In an earlier post, we found the depth of Gaara and Naruto’s friendship that fully emerged in the Kazekage rescue – the first arc in Naruto Shippuden.
We see Akatsuki members collecting Jinchurikis for the Gedo statue. Sasori and Deidara are the primary villains in this arc who succeed in capturing Gaara after a long battle. Akatsuki members extract Shukaku and leave nearly dying Gaara while Naruto and the rest arrive.
At this point, Sasori and Deidara casually exchange words about art. It does not contribute directly to the story but provides insights into the characters and the mediums they choose to fight.
Read (right to left) the following Manga screenshots. Source: Reddit
This exchange between notorious Akatsuki members serves two purposes:
- It organizes all art forms into two extreme categories – momentary and lasting.
- Paints the Akatsuki members in a humane light despite their criminal activities.
Deidara was only 14 when he joined the Akatsuki, making him the youngest member. His character is vivacious and flickering. His viewpoint of art as an explosion reflects in explosive, bird-shaped clay models which he could also control to fly. His death by self-explosion was also a tribute to his views on the transient nature of art.
On the other hand, Sasori was a mystery till Sakura and Chiyo fought him to his last well-kept secrets – a man in his 40s and a fine puppet master. Sasori’s take on the preservation of art reflects in his puppet collection carved out of human bodies, a haunting revelation with the disturbing fact that he did the same to his parents. Sasori’s idea of preservation led him to convert his body into a puppet while transferring his life source into a cylindrical object.
Both of them chose their deaths the same way they chose their art.
Of all the insanely skilled Akatsuki members with jutsus or weapons, Sasori and Deidara remain the only duo to infuse some form of art into the battle tactics.
Masashi Kishimoto didn’t pair Akatsuki members randomly. They shared traits or possessed characteristics to intrigue each other. Itachi and Kisame’s circumstances stayed hidden from their villagers, while Kakuzu and Hidan had their ways to cheat death.
Through this Akatsuki duo, Masashi Kishimoto gave the viewers a taste of the nature of the arts. While contrasting views are bound to exist, there is indeed room for the existence of both of them. Arts can be momentary and everlasting simultaneously.
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