Tenten

is one of the main supporting characters of the series. She is a chūnin-level kunoichi of Konohagakure and member of Team Guy.

Personality
Tenten strongly believes that female ninja can be as strong as male ninja. During the Chūnin Exams, Neji suggests that kunoichi aren't great at taijutsu, but Tenten tells him off, explaining that girls are just as good as boys when it comes to taijutsu. Tenten's personal dream is to become as powerful and well noted female ninja as Tsunade. She can be quite fierce sometimes, especially with Lee, violently shaking him whenever he is left unconscious. Tenten also has shown a strong distaste for weakness or being overly dependent on other people. Despite this, she is not above showing a softer side when it comes to her team-mates. She holds great respect for her team-mate, Neji, and often helps him train. Tenten also has a naturally inquisitive nature and doesn't like to be kept out of the loop, as seen from her reactions toward Naruto and Lee in the anime.

Appearance
Tenten has brown eyes and long brown hair gathered in two Chinese-style buns, one either side of her head. Her forehead protector is worn around her head underneath her fringe. In Part I, Tenten wears a pink sleeveless blouse and dark green pants. Her appearance is a reference to the Chinese culture. In Part II, her outfit undergoes several changes: she now sports a long-sleeved white blouse with a high collar and red fastener and edges paired with similarly coloured, puffy pants that look like an hakama, with the exposed parts of her legs near the waist covered in bandages. The shuriken holster and the bandage on her right leg is removed and she wears brown fingerless gloves, with her forehead protector having switched to the same colour and her shinobi sandals having been replaced by open slippers; everything is still a reference to the Chinese culture. She holds a giant tool summoning scroll on her back that she uses when fighting.

In the manga, during her first appearance her blouse was blue instead of pink which in later chapters, changed to her common Part I outfit. Her scrolls have also changed colour from red and yellow to green and yellow. During the Chūnin Exams, Tenten is seen wearing this dark blue blouse and red pants while helping Neji to train for the finals and also during Naruto and Neji's match. In the episode of the Konoha Annual Sports Festival, she is also seen wearing the same blue blouse, which is longer compared to the pink one.

Weapon Specialist
Tenten specializes in mostly long-range attacks, thanks to her weapons, which she carries in a number of scrolls held in a holster on her waist in Part I. In Part II, she carries her weapons in a single big scroll with a couple of smaller scrolls. While her fighting method remains almost unseen in the manga, the anime dedicates more time to her, showing many of the weapons she carries around being used and even granting her named attacks. In Part I, her arsenal is composed mostly of steel projectiles and her favoured method of strength attack is to throw her scrolls in the air in such a way as to cause them to spin above her, then jump between them and toss myriad weapons at her opponent in rapid succession, otherwise known as Twin Rising Dragons. She also uses strings to control and guide the direction of her weapons. Her weapons skills are so advanced that she was able to skilfully use and control an extremely unorthodox weapon just after receiving it.

In Part II, she is shown using a two-stage attack using exploding tags and a grenade full of kunai. Also, she uses more weapons than ever, developing new techniques such as Twin Rising Dragons Control where she adds exploding tags to most of her weapons and her most powerful technique known as Manipulated Tools: Heavenly Chain of Destruction where she unrolls her scroll and releases hundreds and varieties of weapons in a rain to pierce her enemies and/or their defences, which is mostly impossible to evade. Tenten can also summon more than just weapons as she summoned a fireball against Guren, a fire dragon to fight against the one of the Kumo-nins's wolves trap, and a large metal dome that can protect her and her team-mates.

Other Skills
Tenten is also proficient in taijutsu and melee-based weapons. She is the fastest kunoichi of her age group, which is expected, considering her team-mates. However, she is still the slowest member of Team Guy. She mostly uses her weapons to corner her enemies, supporting and covering her team, working in perfect synchronization with Lee and Neji and being vital to her team. According to the team, Tenten will never miss her target as she can hit 100/100 marks. She's a great analyzer as she sees things others cannot and she's able to measure the perfect distance for attack or defence between herself and her opponent.

Chūnin Exam Arc
During the written exam, Tenten assisted Lee in gathering answers. Using strings to adjust hidden mirrors on the ceiling, Tenten allowed Lee to see his fellow ninja's answers and copy them without being caught. She was seen again during the second part of the exam in the Forest of Death with her team-mates. Their team decided to split up to find weaker teams to corner and take scrolls from. She and Neji met back up at the assigned destination, but became worried when Lee didn't return. She and Neji went looking for Lee and arrived in time to find an unconscious Lee and also witness Sasuke's brutal defeat of the sound genin. After this, Tenten was seen taking over watching an unconscious Lee for Ino, and then proceeded to wake him by violently shaking him.

Tenten was pitted against Temari during the preliminaries of the Chūnin Exams. Since their fight went unseen in the manga, the anime adaptation explained the circumstances that occurred. Tenten began the match by throwing a few of her weapons at Temari while keeping the best distance for offence and defence. The Third Hokage complimented Tenten's strategy, though Temari easily blew the weapons away with her fan. She was surprised that not one weapon reached Temari and tried a different approach. Temari explained the power of her fan and that once Tenten had seen all three moons the match would be over. Since nothing had even come close to hitting Temari, Tenten used one final technique that she was saving for the finals. The Twin Rising Dragons proved to be an impressive technique, but ultimately ineffective against Temari's fan. As Tenten ran out of weapons, she used strings to control the weapons and fling them once again back at Temari, in an attempt to surprise her. Temari however quickly used her fan to blast Tenten, along with her weapons and she hit the floor. Temari finally used her fan to trap Tenten in a cyclone and propel her into the air. As the cyclone dispersed and Tenten fell to the ground, Temari had Tenten land on her closed fan, knocking her unconscious. Even after she was declared the winner of the match, she threw Tenten off of the fan in attempt to have her land on the many weapons on the ground. However, Rock Lee jumped in to save Tenten before she hit the ground.

Before the finals begin, Tenten helps Neji in his training to perfect his techniques. She was seen using her weapons to help Neji perfect his Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin. Later, she watched Neji's fight with Naruto in the finals, where she admired Neji's skills and praised Naruto's ability to defeat him.

Anime Filler arcs
During the Konoha 11 arc, Tenten was shown to be a very keen observer, picking up on facts that others overlooked. During another arc Tenten showed disgust for Ranmaru, a young cripple who could not take care of himself. She then saved his life by taking him to the Curry of Life shop. She brought the young boy out of his depression and convinced him to live and to stand on his own two feet. After this she made a formidable opponent for Raiga Kurosuki when she faced him in a one-on-one fight. Knowing that he used Lightning Release techniques she quickly deduced that her metal weapons would be a bad idea to use, and took on the Missing-nin using her wooden based melee weapons. She appeared to gain the upper hand in the battle when she succeeded in disarming Raiga before he overwhelmed her with his techniques.

When she was sent on a mission to the Land of Birds, she smacked Naruto for faking his own death and claimed she was worried about him. While this was true, she showed anger toward Naruto and Neji for leaving her out of their plan.

In Episode 158; ''Follow My Lead! The Great Survival Challenge'', the Academy Students were divided into teams of three and were assigned to a genin who would lead them on a mission against the other teams. Tenten was assigned to lead a team of three academy students; Hajiki, Ayato and Mari. Her time with them was not covered much except that she was doing better than Naruto.

In the last of the filler arcs, Tenten was the only one of the Konoha 11 to be left out of the mission, and Tenten scolded Lee because of it. Lee explained that Tenten was away on another mission and so couldn't have come, though Tenten attacked him anyway, using Dynamic Entry to defeat him, shouting a forceful "Sore!" as she did so.

Kazekage Rescue Arc
Team Guy is sent to assist Team 7 in rescuing Gaara. Along the way, the group encounters Akatsuki member Kisame Hoshigaki. Tenten tries to attack Kisame with a spiked bomb, but he is able to avoid the explosion. Seeing that Neji, Lee, and Tenten are in the way, Kisame quickly creates three water clones that capture the three team members in a water prison, leaving the original Kisame to fight Guy one-on-one. Tenten reaches her limit the fastest, and is about to suffocate due to lack of oxygen in the small sphere of water. She was saved when Neji broke out of his own sphere and released Lee who took out the Kisame clone holding her captive.

After Kisame is defeated and Team Guy reaches the Akatsuki hideout, the team disperses to remove a number of seals in the surrounding area that are making entrance to the lair impossible. Although they succeed, they are each forced to fight exact copies of themselves, with the handicap of them tiring out, while the clones seems to have infinite energy. Lee realizes that while each clone is as strong as themselves when it was created, they have no emotions and hence no drive to surpass their current limits. Realizing this, they each pushed to surpass themselves and using a new stronger jutsu, each defeats their lookalike in time. They make it back to the others just in time to corner Deidara. Deidara escapes by switching out with an exploding clone that nearly killed everyone before they were saved by the Kamui technique of Kakashi's Mangekyō Sharingan. After Gaara is rescued, Team Guy returns to Konoha with Team Kakashi.

Three-Tails Arc
In the anime, Guy taught Tenten and Lee how to synchronize attacks, something that consisted of tying them together. This had little success. Soon afterwards, Tenten is sent to provide backup for a team trying to seal the Three-Tailed Beast. Upon arrival, she is instructed to defend against attackers. When Team Guren finally appeared, Tenten used several bombs to blow away the enemies' smokescreen. Despite defeating the enemies, Guren managed to stop the sealing process. After which, Tenten was given orders to watch over the recently retrieved Yūkimaru while the rest of her team searched for Naruto.

After learning that Naruto was in the Three-Tail's belly, Tenten was assigned as a front defence from another attack by the enemy while the rest of the team dealt with the Three-Tails. To her surprise, Guren's men returned, ready to fight again. Unprepared for her opponent's enhanced might, Tenten and her team were defeated. They later return to Konoha with the others.

Invasion of Pain Arc
When Pain's invasion of Konoha begins, Team Guy is away on a mission. The team decides to make stop before returning to the village, much to the relief of an exhausted Tenten. During this pit stop they notice a number of birds apparently escaping from the village. The team decides to hurry back to the village with Tenten not looking forward to more trouble. They rush to the village and find it to be in ruins. They find Hinata badly injured and Tenten says she will be alright before getting her to Sakura for medical attention. Later, she is seen with the rest of the village celebrating Naruto's victory.

Konoha History Arc
When Tsunade thought Naruto had a rare virus that could put the village in danger, she assigned Chōji, Tenten, Kiba, and Shino to capture Naruto, though they were not told why. Tenten then encountered Naruto and summoned out tranquilizers and defeated Naruto, but found out that it was only shadow clone.

When Konoha was rebuilding, Tenten and Neji were sent to get more ninja tools from Iou. While there Tenten was remembering about when she, Neji, and Naruto, who was taking Lee's place for the time, were sent to Iou's research lab to get any ninja tools they can get. Tenten was made team leader in Guy's place, due to the fact she was able to transfer ninja tools to her specially prepared scrolls. When they went to Iou's place, Tenten couldn't wait for new ninja tools. All were useless, then Tenten showed them the request. Later, Tenten and her team found that Iou and his apprentice were gone. They ran into two traps both needing Tenten's accuracy. Next, two weapon collectors came to steal the Jidanda. Tenten defeats them with Jidanda, and ask for it. It was denied because said it needed adjustments. It is back to present and Tenten tells Neji that she hopes the Jidanda is ready.

In Neji's flashback, during the Chūnin Exam, when Gaara and Sasuke were up against each other, Tenten visits Neji in the room where he was treated by the medical ninja after his fight with Naruto and asked him if he wanted to go see Sasuke and Gaara's match. After Neji agreed to go, there was an explosion and the two ran out the arena and found the Hyūga Elder and he was hurt. He ordered Neji to go and bring back Hinata, who was kidnapped by two Kumo spectators. Tenten found Kiba Inuzuka and Akamaru, woke them up, and the four went to bring back Hinata. While they were after the kidnappers, they activated an earth release trap that was set by the kidnappers and Tenten told the rest to go on and she would try to hold them off. Tenten tried to fend off the wolves. When Hinata was saved, Tenten was saved by Kō Hyūga.

Five Kage Summit Arc
After everyone of Konoha 11 come to the conclusion that they must take care of Sasuke themselves in order to prevent a war between Konoha and Kumo, Tenten commands Kiba not to yell at Ino who is torn about the decision to kill Sasuke. Later, after the Five Kage Summit, she angrily bangs her fist against some wood and scolds Naruto about his decision of fighting Sasuke alone, feeling that he is being stubborn.

Shinobi World War Arc
Tenten is placed in the First Division alongside Chōza Akimichi and questions Chōza who their Commander is. Chōza tells her it is Darui. After moving with the First Division to the border of the Land of Lightning, Tenten is shocked by the vast amount of enemy forces. When the First Division comes into contact with the enemies, Tenten attacks several White Zetsu with a barrage of projectile weapons. After Kinkaku's sealing, she notices something on the vast battlefield.

During the battle, Tenten found the Bashōsen in the water as Kakuzu's Lightning Mask began attacking her. She began countering, but the mask was destroyed by Asuma Sarutobi's Wind Release: Dust Storm Technique. She commented on how sweet the fan was, and wondered who dropped it.

Naruto: Shippūden the Movie
Tenten only plays a small part appearing with some of the other Konoha shinobi protecting the village and not having a speaking part. She was seen being led by Kakashi and Guy in making a counterattack against Mōryō and his stone soldiers to buy time for Naruto and Shion to defeat Mōryō.

Naruto Shippūden 3: Inheritors of the Will of Fire
Tenten was first seen with the rest of Konoha 11 eating barbecue to celebrate Naruto and Sai's recovery. After Naruto and Sai arrive, Naruto exclaims that Shikamaru in paying for everyone. She and the others quickly thank Shikamaru before he can protest. After Hiruko announced a fourth ninja war will occur, she was one of Konoha 11, except Naruto, assigned by Tsunade to secure the village. After Naruto and Sakura left the village, she and the others were ordered to go after them and bring them back. When they encountered them they all got ambushed by Ichi. Tenten released the others from Ichi's tentacles with some exploding kunai and they started to battle them while Naruto and Sakura went ahead. Neji told Shikamaru that Team Guy will handle the battle and sends the rest of the team after Naruto and Sakura. Tenten uses her weapons to distract Ichi while they prepare to use the Front Lotus: Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin. They succeed in defeating Ichi before San summons him and Ni to make a more powerful chimera.

She and her team-mates join back up with Team 8 and Team 10 and take over fighting the chimera for and exhausted Shikamaru, Sakura, and Sai. In the end when Hiruko revealed his true form to Naruto and Kakashi, she and the others all defeated his chimera together with Tenten landing the final blow with Twin Rising Dragons, covering the beast in exploding kunai and detonating them. She and the others praise Naruto for defeating Hiruko and witness the weird moment between Naruto and Kakashi because of his creepy smile after remembering Obito.

Trivia

 * "Ten", in Japanese means heaven or heavenly so in this case, it means "heavenly, heaven". "Tenten" can also mean, "little by little" in Japanese, "this and that", "here and there", or "dot". It is also a possibility that her name insinuates "Ten out of Ten," a reference to her skill in hitting targets.
 * Tenten has slowly improved her ranking in the Naruto character popularity polls. She has placed 29th, 24th, and 22nd in the last three polls.
 * In an interview, Kishimoto said he preferred Tenten out of the four Konoha girls because he liked her design.
 * Like the rest of her team, Tenten's character seems to draw inspiration from Chinese culture as seen from her attire and hairstyle, the chinese style Chignon.
 * Tenten shown more dominant using her left hand with weapons and others. She might be left handed.
 * Tenten and Neji have the same theme in the anime, but Tenten's has a slower beat. It is often used in flashbacks and emotional moments.
 * In original colour illustrations of the manga, Tenten's costume is blue. This is changed to pink in the anime and later manga images.
 * In the second ending of Naruto Shippūden, Tenten only appears in episodes 28, 29 and 30.
 * According to the third databook:
 * One of Tenten's hobbies is fortune-telling.
 * Tenten would like to have a rematch with Temari, she would also like to fight Tsunade's apprentice, Sakura Haruno.
 * Her favourite foods are Sesame dumplings and Chinese food, while her least favourite is pickled plums.
 * Tenten's favourite phrase is "Never miss a target".
 * Tenten has completed 62 official missions in total: 28 D-rank, 23 C-rank, 3 B-rank, 7 A-rank, 1 S-rank.
 * Tenten loves to investigate.

Quotes

 * (To Neji about Ino and Sakura fighting) "It's not because they're girls you know, Neji. It's just that those two are using kid gloves. It doesn't matter if you're a man or woman in battle."
 * (To Guy) "I want to be a great and powerful ninja! To walk in the footsteps of the legendary kunoichi, Tsunade!"
 * (To Naruto about Ranmaru) "I can't stand weak and indecisive people!"
 * (To Ranmaru) "I won't let that happen. You're not getting off that easy. No way! The people you and Raiga killed, they all wanted to live but you didn't leave them that choice! You decided for them! Well you don't get to decide this time, ok?! You're gonna live and you're going to take some responsibility for all those people's lives you cut short!"
 * (To Sanshō about Ranmaru) "I'm not running away and I'm not giving up. I will save this child."
 * (To Naruto) "Let's just say I don't like being kept in the dark!"
 * (To Naruto) "You're gonna fight Sasuke alone? And you think all of us are just gonna stand here and let you?!"
 * (To Naruto) "Three members of Team Guy specialise in Close-Contact battles so I often render aid from the distance. I don't mind providing back up, but I was hoping to find new ninja tools that would enable me to fight on the front lines."
 * "Amazing... The brilliance of the blade... the design. They're all beautiful! I want to take them all home!"