Naruto: Why did Kabuto kidnap Anko? Explained

Modified Mar 25, 2024 07:30 GMT

What was Kabuto's reason for kidnapping Anko? (Image via Studio Pierrot)

One thing that the Naruto series excelled in was creating a variety of antagonists that fans thoroughly enjoyed. Madara Uchiha and the other main villains were some of the most menacing and terrifying characters on screen. However, the series also introduced a host of minor antagonists who played important roles at various junctures of the show.

One such villain is Kabuto. At first, he seemed like a regular shinobi from a neighboring village who came to attend the Chunin Exam. Soon, the show revealed him to be Orochimaru’s lackey. He trained and researched ninjutsu under Orochimaru’s tutelage and resorted to committing acts of crime in an attempt to help his mentor achieve his goals. One such act in the animanga series was when he kidnapped Anko, a minor deuteragonist.

Naruto: Kabuto’s intentions while kidnapping Anko

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Before we understand why Kabuto kidnapped Anko, it is important to know about the latter’s backstory since it is tied to Kabuto’s intentions. Anko was a shinobi who was not only gifted in combat but also trained in the team led by Orochimaru. He identified and nurtured her talent by teaching some of his signature techniques.

Eventually, there came a point where Orochimaru took her as one of his test subjects for the Cursed Seal of Heaven, and she was the only one who survived the experiment. However, she no longer wanted to be associated with him.

In turn, he altered her memories and made it seem like she was rejected for not having enough drive to become a strong shinobi. Fast-forward to the time when Kabuto allied with Obito. The latter was following Madara’s plan, and Kabuto used the Edo Tensei technique to revive Madara’s reanimated corpse. Kabuto kidnapped Anko because of the chakra present in the Cursed Seal of Heaven.

In the Naruto series, Kabuto needed Orochimaru’s chakra to improve the binding abilities of the Edo Tensei technique. The technique allows the user to bind the soul of a dead person to a living vessel. However, the control over the reanimated corpse isn’t that great. Kabuto realized he needed to gain better control over the reanimated corpse, so he sought out Anko for Orochimaru’s chakra.

This is why Kabuto kidnapped Anko in the Naruto series. It is also noteworthy that despite not receiving much screen time in the series, Kabuto was the only one who nearly perfected this forbidden technique. His perseverance, understanding of the technique, and access to Orochimaru’s chakra allowed him to pull off a feat that very few shinobis have managed.

In the animanga series, Orochimaru also used this technique. He, too, strengthened the binding capabilities through external means. However, he managed to do this by obtaining Hashirama cells.