The Nine Masked Beasts are entities created by Menma through the use of the Black Nine-Tails' chakra. Five of these beasts are described as divine beasts (神獣, shinjū), while the other four are referred to as divine priests (神官, shinkan).[1]
Menma summons them by conjuring a massive mandala featuring nine rings arrayed in a cross pattern, the same emblem he wears on his cloak. The masked beasts emerge from the rings, each of which bears a kanji from the kuji-in, which also appear on the rings worn by the members of Akatsuki.
- Seiryū (青龍, literally meaning: Azure Dragon), a dragon that resembles a seahorse. Emerges from the ring bearing the kanji 青 (ao, "azure").
- Byakko (白虎, literally meaning: White Tiger), a lean and slender tiger. Emerges from the ring bearing the kanji 白 (bya, "white").
- Suzaku (朱雀, literally meaning: Vermilion Bird), a bird with elegant and dramatic plumage. Emerges from the ring bearing the kanji 朱 (shu, "vermilion").
- Genbu (玄武, literally meaning: Black Tortoise), a tortoise with a shell made of overlapping plates. Emerges from the ring bearing the kanji 玄 (gen, "black").
- Kinja (金蛇, literally meaning: Golden Snake), a massive serpent with golden scales. Emerges from the ring bearing the kanji 玉 (gyoku, "jewel").
- Tennyo (天女, literally meaning: Celestial Maiden), an angelic priestess with flowing robes. Emerges from the ring bearing the kanji 空 (kū, "sky").
- Shinigami (死神, literally meaning: Grim Reaper), a priest that resembles a skeleton and carries a scythe. Emerges from the ring bearing the kanji 三 (san, "three").
- Hokuto Sennin (北斗仙人, literally meaning: Northern Sage), a priest with a fox staff. Emerges from the ring bearing the kanji 北 (hoku, "north").
- Nanto Sennin (南斗仙人, literally meaning: Southern Sage), the matching counterpart of Hokuto Sennin. Emerges from the ring bearing the kanji 南 (nan, "south").
When defeated, they revert to their true forms, which are nine masked fox kits (子狐, kogitsune) that each possess a single tail. They can also convert back into chakra that will arc through the air from their present location back to Menma. Once they collide with Menma, they reform into the Black Nine-Tails.
Trivia
- Menma uses the Nine Masked Beasts to overwhelm his opponents with numbers, similar to Naruto's use of the Shadow Clone Technique or Nagato's use of the Six Paths of Pain.
See Also
References
- ↑ Naruto Stealth Volume: Road to Ninja (ＮＡＲＵＴＯ―ナルト―巻ノ忍 ＲＯＡＤ ＴＯ ＮＩＮＪＡ, Naruto Maki no Shinobi: Road to Ninja) page 77
