Highlights
- The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were an elite group of shinobi known for their unmatched skills in kenjutsu and their uniquely powerful blades.
- Former members of the group went on to join organizations like the Akatsuki and displayed their strength and swordsmanship abilities.
- Each of the seven blades associated with the group had distinct abilities and fighting styles, making them formidable weapons in battle.
An elite cohort of shinobi, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were considered to be the strongest kenjutsu practitioners from Kirigakure as well as the larger shinobi world in Naruto. Each member wielded a uniquely powerful blade which required years of training to master and was passed down over successive generations of the group. Quite a few of the Hidden Mist's most fearsome shinobi were members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, attesting to the notoriety the group amassed over the course of history.
Introduced as early as the very first arc in Naruto which was titled "Prologue — Land of Waves," the group would continue to have an impact on the story in different ways. After their formation, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen endured a bloody and turbulent history, in tandem with the decline of the Hidden Mist Village itself. Even after this, former members of the group who defected from Kirigakure went on to join groups such as the Akatsuki and face off against the main cast on several occasions during the series' main storyline, displaying their immense strength and mastery of swordsmanship.
Who Were The Seven Ninja Swordsmen?
Regarded as the greatest blade wielders from each generation of ninja hailing from Kirigakure, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were feared by all the Five Great Shinobi Countries for their unmatched prowess with their respective swords. As only seven shinobi could be part of the organization at any given time, the exclusivity associated with being a member signified the collective strength of the group as well as the individual prowess of each ninja within its ranks. Being part of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen was a mark of prestige among Kirigakure ninja, despite the many unsavory actions they were responsible for over the years.
When united, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were said to be capable of bringing down entire nations on their own. Certain generations were said to comprise the strongest shinobi in Kirigakure at the time, second only to the Mizukage. In fact, the Sixth Mizukage Chojuro, is himself a member of the organization's last generation, wielding the blade Hiramekarei. Other notable former members included Suigetsu Hozuki, the "Demon of the Hidden Mist" Zabuza Momochi who used Kubikiribocho, his predecessor with the sword Juzo Biwa, the wielder of Samehada Kisame Hoshigaki, and Mangetsu Hozuki, who was able to use all seven blades and possessed a scroll to summon them.
Seven Legendary Blades
From the era of the First Mizukage, the seven mystical blades associated with the organization were passed down over successive generations of the organization's roster. Each blade has a distinct ability and fighting style associated with it, given the variety of shapes, sizes, and forms they take on. To begin with, Hiramekarei — primarily wielded by Chojuro — is a flounder shaped weapon that can store chakra, featuring a curved, blunt blade. On unleashing its power, the user's chakra is used to coat the blade and alter its form to deliver long and short range attacks varying from slashes to impact based blows.
Next, Kabutowari, which was used by Jinin Akebino, consists of a giant axe and hammer linked by a thin cord, and is said to be able to break through any defense, by either making powerful cuts or delivering blunt force attacks. On the other hand, Kiba is a pair of twin Taiji swords imbued with Lightning Release to improve their cutting and piercing power. The blades were wielded by Ameyuri Ringo and Raigo Kurosuki over successive generations.
Among the more unique swords used by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Nuibari, the sword of Kushimaru Kuriarare, is an extremely thin longsword resembling a knitting needle. In fact, the blade is used for piercing attacks that can that tear through multiple targets at once and stitch them together by means of the threat attached to its hilt. Similarly, Shibuki, which was the weapon of Jinpachi Munashi, featured a scroll with explosive tags, requiring a user to incorporate blasts into their swordsmanship.
Easily one of the most heavily featured swords in Naruto, Samehada was the weapon of Kisame Hoshigaki after he acquired it by killing Fuguki Suikazan. After Kisame's own death, it was used by Killer B of Kumogakure. It is especially unique given that it is a sentient sword and can choose its user, which is why it is he most feared of the seven. Composed of a series of downward facing scales, Samehada has a shark like appearance, and grows in size when it absorbs chakra. Used more like a flail than an actual sword, Samehada inflicts damage by shredding or shaving targets, and can even fuse with its user to enhance their physical abilities.
Lastly, Kubikiribocho is a massive broadsword that was used by Juzo Biwa, and later by Zabuza Momochi, before finally falling into the hands of Suigetsu Hozuki. The blade can cut through virtually anything, but the wielder must possess sufficient physical strength to swing it in battle owing to its massive size and weight. The blade can also repair any damage it accumulates, from small nicks and scrapes to even being cut in half. This is possible through a process where it absorbs iron from the blood of the enemies it cuts through.
Traditions Broken By Treachery
Despite the group's renown, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen endured a gradual process of dissolution in the years prior to the start of Naruto's main storyline due to a number of factors. Quite a few of its members were killed in small and large scale conflicts, or met their deaths at the hands of other Kirigakure ninja, which was what happened to Fuguki, who was killed by Kisame when the latter learned of his role in leaking information from Kirigakure to the village's enemies. Finally, several of them defected from Kirigakure and became rogue ninja, as was the case with Juzo, Zabuza, and Kisame.
As a result, many of the swords associated with the organization fell out of Kirigakure's possession, resulting in the group's eventual decline, to a point where it was virtually non-existent in Part II. In their last appearance prior tothe start of Boruto, Kabuto's use of Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation during the Fourth Shinobi World War revived what he believed to be the strongest generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, which included Mangetsu Hozuki, Zabuza Momochi, Fuguki Suikazan, Kushimaru Kuriarare, Jinin Akebino, Ameyuri Ringo, and Jinpachi Munashi.
Naruto is available to stream on Crunchyroll.