The Animal Path (畜生道, Chikushōdō) was the second of Nagato's Six Paths of Pain to be shown. It is the only path shown to have existed as two different bodies. The first Animal Path was captured by Jiraiya and sent to Konoha for study. It was replaced with a female body and the original was later recovered and destroyed by the Preta Path during the invasion of Pain. The second Animal Path was later incapacitated by Naruto's Sage Technique: Rasenrengan.
First Animal Path
Pain's first Animal Path when it was alive
The first Animal Path, like all of the six paths, possessed Nagato's Rinnegan. It had orange hair, which was a light green color while it was alive, tied back in a long ponytail with a fringe hanging down from the right side of its head. It had a large bridge piercing through its upper nose which was attached on each cheek with a circular stud, one stud on its upper nose, six studs around the bottom of its face, and one stud on each ear. It does not have eyebrows. While being examined by Konoha, the body was shown to have multiple piercings on its chest and legs as well.
While it was alive, the body belonged to a member of the Fūma clan. This member had received a scar on his forehead during an encounter with Jiraiya, which was usually obstructed by the Animal Path's headband. Many citizens of Amegakure believed Pain to be from the Fūma clan because of this body.
Second Animal Path
The young girl's corpse which would eventually become the Animal Path.
When it was alive, the second Animal Path belonged to a young girl, making it Pain's only female body. Like the first Animal Path, it possessed Nagato's Rinnegan. It had orange hair tied together in a sort of onion-like bun at the top of the head, with spikes of hair protruding out of it. It had one stud above the nose, studs on either side of the neck, a row of studs vertically down each cheek, a stud below each stud on the neck, two studs on each forearm and two studs above the eyebrows connected by a bridge piercing.
Abilities
The Animal Path's main abilities revolved around summoning various animals and creatures to aid it in battle. Each creature served a different purpose in battle, much like every path of Pain was also different from the others. Each animal summon also shared Nagato's Rinnegan and had various body piercings as well, suggesting that they too were under his control.
Tactics wise, the path's primary role in battle appeared to be overwhelming multiple opponents with its summons. In addition to that, both bodies used for this path were of a smaller stature than the other five, which, coupled with Pain's tendency to use his Asura Path to throw the second Animal Path in order to reach far off locations and infiltrate Konoha, as well as Pain's decision to first confront Jiraiya with the first Animal Path body, suggests that it acted as both a scout, as well as a way for Pain to move around the battlefield quickly through summons. Worthy of note, Animal Path requires no blood sacrifice or hand contact with the surface to performing a Summoning Technique.
Summons
- Giant Drill-Beaked Bird
- Giant Multi-Headed Dog
- Giant Snake-Tailed Chameleon
- Giant Panda
- Giant Ram
- Giant Rhino
- Giant Crustacean
- Giant Centipede
- The other Paths of Pain
- Konan
Influences
Buddhists believe in a realm of existence of the nonhuman animals on Earth, an unhappy plane of rebirth which revolves around ignorance, instinct, survival of the fittest, and servitude to humans.
Trivia
- Despite all Pains having the same voice in the anime, the second Animal Path has a female voice.
- The first and second Animal Path will appear in Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2
