Kagura (game)

was a former Anbu of Konohagakure and a missing-nin created specifically for the story of the American-exclusive Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2.

Background
Some time prior to the series, Kagura was an Anbu member who had wished to become Tsunade's apprentice, and, hopefully, the Hokage. However, she went rogue and left the village when Tsunade refused to take Kagura as her student, although it was only because of Kagura's lack of compassion for her colleagues. In the time since then, Kagura grew to hate her former village and remained cold and uncaring for the well-being of other people.

Personality
Kagura was an ambitious and self-centred woman who desired the title of Hokage. She wished to become Tsunade's apprentice in order to gain the power to achieve her dream, and when denied, she came to harbour a hatred for Konohagakure in return. She has no compassion for her colleagues, cold and heartless regarding to their well-being, a reason she was denied the rights to be Tsunade's disciple, and in turn, Hokage.

Appearance
Kagura wore a revealing red outfit, showing her midriff, arms, and legs with her white hair tied back by a multi-coloured rope with bells attached to it. When seen up close her eyes are revealed to be an ice blue colour. She had multiple tattoos that resemble flower petals on the left side of her face and midriff as well as her left leg. She wears red high heeled sandals. She also kept her old Anbu blade sheathed on the same leg, and sometimes used it to attack, although she preferred to use her knives. Initially, she made use of her old Anbu mask to conceal her identity from those other than her subordinates, but she later discarded it.

Abilities
Kagura fought mainly with knives attached to, and controlled by, chakra strings that seemed to be connected to her gloves. The strings allowed her to do a variety of things with the knives, from swinging around into or away from opponents to sending the knives upward into the opponent from the ground. She also used her old Anbu blade, albeit sparingly, and had some skill in taijutsu. Several of Kagura's notable moves using her knives are reminiscent of moves that Kidōmaru used in Naruto: Gekitō Ninja Taisen! 4, and these moves may have been initially designed for her to be a sort of spiritual successor to Kidōmaru in this way. However, the two have few similarities beyond these moves.

Plot Overview
Kagura first appeared with Bando, wearing her old Anbu mask to hide her identity while he gave her a status report on their plans. Later, the two reappeared together before Naruto and Kakashi. She did not speak to them in order to continue hiding her identity; Bando spoke for her at the time for this purpose. After a brief scuffle with the two Konoha ninja, Kagura's mask was knocked off and her face was revealed. Kakashi, recognising her as one of his former colleagues in the Anbu, explained who she was to Naruto and Gaara, the latter of whom then demanded to know why Kagura and Bando had tried to destroy Konohagakure. Kagura and her partner simply laughed at the question, with Bando saying that the plan had not been stopped by their hideout being discovered and infiltrated, and that it would all "go on unhindered." The two then disappeared, leaving Kakashi's question of what Bando had meant by unanswered.

Kagura continued to orchestrate her plan to destroy Konoha, acting from inside the village, until she appeared again near the end of the game's story. Tracked down to a hideout within the village's Pillar Room by Towa and Komachi, she easily defeated them after goading them into fighting her. They then decided to flee to report Kagura's true plans: she wished for revenge on Tsunade for refusing to take her as her apprentice. Kagura had no plans of allowing the two to escape, but at that moment, however, Kakashi and Sakura showed up to stop Kagura from killing either of the two.

After trading insults, Kakashi and Sakura then battled Kagura to try to keep her from getting her revenge on Tsunade. However, Kakashi's plan to stop Kagura was soon foiled when, before they could defeat her, it was revealed that Sakura had long since been placed under Kagura's same genjutsu that had been wreaking havoc in the village the whole time. Kagura used this genjutsu to force Sakura to hold a kunai to her own throat, and threatened Kakashi that she would make Sakura kill herself if he made a move. She then noted that she would be giving both of them a slow and painful death shortly. With both Sakura and Kakashi at her mercy, the tables were suddenly turned on Kagura when Tsunade showed up, apparently notified by Towa and Komachi, who'd escaped during Kakashi and Sakura's battle with Kagura, knocking Sakura out from behind before the genjutsu could force her to kill herself.

Tsunade and Kagura had a showdown in the hideout, which eventually ended in Kagura's defeat. Kagura, exhausted, demanded to know why Tsunade had this much power, and why she had become Hokage when she had previously claimed that she had no intention of taking up that position. Tsunade explained that she had been convinced to "put it all on the line for one fool's dream." She then explained why she had never let Kagura become her apprentice, and Kagura, realising her mistakes and voicing her regret, collapsed from exhaustion.

Trivia

 * "Kagura" is a Japanese word referring to a specific type of Shintō theatrical dance. This was referenced by one of Kagura's one-liners during gameplay, "Dance for me", and by the fact that, like many Kagura dancers, she wore a mask, although her mask was from her former position in the Anbu.
 * In her appearance in Revolution 2, she was about the same height as Tsunade, but in her return in Revolution 3, she has grown noticeably taller.
 * Kagura is mentioned in Kabuto's bio in the strategy guide for Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm.

Kagura Kagura