Hōki Taketori

is a chūnin of Team 25, that has joined Konohagakure's Anbu.

Personality
Hōki is a zealous individual who admires Kakashi Hatake greatly, and wishes to follow in his footsteps. While extremely dedicated to his missions, Hōki can be overconfident and irritable when in command. At the same time, he is not without insecurities, showing noticeable stress at failing. He is also shown to be a good sport in competition, not bragging or mocking his defeated opponent upon winning.

Appearance
Hōki has brown messy hair and purple eyes. In the Academy, he wears a dark blue shinobi garment and an unzipped teal vest over it. As a shinobi, Hōki wears his vest zipped. In homage to his idol, Kakashi, he wears a dark blue face mask and his forehead protector adjusted over his left eye.

Abilities
Alongside his team-mates, despite his young age, Hōki excels in information gathering missions, often being assigned Anbu-class missions. Hōki has a photographic memory that allows him to remember the faintest details of whatever he sees.

Ninjutsu
Hōki can perform handseals at blazing speeds. He has some skill in fūinjutsu, able to immobilise his foes in the field of his technique and likewise increase the power of it by working in unison with other users. Under Sai Yamanaka's tutelage, Hōki was taught Anbu tactics, including methods to resist mind-probing techniques. He has advanced prowess in Earth Release, able transform his surrounding terrain it into a maze to throw off his opponent's perception and likewise attack with. The scale of his technique impressed Iwabee, a fellow Earth Release specialist.

Academy Entrance Arc
On the day of the entrance ceremony, as everyone began looking for an absent Boruto Uzumaki, he suddenly appeared, crashing a train into the Hokage Monument, which left Hōki amazed at his antics. Later, his class was assigned by Shino Aburame to shadow a non-shinobi workplace to better understand its lifestyle.

School Trip Arc
Hōki and his class went to Kirigakure for a field trip, where they were greeted by their tour guide, Kagura Karatachi.

Graduation Exams Arc
During the graduation exams, Hōki struggled against the proctors' superior skill. However, following Boruto's plan, they were able to eliminate the other proctors and face Kakashi Hatake to take the bell from him. Despite their group assault, Kakashi easily repelled all the students. This however proved to be a setup to get the Sixth Hokage in a group String Light Formation. Despite their effort, Kakashi was still able to hold them off. Ultimately, time ran out with no one getting the bell. However, Kakashi still chose to pass everyone as they succeeded in the test's true goal; teamwork and loyalty. Later, he was put on Team 25 alongside Hako Kuroi and Renga Kokubō.

Byakuya Gang Arc
With the continued thefts performed by the Byakuya Gang throughout Konohagakure, Team 25 was assigned alongside the other genin teams to help stop the self-proclaimed noble thieves. However, the genin were not permitted to engage the Byakuya Gang without aid from a chūnin or higher-ranked shinobi.

Later, while their jōnin sensei was injured and put off duty, Team 25 began doing constant D-Rank missions. Eventually they were assigned to help with sorting packages at the post office. Hōki began giving all kinds of commands that quickly got on his team-mates nerve. The team was soon approached by Sukea, who was checking in on their work. Boruto and Sarada suddenly appeared, helping with an investigation on a mail bomber. After their fellow classmates diffused a bomb, while Hōki wanted to help out, Renga and Hako refused to continue working with Hōki any more than they were officially assigned. As Hōki began getting frustrated on what to do, Sukea noted that the Sixth Hokage was not without his own failures and shames, that his greatest regret from childhood was trying to control everything to such excess that it recklessly cost him a dear friend. As he realised that he was making the same mistake, Hōki also realised from Sukea's hints at the bombs that there were more bombs still in circulation. Putting aside their differences, Team 25 decided to work together, working to their personal strengths to find the remaining bombs and avert disaster. Afterwards, at the suggestion of Sukea, Hōki apologised for his excessive commands, leading Renga and Hako to also apologise for their mistakes. Later, Team 25 was official reassigned to the command of Sai Yamanaka.

Sometime later, after Sumire Kakei resigned from her genin team to join the Scientific Ninja Weapons Team, Hōki joined his friends in a farewell party for the former class rep.

Mujina Bandits Arc
When Sai learned that the visiting Fire Daimyō, Ikkyū Madoka was randomly gathering a very large sum of money, Sai and his team went to confront him. During which, Hōki and his fellow genin found various members of the Mujina Bandits had infiltrated the village and swiftly captured them. They learned that Ikkyū's son, Tentō, was kidnapped by the bandits. Team 25 quickly went to work to save the boy, only to learn that Tentō was already saved by Team 7 and also captured the bandit's leader Shojoji.

Kara Actuation Arc
After Sasuke Uchiha probed the gang leader's mind and learned of Kara, Team 25 was sent to aid Sasuke in investigating this new shadow organisation in Amegakure. The genin learned of underground tunnels and an area that was sealed off become of a gas leak. After mapping out the area for Sasuke and Sai, Hōki and his fellow genin were ordered to return to Konoha, deeming the rest of the mission as too dangerous for them.

Ao Arc
Hōki attended the memorial service for the fallen people of the Fourth Shinobi World War.

Chūnin Re-Examination Arc
Hōki and his team participated in the new Chūnin Exams held by Naruto Uzumaki in order to promote more chūnin. Hōki and his team passed the first test. During the second test at the Forest of Death, only Hōki passed as both Renga and Hako staying behind in order for him to take the injured subordinate out of the forest. As one of the finalists, Hōki would have to fight another finalist in a one-on-one battle. He asked if they would be informed on their opponents that day, but was told it would only happen the day of the match. The next day, when he was free to train or rest, Sai checked on Hōki and his team-mates. They were focused on his teachings, specifically in that one of their own would make it to the end.

During the final exam, Hōki faced Inojin Yamanaka, Sai's son, in the first match. Hōki quickly took control of the battle by altering the environment into a maze, disorienting Inojin while he memorised the layout. Inojin tricked Hōki into attacking him from a blindspot, which allowed Inojin to use his Mind Body Switch Technique. However, Hōki's Anbu training under Sai made him resistant to such attacks, repelling the attack and allowing Hōki to subdue him. Hōki thanked Sai for his training, and Inojin for pushing him to give his all. Following this, Hōki joined his team-mates in the stands to watch the remaining matches. After the finals were done, Hōki's team celebrated his promotion. A few days later, Hōki joined the ceremony that appointed him as team captain.

Trivia

 * means "bamboo cutter". It is also based on a 10th-century Japanese folktale, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.
 * Hōki shares his last name with a clan, mentioned in the series.

Quotes

 * (To Sukea) "Once I see something, I never forget it."