Kagura (game)

was an original character created for the American-exclusive Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 2, and returned for its sequel, Naruto Shippūden: Clash of Ninja Revolution 3. She was a former ANBU member who had wished to become Tsunade's apprentice, and later the Hokage, but went rogue when Tsunade had refused because of Kagura's lack of compassion for her colleagues. Kagura was shown wearing a red outfit, with her white hair tied back. She had multiple tattoos shaped similar to 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. Kagura fought mainly with knives attached to, and controlled by, her chakra strings. The strings allowed her to do a variety of things, from swinging across a stage to sending the knives upward into the opponent from the ground.

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 in order to continue hiding her identity; Bando spoke for her at the time. After a fight with the two Konoha ninja, Kagura's mask was knocked off and her face was revealed. Kakashi 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 would "go on unhindered." The two then disappeared, leaving Kakashi's question of what Bando had meant unanswered.

Kagura continued to orchestrate her plan to destroy Konoha until she appeared again near the end of the story. Tracked down to a hideout within the village by Towa and Komachi, she easily defeated them. They then decided to flee to report Kagura's true plans: revenge on Tsunade for refusing to take her as her apprentice. Kagura had no plans of allowing them to escape, but at that moment, however, Kakashi and Sakura showed up to stop Kagura from killing 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 been placed under Kagura's same genjutsu that had been wreaking havoc in the village during the battle. Kagura used this genjutsu to force Sakura to hold a kunai to her own throat, and threatened Kakashi that she would kill Sakura 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 before the genjutsu could force her to kill herself.

Tsunade and Kagura had a showdown in the hideout, which ended in Kagura's defeat. Kagura, exhausted and dying, 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 decided 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, collapsed from exhaustion and died on the spot.

Despite her death, 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 Wii, but she must be purchased before she can be used. 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.

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.