The Shocking Truth Behind Kabuto's Treacherous Alliance with the Akatsuki

Kabuto Yakushi has been a consistent antagonist in the Naruto series, appearing since the very first major storyline. He remained a villain until the very end, establishing himself as one of the final adversaries with his nearly flawless reanimated army. Despite being seen by most fans as Orochimaru's subordinate, Kabuto's origins as a villain are rooted elsewhere.

Although Kabuto's backstory was explored during the Great War arc, it failed to reveal his early connections with the Akatsuki. The Tenchi bridge arc briefly touched upon his role as a spy for the Akatsuki, but provided little information about his specific role as Sasori's agent. However, the intricacies of Kabuto's involvement with the Akatsuki are far more complex, involving elements such as brainwashing, mind control, and betrayal.

Kabuto's Ties With the Akatsuki

In the first part of Naruto, there was no mention of Kabuto's secret ties with the Akatsuki, which made it seem like a sudden change in Shippuden. Additionally, his strong loyalty to Orochimaru's goals and beliefs made his connection to the Akatsuki seem highly unlikely. However, the series later provides a somewhat believable explanation for how Kabuto acted as a spy for the Akatsuki while also being Orochimaru's follower.

During the period when Kabuto was abandoned by Danzo and before Orochimaru found him, Sasori came across the lost shinobi and recruited him to be his own follower. Kabuto's expertise in espionage made him a valuable asset for the Akatsuki's infiltration missions. Recognizing this unique talent, Sasori assigned him to spy on Orochimaru, who was a former member of the Akatsuki at that time.

While Kabuto's own skills were more than sufficient for the mission, Sasori provided an additional layer of security to ensure the mission's success. Utilizing a unique jutsu called the Memory-Concealing Manipulative Sand Technique, Sasori transformed Kabuto into a sleeper agent, effectively hiding his memories and compelling him to genuinely believe that he had pledged his allegiance to Orochimaru.

Memory-Concealing Manipulative Sand Technique

Known as the Memory-Concealing Manipulative Sand Technique or the Brainwash Jutsu, this unique ability is exclusive to the Hidden Sand Village. By concealing past memories, this technique effectively transforms the target into a sleeper agent, rendering the brain susceptible to false memories. However, the caster can reverse the jutsu, thereby releasing the concealed memories and activating the sleeper agent.

The target's memories are securely locked away by a minute needle that is injected into the memory center of the brain. This technique serves the main purpose of assisting sleeper agents in genuinely believing their loyalty to the enemy, thereby supporting their espionage mission and minimizing the risk of divulging crucial information if the agent is apprehended. Once the sleeper agent has successfully gathered sufficient intelligence, the procedure can be reversed, enabling the spy to recollect the initial espionage mission.

How Did Kabuto Break Free From the Jutsu?

Kabuto was initially sent to Orochimaru as a sleeper agent, but Sasori's plan went horribly wrong when Orochimaru discovered the use of the Brainwash Jutsu early on. Orochimaru was able to reverse the technique without the caster's knowledge and turned Kabuto into a double agent to spy on the Akatsuki. With little persuasion, Kabuto joined Orochimaru and became his henchman.

During the entire first part, Sasori was under the mistaken belief that he had control over Kabuto. However, the reality was far from it, as Kabuto was already under the control of Orochimaru. It was during the Tenchi Bridge arc that Kabuto finally betrayed Sasori and the Akatsuki, revealing the true players involved in the secret conflict. To solidify his allegiance with the rogue Leaf shinobi, Kabuto decisively slashed Sasori's puppet, a symbolic act of his betrayal.

The Akatsuki's Motives With Kabuto

As a defected member of the Akatsuki, Orochimaru had always been a prime target for the organization. However, his uncanny ability to evade death in every dangerous situation posed a significant challenge. In order to neutralize Orochimaru effectively, the Akatsuki determined that espionage was the most viable option. The plan involved infiltrating Orochimaru's ranks and extracting crucial information from within, thus weakening him from the inside. Kabuto was chosen as the ideal sleeper agent to carry out this mission and spy on the rogue ninja. On paper, it seemed like the perfect plan to bring down Orochimaru.

The Akatsuki, though, greatly underestimated Orochimaru's ability to convince and Kabuto's determined nature. The renegade ninja presented Kabuto with an irresistible proposition that he simply couldn't refuse. Additionally, the realization that he had been manipulated by Sasori could have been another factor that led him to align himself with Orochimaru. This event marked the conclusion of Kabuto's brief stint with the Akatsuki, although it was not significant enough to be considered a major aspect of his past.