Hiruko (ヒルコ) is a puppet used by the Akatsuki ninja, Sasori. As a puppet, he served as Sasori's "puppet armour", as Sasori was capable of hiding inside of it. Sasori even adorned Hiruko with the Akatsuki's robes, and hid inside it so often that others came to recognize him only when he was wearing it. In the anime, Hiruko is a human puppet made from the corpse of a renowned Sunagakure shinobi.[1] According to Chiyo, Hiruko was Saasori's favourite (十八番, ohako) puppet.[2]
Abilities and Weapons
All weapons installed in Hiruko were coated in Sasori's special brand of poison, which would kill the victim after three days of painful paralysis.
- Extendible iron tail offence by stabbing and defence by rotating around the body.
- Heavy back shell for additional defence. A new addition since Chiyo last saw it 20 years ago.
- Rapid launching of senbon from the mouth.
- Torpedo-shaped left arm that launches shrapnel of senbon in all directions. A new addition since Chiyo last saw it 20 years ago.
- Granted Sasori a gruffer voice.
Trivia
- Hiruko (蛭子) can be translated to "leech child".
- Hiruko is a Japanese Fisherman god. It can also be translated into "Ebisu".
- Hiruko's tail was seen in a flashback of Sasori's childhoods as a part of an unfinished puppet. It had a split end.
- Hiruko was erroneously called Sasori's eighteenth puppet in the anime.[1] This was because favourite (十八番, ohako) literally translates to 'number eighteen'.
