Kiba was a supporting character of the Naruto universe and a member of the Konoha 11. Alongside Akamaru, he assisted in the Leaf's most critical hours, such as his performance during the Sasuke recovery mission and Fourth Shinobi War.
Though he may not have as much attention as other shinobi of the series, there are nonetheless a number of nuances behind Kiba's character that illustrate his greatest advantages and shortcomings. By identifying them, we gain a better appreciation for the dogmatic ninja and the invaluable services that he provides to his allies' efforts.
10 STRENGTH: He Has Perfect Synergy With Akamaru
Akamaru was Kiba's shinobi hound and a loyal friend. Not only are the two inseparable (almost never seen without each other), but the strength of their bond is reflected in combat.
By supplementing his dog's strength with his own, Kiba was able to perfect the "Fang Over Fang" technique, an implacable barreling attack in which its two users resemble tornadoes. Because of Akamaru's assistance, the destructive potential of this ability is magnified and also becomes significantly more difficult to dodge by most conventional ninja.
9 WEAKNESS: He Is Solely Reliant On Akamaru
Though Kiba and Akamaru have trained together to become a formidable fighting force, the former has illustrated no ability to win battles without his hound's support. All of his jutsu (Fang Over Fang, the Man-Beast transformation, and particularly dynamic marking) hinge on the dog's cooperation, and he is incomplete without him.
Considering that Akamaru will inevitably die well before Kiba does (an element that is touched upon in Boruto), this becomes a monumental problem for him since it compromises his relevance as a shinobi. If he spent more time honing his individual skill, he would have been more prepared for the future.
8 STRENGTH: He Has A Profound Sense Of Smell
Kiba's excellent sense of smell is a fantastic combat utility, especially when combined with Akamaru's dynamic marking. It allows him to keep track of visually manipulative adversaries, such as the shadow clones Naruto is able to make to confuse his opponents.
Additionally, it warrants him as a welcome member of Kurenai's team since his scouting prowess compliments Hinata's Byakugan and Shino's insects. While his enhanced detection may sometimes be to his detriment (proven through his fight in the Chunin Exam), it serves as a far greater advantage.
7 WEAKNESS: He Isn't Particularly Intelligent
Despite Kiba's impressive skills, he was not particularly intelligent. This was best illustrated during the Fourth Shinobi War, where there was a suspected White Zetsu imposter in the cavern that he and his team were exploring.
Instead of trying to rationally deduce the villain's whereabouts and identity through patience and perseverance, he indulged accusations against Shino and played directly into the spy's hands. His foolishness almost cost both men their lives and demonstrated a galling lack of judgment, especially given the preestablished knowledge of how Zetsu attempts to divide the Allied Shinobi Forces' ranks and turn comrades against each other.
6 STRENGTH: He Has An Unusually High Pain Tolerance
Sakon and Ukon were siblings and lieutenants of the Sound Four. They had an ability to possess the body of their victim, gradually destroying proteins from within until one of the brothers could fully dominate their new host.
Kiba would not succumb to this tactic, willfully stabbing himself with a kunai and injuring his invading opponents in the process. This illustrated a fantastic alacrity in battle and the discipline to endure tremendous pain in order to win a fight.
5 WEAKNESS: He Has Unrealistic Ambitions
Though Kiba's ambitions are not as explicit as Sasuke's or Naruto's, they have nonetheless been stated on a number of occasions. Like Uzumaki, he seeks to become Hokage one day, ideally bequeathing every civilian of Konoha with their own hound (as envisioned through his tenure in the Infinite Tsukuyomi).
However, these lofty goals are unrealistic for a number of reasons. Not only is he well beneath Naruto's skill, but Kiba also has never depicted the academic rigor necessary for the mantle of Kage. Considering that he's relatively obscure amidst the populace of Konoha, he would also never be considered by the village's elders or current leadership for the position.
4 STRENGTH: His Fang Over Fang Technique Offers High Mobility
Kiba's "Fang Over Fang" technique transformed himself and Akamaru into inexorable, spinning tornadoes. It was his signature ability and useful for a number of applications.
Not only did it have the capacity to destroy most obstacles (even including Sakon's gates after being resurrected by the Edo Tensei), but it also enabled him to make safe escapes when necessary because anything that came close would be ripped to shreds. Combined with his acute sensory skills, this renders him an ideal scout.
3 WEAKNESS: He's Needlessly Confrontational & Hostile
While Naruto maintained a conflict with Sasuke during his early days as a genin, the young Uchiha was not his exclusive antagonistic force. Kiba was also needlessly confrontational and cruel toward him, with his animosity culminating through his fight during the Chunin Exams.
After Naruto defeated Gaara and saved the Leaf from more irreparable harm, Kiba was forced to acknowledge his skill and no longer had the leeway to excoriate him as a slacker. Nonetheless, he would remain jealous of how much Uzumaki had surpassed him for years to come.
2 STRENGTH: He Has A Healthy Amount Of Pragmatism
Kiba's aggression may sometimes be to his detriment, but it also allows him to visualize pragmatic and grounded solutions to issues that other shinobi might struggle with.
An example of this comes through his vociferous critique of Sasuke Uchiha's actions and his subsequent willingness to help Konoha 11 hunt him down. While Naruto would object to these measures, his arguments were from a place of emotion and were inappropriate for the damage his former friend had already caused on an international scale. Though Kiba may not be the most intelligent, he is able to follow a sound line of rhetoric when one is presented.
1 WEAKNESS: His Abilities Are Extremely Limited
Kiba's aforementioned dependence on Akamaru bodes a significant problem for his future (albeit one that might be serviceable through obtaining another ninja hound). However, he has an underlining deficiency in versatility that hinders him in combat.
Not only does Kiba have no genjutsu (or resistance of it), he has a pitiable lack of ninjutsu or ranged abilities. These provide a number of exploitable weaknesses that his enemies might capitalize on because of how much he relies on direct melee engagement.
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