Kurenai Yuhi

Template:Infobox Naruto character Kurenai Yuhi (夕日紅, Yūhi Kurenai) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Naruto created by Masashi Kishimoto. She is the leader of Team 8, consisting of Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Hinata Hyuga.

The name "Yuhi" means "evening sun" and "Kurenai" means "crimson". Kurenai's red lipstick is kind of a pun on her own name. The kanji for "Kurenai" can also be read as "beni" which is a word used for red makeup used traditionally in Japan to color the lips red.

Background

Little is known about Kurenai; she graduated from the Academy at the age of 9, became a Chunin at the age of 13, and became a Jonin soon before the series' start. About a year prior to the formation of Team 8, when Rock Lee's class attended the academy, Kurenai taught a student named Yakumo Kurama. Yakumo had little control over her unique abilities due to a malicious entity in her subconscious, and could cast genjutsu strong enough to kill others. Because of this, Kurenai was forced to seal her ability to cast genjutsu due to the danger she imposed, and because she lost the one ability she was proficient in, Yakumo was no longer able to be a ninja. Yakumo would years later attempt to seek revenge on Kurenai for this, though in time came to realize that she had done the right thing. It was revealed in a flashback that she was also an instructor at the Ninja Academy when she was a Chunin to Shikamaru Nara and Sasuke Uchiha.

Personality

Although she gets along well with all of her students, Kurenai seems to be especially close with Hinata Hyuga. Once Hinata was assigned to Team 8, her father left her in Kurenai's care, and as such, Kurenai takes on the role of a parent for Hinata. She has since tried to help Hinata overcome her lack of self-confidence, and in time begins to see success. She is also aware of Hinata's feelings for Naruto Uzumaki, and does her best to try to overcome Naruto's obliviousness to these feelings by encouraging him to help Hinata when he can.

It is heavily hinted that Kurenai is romantically involved with Asuma Sarutobi. The two appear together in most of their scenes, and the other characters make it a point to note this fact on several occasions. When Kakashi Hatake finds the two together at a dumpling shop, Kakashi asks if they are on a date, and Kurenai responds by blushing. In a flashback, Asuma is shown buying flowers for a person he refuses to name, though Ino asks that he say hello to Kurenai for her anyway. During Asuma's battle with Akatsuki, Kurenai is often shown wondering about his progress and eventual fate. When she learns of his death, she falls to her knees in grief, and later lays flowers on his grave during his funeral. The truth of their relationship is made clear in Part II when it is revealed that Kurenai is pregnant with Asuma's child.

Abilities

Kurenai specializes in genjutsu, and as seen in the Kurama Clan arc is very proficient with it. Through the use of her Demonic Illusion: Tree Bind Death (魔幻・樹縛殺, Magen: Jubaku Satsu) Kurenai can disappear and sneak up on an opponent unnoticed. Once she has done so she creates the illusion of tree growing around the opponent to effectively immobilize them, allowing her to appear from the tree to kill them as she pleases. The Kurama Clan arc shows Kurenai capable of using this jutsu multiple times in a row, as well as being able to create any kind of foliage with which to capture the opponent.

Sources

First Official Data Book (秘伝・臨の書キャラクターオフィシャルデータBOOK, Hiden: Rin no Sho Character Official Data Book)
Second Official Data Book (秘伝・闘の書キャラクターオフィシャルデータBOOK, Hiden: Tō no Sho Character Official Data Book)
Jump's 2nd Great Hero Book's Mini Data Book (秘伝・翔の書オフィシャルキャラクターデータBOOK mini, Hiden: Shō no Sho Official Character Data Book mini)
Naruto anime and manga Guidebook (秘伝・翔の書オフィシャルキャラクターデータBOOK mini, Hiden: Shō no Sho Official Character Data Book mini)
Taken directly from the Naruto manga chapters and anime episodes.