Haku (Naruto)

Haku (白, written in jōyō kanji, meaning "white") is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Naruto. In the Malaysian dub, Haku's given name was changed to Shiro in episode 15, leading to the belief that this was in fact his surname. Haku has never been given one, however.

Despite his relatively early death, Haku has made several appearances in flashbacks throughout the series, including one in the second part of the manga. He also ranks consistently high in official character polls, though he's no longer in the top ten. Template:Spoiler

Background

File:Haku kekkei genkai.jpg

Young Haku manipulating water in the anime.

Haku was born in a perpetually snowy village in the Land of Water. During Haku's childhood, civil wars ravaged the Land of Water, and since those with kekkei genkai were commonly used as the most terrifying tools of war, many people irrationally dreaded and hated them. Haku's mother was one of those with a kekkei genkai, and attempted to hide that fact, eventually marrying and giving birth to Haku. Haku inherited his gift, and revealed their secret to his father while toying with his newfound power. Haku's father rallied a small mob and had his wife murdered. He would have done the same to Haku, but Haku inadvertently created a field of icicles through the house in his panic, killing both the mob and his father. Afterwards, he wandered the Land of Water as a beggar child until he was found by Zabuza, who agreed to take him in, warning Haku not to expect any companionship. Haku, for his part, accepted this readily, devoting his life to becoming the ultimate weapon for Zabuza. Haku accomplished this and more, becoming even stronger than Zabuza. Haku was fiercely protective of and devoted to the older ninja to an extreme, essentially becoming Zabuza's possession and asking Naruto to kill him when he feared he could no longer be useful.

Haku's kekkei genkai comes from his unique ability to use both wind and water-based chakra at the same time, creating ice, known as "ice release" (Hyoton). The First Hokage and Yamato have a similar kekkei genkai in the form of their "wood release" (Mokuton) techniques, which use earth and water-based chakra. Additionally, Haku is the only character in Naruto who has been portrayed as being able to perform jutsu using one-handed seals, while everyone else uses two-handed seals.

Haku is kind but straightforward, a drastic contrast from Zabuza. His personality doesn't appear to change from that seen in flashbacks of his childhood, which suggests that Zabuza's personality never rubbed off on him, but that is understandable. Zabuza didn't treat Haku as family, but rather as a tool to be used then cast off when no longer useful. Haku himself admits that he has trouble accepting the entire shinobi philosophy, as it requires killing, something which he despises doing and had avoided. The fact that Haku has never (intentionally) killed another human is a testament to his purity, something that Kakashi makes reference to in his eulogy on the bridge.

Haku knows a great deal about human anatomy, and can incapacitate or kill a person with a single needle. He demonstrated this when he managed to throw two needles into exact pressure points into the back of Zabuza's neck, making it appear as if Zabuza had died when in fact he was in temporary coma. Kakashi Hatake notes that ANBU members are taught to know every single detail of the human body, making it possible that Haku was trained there. It's equally possible, however, that he could've learned these skills from Zabuza, who was a member of the Kirigakure ANBU before defecting.

Haku also has an amazing gift of observation and deviation. He can witness a move just once and can easily find a way to counter it. Having only seen Kakashi's Sharingan once, he instantly devises its nature and comes up with a counter-strategy.

Sexuality

Haku's character carries many overtones of transgenderism, specifically in regards to his androgynous appearance and cross-dressing tendencies. He also shows an almost homoerotic fixation on Zabuza, leading to questions concerning his sexuality. Naruto in particular notes Haku's feminine appearance, as well as his rather surprising devotion to Zabuza. It's not certain if Haku and Zabuza had any form of a sexual relationship, or if their relationship was more familial in nature. There is some evidence to suggest that the former is true. When Haku explains to Zabuza why he attacked the pressure points in his neck, he stated that he didn't want to "mark up [his] flawless body" (the exact statement differs between translations, but carries the same context). He also crushes Gato's arm when he attempts to grab Zabuza. Additionally, in the English translation of the manga, Haku has been referred to as Zabuza's "consort", a term which is generally used to describe a spouse or mistress. No outright admission of a sexual relationship between the two has been made, however. HAKU IS NOT GAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1ONEONEONE.

Wave Country arc

In Haku's first appearance, he masqueraded as a hunter-nin from Kirigakure sent to kill Zabuza Momochi. After Kakashi's defeat of Zabuza, Haku appears to deliver a fatal blow to Zabuza, preventing Kakashi from doing so first. Haku then used his position as a hunter-nin to depart with the body. Kakashi believes something is amiss about the encounter, which is confirmed when Haku revives Zabuza.

When Zabuza returns to battle Team 7, Haku reveals his kekkei genkai ability, which allows him to create and control ice. During his battle with Sasuke, he reveals his first technique, Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death, uses this to create ice needles to attack an opponent with. This jutsu is unique in that it uses one-handed handseals. No other ninja has ever displayed such a trait, so it is likely a product of Haku's kekkei genkai.

After Sasuke avoids the ice needles, Haku reveals his most powerful kekkei genkai technique, Demonic Ice Mirrors. This technique creates a hemisphere of ice mirrors around an opponent. Haku can then enter the mirrors and travel between them almost instantly, making it seem as if his opponents are standing still. This technique defeats both Naruto and Sasuke, but after one of Haku's attacks appears to kill Sasuke, Naruto's Demon fox chakra allows him to recover and overcome the technique. Sasuke was in fact still alive, having been put into a temporary death state like Haku had done to Zabuza, but Haku deliberately keeps this from Naruto.

In his Demon fox-influenced rage, Naruto nearly kills Haku. He stops himself when he recognizes Haku from an earlier encounter. Haku asks him to finish the attack, but Naruto refuses. Haku then explains his past to Naruto, noting the tragic loss of his parents and his eventual partnering with Zabuza. In the anime, he and Zabuza meet Kimimaro Kaguya during the Kaguya clan's attack on Kirigakure. Haku remarks that he, too, had eyes similar to their own.

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Haku sacrifices his own life for Zabuza's.

Saddened by the story, Naruto consents and prepares to take Haku's life. Just before he does, however, Haku realizes that Zabuza is in danger and stops him. Kakashi had simultaneously activated his Lightning Cut and was preparing to kill Zabuza. Using one of his ice mirrors, Haku interposes himself between Kakashi and Zabuza at the crux of the attack, causing him to take the fatal blow instead of Zabuza. As his final act, he grabs Kakashi's arm, holding him in place for an attack by Zabuza.

Zabuza seems unconcerned with Haku's death at first, actually attempting to slice through both Haku and Kakashi, but he reveals his true feelings after a guilt trip by Naruto. In an act of retribution, Zabuza slaughters a good portion of the mercenaries Gato had hired to replace him, as well as Gato himself. Zabuza is fatally injured in the process, and asks to die beside Haku. As Kakashi takes Zabuza to Haku, it begins to snow. Just before his death, Zabuza wishes he could go to the same place Haku had gone. Kakashi believes that he just might have. Once both are dead, Naruto remembers Haku's story and mentions that it was always snowing where Haku was from. Kakashi says that Haku was "a pure spirit: as true and clean as newly fallen snow." Template:Endspoiler