What happened to Akatsuki's ring?

Key takeaways

• Akatsuki's ring was an important symbol and means of communication between members.
• The rings played an important role in the process of sealing the Tailed Beast in Naruto.
• With the defeat of the Akatsuki members the concept of the ring eventually faded into obscurity.

In its long run, the Naruto The series introduced all sorts of new concepts into the mix, though most of these were eventually forgotten and shelved. This is a common occurrence in many long-running shonen series, and Naruto There are no exceptions. Akatsuki's rings are a similar concept, as this once-integral aspect of Akatsuki eventually became a forgotten notion. Naruto series.

The bells were recognized as a key element to being a member of the Akatsuki, and many examples indicated their great importance. Although these rings were eventually completely discarded, Akatsuki's rings were never found. Naruto series. One can speculate as to what happened to this lost concept.

What are the rings of Akatsuki?

The main aspect of being an Akatsuki member

An attractive and well-written antagonist group is almost always identified by its symbol or signature. For the Akatsuki, members' rings served this symbolic element, as each member had a unique ring that indicated their status as an Akatsuki member. Each ring carried a different design and color, with Japanese kanji carved into the ring that represented a metaphor for the wearer.

Each member boasted a unique ring for both symbolic and practical purposes. During the early parts of the ShippudenThese bells were treated with great importance, although this notion was eventually forgotten as other pressing matters took center stage. Naruto's the story

The purpose of the ring of Akatsuki

The bells were used for Akatsuki rituals

At face value, Akatsuki's rings seemed to have no use other than aesthetic purposes. However, many scenes in the early parts Naruto Shippuden Point to a very important purpose. Although it was never explicitly stated, Akatsuki's bells were a source of communication between members of the group. This became evident during the Tailed Beast Seal process, as the members were able to project themselves.

These projections of the members are manifested on the fingers of the Gedo statue, each ring indicating a specific place in the Tailed Beast Sealing process. This speculation is further supported by the fact that one finger remained bare, which was supposed to be Orochimaru's place in the Gedo statue. Because he never returned the ring, the space in his hand was never filled.

The process of sealing the Tailed Beast also indicates the purpose and significance of these rings. The technique used to seal the beasts, Sealing Technique: Phantom Dragon Nine Consuming Seals, requires each member to stand on one toe of the Gedo Statue. After the sealing process begins, each member's ring kanji will appear on the idol's fingers. This clearly indicates that bells were an important part of the Tailed Beast sealing process.

What happened to Akatsuki's ring?

The rings eventually faded into obscurity

During the early parts of the ShippudenAkatsuki's rings were recognized as an integral part of the organization, a fact further illustrated by their role in the sealing process. However, this concept eventually turned into obscurity as the story progressed. A figure of the concept still remained until Penn attacked the Hidden Leaf, though his defeat ended the concept entirely.

If the rings had only played an aesthetic role in Akatsuki's presence, their disappearance would not have mattered much. However, the rings were considered of high importance, which is evident from Zetsu going through the trouble of finding Sasori's ring and Akatsuki making a big deal to never return his ring to Orochimaru.

Here it is, Mr. Zetsu, I found. Maybe now I can become a member of Akatsuki – Tobi

The concept of rings died with members

One explanation for the ring's disappearance could be attributed to the defeat of the Akatsuki members over time. With every member of the Akatsuki killed, the rings were also lost along with their owners. This meant that the rings would receive less screen time overtime, eventually falling into obscurity altogether.

Although this explanation is viable to a certain extent, it still fails to explain why the concept eventually died out altogether. A few members of the Akatsuki survived in the latter parts ShippudenWhich makes the disappearance of the ring all the more strange.

Another one of Kishimoto's forgotten plot points

The Naruto The series is plagued by forgotten plot points and incomplete concepts. This largely stems from the series throwing in all sorts of new concepts and powers into the mix. This issue became all the more prevalent after the Pain arc, when the primary characters underwent new power ups.

Rings of Akatsuki fell victim to this issue, as the concept had to be sidelined for more important matters to take center stage. Naruto series. However, this still does not justify the lack of development this concept received, as it had the potential to become an interesting element related to Akatsuki.

Naruto Available to stream on Prime Video.