Naruto’s Ultimate Snub: Why the Akatsuki Never Recruited the Anime’s Best Villain

While it’s difficult to entice Naruto newcomers to the anime due to the Land of Waves as its first major arc being somewhat disengaging, it introduced a truly iconic villain. Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist, was a truly fierce fighter who, despite eventually collapsing to Kakashi Hatake, nearly ended the future Sixth Hokage’s life and career.

Despite dangerous combat prowess, and the manga later confirming his Kubikiribōchō sword to regenerate using the iron from blood of his victims, Zabuza never amounted to much outside of the Bingo Book. Most notably, fellow Seven Swordsman of the Mist Kisame Hoshigaki, not Zabuza, was part of the Akatsuki. It turns out, this was for the best.

Zabuza Was Powerful but Pales in Comparison to Akatsuki Members

Despite being part of a collective unit of swordsmen strong enough to be used by the Edo Tensei as a genuine threat in the Fourth Great Ninja War, Zabuza individually never amounted to much. Zabuza didn’t have much of an answer fo Kakashi’s relatively limited Sharingan repertoire, barely losing in their first fight, and being trounced in the second.

In terms of his resume, though, Zabuza would have been a perfect candidate. Even in the Bloody Mist era of his home, the Village Hidden by Mist, their Academy’s procedure for graduation was for students to kill one classmate to be deemed worthy. Zabuza wasn’t even a student yet, but killed over 100.

The manga clearly suffers from some power creep regarding Zabuza compared to the members of Akatsuki. While losing to Kakashi, he still put up a strong fight, and in their first round, it took additional team effort from Naruto and Sasuke to shut down his Water Prison Technique. That is indeed no mean feat, especially given Kakashi’s established reputation.

Naruto’s History Presented a Conflict of Interest for Zabuza Joining Akatsuki

Despite fitting the recruitment bill for joining the Akatsuki (brutally violent missing-nin), the manga would later reveal a chain of events that would have created real discord within Akatsuki if Zabuza joined. This is due to Obito, then known as the masked ninja Tobi, placing Fourth Mizukage Yagura Karatachi under a powerful Genjutsu, turning him into a bloodthirsty tyrant.

This is important as Zabuza witnessed the Hidden Mist under Yagura, which was then known as the “Bloody Mist” due to his severe regime. Zabuza attempted a coup to overthrow Yagura, made an attempt on the Mizukage’s life, failing, going on the run with Haku. Zabuza’s desire to bring about change in the village was at odds with Akatsuki leadership.

Say what one will about whether Zabuza fighting a Kage and living is impressive, it’s also important that, would he ever discover that an Akatsuki leader was a direct influence on his home becoming a hellscape, he would never cooperate. That much is clear given his unruly nature, especially when he decapitated Gato, his employer, to avenge Haku.

Naruto Fans Forget One Other Early Akatsuki Contender

Everybody always forgets Haku in the initial arc, but he was comparatively even more promising than Zabuza, both a genius and taught by a cold-blooded prodigy himself. Haku’s Kekkei Genkai, Ice Release, and particular use of senbon needles as a primary weapon, would have been an asset to the Akatsuki, especially for entrapment of Jinchūriki.

The issue is that fans get wrapped up in major antagonists of Naruto and fail to see the forest for the trees: Haku was still developing. In fact, in Naruto chapter #16, Kakashi suggests Haku is already stronger than him. Given his incredible speed, only being caught by Naruto’s emergent Kurama chakra cloak, he would be a phenomenal Akatsuki member.

Still, given Haku and Zabuza’s fierce mutual loyalty, it again begs the question whether he’d even join, knowing Obito’s actions. It does, however, present a fascinating what-if scenario, in which Zabuza died while Haku failed to take Kakashi’s Chidori, first.

Zabuza & Haku Were Great Villains Taken Too Soon

While the Edo Tensei was the great equalizer bringing back former Naruto villains to see how they fared against the world’s living fighters, Zabuza and Haku’s return proved their power, particularly Haku’s, was a menace even years later. Still, their self-contained arc was wonderful, laying the groundwork for Naruto’s quest as a ninja.

Zabuza and Haku exposed Naruto to the harsher realities of the ninja world, and he developed his Nindō, or “Ninja Way”, never to go back on his word or give up on his goals. It was important for at least one of them to have a consequential moment, like a major death in the Land of Waves Arc, but Haku, in particular, was a missed opportunity.

However, the Akatsuki had its own array of eclectic villains from all walks of evil, morally gray, or misunderstood life. From Jashinist extremists, to mysterious elders who fought the First Hokage, to Orochimaru at one point, Haku or Zabuza would have fit in well. However, given their lasting impact, their departure was for the best.