Naruto’s 10 Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki: The Franchise Lore Behind Their Power

How the Beasts Began

Kaguya Otsutsuki gained chakra after eating the Chakra Fruit of the God Tree. Seeking to reclaim the chakra she believed belonged to her, she merged with the Divine Tree and became the Ten-Tails.

After Kaguya was sealed, Hagoromo, the Sage of Six Paths, divided the Ten-Tails into nine creatures. The beasts roamed freely or served as weapons for ninja villages, and human hosts known as jinchuriki were used to contain their power.

Shukaku and Gaara

Shukaku is associated with the Hidden Sand. Its first known host was Bunpuku, followed by an unnamed jinchuriki, before it was sealed inside Gaara before his birth. Based on a tanuki, Shukaku is proud of its single tail and sees Kurama as a rival. Inspired by Naruto’s relationship with Kurama, Gaara came to treat Shukaku as an equal rather than a weapon.

Matatabi and Yugito Nii

Hashirama Senju captured Matatabi and sold it to the Hidden Cloud as part of efforts to maintain peace among the major villages. Its design draws on the Japanese folk creatures Bakeneko and Kasha.

Yugito Nii, Matatabi’s jinchuriki, became a Jonin and learned to control the beast. The article describes Matatabi as less aggressive than some other Tailed Beasts and says it uses fire-based techniques.

Isobu’s Forced Sealing

Hashirama also sold Isobu to the Hidden Mist. During a later war, the beast was sealed against Rin Nohara’s will; she was a member of Kakashi Hatake’s team alongside Obito.

The plan was to unleash Isobu against the Hidden Leaf without warning. The article also identifies Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage, as Isobu’s most recent jinchuriki.