Sound Four

The Sound Four were Orochimaru's elite bodyguards. (Sakon and Ukon were counted as one entity, due to their kekkei genkai). Each was given a cursed seal by Orochimaru. Kimimaro was a part of the group for a short time, since he was stronger than all four combined, thus renaming the group to Sound Five. However, an unexpected illness prevented him from participating normally. All five repeatedly referred to their opponents as "trash".

When Orochimaru sent the Sound Four to bring him Sasuke Uchiha, they were all systematically killed by Konoha ninja. Jirōbō was killed by Chōji, and Kidōmaru was killed by Neji, though the Konoha ninja suffered heavy injuries. Sakon almost killed Kiba, and Tayuya almost killed Shikamaru, but both were stopped and killed by Kankurō and Temari respectively. Kimimaro, after being sent as back-up, almost defeated Rock Lee and Gaara, but died from his illness during the battle.

Abilities
Despite being young, all four of them are strong enough to become Orochimaru's bodyguards, and were all talented with barrier and sealing jutsu. Shortly after their introduction during the invasion of Konoha, they used Four Violet Flames Battle Encampment to create a box-like barrier, that causes anything that touches it to burst into flames. When the group later fetched Sasuke, they used the Four Black Fog Battle Formation and Dark Sealing Method to protect Sasuke from harm. As the group later rested, they set up a Barrier Encampment Method. Each member of the Sound Four also had a cardinal direction associated with them; this was probably a reference to their positions when performing jutsu as a group: Jirōbō of the South, Kidōmaru of the East, Sakon and Ukon of the West, and Tayuya of the North.

During the Sasuke Retrieval Arc, Sakon was revealed to be the strongest member of the Sound Four, while Jirōbō was the weakest. Tayuya claimed she was second strongest. Together, the four, with the help of their Cursed Seals, were able to defeat Raidō Namiashi and Genma Shiranui. When the group was still the Sound Five, Kimimaro was the strongest of them.

Trivia

 * The recurring symbol on the Sound Four's tunics was the yin-yang, without the black parts. Because the black was missing, it represented imbalance, alluding to their evil natures and to that of the seals, and preventing harmony in life.
 * Jirōbō and Sakon (and Ukon) specialized in close-quarter combat, while Kidōmaru and Tayuya specialized in long range combat. Kimimaro was balanced in both types.
 * Kidōmaru was the only member to wear a Sound headband.
 * The Sound Four were playable characters in Naruto: Gekitō Ninja Taisen! 4, but they only appeared with the Second Stage of the Cursed Seal.