First half, the rest is continued in the previous post. Like the Hidan study.
Reasons Why I Appreciate Kiba As a Character in the NarutoVerse:
Kiba and His Bonds
If one was going to define Kiba, three things immediately leap to mind: Akamaru, Team 8 and the Inuzuka clan.
But unlike every other character on the show who has either an angsty past (i.e. Naruto's hard time growing up alone) or an obvious obsession (i.e. Tenten and pointy objects), Kiba seems to be almost solely defined by the above bonds.
In essence, more than any of the others, Kiba is a social creature. His personality and soul aren't housed within him or some hobby, but in all of those he allows into his inner sanctum, his close group of friends and family.
And, each bond has its effect. In fact, they each actually showcase some of the Inuzukas boy's best qualities and reasons to make a fangirl's/fanboy's heart pitter patter with moe.
First, as nearly everyone has mentioned, Akamaru's relationship with Kiba is intensely beautiful. Despite the fact that some might view it as an extreme case of man and man's best friend, I do not.
Akamaru has proven to have much greater intelligence than the average canine, as well as deep emotional capabilities. They are just as much best friends as Shikamaru and Chouji are, if not more so.
Whether its Kiba sacrificing himself to Sakon/Ukon in an attempt to save Akamaru's life or Akamaru snarling in defense of his best friend during the second chuunin exam or the pair romping and playing together in training, Kiba trusts Akamaru to always be there, alerting him to potential danger (i.e. Whoops, accidentally peed on Shino's shoes again...). While the pup believes his partner when Kiba says they won't lose and fights harder with that idea in mind.
They spend every moment together.Their communication is practically telepathic. They know each other completely. There is no angst or pain or stress. Just love and caring and a friendship that defines the word, "unconditional".
For this reason alone, I could love Kiba.
But, that's not where it ends.
Much like the dogs and wolves whom the Inuzukas emulate, Kiba pays little attention to those whom he considers strangers or acquaintances, neither seeming to consider them worth his time or energy. For instance, when we see young Kiba in a flashback during his fight with Naruto; he was alone, content, and seemingly without any need to interact with the other students.
However, once he lets them in and accepts them as friends, the dynamic immediately changes and always for the better. Now, they aren't just strangers; they aren't just friends. They're family.
This can be seen from Kiba's protective big brotherly attitude towards Hinata to his competitive 'sibling' rivalry with Shino, who substitutes as an older brother/father figure mix. Kiba accepts the boy's judgements but rankles under his compliments. They annoy the crap out of each other but care for one another regardless. And, unlike other similar dynamics (i.e. Naruto and Sasuke), there is no danger. No fear that things will get out of control. Because, in the end, they're a team.
Also, it is my belief that Kiba's affectionate and boisterous personality is the glue that originally helped Team 8 stick together, in spite of Hinata's shy, lack of self-confidence, Shino's quiet, stoicism, and Kurenai, who is caring but still a newly minted and untried jounin. Haha, it might have been very awkward those first few weeks without Kiba to break the ice, annoying the piss out of Shino and worrying the crap out of Hinata.
Speaking of Hinata, as was mentioned and censured by Blooming_Cosmo, some may believe that Kiba is bad for Hinata's growth, that he is holding her back because he told her not to fight Neji. But, I disagree, wholeheartedly, as well.
Kiba is extremely honest, with himself and with other people. This is probably linked to his nasal abilities but I will get to that later. The truth is that Kiba could probably have cared less whether Hinata made chuunin or not that exam, if it meant getting near fatally injured or dying. Trusting in Akamaru's judegment and his own knowledge and abilities, Kiba knew something bad was going to happen and did the only thing he could think of to prevent it that wouldn't embarass Hinata.
It's not that he doesn't want her to grow and become a greater ninja, Kiba was just listening to the same ideal that Team 7 learned during the Bell Test: your teammates' safety is more important than the success of a mission. The only difference is...well, he didn't need to be taught the idea. That's just how Kiba's mind and heart works.
And, I honestly believe that had it been Shino going up against, well, let's say, Gaara, Kiba would have done the same thing and warned him not to fight.
Kiba and his Family
The Inuzuka clan with its growing nasal capabilities,...
..., increasingly feral appearance, ease with compatible ninjutsu, enhanced canine features, ability to converse with dogs that do not have summon speech capabilities; all of these things combined and more that I just don't have the space to mention lead me to believe that the Inuzukas will one day be a bloodline limit.
And, unlike the Hyuugas who rule their clan ruthlessly through the curse seal, seeking to heighten their power and prestige or the Uchihas who are known for their secrecy and questionable dysfunctionaltity (coughcoughItachicoughcough...and wtf? A secret scrollhouse?), the Inuzukas voluntarily mark their cheeks in the symbol of a bloody fang (representative of their companions and fellow warriors) and secrets don't exist where one sniff can tell a thousand tales.
But, more than that, the Inuzukas differ from the other clans with potential bloodlines or present bloodline limits. Because, they aren't just a clan.
They are a family.
Simple as that. They're loyal, loving, openly affectionate. Traitors don't exist and the well-being of one is tied directly to that of the others (i.e. Hana healing Kiba after the Rescue Sasuke Arc, Hana and Tsume fighting together rather than on separate teams, etc.)
I love the Inuzukas, terribly, and Kiba and his entire personality is a product of the family that he came from.
Kiba and his Faults
Actually, if I am going to be totally honest, the Inuzukas were one of the very few things that I liked about Kiba, oh...like two months ago, when I first started to become infatuated with Team 8. And, it was almost primarily due to his major faults that he was resigned to be my least favorite of the genin. However, as I learned more about him and looked beyond the brash exterior, even growing to love the arrogance and obnoxious personality, I was still delighted to find reasons for all of these qualities that I had a hard time delighting in, at first.
And, unsurprisingly, these qualities build Kiba into both a stronger character for me and one that I can empathize/sympathize with.
Kiba is brash, overly confident (at times), and seemingly self-centered.
Kiba is, also, one male in a sea of woman. The only testosterone on the horizon is Shino, and he's not exactly the palling around type. While it's likely that this means Kiba is the least sexist out of all the genin, it also means that his loud, abrasive personality seems in some ways to be the yell of suppressed masculinity. Also, it could be a response to some subconscious need for a father figure (which he found coughShinocough).
Or, even the byproduct of how his family, the Inuzukas, work. They are loud and feral and say exactly how they feel, keeping nothing back. Because, what's the point? Let's say Kiba tried to sneak a drink of sake while still underage...I don't care how many breath mints he uses, Tsume will smell it on his breath and he will be one dead puppy.
All in all, considering the possibilities makes Kiba more interesting and entertaining, at the very least.
But, there is one in particular that I think contributes the most and it was just mentioned above in a different capacity: Kiba's enhanced ability to smell.
(MORE IN NEXT POST...I WENT OVER THE LIMIT )
Reasons Why I Appreciate Kiba As a Character in the NarutoVerse:
Kiba and His Bonds
If one was going to define Kiba, three things immediately leap to mind: Akamaru, Team 8 and the Inuzuka clan.
But unlike every other character on the show who has either an angsty past (i.e. Naruto's hard time growing up alone) or an obvious obsession (i.e. Tenten and pointy objects), Kiba seems to be almost solely defined by the above bonds.
In essence, more than any of the others, Kiba is a social creature. His personality and soul aren't housed within him or some hobby, but in all of those he allows into his inner sanctum, his close group of friends and family.
And, each bond has its effect. In fact, they each actually showcase some of the Inuzukas boy's best qualities and reasons to make a fangirl's/fanboy's heart pitter patter with moe.
First, as nearly everyone has mentioned, Akamaru's relationship with Kiba is intensely beautiful. Despite the fact that some might view it as an extreme case of man and man's best friend, I do not.
Akamaru has proven to have much greater intelligence than the average canine, as well as deep emotional capabilities. They are just as much best friends as Shikamaru and Chouji are, if not more so.
Whether its Kiba sacrificing himself to Sakon/Ukon in an attempt to save Akamaru's life or Akamaru snarling in defense of his best friend during the second chuunin exam or the pair romping and playing together in training, Kiba trusts Akamaru to always be there, alerting him to potential danger (i.e. Whoops, accidentally peed on Shino's shoes again...). While the pup believes his partner when Kiba says they won't lose and fights harder with that idea in mind.
They spend every moment together.Their communication is practically telepathic. They know each other completely. There is no angst or pain or stress. Just love and caring and a friendship that defines the word, "unconditional".
For this reason alone, I could love Kiba.
But, that's not where it ends.
Much like the dogs and wolves whom the Inuzukas emulate, Kiba pays little attention to those whom he considers strangers or acquaintances, neither seeming to consider them worth his time or energy. For instance, when we see young Kiba in a flashback during his fight with Naruto; he was alone, content, and seemingly without any need to interact with the other students.
However, once he lets them in and accepts them as friends, the dynamic immediately changes and always for the better. Now, they aren't just strangers; they aren't just friends. They're family.
This can be seen from Kiba's protective big brotherly attitude towards Hinata to his competitive 'sibling' rivalry with Shino, who substitutes as an older brother/father figure mix. Kiba accepts the boy's judgements but rankles under his compliments. They annoy the crap out of each other but care for one another regardless. And, unlike other similar dynamics (i.e. Naruto and Sasuke), there is no danger. No fear that things will get out of control. Because, in the end, they're a team.
Also, it is my belief that Kiba's affectionate and boisterous personality is the glue that originally helped Team 8 stick together, in spite of Hinata's shy, lack of self-confidence, Shino's quiet, stoicism, and Kurenai, who is caring but still a newly minted and untried jounin. Haha, it might have been very awkward those first few weeks without Kiba to break the ice, annoying the piss out of Shino and worrying the crap out of Hinata.
Speaking of Hinata, as was mentioned and censured by Blooming_Cosmo, some may believe that Kiba is bad for Hinata's growth, that he is holding her back because he told her not to fight Neji. But, I disagree, wholeheartedly, as well.
Kiba is extremely honest, with himself and with other people. This is probably linked to his nasal abilities but I will get to that later. The truth is that Kiba could probably have cared less whether Hinata made chuunin or not that exam, if it meant getting near fatally injured or dying. Trusting in Akamaru's judegment and his own knowledge and abilities, Kiba knew something bad was going to happen and did the only thing he could think of to prevent it that wouldn't embarass Hinata.
It's not that he doesn't want her to grow and become a greater ninja, Kiba was just listening to the same ideal that Team 7 learned during the Bell Test: your teammates' safety is more important than the success of a mission. The only difference is...well, he didn't need to be taught the idea. That's just how Kiba's mind and heart works.
And, I honestly believe that had it been Shino going up against, well, let's say, Gaara, Kiba would have done the same thing and warned him not to fight.
Kiba and his Family
The Inuzuka clan with its growing nasal capabilities,...
Spoiler: only in manga
..., increasingly feral appearance, ease with compatible ninjutsu, enhanced canine features, ability to converse with dogs that do not have summon speech capabilities; all of these things combined and more that I just don't have the space to mention lead me to believe that the Inuzukas will one day be a bloodline limit.
And, unlike the Hyuugas who rule their clan ruthlessly through the curse seal, seeking to heighten their power and prestige or the Uchihas who are known for their secrecy and questionable dysfunctionaltity (coughcoughItachicoughcough...and wtf? A secret scrollhouse?), the Inuzukas voluntarily mark their cheeks in the symbol of a bloody fang (representative of their companions and fellow warriors) and secrets don't exist where one sniff can tell a thousand tales.
But, more than that, the Inuzukas differ from the other clans with potential bloodlines or present bloodline limits. Because, they aren't just a clan.
They are a family.
Simple as that. They're loyal, loving, openly affectionate. Traitors don't exist and the well-being of one is tied directly to that of the others (i.e. Hana healing Kiba after the Rescue Sasuke Arc, Hana and Tsume fighting together rather than on separate teams, etc.)
I love the Inuzukas, terribly, and Kiba and his entire personality is a product of the family that he came from.
Kiba and his Faults
Actually, if I am going to be totally honest, the Inuzukas were one of the very few things that I liked about Kiba, oh...like two months ago, when I first started to become infatuated with Team 8. And, it was almost primarily due to his major faults that he was resigned to be my least favorite of the genin. However, as I learned more about him and looked beyond the brash exterior, even growing to love the arrogance and obnoxious personality, I was still delighted to find reasons for all of these qualities that I had a hard time delighting in, at first.
And, unsurprisingly, these qualities build Kiba into both a stronger character for me and one that I can empathize/sympathize with.
Kiba is brash, overly confident (at times), and seemingly self-centered.
Kiba is, also, one male in a sea of woman. The only testosterone on the horizon is Shino, and he's not exactly the palling around type. While it's likely that this means Kiba is the least sexist out of all the genin, it also means that his loud, abrasive personality seems in some ways to be the yell of suppressed masculinity. Also, it could be a response to some subconscious need for a father figure (which he found coughShinocough).
Or, even the byproduct of how his family, the Inuzukas, work. They are loud and feral and say exactly how they feel, keeping nothing back. Because, what's the point? Let's say Kiba tried to sneak a drink of sake while still underage...I don't care how many breath mints he uses, Tsume will smell it on his breath and he will be one dead puppy.
All in all, considering the possibilities makes Kiba more interesting and entertaining, at the very least.
But, there is one in particular that I think contributes the most and it was just mentioned above in a different capacity: Kiba's enhanced ability to smell.
(MORE IN NEXT POST...I WENT OVER THE LIMIT )
