dragonzali

Part 1

Originally a Genin level ninja that graduated with Naruto Uzumaki, Shikamaru is a lazy, easygoing genius that was promoted to Chunin level after the Chunin Exam arc. He is from a family of shadow manipulators and deer herders. His main technique is Shadow Imitation Technique, and later in the series his father teaches him Shadow Neck Bind Technique, an extension of his first technique.

Shikamaru is the sort of unenthusiastic person who would rather take a nap than get excited over something and likes the thinking games that older men are usually into, such as Shogi and Go. A testament to that is the fact that Shikamaru even decided to sleep during the attack of Konoha by the Sand and Sound Villages, as he thought it would be too troublesome to get up and fight. Another example is before he was supposed to fight Temari. Shikamaru contemplates forfeiting, but is forced to compete when pushed into the arena by Naruto. When thrust into action-laden situations, uncomfortable situations, or indeed, any situation at all that would require him to exert himself, he tends to remark "Mendokusē" (めんどくせぇ), or "How troublesome" (the English dub uses a similar phrase, "What a drag"). He is fully aware of this side of his personality and even dubs himself "the number one at running away" or "the number one coward".

However, when duty calls, Shikamaru has a strong moral compass and sense of commitment to his comrades. Even though by his own testimony that he lacks bravery, he will sacrifice himself and face almost certain death for the sake of his friends without a second thought, such as when he stayed behind to confront the Sound Ninja during Konoha's invasion, giving Naruto and Sakura enough time to catch up with Sasuke. Since he has been promoted to Chunin, his responsibility for the lives of his friends has weighed very heavily on him on occasion.

Shikamaru is a brilliant strategist, and though his sensei, Asuma Sarutobi, often plays Shogi and Go against Shikamaru, Asuma has never actually managed to beat him. Asuma got suspicious upon realizing that Shikamaru was so good at board games despite his abysmal grades, which were almost as low as Naruto's. As a result, Asuma administered an IQ test disguised as a game to Shikamaru, which revealed that Shikamaru was beyond genius with an IQ of over 200. Shikamaru had felt that even moving his pencil in class was a bother and always slept through tests, resulting in his low grades. Shikamaru has a habit of putting his fingers together to create a square and closing his eyes so he can concentrate and come up with a strategy. Once he does (which often takes only a few minutes) he is is able to think ten moves ahead of his opponent with over a hundred strategies ready to be used.

Shikamaru has a longstanding friendship with Choji Akimichi, in whom he has complete trust. Before they were promoted to Chunin rank, Shikamaru, Choji and Ino Yamanaka were on the same Genin team under Asuma. Their fathers were on the same team as well. Their teamwork is unparalleled.

Shikamaru's most distinctive character trait is that he finds 'all' women bossy and "troublesome". Given his mother's tyrannical personality, this isn't too surprising; however, his father shares the exact same attitude despite marrying her in the first place. He considers his mother, the sand ninja Temari, and teammate Ino to be the most troublesome women he knows. Despite his near mature attitude he has expressed a notably mature interest in marriage and raising a family. Just before he is about to be killed during the Destruction of Konoha arc, he thinks about how he wanted his life to go: "Marry someone who is not too ugly and not too beautiful. Have two children, a girl, and then a boy. Retire after my daughter is married, and my son becomes a successful ninja and spend the rest of my life playing Shogi or Go. A nice, carefree retirment. Then die before my wife."

His favorite dish is mackerel and kelp; his least is boiled eggs. His hobbies are napping, Shogi, and cloud watching. His favorite phrases are "Live each day quietly" and "Life is serene".

Initially introduced as nothing more than a lazy person who is always complaining, it is during his organized matches in the Chunin exam that Shikamaru earns acclaim as a keen strategist. In one battle, he defeats Kin Tsuchi by sneaking his shadow under the thin strings she is using to control her bells; she does not notice that a string that thin and that far from the floor could be making a shadow.

Shikamaru's shining point during the arc is his battle with Temari, where although it seems as if he is just pointlessly attempting strategy after strategy, and that it is only a matter of time until one of her powerful wind attacks catches him, he is in fact manipulating her into a position where he can guarantee she is caught by his shadow from behind. He then simply forfeits the match, remarking that despite having thought of about 200 other moves in his strategy, he'd run out of chakra due to the extensive use of his shadow techniques. Moreover, he says he does not like to hurt or hit women. Plus, to his testimony, continuing would've been troublesome anyway, so he decided to give up. Despite having forfeited, Shikamaru's brilliant strategy impressed everyone, including the Hokage. As a result of his decisive tactical skills, he is the only Genin to become a Chunin after this Chunin exam.

Later, when Konohagakure is attacked by Sunagakure and Otogakure, Shikamaru is one of the few Genin who successfully dispels the sleeping genjutsu cast on the Chunin exam third stage stadium. However, he pretends to be caught in the illusion so that he can lie there and not do anything, only to be 'awakened' by Sakura Haruno attempting to dispel the genjutsu for him. Shikamaru, Naruto, and Sakura head off to find Sasuke Uchiha, who has followed Gaara's trail determined to end their battle. As they pursue Sasuke, they discover that eight Sound ninja are following them, and Shikamaru chooses to stay behind so he can stall them while the others continue to pursue Sasuke. Using a clever strategy, he is able to trap all eight with his shadow. However, a ninth Sound ninja hides in the trees, who is there specifically to guard against the threat of an ambush. Despite correctly predicting the presence of the ninth ninja, he cannot fight off the Sound ninjas after being drained from his earlier match in the Chunin exam. Fortunately, his sensei, Asuma, comes in to help him and defeats all nine Sound ninja singlehandedly.

Shikamaru's first job as a Chunin is to lead the team consisting of Naruto, Neji Hyuga, Choji Akimichi, Kiba Inuzuka and Akamaru (also known as Team Shikamaru) on a mission to retrieve Sasuke after he flees Konoha. The mission fails due to interference from the "Sound Four", a special team of ninja who are specially sent by Orochimaru to ensure that Sasuke arrives at Otogakure safely.

Shikamaru demonstrates intelligent tactical skills when it comes to formations and avoiding and placing traps for the team's foes. In the end, the team ends up splitting up one by one and taking on fights individually. Shikamaru's opponent is Tayuya, a ninja who specializes in long-range sound attacks using her flute. She uses her flute to control three demon-like creatures, and to create genjutsu to bind the opponent. Shikamaru once again demonstrates amazing strategy in his attacks, and successfully binds Tayuya with his shadow. However, when Tayuya releases her second-level cursed seal power, she is able to resist it with mere brute force alone. She traps Shikamaru in a musical genjutsu, where he is unable to move and it seems as if he is finally through. However, just as she attempts to kill him, he uses his own shadow to break his finger, using the pain to escape the illusion, counter her attack, and bind her in his shadow, this time at point-blank range, where he can keep a stronger grip. However, her brute strength still outmatches his, and just as he runs out of energy, he is again saved, this time by Temari.

Although Shikamaru tried his best as team leader, upon his return he is very hard on himself for the results; not only did the mission fail, but most of his team's members are put in mortal peril, it being a miracle that they all came back alive. If it hadn't been for the Sand siblings arriving in time to save them from their clearly superior opponents, they probably would have perished. Furthermore, he (as Tayuya pointed out) had sacrificed himself and his teammates, five men, for just one.

Shikamaru's initial reaction is to quit being a ninja altogether. His father scolds him for being such a coward, then explains to him that if he quits being a Chunin there will still be missions and somebody else will lead his friends; then he will only experience worse pain when somebody else leads his friends to their deaths while he would have been able to prevent it by remaining in charge of them. Shedding tears of relief when a report arrives that his friends are all right and taking his father's advice to heart, Shikamaru resolves to do better next time for their sake. In the anime, Shikamaru is also appointed an academy instructor. This remains consistent after the timeskip, since he helps to coordinate the Chunin Exams.

Part 2

Shikamaru makes his Part II debut walking alongside Temari. Despite growing noticeably taller, his appearance has not changed overall. However, he also now wears a black long sleeve tunic, along with the vest many Konoha ninja wear. He has learned a new jutsu: Shadow Sewing, which uses shadow tendrils to restrain or impale multiple targets. He also takes on the responsibility as a Chunin Exam proctor in addition to his role as a teacher at the academy.

Shikamaru is revealed to be a member of the Niju Shotai, where he is teamed up with Asuma, Izumo Kamizuki, and Kotetsu Hagane in an effort to track down and eliminate any and all members of Akatsuki. Eventually, the team finds one such member: Hidan, and as Shikamaru restrains Hidan with his Shadow Imitation Technique, the rest of the team is able to coordinate a finishing attack on Hidan. When it is revealed that this effort has done little to stop Hidan, Kakuzu appears, forcing Shikamaru to release Hidan.

As Asuma battles Hidan, Hidan begins a ritual that causes all damage done to him to be done to Asuma as well. Because of Hidan's apparent immortality, Hidan is able to use this to advantage, giving himself injuries to easily harm Asuma while not being affected by the lethal blows himself. To help Asuma, Shikamaru captures Hidan with his shadow once again and adopts his meditative analysis of all Hidan's actions and words up to that point. He quickly realizes that Hidan needs the blood seal he drew on the ground to maintain his jutsu, so Shikamaru pulls him out of it. With damage done to Hidan no longer harming Asuma, Shikamaru ties Hidan down with his Shadow Sewing technique, allowing Asuma to decapitate the Akatsuki member.

However, even this is not sufficient enough to kill Hidan. After Kakuzu reattaches his partner's head, he joins the fight and pins down Izumo and Kotetsu while Hidan manages to bind Asuma to his curse jutsu again. Shikamaru rushes to the aid of his sensei just as Hidan impales himself with his pike, severely injuring Asuma. After the arrival of a backup squad consisting of Ino and Choji as well as the retreat of the Akatsuki duo, the Konoha ninja attempt to take Asuma to safety where he can be healed. Asuma, however, knows that he won't survive, and decides to give parting words to his young teammates. To Shikamaru, Asuma says that he has great potential, perhaps enough to one day become Hokage. After Asuma enjoys one last cigarette, he dies, and Shikamaru finishes smoking the rest of the cigarette in his sensei's memory.

At Asuma's funeral, Shikamaru is noticeably absent, instead watching the clouds in the sky and the clouds created by the cigarette he is smoking. After some reminiscing, he reads up on how to channel his chakra into Asuma's trench knives. Since chakra knives accept the property of the user, he is able to channel his shadow chakra into the blades. After packing up his gear, Shikamaru leaves Konoha with Ino and Choji to avenge Asuma's death. Before they can leave, however, Tsunade confronts the trio saying that they can't go without a more experienced ninja present. Kakashi Hatake appears from the shadows, willing to lead Team 10 in Asuma's stead. Once Tsunade allows them to go, Shikamaru works Kakashi into his plan for defeating the Akatsuki duo, and gives Kakashi something to use if he gets the chance to do so. As they head out to confront the Akatsuki pair, Kakashi remarks at how great a plan Shikamaru was able to come up with in such a short period of time.

Upon finding Hidan and Kakuzu, Shikamaru uses Asuma's trench knives, swelling with his shadow chakra, to restrain the Akatsuki members by pinning their shadows. With the two unable to fight back, Shikamaru prepares to trap the two with his Shadow Imitation Technique to allow him more of an advantage, though Kakuzu is able to escape before Shikamaru can ensnare him. With Hidan under his control, Shikamaru uses Hidan to attack Kakuzu, though the latter is able to dodge and block all of Hidan's attacks. When Kakuzu reveals his ultimate defense, something that protects him from all physical attacks, Kakashi appears and delivers a Lightning Blade to Kakuzu's heart, apparently killing him.

Kakuzu, having the hearts of four other ninja within his body, survives the attack, only losing the use of one of the hearts. With the other three hearts, Kakuzu is able to perform extremely potent elemental attacks, freeing Hidan from Shikamaru's bind and doing heavy damage to Kakashi. As Team 10 regroups from this unexpected turn of events, Shikamaru volunteers to distract Hidan while the others focus their attention on Kakuzu. After Kakashi gives Shikamaru a small capsule, Shikamaru sends multiple waves of his shadow at Hidan in an attempt to trap the immortal. Hidan, having fallen for the technique so many times, is determined not to fall for it again, and focuses all of his effort into avoiding Shikamaru's shadow, effectively saving himself from its binding effects. Shikamaru uses Hidan's concentration to his advantage by attacking Hidan up close, making physical contact with him and thus trapping him in the Shadow Imitation Technique.

With Hidan back under his control, Shikamaru leads him away from Kakuzu. Once far enough, he leads him into an area he set up earlier full of explosive tags. Unfortunately, the Shadow Imitation Technique's time limit has elapsed, freeing Hidan from Shikamaru's bind. Hidan uses the opportunity to cut Shikamaru's cheek and consume the blood. With the ritual complete, Hidan quickly stabs himself in the heart, causing an apparently dead Shikamaru to keel over. Shikamaru is, however, alive and well; the capsule Kakashi had given him was filled with Kakuzu's blood, and the blood Hidan consumed for his ritual was from the capsule; effectively, Hidan stabbed Kakuzu in the heart. With Hidan oblivious, Shikamaru tries to decapitate him with a short sword. The cut is too shallow to sever the immortal's head, prompting Shikamaru to capture him in a Shadow Imitation instead - albeit a much weaker one at this point from his chakra running low.

As Hidan tries to attack Shikamaru, Shikamaru uses his Shadow Summoning Technique to cover Hidan with the explosive tags in the area. With Hidan tied in place, Shikamaru activates a mark he had prepared before the battle, causing the ground beneath Hidan to collapse into a pit. After Shikamaru states that Hidan dug his own grave when he killed Asuma, Shikamaru goes on to explain that the surrounding forest is the property of the Nara clan; only they are allowed to enter or leave the forest, thus ensuring that Hidan's remains will never be found. After lighting a cigarette, Asuma's image appears beside Shikamaru, congratulating him on finally defeating Hidan. He then passes his "will of fire" to Shikamaru. As the ghost fades, Shikamaru flicks the cigarette at Hidan, setting off all of the exploding tags at once.

The explosion blows Hidan apart, leaving only his head and other scattered body parts intact. From the bottom of the hole, Hidan threatens Shikamaru with punishment from his Lord Jashin. But Shikamaru calmly states that he only believes in the "will of fire" and that Hidan’s god is nothing. He then throws a kunai tied to explosive tags at the side of the hole. The explosion causes the side to cave in, effectively entombing Hidan, and ending their battle.

Back in Konoha Shikamaru visits Asuma's grave and finds Kurenai waiting there. He explains to her the life lessons he learned from Asuma. He then goes on to return the favor by promising to protect Asuma and Kurenai's unborn baby. Later, Shikamaru plays shogi with his father, Shikaku, who is evidently much better at it than Asuma was. Shikamaru reveals that Asuma taught him that Konoha shinobi are like shogi pieces, and that Asuma told him he was the knight. When his father asks who the "king" is that Asuma spoke of before his death, Shikamaru answers that the "king" refers to the next generation, which the current generation exists to protect. His father concedes that Shikamaru now understands, but he surprises Shikamaru by winning the game, telling him he is still not strong enough to protect the next generation yet.

Piczo