Anko: What happened to Anko after Naruto? Explained

What happened to Anko after Naruto? Explained

Modified Sep 01, 2024 06:30 GMT

Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto gave us many characters to love and remember. This series is among those with one of the largest character rosters with unique and interesting characters who make appearances during different parts of the show. Among these many faces is that of Anko Mitarashi.

She was a Jonin who taught at the Konohagakure Academy. Anko is similar to Naruto Uzumaki in personality, i.e., loud, stubborn, and rash. But beneath it all, she has a strong commitment to her village and mission, often choosing to face threats alone to buy time for her allies to escape or for backup to arrive. After the events of the original series, Anko becomes an instructor at Konohagakure's Academy.

What happened to Anko after Naruto?

As mentioned above, following the events of the parent series, Anko chose to become an instructor at the Konohagakure Academy. This comes about 10 years after the Fourth Shinobi World War. Alongside other shinobi like Shino Aburame, Moegi Kazamatsuri, Hanabi Hyuga, Udon Ise, etc., she took on the responsibility of training and preparing the next generation of Shinobi.

There isn't much information about her after Naruto's events. But it was shown that she proctored Phase II of the Chunin Exams held in Konohagakure. It was during this time that she had a run-in with Orochimaru's clone and hence informed the Third Hokage of him infiltrating the Exams. After this, she appeared in subsequent minor arcs in the main story.

In Naruto: Shippuden, she makes 2 major appearances, among others, in the Fourth Shinobi World War: Countdown, where she locates the Mountains' Graveyard and informs the Leaf's higher-ups and Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation, where she fights and loses to Kabuto who absorbs the chakra from her Cursed Seal to strengthen himself. Her role before and during the war was mainly reconnaissance.

Anko's status in Boruto

Anko Mitarashi in Boruto (Image via Pierrot)

Anko Mitarashi was one of the supporting characters who survived the Fourth Shinobi World War and made it into the sequel series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. As an instructor at the academy, she was tasked with preparing the Shinobi of the tomorrow. In the sequel series, Anko makes appearances during the following arcs:

Academy Entrance Arc (first appearance, reprimands students for misbehavior), School Trip Arc (accompanied Shino to meet Mei and to discuss the growing conflict between the Land of Water and neighbouring countries.), Graduation Exams Arc (teamed up with Shino and Konohamaru to test the students' abilities), Mujina Bandits Arc (captained the team of or Himawari Uzumaki, Yuina Itomaki, and Eho Norimaki), Ao Arc, Kawaki & Himawari Arc (helped with the terrorist threat and heeded Hana's explanation).

Anko's role in the original series, explained

In the original series, Anko was cast in a supporting role. She received the most screen time during the Chunin Exams. She was the examiner who led the genin to the Forest of Death where she explained the rules for the second stage and the dangers they would have to face in the forest.

She was also the one to conclude that Orochimaru had infiltrated the examinations after finding 3 dead faceless Kusa-nin. Anko passed on the information to the Third Hokage, ordered 2 Anbu teams to be deployed and ventured forth in search of Orochimaru.

She stumbles upon his clone who reactivates her dormant Cursed Seal of Heaven and cripples her with pain. However, Anko manages to reach the Third Hokage who treats her as she passes on information from Orochimaru. She accompanies him for the remainder of the exams, appearing briefly in other main story arcs.