Black Zetsu

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Black Zetsu (黑绝)
Alias(es)	Ōtsutsuki Zetsu 174
Species/Race	Nonhuman manifestation of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki’s consciousness, created from her will and flesh 76
Gender	Male; identifies himself as Kaguya’s third son 76
Affiliation	Kaguya Ōtsutsuki; works alongside Uchiha Madara under a false identity in the parallel world 76 103 117
Occupation/Role	Covert manipulator seeking Kaguya’s revival; instigator of Senju–Uchiha conflict 76
Status	Home world: captured and left to Kyogawa for system punishment. Parallel world: absorbed by Kyogawa and subsequently described as destroyed 129 131 175 178
First Appearance	Chapter 76, “Black Zetsu Crawling Through the Darkness” 76

Background / History

Creation and the Plan to Revive Kaguya

Kaguya created Black Zetsu before Hagoromo and Hamura sealed her within the moon. Intended to restore her freedom, he regarded Kaguya as his mother and proclaimed himself her third son 76.

Black Zetsu first drove a wedge between Hagoromo’s sons, Indra and Asura, then continued targeting their successive chakra reincarnations. He secretly fostered conflict between the Uchiha and Senju, intending to turn the reincarnations against each other and persuade Indra’s reincarnation to activate the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Earlier reincarnations died young; Hashirama and Madara’s generation finally offered him candidates who survived long enough to grow powerful 76.

His scheme required combining the powers associated with the Sharingan and Wood Release, obtaining the Rinnegan, and summoning the Ten-Tails. Its ultimate purpose was not Madara’s promised peaceful dream world, but the release of Kaguya’s lunar seal 108 129.

Manipulating the Senju and Uchiha

Black Zetsu arranged circumstances behind the deaths of Senju Itama, Senju Kawarama, and several of Madara’s brothers. He expected these losses to deepen clan hatred, develop Tobirama and Izuna into mortal enemies, and eventually allow him to use Izuna’s death to manipulate Madara 76.

The unfamiliar “Evil Demon” virus disrupted his confidence in this plan and drew his attention to Senju Kyogawa. After witnessing Kyogawa’s Sun Breathing, Black Zetsu initially sought to eliminate him through the Uchiha. He reconsidered after observing Kyogawa’s friendship with the Uchiha brothers and interpreting his crop-growing abilities as Wood Release, making Kyogawa and Izuna potential backup candidates 76.

His attempts to provoke hatred instead strengthened Kyogawa and Hashirama’s determination to establish peace. Black Zetsu later moved prematurely against Izuna, but Kyogawa saved him, awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, and attacked the fleeing manipulator 76 85 202.

Injury and Investigation of Kyogawa

Kyogawa’s Sun Breathing slash genuinely injured Black Zetsu’s consciousness. He survived by secretly splitting off part of his essence, then hid while recovering. The attack left him terrified of approaching Kyogawa again 85 108.

Curiosity eventually brought him back to observe from a distance. After confirming Kyogawa’s Sharingan and seeing him make a flower bloom, Black Zetsu believed he had found a simpler route to the Rinnegan. His proposed first step—evolving Kyogawa’s eyes into the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan—stalled because he could not identify a relative whose Mangekyō eyes Kyogawa could obtain 107 108.

Parallel-World Deception and Defeat

In the parallel world visited by Kyogawa, Black Zetsu secretly accelerated Madara’s Yin–Yang Release research. Once that research took shape, he presented himself as Madara’s manifested consciousness, allowing Madara to trust him as an extension of himself 103 117.

While monitoring Obito in Konoha, Black Zetsu doubted Madara’s choice of successor. He nevertheless believed suffering might turn Obito’s love for the world into hatred and awaken his potential. If necessary, he intended to control Obito’s mind and body himself 104.

Kyogawa’s account of a mysterious black shadow caused Madara to question Black Zetsu’s identity. Madara eventually recognized the deception but initially kept Black Zetsu nearby because he still intended to complete the Eye of the Moon Plan. Circle Face revealed that Black Zetsu was meant to supervise Obito after Madara’s death 104 117 126 128.

Kyogawa sealed Madara’s cavern with spatial restraints, caught Black Zetsu as he attempted to escape underground, and questioned him. Black Zetsu admitted involvement in Izuna’s death; truth serum then forced him to reveal his origins and the plan’s true purpose. Kyogawa absorbed him, and his destruction drastically altered that worldline, throwing Kyogawa and the system into a spacetime vortex 128 129 131.

Opposition to the Alliance

Black Zetsu remained active in Kyogawa’s home world. During Kyogawa’s prolonged coma, he nearly exposed himself while trying to investigate the boy’s condition. Increased security and Hashirama’s rapidly mastered Wood Release prevented further access 132.

He hoped Butsuma and Tajima would kill each other and renew their sons’ hostility. Instead, Hashirama and Madara stopped the duel and secured an alliance between their clans. Their joint search forced Black Zetsu to flee, and he subsequently leaked news of the alliance to other countries 132 135.

Black Zetsu also arranged for Izuna to see the Uchiha Shrine’s stone tablet. When the Uchiha took no apparent action, he suspected that scheme had been exposed. Fearing the Alliance’s growing prosperity would obstruct Kaguya’s rescue, he chose a new target: Mito Uzumaki and her traveling companions 174.

Capture and Punishment

Black Zetsu planned to kill the Uzumaki group, impersonate a wounded Mito, and blame the Alliance. White Zetsu would then spread rumors, undermining the Alliance and creating opportunities for renewed warfare 174.

When the travelers refused to separate, he used his Spore Technique to drain their chakra gradually. Mito had already been warned about him and had improved her Adamantine Sealing Chains with Kyogawa and Tobirama’s help. Her concealed, tracking chains pierced his White Zetsu cover and captured him underground 175.

Brought before the Alliance’s leaders, Black Zetsu was interrogated with truth serum, exposing his thousand-year campaign against Indra and Asura’s reincarnations. The others left his punishment to Kyogawa. The system agreed to place him in its punishment space for several hundred years of torment before his intended conversion into Cuddle Points 176 177 178.

Appearance

• Basic form: a puddle of pitch-black mud capable of assuming a humanoid shape 76.
• Eyes: small, bead-like eyes; even when spatially compressed into a flattened mass, his eyes remain visible 128 176.
• Across worlds: Kyogawa observes that the home-world Black Zetsu looks identical to his parallel-world counterpart 176.

Personality

Black Zetsu’s defining motive is unwavering loyalty to Kaguya. He sustains the same rescue mission for roughly a thousand years, treating generations of conflict and deaths as acceptable means to free her. The narration qualifies his fear of death as fear that nobody would remain to save his mother 76 163 174 177.

He prefers deception, intermediaries, and concealed attacks to direct combat. He readily considers exploiting grief, possessing others, and murdering travelers to manufacture political hostility. Although experienced at waiting, Kyogawa’s interference and the Alliance’s growth make him increasingly impatient 104 174.

His composure collapses before opponents who can actually restrain or injure him. He glares at Mito but behaves submissively toward Kyogawa, while privately resenting both. He also rejects accusations of cowardice, recasting his habit of hiding as intelligent self-preservation 128 176.

Abilities & Skills

Concealment and Underground Movement

Black Zetsu excels at hiding beneath the ground and observing targets without revealing himself 76 104 108.

• Monitors Obito’s team and investigates Kyogawa from underground 104 108.
• Uses White Zetsu cover while fleeing 163.
• Can still be detected by vigilant opponents or tracked by improved sealing chains 132 175.

Possession and Impersonation

Black Zetsu can inhabit another person’s body and force that body to attack 139.

• Controls a Kaguya Clan ninja during the confrontation involving Kyogawa and Izuna 103 139.
• Emerges from Madara’s body when attempting to escape Kyogawa’s spatial trap 128.
• Considers controlling Obito’s mind and body to complete the Eye of the Moon Plan 104.
• Plans to use chakra-based impersonation to replace an isolated Uzumaki traveler and eventually assume Mito’s appearance; this plan fails before completion 174.

Spore Technique

His spores begin as inconspicuous particles and develop into swollen, White Zetsu-like growths that envelop their hosts 175.

• Absorb a host’s chakra and transfer it to replenish others 175.
• Can drain tiny amounts gradually to avoid attracting attention 175.
• Are intended to exhaust targets before a White Zetsu encirclement 175.
• Are described as practically his only ninjutsu combining active attack with stealth 175.

Consciousness Durability and Essence Division

As a manifested consciousness, Black Zetsu is resistant to almost all ordinary ninjutsu capable of attacking him 108.

• Splits off part of his essence to survive Kyogawa’s Sun Breathing slash 108.
• Can produce several clones to conduct schemes throughout the Ninja World 177.
• Remains vulnerable to Kyogawa’s attacks, which can strike his soul 128 174.
• Improved Adamantine Sealing Chains restrain him without damaging his soul; spatial restraints likewise prevent escape 128 175 176.

Manipulation and Historical Knowledge

Black Zetsu possesses firsthand knowledge of Kaguya’s sealing, the clans’ ancestry, and the reincarnation cycle 76 129 177.

• Exploits bereavement and clan rivalry to separate potential allies 76.
• Helps advance Madara’s research to support his false identity 117.
• Uses leaked information, proposed rumor campaigns, and the Uchiha stone tablet as instruments of manipulation 135 174.
• Can be compelled by truth serum to disclose information despite remaining conscious and unwilling 129.

Relationships

• Kaguya Ōtsutsuki — Creator and self-proclaimed mother. Freeing her from the moon is his overriding purpose 76 174.
• Uchiha Madara — Primary intended instrument for the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Black Zetsu deceives his parallel-world counterpart by posing as his consciousness 76 103 117.
• Senju Hashirama — Asura’s reincarnation and a target of manufactured clan hatred. His strength and alliance with Madara obstruct Black Zetsu’s plans 76 132.
• Senju Kyogawa / Senju Jingchuan — Both a coveted potential Rinnegan vessel and his greatest personal threat. Kyogawa injures his soul, destroys his parallel-world counterpart, and takes responsibility for punishing him in the home world 108 129 163 178.
• Uchiha Izuna — Targeted to manipulate Madara. Black Zetsu admits involvement in his parallel-world death, while the home-world attempt is prevented by Kyogawa 128 176 202.
• Obito Uchiha — Madara’s chosen successor in the parallel world. Black Zetsu monitors him and regards direct control as a fallback 104 126.
• Mito Uzumaki — Intended impersonation target who instead captures him with improved sealing chains 174 175.
• White Zetsu — Used as escape cover, defensive intermediaries, and prospective agents for spreading rumors 163 174 175.