A

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	A (艾)
Alias(es)	Fourth Raikage; Future Raikage
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Kumogakure
Occupation/Role	Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure
Status	Active 412
First Appearance	Chapter 124

Background / History

Before becoming Raikage, A served as Kumogakure's envoy and challenged Namikaze Minato to a duel. His superior speed, power, and Lightning Chakra Mode initially overwhelmed Minato, but Minato used Flying Thunder God kunai and conductive gel developed by Nishikawa Tetsu to disrupt A's Lightning Release Armor. A accepted the defeat without excuses and agreed to purchase Konoha's civilian technologies. 124

A later urged his father, the Third Raikage, not to begin another war with Konoha. Citing Minato's greater speed and Konoha's ability to counter Lightning Release Armor, he argued that Kumogakure could no longer treat Konoha as it had before. 139

During the war, A and his brother Killer B led Kumogakure's assault against Konoha's forces. Their coordinated attack pressed Minato, but Minato defeated both brothers with Rasengan strikes before Kumogakure troops forced him to withdraw. 178 180

Following the Third Raikage's capture and Kumogakure's costly reparations, A remained in the village to restrain factions demanding retaliation. When his father abdicated over the war's failure, A succeeded him as the Fourth Raikage. 206 212

As Raikage, A proposed a joint Chunin Exam in Kumogakure to restore the village's prestige and test Konoha's younger generation. Konoha instead hosted the exams, prompting A to send Killer B and Kumogakure's elite Genin to compete. 257 259

Kumogakure's disappointing results, including Killer B's defeat by Might Guy, left A openly frustrated. Nevertheless, he acknowledged Killer B's loss and ordered him to train harder. 366 379

A eventually set aside his pride to approve Konoha's Lightning-Gathering Energy Storage Station proposal and join the Shinobi World Community of Shared Destiny initiative. 352 At the Five Kage Summit, he aggressively competed with Ōnoki for instant-communication pilot sites, but ultimately signed the framework agreement alongside the other Kage. 410 412

Personality

A is hot-tempered, blunt, and intensely competitive. He reacts strongly to perceived slights against Kumogakure, particularly from Konoha and Ōnoki, and is prone to expressing his anger physically or through open confrontation. 259 410

Despite this volatility, A respects demonstrated strength and accepts legitimate defeat. After losing to Minato, he silenced his subordinates' complaints and conceded that “a loss is a loss.” 124 He also recognizes when continued aggression would endanger Kumogakure, as shown by his opposition to war under his father's rule and his eventual acceptance of Konoha's technological proposals. 139 352

As Raikage, A is protective of Kumogakure's standing and future. His decisions concerning the Chunin Exams, Killer B, and Konoha's technology are all driven by a desire to prevent Kumogakure from falling behind the other Great Villages. 257 259 352

Abilities & Skills

Lightning Chakra Mode

A coats himself in Lightning Chakra Mode, granting him extreme speed, explosive striking force, and formidable defense.

• Crosses combat distances too quickly for ordinary vision to follow. 124
• Uses the mode to strengthen his physical attacks, including Lightning Lash and Lightning Style: Lacerating Violent Wave. 124 180
• Initially had his armor disrupted by conductive gel mixed with a nerve-blocking agent. 124
• Later altered his lightning's frequency and heat output, causing the same gel to evaporate rather than short-circuit his armor. 180

Close-Quarters Combat

A relies on high-speed taijutsu and lightning-enhanced blows rather than indirect tactics.

• His hand strikes, kicks, elbows, and chopping attacks can crater the ground and threaten opponents even at high speed. 124
• Used Heavy Stone Fist while attacking Konoha's repositioning sniper units. 180
• Fought alongside Killer B in a coordinated assault designed to overwhelm Minato through speed and pressure. 180

Political and Military Leadership

A combines aggressive posturing with practical strategic judgment.

• Warned the Third Raikage that Konoha's new technology and Minato's growth made war too dangerous. 139
• Proposed the joint Chunin Exam as a way to establish authority after succeeding his father. 257
• Sent Killer B to represent Kumogakure after Konoha moved the exam venue to Konoha. 259
• Approved technological cooperation with Konoha despite personal resentment and concerns over dependency. 352 411

Relationships

• Third Raikage — His father and predecessor. A advised him against war with Konoha, then inherited the Raikage position after his abdication. 139 212 352
• Killer B — His younger brother and Kumogakure's Eight-Tails jinchūriki. A fights beside him in war, supports him during the Chunin Exams, and demands further training after his loss to Might Guy. 178 180 321 366
• Dodai — His trusted adviser. Dodai counsels A on Kumogakure's strategic choices and represents the village's interests in negotiations. 259 352 411
• Namikaze Minato — Rival from Konoha. Minato defeated A in their first duel and again overcame A and Killer B during the war. 124 180
• Nishikawa Tetsu — Political and technological rival whose inventions repeatedly complicate A's dealings with Konoha. A nevertheless accepts Tetsu's technology when Kumogakure's future requires it. 124 352 407
• Ōnoki — Fellow Kage and frequent political competitor. Their dispute over instant-communication pilot sites nearly escalates into a wider confrontation. 410
• Rasa — The Fourth Kazekage. A considers forming an alliance with Rasa to pressure Konoha for improved terms in the shared-destiny framework. 409

Notable Quotes

“A loss is a loss. I'm not so sore that I can't take it.” 124

“Since I am the Raikage, Kumogakure's future will be borne by me.” 352