Shikadai Nara

is a genin from Konohagakure's Nara clan, and a member of Team Moegi. Together with his teammates Chōchō Akimichi and Inojin Yamanaka, he forms the seventeenth generation of the Ino–Shika–Chō trio.

Background
Shikadai is the only child of Temari and Shikamaru Nara. Shortly after his birth, his father notices his cry as "lazily and feeling all-knowing to the whole world". To which, Shikamaru suggests that the infant better explore the world with his friends. All the while, Shikadai is yet to be given a name. As Shikadai's parents remained close to their own childhood friends, Shikadai ultimately grew to know the respective parent's own children well, growing especially close to Boruto Uzumaki.

Personality
Shikadai takes after his father, Shikamaru, in several ways, possessing a similar relaxed, unenthusiastic personality. He finds participating in activities to be very tiresome and is quick to shirk out of them as seen when he rejected an invitation from Inojin to train after school. Also like his father, tends to say "Complete" when successfully performing a technique or battle plan.

Stemming from his lax nature, he also isn't one to properly respect rank, greeting his uncle — the Kazekage — plainly before flatly asking for his other uncle Kankurō. He also showed himself to be blunt and outspoken like his mother, telling Boruto that pursuing a prank during the Five Kage Summit was stupid.

Shikadai is referred to as a gamer and seems to have a strong moral code. For instance, he was personally offended when Boruto revealed he was cheating in the video game the two play with Inojin. He also gave up against Boruto, who he did not know was cheating at the time, in their Chūnin Exam fight because he felt that as a gamer, one should understand when to give up to fight another day when the odds are overwhelmingly against you. He also has a fierce rivalry with Boruto. At the same time, he appears to be rather close to him, accepting Hinata's request to watch out for her son, implying he is also close to Hinata.

Appearance
Shikadai follows the customary look of the Nara, with his black, spiky hair tied up in a ponytail. At the same time, his overall facial features more favour his mother, including the sharper shape and teal-colouring of her eyes. His facial expressions also favour his mother's. He is quite tall for his age. He wears a dark outfit with a light cream-coloured jacket over it, which bears the rudimentary form of his clan's crest. Also as customary of his clan, both of his ears are pierced with grey stud earrings. In Boruto, he wears an unbuttoned black coat with a white shirt.

Abilities
Shikadai has been hailed as a prodigy amongst the Nara clan, having inherited his father's intellect and possessing the Kazekage clan bloodline. During the Chūnin Exams, he was able to defeat the top Suna genin [Yodo]] and was considered well-above the level of the elite Kumo genin Yurui.

Intelligence
Like both his parents, Shikidai is a natural strategist and tactician, constantly taking a methodical and analytical approach to battle to stay steps ahead of the opponent. During his fight against Boruto, Shikadai said he had at least 12 countermeasures in place if Boruto had used the Rasengan.

Ninjutsu
Even when just joining the Academy, Shikadai had very advanced shurikenjutsu prowess, able to easily hit the bulls-eye.Weeks later, as class started learning shurikenjutsu, Sumire was upset that her own performance wasn't showing much progress. Presumably learned from his mother, Shikadai is proficient in Wind Release. With it, he can perform the Sickle Weasel Technique, although it is unknown he if requires a fan like his mother to perform it. As a member of his generation's Ino–Shika–Chō, he is learning the collaboration techniques to be performed between him, Inojin, and Chōchō.

Nara Clan Techniques
Shikadai is a capable user of his clan's shadow manipulation techniques. By using the Shadow Imitation Technique to connect with his target's shadow, he can forces them to mimic his movements. He can also use the technique to simply restrict his opponents movements, without forcing them to imitate his own. His skill with the technique even allows him to greatly expand its range to capture many different targets simultaneously before they can react.

Academy arc
The day before entrance ceremony to the Academy, Shikadai joined Boruto in racing to their last chance to try out a new limited edition burger. After narrowly succeeding, Shikidai took off reminding Boruto to not be late for the ceremony tomorrow. On the following day, Shikadai irritated to see that Boruto had indeed failed to show up on time for the entrance ceremony. As everyone began looking for an absent Boruto, the said student suddenly appeared, crashing a train into the Hokage Monument, which Shikdai so annoyed at Boruto. Shikamaru then had everyone clear out to begin clean-up.

Two weeks later, after Boruto's suspension ended and he finally joined the class, Shikidai soon caught up with him, reminding him to not get into any more trouble. Despite this, Boruto continued to make a spectacle of himself, including begging Shikidai to share his text books since he forgot his own. Later, Boruto got into a confrontation with the class' top student Iwabee Yuino. As two students began arguing about what it means to be shinobi, they decided to skip class to settle things in fight. Lee joined the rest of the class to watch the fight in a training arena, annoying Shikadai and noting that Boruto would probably get suspended for this. Ultimately, Boruto and Inojin Yamanaka's respective words resonated with Iwabee, ending the fight. Despite the pleasant ending, Lee and the rest of the class were fiercely scolded later by sensei Anko Mitarashi for skipping class.

Later, the started learning shurikenjutsu. When Boruto Uzumaki's reckless caused some property damage. Their teacher Shino Aburame decided to have Boruto, along with Shikadai and other students help with repairs to the Hokage Rock. During which an anxious Metal Lee got too worked up and caused more damage. Afterwards, realizing that Lee suffered from social anxiety, Shikadai commented on it, insisting that he get over it, causing Lee to walk away ashamed. Later that night, Shikadai was scolded by his mother for getting into trouble, while Shikamaru insisted that no one is perfect and people all progress at their own rate. Taking to heart his father's words, Shikadai realized he was too harsh on Lee. The following day, Shikidai found Lee, who was acting unusually aggressive (as he was possessed) and recklessly attacked him, forcing Shidakai, along with Boruto and Inojin to run. Deciding the had to subdue him as peacefully as possible, Shikadai devised a plan, using Boruto as a distraction long enough for Shikadai to catch Lee in his shadow technique. As Lee managed to break free, he randomly fumbled over and was knocked out. After Lee awoke, who returned to normal, Shikadai profusely apologized for his harsh words earlier, which the confused Lee quickly accepted. Following praise for Lee's remarkable combat skills, the group became much closer, even offering to let Lee play their video games.

Nearing graduation, after class at the Academy was dismissed, Shikadai warned Boruto not to pursue his prank because of the five Kage meeting. Upon arriving home, he told his mother to tell Ino that his stomach was hurting, simply to get out of having to train, and greeted his uncle Gaara casually, earning a reprimand from his mother, but shrugged it off and asked for his other uncle Kankurō instead.

Naruto Gaiden: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring
Upon hearing that he and the rest of the class will be going through graduation exams in a week, Shikadai found little interest in the idea. Later, he accompanied his father in stopping Boruto from interrupting the Seventh Hokage from his duties, and to his chagrin, was asked by his father to notify Naruto's shadow clone where Boruto was.

Versus Momoshiki Arc
After finishing their missions for the day, Shikadai hung out with Boruto and Inojin to play video games together. When he found out that Boruto had been cheating in the video game, he was annoyed and told Boruto that levelling up on his own behind his mother's back was much more fun.

He later on entered the Chūnin Exams with Inojin and Chōchō. He used his shadow to hold Inojin and Chōchō against the sides of a pit to successfully avoid falling in and failing the first Chūnin Exam test administered by Sai. In the second test, Team Moegi uses their team-work to easily capture a flag to advance. In the third round of individual fights, Shikadai is matched-up with Yodo, who he defeats with his Shadow Imitation Technique and moves on.

In the final round of the Exams, Shikadai is matched against Boruto. Shikadai is able to capture Boruto and his shadow clones by creating a massive shadow circle, taking them all out at once. When he asks the trapped Boruto to give up, Boruto instead creates multiple shadow clones to surround Shikadai with the aid of his concealed device. Shikadai admits defeat, however, is pronounced the winner when Boruto was discovered to have cheated. When Kinshiki and Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki began their attack on the arena, Shikadai was protected by Rock Lee and saved by Gaara from falling debris of the stadium, before being evacuated.

Trivia

 * Before Shikadai was born, the counsellors of Sunagakure stated that if his uncles die without heirs, he, as a descendant of Rasa's bloodline, would become the Kazekage; Suna considered it a crisis for a Konohagakure-born shinobi to become Kazekage, and this reasoning was used to force Gaara into taking a wife.
 * According to the movie's light novel adaption, Shikadai's role-playing character, when he plays with Boruto and Inojin, is a silver armour-clad, two-handed sword wielding warrior.
 * According to character trivia from Boruto:
 * Shikadai's hobbies are shogi, simulation games, and taking afternoon naps.
 * His favourite foods are sashimi and water eggplants.
 * His least favourite food is spinach.
 * His attributes are: 180 in intelligence, 130 in negotiations, 112 in dexterity, 90 in strength, 145 in perception, and 120 in chakra.
 * He has four stars in observation and intelligence gathering, and three stars in ninjutsu.

Quotes

 * (To Inojin) "Pranks and training are both annoying."
 * (To Boruto after capturing him) "It would be great, if you gave up soon."