool Pouch — Carries supplies including Military Ration Pills 230.

Relationships

• Tsunade — His elder sister and later Hokage. She worries about his safety but supports his wish to join the Anbu 207.
• Uzumaki Mito — His grandmother and the Senju matriarch. She provided Tobirama's Water Release collection and officiated his wedding 78 395.
• Hatake Kawafune — His brother-in-law and early swordsmanship teacher; Kawafune later appoints him Anbu Captain 8 527.
• Minato Namikaze — Closest teammate and friendly rival. They fight together repeatedly, share the dream of becoming Hokage, and remain close after Minato wins the election 230 392 527.
• Misaki — His wife. Nawaki invited her to Konoha after protecting her from Grass ninja, and they later married at the Senju estate 148 395.
• Karin — His daughter with Misaki, introduced to Mito at her grave 411.
• Nagato — Fellow Konoha shinobi and ally. Nagato rescued Nawaki and Minato after their defeat by the Third Mizukage 244.
• Samehada — His sentient weapon, which chose him as its wielder and behaves affectionately toward him 229 232.

Trivia

• At his wedding, Mito announced that Nawaki would take Misaki's Uzumaki surname in order to carry on the Senju legacy 395.
• He rode Little Red, a large red snake, instead of a horse during his wedding procession 395.
• Nawaki lost the Hokage election to Minato by exactly one vote 527.