Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | A (艾); also rendered Ay 15 39 |
| Alias(es) | Fourth Raikage; addressed as “A” even before his succession 15 244 |
| Gender | Male 15 |
| Affiliation | Kumogakure 15 244 |
| Occupation/Role | Cloud Ninja leader; later Fourth Raikage 39 244 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 15 15 |
Background / History
Before becoming Raikage, A was already addressed by the title used by successive Raikage. Kumogakure secretly sent him to the front against Sunagakure while others impersonated him and Killer B at home. After a Cloud ambush failed, Dodai judged that A could no longer overcome the Cloud force’s numerical disadvantage alone 15.
A later joined negotiations involving Hoshino Maki. Angered by the loss and the Cloud prisoners held by Sunagakure, he vowed to kill Maki. Dodai warned him not to let that anger compromise efforts to recover the prisoners. News that Iwagakure was gathering troops added pressure to settle, and the Cloud delegation eventually compromised 26 29.
During a subsequent Cloud operation against Konoha, A led the force pursuing Yamanaka Take. Minato Namikaze rescued Take and escaped A’s lightning-clad attack with a substitution. Later intelligence reported that Minato had been injured in a fight with A 39 40.
As Fourth Raikage, A warned Cloud leaders against assuming Maki would stop expanding after his campaign against Iwagakure. By the end of the story, he met Maki near Konoha after its capture and spoke with him about the Land of Lightning’s development 244 323.
Appearance
A is a towering, powerfully built Cloud Ninja 15.
- Dark skin and light yellow hair combed back 15.
- A goatee and a shuriken tattoo on his upper arm 15.
- Nearly two meters tall 15.
Personality
A is proud of Kumogakure’s military strength and reacts sharply to humiliation, but he listens to Dodai’s caution during negotiations 26 29. He expects rational conduct from senior shinobi and takes the possibility of Maki’s further expansion seriously 243 244.
Abilities & Skills
Nintaijutsu and Lightning Release Armor
A masters Kumogakure’s highest level of nintaijutsu. His Lightning Release Armor increases his strength and speed while providing piercing power and defense 18.
- Close combat: His speed lets him rapidly close on opponents; his strike against Minato shattered a kunai before hitting a substitution dummy 18 39.
- Limitation: The style lacks long-range abilities, though A has ways to close the distance 18.
Relationships
- Killer B — His brother and partner in the AB Combo. B remembers A’s instruction not to fool around on the battlefield 39 244.
- Dodai — An advisor whom A consults about Maki’s demands; Dodai urges him to prioritize rescuing Cloud prisoners 15 26.
- Hoshino Maki — A negotiating opponent whom A vows to kill after Kumogakure’s loss. They meet again after Konoha’s capture 26 323.
- Minato Namikaze — A Konoha opponent who evades A during their encounter; later intelligence reports Minato injured after fighting him 39 40.