The Akatsuki is an organization of powerful ninja that serves as the main antagonist group in the Naruto manga and anime series. Given its ruthless nature and the high stakes missions it undertakes, there has been much speculation among fans over whether any female members have been part of its ranks. In this article, we will analyze what is known about the group’s composition over time and examine the evidence around potential female representation within it.
What is the Akatsuki?
The Akatsuki is initially portrayed as a sinister organization of S-rank missing-nin that operates in the shadows. Its members possess advanced combat skills and command incredibly powerful jutsu. The group’s goals evolve over time, but they are generally focused on capturing the tailed beasts for their plan to control the world. Their signature black robes with red clouds make the Akatsuki members easily recognizable.
Founding Members
According to official sources, Akatsuki was founded by Yahiko during the Third Shinobi World War and originally aimed to bring peace through militaristic means. The initial members included Yahiko, Konan and Nagato (who took on the persona of Pain as leader).
So in its founding trio, there was one female member – Konan. She possessed the rare skill of origami ninjutsu and could disperse her body into paper. This made her incredibly difficult to defeat in battle. As such, right from the start there was a powerful kunoichi occupying a high rank within Akatsuki’s ranks.
Recruitment of New Members
After Yahiko’s death, Pain eventually began recruiting S-rank criminals and missing-nin from various villages to build up Akatsuki’s strength. The members often worked in teams of two, which allowed for interesting matchups based on their skills and abilities.
Some of the powerful pairs that were active for periods of time included:
Deidara & Sasori
Deidara was a former Iwagakure ninja who used explosive clay jutsu while Sasori was a puppet master from Sunagakure who converted his own body into a living puppet weapon.
Kisame Hoshigaki & Itachi Uchiha
Kisame was a missing-nin from Kirigakure who wielded the chakra-absorbing sword Samehada while Itachi was Sasuke’s elder brother who massacred the Uchiha clan.
Kakuzu & Hidan
Kakuzu was a bounty hunter who could use all five chakra natures while Hidan practiced a religious ritual to curse victims.
Zetsu
Zetsu was unique in that he operated alone. His two halves, white Zetsu and black Zetsu, made him an exceptional spy and information gatherer.
So as we can see, all of the new members Pain recruited were male. With Konan remaining as the sole female member for a long stretch of time.
Did Any Other Women Ever Join?
The answer is yes! Although it took some time, by the end of the story another powerful kunoichi was introduced into Akatsuki’s ranks.
Her name was:
Sasame Fuma
Sasame originated from the Fuma clan and debuted during the Shinobi World War arc against Kabuto and reanimated shinobi. Herabilities included using poisoned needles and controlling a large summon monster called Ibuse.
So while Sasame joined rather late into the game, she did ultimately become the second official female member of Akatsuki.
Unofficial Affiliations
There were also a couple of unofficial or temporary female associates of Akatsuki over the years:
Karin
Karin was a subordinate of Sasuke after he formed Hebi/Taka. For a period of time, Sasuke aligned with Akatsuki to destroy Konoha. So Karin assisted his efforts and by extension, can be seen as loosely affiliated.
Guren
Guren was a filler arc character who worked on capturing the Three Tails. She allied with Akatsuki members for this mutual goal, though her loyalty remained questionable.
Summary of Female Representation
In total, the female characters who were official members or closely aligned with Akatsuki include:
| Member | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Konan | Founding Member |
| Sasame Fuma | Official Member |
| Karin | Unofficial Associate |
| Guren | Temporary Associate |
So while Akatsuki was a male-dominated criminal organization, there were a handful of powerful kunoichi who played meaningful roles within it at various points as official members or allies. Their skills and contributions left an impact despite men being the overwhelming majority.
Reasons for Predominantly Male Membership
There are likely a few reasons why females constituted such a small percentage of overall Akatsuki members:
Smaller Pool of Female Ninjas
Due to lower female enrollment in ninja programs, there were fewer S-rank kunoichi to recruit from compared to males. Their limited numbers made recruiting multiple women unlikely.
Perceived Weakness
Some Akatsuki members may have believed that women were the weaker sex and ill-suited for high stakes missions, limiting their desire to recruit them.
Lack of Trust
Since Akatsuki relied on secrecy and loyalty, existing male members may have found it difficult to trust unknown female recruits who could betray organizational secrets.
Story Telling Angle
From a storytelling perspective, featuring mostly male antagonists added drama and stakes for the heroes who were predominantly female (Sakura, Hinata, Tsunade).
So in summary, Akatsuki’s heavily skewed male-to-female ratio was likely influenced by the above factors of demographics, beliefs, trust issues and plot dynamics.
Conclusion
To answer the original question – there were in fact female members within Akatsuki, though they only comprised a very small percentage of the overall organization. The trio of Konan, Sasame and Karin represented the few kunoichi who were able to claim affiliation with the infamous group. Their presence, while limited, did serve as a reminder that women were still capable of reaching high ranks even within a heavily male-dominated criminal ninja collective. While reasons existed for the imbalance, fans ultimately got to see that powerful ladies could earn respect and position amongst the men of Akatsuki.