The Naruto series is renowned for drawing inspiration from various folklore and mythologies, most commonly from Japan’s own indigenous mythos. While concepts such as Chakra and the Paths of Pain are more obvious references to religious mythologies, others are rather tedious to unravel. Kaguya Otsutsuki and her mythological roots are a prime example, as this notorious villain is directly drawn from the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, one of the oldest preserved monogatari in Japanese folklore.

Kaguya Otsutsuki is a controversial character among the anime’s fansbase, and many credit her with ruining the series’ ending. The slew of critique paints Kaguya’s overall characterization in a negative light, yet many remain unaware that this antagonist is actually based on an elegant princess. Kaguya’s origins and her backstory reflect the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter quite earnestly, adding a layer of depth to this problematic character.

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The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter’s Narrative

Tale of the Bamboo Cutter

The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is a famed monogatari with multiple renditions in modern Japanese media. Its influence can be witnessed in several anime series, with Naruto being one major example. The narrative of the tale is quite similar to Kaguya Otsutsuki’s origins, with several references and symbolic links present in the series. A few aspects of the tale may differ to fit the narrative better, meaning the adaptation in the anime doesn’t quite remain faithful to the entire tale.

The story follows Princess Kaguya, a descendant of the people on the moon, who is found by a bamboo cutter inside a shining bamboo stalk. Her initial appearance is that of an infant the size of a thumb, though she grows into a beautiful young woman within a matter of months. Bearing no children of his own, the bamboo cutter decides to adopt the mysterious infant. As Kaguya became a grown woman blessed with unfathomable beauty, many potential suitors sought her hand in marriage.

She even caught the eye of the Emperor of Japan, who wished to marry Princess Kaguya after falling in love with her. While she refused to marry him despite bearing the same sentiments, the two still kept in touch. Eventually, Princess Kaguya was forced to return back to the moon. Kaguya wished not to leave Earth as she had become attached to the people here. However, all of her memories and sentiments were washed away as soon as the people from the moon took her back.

Falling in Love With an Emperor

Kaguya Otsutsuki and Tenji

Kaguya Otsutsuki’s backstory remains faithful to the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter for the most part. Kaguya belonged to a far-away planet, yet she was sent to Earth in a bid to cultivate the God Tree’s fruit. When she arrived on the planet, she was taken in by the people of the Land of Ancestors, a small settlement that existed millenia ago in the Naruto universe.

She became a concubine to the Emperor of the nation, later falling in love with him. This reflects Princess Kaguya’s story quite earnestly, as the two met a similar fate and fell in love with the Emperors of their respective nations. While Princess Kaguya was never able to reciprocate her feelings to the Emperor, Kaguya Otsutsuki eventually marries the Emperor of the Land of Ancestors, forming a material attachment.

Materialistic Attachments That Were Later Forgotten

Kaguya Eats the Chakra Fruit

Kaguya Otsutsuki eventually became pregnant with the Emperor’s child, and by this point, she had become emotionally attached to the planet and its people. She abandoned her mission of tending to the Chakra Fruit and instead chose to protect the planet. However, the power eventually corrupted Kaguya and she no longer bore the same sentiments for the people, as she willingly killed many and turned them into an army of White Zetsu.

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While this may not be an accurate reflection of the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, it does symbolize Princess Kaguya’s emotions and memories being wiped off, simply becoming a husk of her former self. Kaguya Otsutsuki lost her empathy, emotions, and love in a similar fashion, as it felt like she had no love to begin with.

Returning to the Moon

Kaguya Becomes the Moon

The conclusion of the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter and Kaguya Otsutsuki’s backstory are quite similar, as both result in the moon becoming the final resting place. In the Naruto series, Kaguya Otsutsuki is eventually sealed away by her twin sons Hamura and Hagomoro Otsutsuki. Through Chibaku Tensei, the two seal away their own mother in the sky, with the resulting Chibaku Tensei turning into the moon.

This is a direct reference to the ending of the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, where Princess Kaguya is taken away to the moon forever. The symbolic nature of Kaguya Otsutsuki’s backstory becomes quite clear by this point, as her entire narrative is intertwined with this popular Japanese monogatari, adding a layer of depth and complexity to this infamous antagonist.

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