Ranmaru


 * Age: Unknown
 * Name: Ranmaru
 * Voice Actor: Kari Wahlgren

Ranmaru (蘭丸, Ranmaru?) is a young orphan from Kirigakure. He is similar to Haku in many ways, in that he is an orphan, is loyal to one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and has an androgynous appearance and soft, almost feminine voice (In the English dub, he has a female voice actor), but he is never mistaken for a girl, in part due to the fact that "maru," a Japanese suffix for boys' names, is part of his name. Even though he is apparently paralyzed, his kekkei genkai gives him the ability to see through walls, cause illusions, and interfere with the Byakugan. He can also use some other vaguely defined powers relating to vision. This bloodline does not have a name yet mentioned, but when used, Ranmaru's eyes glow red for a moment.

Background
Ranmaru grew up with a sickly body, but the farmers living near him gave him food to eat. One day, he used his kekkei genkai, and accidentally revealed witnessing an injury that he otherwise could not have seen. The villagers realized that he was strange and stopped feeding him. Ranmaru became lonely, and resigned himself to starving to death. Not long afterward, Raiga arrived in the course of a mission, and was planning on killing Ranmaru, but Ranmaru revealed his ability and his perception of the sorrow within Raiga. Raiga then carried him on his back, allowing Ranmaru to see the outside world.

Synopsis
Ranmaru is first introduced, spotting Rourusuke's party escaping from Katabame Kinzan for Raiga. Raiga and Ranmaru fight Naruto and Team Guy when they arrive to defeat the Kurosuki family. Raiga initially gains the advantage due to Ranmaru's abilities and his powerful lightning jutsu, but after Ranmaru is knocked away from Raiga, Raiga becomes distraught over losing him, and Naruto knocks him off a cliff. Ranmaru then reveals his role and past to the Leaf ninja and asks to die. Naruto's group leaves him in a small shed on the mountain and take him back to the Curry of Life Shop after defeating the remaining Kurosuki family members.

Karashi takes Ranmaru on his back, and takes him to Raiga, who is not yet dead. Ranmaru revives him with his chakra, but passes out, seemingly dead, from doing so, causing Raiga to demand that Karashi bring him the Leaf genin. Tenten discovers that Ranmaru is alive, and takes him to a shed in the middle of a thunderstorm, trying to cool down his fever. While Ranmaru is willing to die, Tenten tells him that he does not deserve to decide that, as the people he helped Raiga kill could not make that decision. Ranmaru recovers his health, and becomes able to walk, after eating the Curry of Life and wishes for Raiga to eat it.

Ranmaru accompanies Tenten, Sanshou and Karashi to the mountain where Neji, Lee and Naruto are fighting Raiga, feeding the wounded ninja the curry. Ranmaru returns to Raiga and using his mist, tries to trick him into walking over a cliff, in order to atone for his actions. The plan fails when Lee attacks and interrupts Raiga, and when Ranmaru attempts to convince Raiga to stop the battle, Raiga believes that Ranmaru has betrayed him. Naruto rises to protect Ranmaru, and punches Raiga off the cliff through successive attacks with shadow clones. Raiga realizes how Ranmaru could never be a truly free soul as long as he depended on him, and gives himself a funeral in one of his more coherent moments. As that arc comes to a close, Ranmaru becomes an apprentice at the Curry of Life shop.