Kagura (game)

was an original character created specifically for the story of the American-exclusive Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2, and returned as a playable character once again for its sequel, Naruto Shippūden: Clash of Ninja Revolution 3. She is a former ANBU of Konohagakure and a missing-nin who acts as an antagonist in the story of 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 home and remained cold and uncaring for the well-being of other people.

Appearance
Kagura wore a revealing red outfit, with her white hair tied back by a multi-colored rope with bells attached to it. She had multiple tattoos shaped not unlike a flower's petals on the left side of her face and midriff as well as her left leg. 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, recognizing 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 and dying from her wounds, demanded to know why Tsunade 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, realizing her mistakes and voicing her regret, collapsed from exhaustion and was never heard from again.

Kagura reappears in Naruto Shippūden: Clash of Ninja Revolution 3, but plays no part in the story of the game, and, like several other returning characters from Revolution 2, has been included only as a bonus character. Like the other three original characters from the previous game, Kagura can be unlocked from the start in Revolution 3 by having Revolution 2 save data on the player's Wii, but she must also be purchased before she is fully unlocked for use. She is the most expensive of the three original characters that can be unlocked with this method, being worth 3,000 more ryo than Towa and Komachi. For the most part, her attacks are relatively unchanged, as are her interactions with other characters.

Trivia

 * Kagura is a Japanese word referring to a specific type of Shinto 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.