Kankurō

Kankurou is Gaara's and Temari's sibling. He is a puppet master. His main puppet is Karasu, an offensive puppet with concealed blades covered in poison.

The Chunin Exam

Kankuro first appears the day the Chunin Exam is announced. He is seen with his sister, Temari, and an unexplained bundle on his back by Naruto and Sakura while tormenting Konohamaru and the other children. Naruto demands that he stop, but Kankuro pays him no mind and easily overpowers him physically. He is stopped when Sasuke manages to hit him in the arm with a rock. Kankuro, surprised that Sasuke could manage to sneak up on him - let a lone land a hit, hints at wanting a fight. As if threatening, he removes his bundle which Temari calls "Karasu" (meaning "crow"). The situation is diffused, however, when Gaara appears. Kankuro, who at this point had seemed unflinchingly confident, is terrified of his brother. When Gaara demands that he stop fooling around, he quickly obeys leaving the other three ninjas confused.

During the written portion of the exam, the Genins are told explicitly not to cheat as cheating will result in a deduction of points to the extent of failure. Most of the would-be Chunin - including Kankuro - realize that the real test is simply to see how well a person can cheat without being caught, and begin using their shinobi skills to stealthily copy other tests. Nearing the end of the exam, Kankuro asks permission to use the bathroom. The test proctor allows it, provided one of the ninjas watching for cheaters accompanies him. While in the bathroom, he refers to the nondescript ninja as Karasu, and asks him for the answers. He chuckles at the fact that no one noticed the extra ninja in the room. On his way back to the exam, the proctor comments that he was busy playing with dolls. Kankuro's reaction to this hints that the proctor knows what the bundle on his back really is.

During the survival portion of the exam, he is seen only briefly by Kiba, Shino, and Hinata while Gaara brutally kills a shinobi from the Village of the Hidden Rain.

During the preliminary duels, Kankuro fights in the third match against Misumi Tsurugi from the Village of the Hidden Leaf. Kankuro aggressively takes out his bundle, but before he can use it, Misumi strikes, causing him to defend. Upon contact, Misumi's arms begin contorting impossibly around Kankuro's body until he has completely pinioned all of Kankuro's limbs - causing his bundle to fall on the floor. With his hands poised to break Kankuro's neck, he demands that Kankuro surrender. Kankuro scoffs at the idea, and Misumi follows through with his threat, apparently killing him. Before the proctor can call the end of the match, Kankuro's head suddenly turns completely backwards to face Misumi, mocking him. It is revealed, finally, that Kankuro's bundle is a battle-puppet: a ninja tool controlled by chakra strings. The puppet, called Karasu, had been disguised early on as Kankuro while the ninja puppeteer waited in the bundle for Misumi to drop his guard. With the tables turned, Karasu's arms wrap around Misumi's body and violently constrict. Misumi is now unable to fight, though it is not explicitly stated whether he is dead or alive, and Kankuro is declared the winner.

During the final bout of the Chunin preliminaries - Gaara vs. Rock Lee - Kankuro talks to Naruto in an attempt to learn about Neji Hyuga. While they talk, Gaara gets heated during the battle and his normally stoic demeanor begins to crumble. Kankuro once again shows uncharacteristic fear toward his younger brother, foreshadowing that Gaara's loss of control will ruin "the plan." No further explanation is offered.

The Invasion of Konoha

Kankuro is chosen to fight Shino Aburame. Oddly, though he gives up before the fight starts, thinking that the plan to invade Konoha is more important than the fight. His conversation about "the plan" with Temari is overheard by Shino, who grows suspicious.

During Gaara's fight with Sasuke, Gaara is injured. Kankuro is yet again terrified at the notion of Gaara losing control just as the Sand and Sound shinobi storm the arena. Amongst the ensuing chaos, Kankuro and Temari grab Gaara and try to flee into the forest. Sasuke follows, along with Shino. Kankuro stops running when he notices Sasuke's pursuit and tells Temari to go ahead while he buys them time. Shino appears and tells Sasuke to continue his chase; he will be Kankuro's opponent as the tournament had decided.

The two poise for battle, and Kankuro mocks Shino for not understanding the puppet jutsu. Shino replies that he never underestimates his opponents. Under Kankuro's guidance, Karasu flies towards Shino, revealing a hidden arsenal of poisoned-tipped darts, blades, and kunai. Shino succeeds in dodging the attacks until two kunai strike him in the head. Kankuro is shocked to realize that Shino had been using a swarm of his chakra insects as a clone. Shino, who had been hiding while watching the fight, attacks Kankuro and misses, albeit barely. He makes the comment that Kankuro is weak against close combat. Kankuro scoffs and continues his barrage. At one point, the insects cover Karasu, blocking his joints and climbing the chakra strings towards the puppeteer. Kankuro severs his connection with the puppet, but easily reforges it and reveals that Karasu's limbs, torso, and head can all be controlled separately. With Karasu's body parts flying wildly through the trees - launching poison darts no less - Shino is driven to the defensive. Kankuro appears to have the advantage as he launches a cloud of poisonous gas from which Shino hastily retreats. Shino's evasion leaves him vulnerable, and Karasu's head, still disembodied, flies towards him brandishing a large poisoned needle. Moments before striking, however, Kankuro loses control of the puppet and is seen covered by a swarm of the chakra insects. Baffled as to how Shino could have cornered him with the slow moving bugs, he learns that the first attempt at physical contact was just a ploy to plant a female insect on his clothes. The bugs were able to follow the scent while he was distracted by the battle. He screams and faints just before Shino succumbs to the poison gas. The battle is won by Shino, but he is unable to follow Sasuke's pursuit of Gaara.

After Gaara's defeat by Naruto, Kankuro is last seen helping his brother up and leaving as Sasuke watches on. Moved by Naruto's passion, Gaara wearily apologizes to both of his siblings. Kankuro, utterly shocked, stammers out words of forgiveness as the three hurry back to the Sand village.

Sasuke's Retrieval

After the Leaf Chunin separate into their various battles against Orochimaru's Sound ninja's, the only ones emerging singularly victorious are Chouji and Neji. The rest, Rock Lee, Shikamaru, and Kiba are barely holding onto their lives. Kiba Inuzuka fights the Sound ninja named Sakon whose primary ability seems to be separating into an identical twin named Ukon. By joining together, Sakon/Ukon is able to heal any wounds he might incur. Through shrewd use of this jutsu and disguising his smell, Ukon(alone)corners Kiba and Akamaru and readies the final blow. Just as the kunai is about to strike, a shrouded figure blocks the way. Kankuro and his siblings had come to the Leaf's aid.

Kankuro (oddly still holding his familiar bundle), scoffs at Kiba's inability to win his battle, having blocked the knife with Karasu. Unaware of Ukon's ability, Kankuro readies the final blow only to be attacked by Sakon who is using the second stage of the cursed seal. Sakon/Ukon's jutsu of separating and conjoining had already proved effective on humans - having forced himself into Kiba's body at one point. However, even with Sakon/Ukon's hands sunk deep into his face, Kankuro smirks. His face and clothing seem to crumble away as it revealed that he now controls two puppets: Karasu and a new one called Kuroari (meaning "black ant"). Emerging from the familiar bundle, he comments on the auspicious fact that the body-joining jutsu doesn't work on puppets and criticizes Sakon for getting so close to his new ally. Kuroari attacks similarly to Karasu by wrapping his arms around Sakon and constricting.

As Sakon falls to the ground, bleeding heavily, his cursed seal fades aways. At the same time, Ukon's cursed seal rises to the second level. With enhanced speed, he moves to his counterpart and joins bodies in order to heal him. Ukon remarks on not controlling the conjoined body as his cursed seal fades away as well. Their wounds heal, but they silently comment on having little chakra left over. Kiba, once again daunted by the speed of Sakon/Ukon's recovery, tells Kankuro to retreat for now. Kankuro angrily replies by saying he's being underestimated. As if to prove Kiba's doubts wrong, he attacks viciously with Karasu, causing Sakon/Ukon to dodge backwards. However, as they dodge they fail to notice Kuroari behind them, opening up his wide torso to reveal a hollow tube. Kankuro reveals that Karasu and Kuroari, while similar in design, are different in function. Kuroari is used primarily as a trapping puppet - this is proven true as Sakon/Ukon dodge directly into Kuroari's body which snaps shut, trapping them inside. Karasu, he explains, is used in tandem with Kuroari for attacking purposes, as all of Karasu's limbs and head separate and extend a fearsome array of blades. Kuroari is equipped with slots about as wide as one of the blades, and as Kankuro bellows out the name of his attack - Puppet Theater: Black Secret, First Strike - all the blades simultaneously pierce Kuroari's frame. Kiba stares, shocked, as blood gouts and pours to the sound of Sakon/Ukon's agonizing screams. Kankuro, ever the warrior, claims victory as if a play had just ended.

After the battle ends, with Sasuke gone and almost all of the Leaf ninja's hospitalized - but alive - Kankuro goes to leave with his two siblings. Shikamaru sees them off, exchanging words with Temari, and the three Sand ninja's part on friendly terms with the Leaf. Kankuro walks away, this time with two familiar bundles on his back.