Akamaru

Kiba's ninja dog, who grows from jacket-sized puppy to mount.

Akamaru is Kiba Inuzuka's ninja dog in Naruto, his best friend and constant companion in battle.

Quick Facts

Partner: Kiba Inuzuka
Japanese voice: Junko Takeuchi

Background

At the start of the series Kiba carries Akamaru on his head or tucked inside his jacket. By Part II the dog has grown big enough for Kiba to ride on his back, a change Kiba comically never seems to notice.

With his keen nose and hearing and his ability to sense other people's chakra, Akamaru is Kiba's most valuable asset in hostile situations. He uses scent marking to help Kiba keep track of opponents, and in combat he depends on Kiba to supply the chakra for their combination attacks, which require Akamaru to turn into a clone of Kiba.

In the epilogue an aged Akamaru fathers a litter of puppies among the many animals living with Kiba and Tamaki. In Japanese he is voiced by Junko Takeuchi, who also voices Naruto Uzumaki, and by Kōsuke Toriumi, Kiba's actor, when he takes Kiba's form; in English Jamie Simone provides his puppy sounds and Kyle Hebert voices him in Kiba's shape.