Kisame Hoshigaki

is a missing-nin from Kirigakure and was partnered with Itachi Uchiha within Akatsuki.

Background
Kisame is a former member of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, an ever-changing group of ninja that wield particularly large weapons in battle. While in Kiri, Kisame was given the title of "Monster of the Hidden Mist". He is also known to have formed a connection to Suigetsu Hozuki and his brother. His former country, the Land of Water, now seeks him out for plotting to overthrow its government and being involved in numerous assassinations. Kisame later joins Akatsuki and was partnered with Itachi Uchiha. Pain states that his reason for joining Akatsuki is "Spite".

Appearance
Kisame is a very tall and strong shinobi with a distinctive shark-like appearance, complete with pale blue skin, small white eyes, gill-like facial structures, and sharp triangular teeth. Even his name,, means "Demon Shark". Kisame also wears a dark purple nail color, like Itachi.

Personality
Kisame is rather battle-loving, enjoying to fight with others. However, Kisame is usually forced to leave a fight, being paired with Itachi (who only fights when necessary). When this happens, he has been known to inform his opponent(s) that they "don't know how lucky they are." Like other characters who have trained to be one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Kisame enjoys mutilating his opponents, as seen when he suggests cutting off Naruto Uzumaki's legs to make him easier to carry.

Kisame is one of the few members of Akatsuki that got along well with his partner. Kisame is very loyal to Itachi, willing to take any commands he is given without question and constantly looks out for his well-being. Although Kisame does have his pride, he acknowledges Itachi as the stronger of the duo. Madara has noted that out of all of Akatsuki, Kisame was the closest to Itachi, implying that they were indeed good friends.

Return of Itachi arc
Kisame accompanies Itachi to Konoha to help kidnap Naruto Uzumaki. After he and Itachi gain attention due to their unusual clothing, Kisame and Itachi face off against Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi, two Konoha Jonin. However, Asuma and Kurenai stand little chance and are almost immediately defeated, requiring Kakashi Hatake to step in. While Itachi fights Kakashi, Kisame waits patiently for Itachi's victory. Before Itachi delivers the final blow, Kakashi remembers Jiraiya's warning and recognizes the duo as members of Akatsuki from their black cloaks. Itachi changes his mind and orders Kisame to capture Kakashi and kill Asuma and Kurenai. Might Guy arrives and kicks an attacking Kisame in the face (to which Kisame resents to this day). Following Guy's arrival, Itachi orders Kisame to retreat, not wanting to start a large-scale battle.

Itachi and Kisame then continue hunting Naruto, finding him under the protection of Jiraiya. After Itachi hypnotizes a woman to distract Jiraiya and leave Naruto alone, Kisame and Itachi confront Naruto in a hotel hallway. Kisame considers removing Naruto's legs so he can not run away, though Sasuke, Itachi's younger brother, shows up and draw their attention from Naruto. When Naruto attempts to fight, Kisame uses Samehada to absorb all of Naruto's chakra. Kisame then attempts to cut off Naruto's arms so he won't put up a fight. Before he can do this however, Jiraiya arrives and defends Naruto. Following the encounter, Kisame and Itachi are driven off by Jiraiya, failing to capture Naruto.

Rescue Gaara arc
While Akatsuki extracts the One-Tailed Shukaku from Gaara's body, they learn that Team Guy is nearing their location. Remembering his last encounter with Guy, Kisame volunteers to keep them occupied while the sealing is completed. Pain uses the Shapeshifting Technique to make a duplicate of Kisame's body that he can control remotely and engages Team Guy, but is quickly disappointed to find that Guy doesn't remember him. While Guy is barely able to withstand Kisame's attacks, the rest of Team Guy are incapable of trading blows and are eventually locked within Kisame's Water Prison Technique. Neji soon frees himself and the rest of his team using his Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms. Upon being forced into a corner, Guy opens his sixth gate and defeats Kisame's clone with the Morning Peacock technique.

Hunt for Uchiha arc
Kisame successfully manages to capture the Four-Tailed Beast, his assigned tailed-beast, without a scratch. During the following Akatsuki meeting to seal the Four-Tails, Kisame and Itachi are informed of Team Snake's formation with Sasuke as its leader. Kisame is later told by Itachi to stand guard outside the former Uchiha clan headquarters and to let only Sasuke through. After Sasuke leaves the rest of Team Snake, Suigetsu (who is a former candidate for The Seven Swordsman of the Mist) starts a fight with Kisame, wanting to claim Samehada as his own. When Itachi dies, their fight ends without a conclusion.

Sasuke & The Eight-Tailed Beast arc
Kisame later encounters Tobi, who reveals his identity as Madara Uchiha (who was a former Mizukage). Kisame comments that he feels a lot better knowing it's him who's pulling the strings.

After Team Hawk captures the eight-tail's host, Sasuke gives Kirābī to Madara for the Akatsuki to seal. During the extraction process, the host pops, revealing to be a tentacle of the tailed-beast. Madara is shown to remain silent, as Kisame comments that Sasuke has been fooled in the latter's attempt to capture the jinchūriki.

Weapon & Abilities
Kisame is said to be the strongest of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. He has been seen displaying astonishing speed and incredible physical strength. At one point Guy battled a clone of Kisame's with 30% chakra-supply, and Guy was forced to open his Sixth chakra gate in order to survive. Kisame himself proved powerful enough to successfully capture the Four-Tailed Beast's Jinchūriki, despite noting his target's exceptional powers. Though a difficult task by his own admission, Kisame merely complains that he is "a bit tired".

Samehada
Kisame's weapon is called Samehada, a sentient, scale-covered sword that shaves skin instead of cutting it. Samehada is also capable of absorbing chakra, but requires Kisame's own chakra to perform such feat. Only Kisame is allowed to wield Samehada; if anyone besides him tries to pick it up, spikes protrude from its handle and it returns to Kisame's side.

Physical Prowess and Chakra
Kisame has the largest chakra reserve in all of Akatsuki (according to Pain). Karin, upon sensing Kisame, states she has never seen so much chakra in one place. Even when he fights at 30% power in one instance his chakra supply is compared to that of a Nine-Tailed Demon Fox-enhanced Naruto Uzumaki during the Chunin Exams.

Water Release
Kisame's shark-like attributes carry over into his battles, for he even shapes his water release attacks into sharks. He is also able to alter the entire battlefield by using his Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave to create a lake's worth of water to give him the field advantage and to use for attacks.

Trivia

 * It is shown in the anime's omake specials that Kisame is insecure of his blue skin. This is portrayed when Deidara comments on how handsome his partner is, and how that must make him popular with the ladies. When he asks Kisame if he's popular with the ladies, he implies he is not and sulks and blames it on his shark-like appearance and skin.
 * Kisame (excluding those that have already died) is the last Akatsuki member to learn of Tobi's identity as Madara Uchiha.
 * Before Akatsuki's plans for the tailed-beasts were revealed and before the Three-Tailed Beast was seen, some fans believed Kisame to be the jinchuriki of the "Three-Tailed Isonade".
 * At 195 centimeters, Kisame is the tallest member of Akatsuki.

Quotes

 * "My giant blade, Sharkskin... does not slice. It cuts you to ribbons!"
 * "Itachi, it would be annoying if he moved around... Perhaps we should cut off a leg or two."
 * "It seems this beast has the brain of one as well."
 * "I take back what I said earlier. You have the brain of an insect, not a beast."
 * "My five sharks will rip you to shreds!"
 * (To Guy in the English anime) "Might Guy, huh? Mighty stupid-looking guy is more like it!"