Maito Gai, Konoha's Noble Blue Beast
Disclaimers:
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto.
Manga Publishers: Shueisha Inc. & Viz Media, LLC . Anime Producers: Studio Pierrot & TV Tokyo.
All images are properties of their respective owners and are used herein strictly for illustration purposes only.
No part of this theory may be posted elsewhere without permission. The author reserves the right to modify accordingly, depending on recent events of the manga and/or for purely speculative development. Please be guided that these only aim to explore possibilities and do not seek to prove/disprove anything.
Status: 08 March 2014 - 10 November 2014.
Important Note:
The Yin and Yang in this entry should be taken as a representation of a character (e.g. Naruto is Yin or Sasuke is Yang). This should not be confused with the internal Physical and Mental Energies.
Unlike other characters which may theoretically be associated to certain Celestial Emblems, Gai may initially appear to be all-encompassing.
Naruto © Masashi Kishimoto.
Manga Publishers: Shueisha Inc. & Viz Media, LLC . Anime Producers: Studio Pierrot & TV Tokyo.
All images are properties of their respective owners and are used herein strictly for illustration purposes only.
No part of this theory may be posted elsewhere without permission. The author reserves the right to modify accordingly, depending on recent events of the manga and/or for purely speculative development. Please be guided that these only aim to explore possibilities and do not seek to prove/disprove anything.
Status: 08 March 2014 - 10 November 2014.
Important Note:
The Yin and Yang in this entry should be taken as a representation of a character (e.g. Naruto is Yin or Sasuke is Yang). This should not be confused with the internal Physical and Mental Energies.
Unlike other characters which may theoretically be associated to certain Celestial Emblems, Gai may initially appear to be all-encompassing.
But because Gai also refers to himself as Konoha's Noble Blue Beast, it is therefore assumed that Gai may portray the Blue Dragon of the East.
Blue Dragon of the East
which can mean blue or green. |
Maito Gai
|
|
There are few exceptions to this, however. Aoi can still mean green when used to refer to something fresh, young or immature - a context where Springtime of Youth may fall under. Seishun, in fact, contains the characters for green (青) spring (春). |
The End of Youthful Days
Ch 667 showed Gai's intention to become a Red Beast from being a Blue Beast. There may be two ways with which this can be viewed:
- Where aoi (蒼) means green
- Where aoi (蒼) means blue
That is, Blue Dragon of the East is young Yang and Vermilion Bird of the South is full Yang.
Theoretically, this may mean techniques characterized in an entirely new level - full Strong Fist, full inner Eight Gates.
• Gai as Yang and Eight Gates as inner Yin •
Yang: Blue Beast to Red Beast
(top figure)
Gai’s transition from the Blue Beast to the Red Beast may be parallel to the transition of the Blue Dragon of the East to the Vermilion Bird of the South – from young Yang going up to full Yang.
As young Yang, Gai’s perspective on the Springtime of Youth used the metaphor of a young, green leaf. Several of Gai's techniques were also named after Konoha (literally, tree leaves). These were likely inspired by his village and yet at the same time, may also be indirectly associated to the element represented by the Blue Dragon of the East – the Wood element.
As full Yang, Gai opened all Eight Gates and was given the metaphor of burning (Ch 668). This, on the other hand, may be indirectly associated to the element represented by the Vermilion Bird of the South – the Fire element.
(top figure)
Gai’s transition from the Blue Beast to the Red Beast may be parallel to the transition of the Blue Dragon of the East to the Vermilion Bird of the South – from young Yang going up to full Yang.
As young Yang, Gai’s perspective on the Springtime of Youth used the metaphor of a young, green leaf. Several of Gai's techniques were also named after Konoha (literally, tree leaves). These were likely inspired by his village and yet at the same time, may also be indirectly associated to the element represented by the Blue Dragon of the East – the Wood element.
As full Yang, Gai opened all Eight Gates and was given the metaphor of burning (Ch 668). This, on the other hand, may be indirectly associated to the element represented by the Vermilion Bird of the South – the Fire element.
*The inner Yin at the bottom is simply a maximized version of the small black dot.
inner Yin: Eight Gates
(bottom figure)
The Eight Gates may be Gai's inner Yin, however, based on the techniques performed upon the opening of the final three gates, two of them may appear inconsistent (they symbolize Yang):
- 6th Gate: Morning Peacock ( a reference to Vermilion Bird of the South), full Yang
- 7th Gate: Afternoon Tiger (a reference to White Tiger of the West), young Yin
- 8th Gate: Evening Elephant, full Yin
To show how they may still be associated to Yin, a hypothetical inner Yang is placed beside the Eight Gates (for illustration only). After which, the Four Celestial Emblems are superimposed:
In a counter-clockwise direction, from top to bottom, it may appear that:
- 6th Gate - where Full Yang meets Younger Yin
While Morning Peacock (Vermilion Bird of the South) symbolizes Full Yang,
here, it may also be associated to Younger Yin.
- 7th Gate - Young Yin
Afternoon Tiger (White Tiger of the West).
- 8th Gate - Full Yin
The Evening Elephant, while not exactly the same, may parallel the Black Tortoise of the North in that both the Elephant and Tortoise symbolize longevity.
- 8th Gate - where Full Yin meets Young Yang
While Night Gai (Blue Dragon of the East) symbolizes a Young Yang,
here, it may also be associated to a Full Yin.
Based on these, it may be noted that as Gai metaphorically transitioned to become a full Yang, his Eight Gates also transitioned to become a full inner Yin.
• Rock Lee as Yang and Six Gates as his inner Yin •
The play on the word aoi ((碧い) may also be applied to Gai's student, Rock Lee.
This may be a metaphor to a budding Springtime of Youth.
Theoretically, this may be another portrayal of the Blue Dragon of the East.
- aoi can mean green when used to refer to something fresh, young or immature.
This may be a metaphor to a budding Springtime of Youth.
- aoi more commonly means blue.
Theoretically, this may be another portrayal of the Blue Dragon of the East.
Similarly, the Blue Dragon of the East represents the season of Spring. Lee's techniques named after Konoha (literally, tree leaves) may also correspond to the element it represents - the Wood element.
Finally, the Blue Dragon of the East symbolizes a young Yang.
Finally, the Blue Dragon of the East symbolizes a young Yang.
*The inner Yin at the bottom is simply a maximized version of the small black dot.
The points depict the techniques performed upon the opening of the final three gates (Morning Peacock, Afternoon Tiger and Evening Elephant, respectively).
The points depict the techniques performed upon the opening of the final three gates (Morning Peacock, Afternoon Tiger and Evening Elephant, respectively).
Young Yang may parallel a young inner Yin.
Lee has the ability to open Six of the Eight Gates. The Sixth Gate is the same level when Morning Peacock may be performed by a user although Lee has yet to show this, if at all.
(Both Morning Peacock and Afternoon Tiger may be considered young inner Yin. Morning Peacock is simply "younger" than Afternoon Tiger.)
Lee has the ability to open Six of the Eight Gates. The Sixth Gate is the same level when Morning Peacock may be performed by a user although Lee has yet to show this, if at all.
(Both Morning Peacock and Afternoon Tiger may be considered young inner Yin. Morning Peacock is simply "younger" than Afternoon Tiger.)
• The Yin and Yang of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist versus Maito Dai •
|
Spring. |
|
|
The above match-up may also be parallel (to a certain extent) with the repeated conflicts of Kisame Hoshigaki and Gai in the past.