Naruto Shippuden 81: Akatsuki's Ambitions Revealed

Another Ramble

By Zapenstap

Thanks, Naruto shippuden 81!

So here’s where anime can reveal insights the manga does not.

Naruto manga chapter 329 "Ambitions Revealed" explains the end-goal of Akatsuki as a group. Naruto anime Shippuden episode 81 does the same, but it ALSO reveals the individual motivation of each Akatsuki member.

Naruto Shippuden 81 Ramble on my LJ

When pestered by Hidan, the newest recruit other than Tobi (har), Pain takes a moment to discuss the true motivation of Akatsuki. This was always an important chapter because it’s where Pain talks about how Akatsuki is going to take over the world by driving/creating and then monopolizing an already war-dependent economy. Pain explains that the reasons people fight don’t matter. It can be because of "religion, ideals, resources, land, grudges, love, or just because." The point is that there will always be fighting and that Akatsuki stands to achieve a place of superior power by capitalizing on it.

I cackled my way through a first reading of this chapter because 1.) It is such a bad guy cliché, 2.) It is awfully reminiscent of the ideological conflicts in Gundam Wing and 3.) Pain’s philosophy is unforgivably short-sighted (though not incorrect to common human thinking, which is significant).

The initial idea here is dastardly in the sense that Akatsuki plans to secretly create limitless human suffering and then gouge horrendous profit from it by "solving" the same problems they cause. This is like if a privately owned pharmaceutical company purposely breeds horrific disease and then profits from it by "treating" (for those who can afford it) with a ultra premium-priced medicine only they can distribute (like in V for Vendetta).

The philosophy that "people always get sick anyway so we might as well profit by making diseases" is no different than Pain’s idea that "people always fight so we might as well make war". (Of course, as we learn later Pain’s "true" goal isn’t to breed war. What he really wants is to lord over the world as a god and end the fighting he proposed to support…through massive destruction that the world has never seen. Pain’s aim is idealistic and monstrous on another level, but I’ve covered this in another essay, although I may have different opinion now).

It might be interesting to note that the concern for the future of ninja is a legitimate one. When war tapers off, there is less need for fighters. That’s just how economy works (supply and demand). And it IS sometimes true that industries that see their market share drying up can become desperate. In times of economic turmoil, people/businesses can sometimes resort to (illegally) creating problems just so they can continue scraping a living out of solving them in traditional ways. For ninjas to resort to this is an indication of seriously desperate times on the horizon.

Historically, of course, ninja DID disappear. So did samurai. They disappeared as a result of firearms making their skills obsolete (which is why there are no firearms in Naruto). If they had lasted longer, they would have ultimately died out after World War II, the Hiroshima bombing, and Japan’s surrender of its military force (after which, Japan reinvented itself and its workforce as a technology giant). Incidentally, Japan’s modern history is often a factor in why themes of war, peace, weapons of mass destruction, etc figure prominently in Japanese literature, including manga.

This is another reason why Naruto will make a good Hokage. Naruto isn’t much of traditionalist and he thrives on innovation. This side of Naruto is actually highlighted in this same chapter (Naruto manga 329 and Shippuden 81) that Akatsuki shows itself to be chasing the past. When Naruto figures that he can’t mold chakra and wind element simultaneously, he decides to do it separately (with clones) and combine them. Speculation: What "unpredictable" solution (one that is less costly and more innovative than Pain’s) will Naruto come up with to save the ninja world as it loses ground in a changing economy? This is yet to be revealed.

Anyway, getting back to the point, this chapter/episode ALSO reveals the individual goals of each Akatsuki member—but it didn’t become apparent until the anime.

Before his long spiel to Hidan regarding Akatsuki’s ultimate purpose, Pain explains that the reasons people fight can be because of "religion, ideals, resources, land, grudges, love, or just because."

Here’s the scene from the manga, chapter title "Ambitions Revealed"

These apparently aren’t generic reasons. In the anime, the screen pans over a different Akatsuki member for the reasons "religion, ideals, resources, land, grudges, love, or just because."

Hidan fights for religion

At least one half of Zetsu and Itachi fight for ideals

Kakuzu fights for resources

Zetsu (perhaps the other half) fights for land (what does this mean?)

Kisame fights because of spite, or a grudge (against who?)

Konan fights for love (for who?)

Deidaira fights "just because" (perhaps also for art—the fighting itself interests him)

From what we know of these characters now, I can understand easily how this is true. The recent Naruto databook 3 supposedly reveals even more (though I do not have the full translation). Hidan became a zealot of death in order to cope with death. Itachi believed in the ideals of Konoha and fought to save it; he was too gentle (yes, gentle; it actually does make sense) to know how to resist what other told him he must do. Kakuzu has been around a long time and discovered that money (which derives from resources) is the root of all evil—and anything else a person could want to have or avoid. Zetsu is a plant with two faces; maybe he’s also an environmentalist. Kisame is apparently holding a grudge. Konon loves someone enough to kill for them (Pein? Nagato? Yahiko?). Deidara just liked blowing things up.

This is HUGE. Understanding the philosophy for these characters sheds light on the decisions they have made in the past as well as what they’re going to do next. It tells us more about who they are, whether they are really strong, convicted, happy, or stable. It also gives an idea as to whether or not they can be reasoned with persuaded to take a different path. Maybe it will also suggest ways in which they might be stopped.

I've rambled enough. Your turn to sound off.

And yes I am keeping up with the manga. Other things are just more important than commenting on the fighting (I care more about the philosophy and character development). I have to go back to writing my book... and that Naruto essay... and Naruto fanfic