(no subject)
Name: Katie
LJ: yuki_no_kitsune
Contact: AIM: MorningPeacock
Email: Ishida.Yamato@gmail.com
Other Characters Played: N/A
Are you 18 or over? Yep
Series: Naruto
Character: Maito Gai
Timeline: Just after the Gaara retrieval arc in Shippuden.
Personality:
Maito Gai is as straightforward as they come. Although he is a ninja and will use subterfuge in his work, he feels it is dishonorable to use such tactics in daily life. Gai has a deep sense of honor and the drive to do what is right. He has a very forceful personality and loves to challenge himself,going so far as to set himself grueling tasks as penalties for these challenges. Although many people see this as ridiculous, his penalties tend to be physical, and target a different part of the body each time, thus building his own strength and stamina. In keeping to his penalties he turns every failure into a successful way to train. His motto is to live life passionately, because life is short and you don't want to regret it. This is pure conjecture, but a small underlying reason for his rivalry with Kakashi might be the goal to gain a reaction from one he considers his rival and comrade.
Gai is very intelligent, despite the way he acts. This is proven several times throughout the series, as well as in the character data book, where it states that he went through the academies nearly as fast as his genius rival, Kakashi. Considered a loser as a child, something he shares with his student, he has come very far for someone relying on his own body, rather than talent. As a primarily Taijutsu user, he has to be smart and adaptable to hold his own against Kakashi, and eventually Kisame.
Gai is one of the few who has worked out a way to fight a powerful sharingan user. As many of the sharigan's genjutsu abilities require eye contact, Gai has trained himself to be able to predict the movements of his enemy by watching their feet. In the character data book, he is rated a three in overall intelligence, which is average, but he makes it up with his adaptability and ingenuity.
Gai is strong in his convictions and even stronger in his friendships and relations. He is protective over those he cares about, as well as anyone put under his care, and will do anything for them. His zest for life allows him to show his emotions more dramatically than most people. When he is joyful, he smiles and laughs, when he's upset, he cries buckets upon buckets of tears. When he is angry... he gets very angry. Watching Gai's emotions is a good way to judge the seriousness of whatever encounter he's involved in. If he gets serious, as his did in the Kisame fight then you know it's a true challenge for him, and he will do anything to protect the people around him. Gai doesn't believe in showing off, as shown by the promise he forced out of Lee not to use the Lotus unless needed.
Gai is a very loud man in volume, ideals, and clothing. Many people find him scary or strange because he constantly breaks into loud and zestful speeches about youth and energy, as well as love and friendship. Not caring much what people think about him, he constantly refers to himself as "Konohas Prideful Green Beast", showing his deep abiding self confidence and his pride in himself. He has a special affection for his student, Rock Lee because he can see some of himself in the young man and admires his determination.
Gai tends to pay more attention to Lee then anything else. He seems to look at him as something of a son, as well as a protoge in the earlier seasons. Other than the fact that Gai sees something of his own childhood in Lee, this also may be one of the reasons Gai taught Lee some of his dangerous and forbidden techniques. When Lee was injured by Gaara, the thought that Lee might not be able to realize his dream of becoming a great ninja hurt Gai deeply enough that Gai told Lee that if he died, Gai would follow.
Background:
Gai has very little background to go on, as his parents are not mentioned in the series,and very little is mentioned about his past. Though I have a personal background based on what is said, I have kept much of my speculation out of this history since I was told canon only was accepted.
Maito Gai was born in Konoha and entered the academies at an early age. He had trouble with ninjutsu and genjutsu and was considered something of a loser because of it. He had to work hard at things that the other students could do easily, and work hard he did!
Somewhere along the line Gai's determination came into play and he decided that nothing would hold him back. He would become the best ninja he could be. He trained long an hard and eventually graduated at the age of seven, becoming a chuunin four years later, at the age of eleven. These were hard times in Konoha, due to the Third Great Shinobi World War and Gai eventually advanced to the Jounin level.
No one knows precisely when his self proclaimed rivalry with Kakashi started, but it had to have started in this time period, either in the academies or during the war. In episode 100 Gai implies that one of the reasons he became a great ninja was because he had a strong rival. Since he refers to Kakashi as his Eternal Rival, this says that their rivalry has been going on for some time. The fact that they only have 48 wins/losses by the time Gai has a genin team says that the "official" rivalry has either been going on for a much shorter time...or Kakashi just hasn't shown up much. Due to Gai's surprise and consternation at Kakashi's initial suggestion of rock/paper/scissors for their 49th match, not all of the challenges have been as childish.
There is no mention of Gai having any teams before Neji, Tenten and Lee, so it can be assumed that they are his first team. Gai met Lee while Lee was still in the academies. The boys failure at genjutsu and ninjutsu had reminded Gai of himself as a child. The man proceeded to march up to Lee one day while he was practicing to give him a stirring and enthusiastic speech about being "hot-blooded" and how determination and dedication can make anything possible. He gave the boy his "nice guy pose" as punctuation, then left.
Not too long after,when Lee became part of his team and told the man his goal, Gai defended him to Neji, saying essentially, that with enough effort Lee could become a great ninja through Taijutsu. Gai stuck with Lee through his training, giving him encouraging words when he had trouble, but their relationship didn't change much more until Lee saw one of Gai's matches with Kakashi. It had been Kakashis turn to decide the match and the copy-nin had chosen rock-paper-scissors. Gai was shocked at the simple choice, but couldn't back down and so put a stipulation on the match. If he lost, he would make 500 laps around Konoha-on his hands. Gai's team scoffed at the mans declaration, thinking it was just bluster, but following his defeat Lee found him doing exactly as he'd said he would do. Lee watched Gai walk around Konoha on his hands as people laughed and jeered.
Later that night, Lee went to confront Gai about it asking him why he had made the promise in the first place, and why he was doing such a thing. Gai was happy about the fact that Lee would ask at all and answered him truthfully because he believed Lee might understand. He told Lee that he set his penalties so that he could turn even a small thing into a training excercise to make him a better ninja. Although Gai had expected Lee to understand, he didn't expect the boy to join him in his laps. Lee told Gai that now,in addition to becoming a great ninja through taijutsu,his goal was to become as strong as him some day. When he heard that,Gai knew in his heart that Lee had the potential for more.He made it his own life's goal to train Lee so Lee could achieve his goal.
After that night, Gai took Lee as his protege. Although he pushed his entire team to become the best that they could be, he spent more time with Lee, training him even after Neji and TenTen turned in for the night. He helped boost Lee's skills and confidence, and watched with pride as Lee began to grow into his own. He taught Lee everything he knew,even going so far as to teach Lee dangerous and forbidden techniques such as the Eight Gates and both the Primary and Secondary Lotus. He eventually sent his team to take the Chuunin exams and that is the first time we see him in the series. Gai showed up, with a characteristically dramatic entrance to prevent Lee from using the Lotus in a frivolous fight against Sasuke. He punched Lee for nearly breaking his promise, and then they have a dramatic make-up moment with a bone-cracking hug.
Gai watched his students as they entered the exams and cheered for them from the sidelines. When Lee faces Gaara he tells Lee to take off his leg wieghts and watched with pride as his student nearly defeated Gaara. When Lee was beaten he leaped into the ring to prevent the red-head from killing Lee and leaves the arena to stay by his side while he is treated. He immediately regrets teaching Lee so many destructive techniques, much of the damage to Lee's body was caused by the stress his body was under due to the gates.
A month later he stepped in to save Lee's life yet again, when Gaara snuck into Lee's hospital room. He remained with Lee, only returning to the exams when Lee was mobile enough to come with him. He was surprised to see Naruto defeat Neji, and knew that Lee wished he had been the one to beat his rival. During Sounds invasion of Konoha he stood back to back with Kakashi to help beat back the invading ninja. Being who he was, he turned it into a competition between himself and his rival, telling Kakashi that the one who killed the most enemy ninja won.
Not much is known of what Gai did following the invasion, but when Itachi and Kisame returned to Konoha and ended up facing Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai, Gai stepped in to save the day. He used the knowledge he had gained while fighting against Kakashi's sharingan and Itachi and Kisame left because they didn't want to start a war. This is the first time Itachi cautions Kisame against underestimating Gai. He brought Kakashi to the hospital and went after Itachi,accidentally attacking Jiraiya in the process. In asking Jiraiya what he was doing there, he found out that the old ninja was looking for Tsunade. Knowing that Tsunade was a great medical ninja he begged Jiraiya to ask her to help heal Lee. He brought Sasuke back to Konoha and waited for their return.
When Tsunade finally returned to Konoha, she checked on Lee and tells them that the operation Lee needed had a 50% chance of survival. This devastated both Gai and Lee because if Lee chose not to take the risk, he would never live his dream of becoming a great ninja using only Taijutsu. Finding a depressed Lee on the balcony where his team first met, Gai talked to him and they reminisce about how they met, and Lees training. Gai tried to convince him to get the operation, because Gai knew that Lee would allow himself to waste away if he didn't have his Taijutsu. Gai revealed to Lee that on the day they met, Gai's life goal, his way of the ninja, became to help Lee become a greater ninja. He told Lee that if he died, Gai would have no reason to live anymore,because Lee had become his reason. Gai was ecstatic when Lee's operation was a success and he remained by Lee's side until he was ready to train again.
In Shippuden we don't see team Gai until the rescue Gaara arc. He was older, as is his team and each of them seemed to have become stronger. Although he showed few signs of slowing down, Gai lamented many times throughout the arc that he is no longer in his "Springtime of Youth". It is noted that Lee was somewhat stronger and faster than his sensei now, as Gai is getting older.
Team Gai was sent with Team Seven to help rescue Gaara from the Akatsuki. On the way they were ambushed by Kisame. During the following fight, Gai's team was easily trapped in a bubble and nearly drowned. To save them Gai opened the sixth chakra gate and used his Morning Peacock attack to defeat the blue menace. They find out after examining the corpse that it was not the real Kisame, but a different man who the real Kisame was channeling his chakra into.
After reuniting with Team Seven, Gai's team stayed behind to break the seals that kept the gateway into the Akatsuki's lair locked. They each end up fighting a doppleganger of themselves and subsequently defeat them. Once Team Seven recovered Gaara, and he was revived Gai carried an injured Kakashi piggyback all the way back to Konoha.
Abilities/Additional Notes:
Gai is known as a taijutsu specialist, though, unlike his beloved student, Lee, he does have the ability to use basic ninjutsu and genjutsu, but prefers not to. Due to his training, and his self-set penalties, Gai has a high level of strength, endurance and stamina, as well as incredible speed of movement that he uses to deadly effect. Although, like other ninja he has the ability to enhance any of these with chakra, he doesn't do so unless it's required. Unlike many ninja, if his ability to use chakra was bound, Gai would still have the strength to put a full grown man through a wall, and move fast enough to keep most enemies off balance even before removing the leg weights he constantly wears.
Gai is also highly skilled with nunchaku, a skill he has passed on to Rock Lee. He doesn't often use them, as he prefers to put his trust in his own body during a fight. His summon is a tortoise, which may give us some insight into Gai's personality. Gai built his strength and speed up slowly over the years, and his only fast track to power is very dangerous.
Gai has several attacks that he has created and named that use the force of the wind created by the attack to cause a whirlwind that can sweep his enemies off of their feet. These can be used on several levels, for example, the Konoha Renpuu is a lower attack aimed at the legs and feet, where the Konoha Senpuu is aimed at the chests and faces. He also has several strong and fast kicks designed to take an enemy by surprise, known as the Dynamic Entry.
Gai's main crowning glory, and in some cases, burden of knowledge is the fact that he is one of the only ones to survive opening six of the eight inner gates. The eight gates are designed to release the restrictions the brain puts on your muscles to stop you from overexerting them. Each gate enhances certain parts of the body, for example, the second gate Kyuumon increases the users physical strength, and two gates later the fourth gate, Shoomon increases the users speed and power. Each progressive gate becomes more dangerous as it overloads the users system. The fourth gate can have the side effect of tearing the muscles of the user. Due to the training of his body, Gai seems to be able to open the sixth gate with no visible side effects, other than extreme exhaustion. As seen in the Gaara retrieval arc, however, the exhaustion seems to be something he can recover from fairly quickly, as not too long after, he runs back to Konoha carrying Kakashi on his back.
All in all, Gai is a master in his chosen area, and one not to be messed with lightly. Itachi, a high level missing-nin warned his equally powerful partner not to underestimate Gai on more than one occasion. Although the warning might have been a reference to Gai's unpredictability, it's rather interesting because Itachi didn't seem to think much of Kakashi when he faced the copy-nin in Konoha.
Outside of his abilities as a ninja, Gai seems to have a talent for ridiculous poses such as the "Nice Guy Pose" (only used when something he's saying is believed to be true), extremely clean and shiny teeth, and the ability to summon a dramatic sunset backround, at will.
Sample Journal Post:
[Accidental Post]
[There is a small click as Gai rolls over onto the device,turning on the audio]
Where am I? The last thing I remember is leaving the training grounds to find my rival for our latest challenge and now I am...wherever I am! Is this some plan to avoid my challenge perhaps?!
No! My rival would never be so cowardly. This must be some sort of enemy attack.
[A crunch of gravel as Gai sits up]
What is this?
[ There is a small *snick* as Gai picks up the device,followed by the sound of the wind swishing by as he shakes it curiously. As he studies it,he accidentally switches it to video and we get a lovely close-up of Gai's nostrils before the video swings back to display his lower jaw.]
[Video]
I wonder what this is? It looks like some sort of television.
[The mouth in the picture purses,as the person it belongs to holds little trust for technology.]
I believe that that it is impossible for them to be so small. No matter!
Perhaps my Eternal Rival will know once I find him. But first I must find out how to break whatever genjutsu I must be under, and find the one who put it on me!
[The screen is enveloped in a sea of tan and metal as Gai tucks it into his weapons pouch, a lucky shift in angle as Gai begins to explore knocks a kunai into the power button and the screen goes blank]
Sample RP:
Maito Gai snorted in his sleep, then rolled over onto his face as the world around him began to register. Something wasn't right. He was sure he had gone to sleep in his own bed after finishing his penalty laps from his rivals latest challenge, but he could tell that he was currently lying on the ground. After listening carefully and deciding that he was alone, Gai leaped to his feet and took stock of his situation. He was standing among the ruins of a great city.
How he had gotten to this place, he did not know, but he had to find his way back home soon. His adorable student's birthday was in three days.The very thought of missing Lees special day brought tears to his eyes, and an ache to his chest. He had made a promise, a promise with the nice-guy-pose and he would keep it or die trying.
His hot-blooded student was growing up, and had returned from his first solo mission in one piece. Gai had been so proud of him that he thought his heart would burst with the force of a thousand explosive tags. They had made plans to make a run to an amazing all-you-can-eat curry place that Lee had found on his stint to Rain Country. They would race there together, then show their true spirit by eating the fieriest curry they could find.
Gai's brow furrowed in thought as he paced; after they had made their plans, he had gone with Lee for a short sparring session. On the way to the training field, they had stopped at the Hyuuga compound to ask Neji if he would join them for Lee's Birthday Curry Run of Youth. Gai had been disappointed when his all-too serious student had turned white at the suggestion and declined. He had thought that Lee and his rival had been getting along better, much like himself and Kakashi.
The thought had led him to Kakashi's door after a refreshing spar with his beloved pupil, they had been tied even at 73/73 for far too long!
After being his usual hip and smooth self, his rival had eventually agreed to a match.
Gai's face turned red as he remembered the challenge. A literary challenge, to train the mind Kakashi had said. Gai thought that it was more likely his rival had wanted to throw him off balance -he never considered that Kakashi simply hadn't wanted to put down his bedtime reading.
Kakashi had provided the book, and they had eyed each other challengingly as the silent countdown began. On three, the had pulled the books open,eyes flying across the pages as they attempted to outread each other. It had taken about three sentences for Gai's mind to catch up with the words on the page, and they had nearly bugged out of his head as his cheeks heated dramatically.
He had lost. His eyes had slowed as his hand reached into his pouch for a hankerchief to stifle his sudden nosebleed. His rival, of course, had no such problems, ploughing through the smutty novel with ease. After having admonished his rival for making him take part in such a match, Gai had immediately begun the required six hundred pushups. Once he was finished he had gone home to shower, gone to bed, and awoken here.
After deciding that nothing that had happened the following day could account for his current predicament, Gai nodded to himself determinedly and stretched. There was nothing he could do for the moment but find out where he was. Once he did that he would be one step closer to getting back home to Konoha. He turned his face to the sky, teeth white against his tan and clenched his fist, thumb pointing to the heavens.
" I will keep my promise to you, Lee! No matter what"
LJ: yuki_no_kitsune
Contact: AIM: MorningPeacock
Email: Ishida.Yamato@gmail.com
Other Characters Played: N/A
Are you 18 or over? Yep
Series: Naruto
Character: Maito Gai
Timeline: Just after the Gaara retrieval arc in Shippuden.
Personality:
Maito Gai is as straightforward as they come. Although he is a ninja and will use subterfuge in his work, he feels it is dishonorable to use such tactics in daily life. Gai has a deep sense of honor and the drive to do what is right. He has a very forceful personality and loves to challenge himself,going so far as to set himself grueling tasks as penalties for these challenges. Although many people see this as ridiculous, his penalties tend to be physical, and target a different part of the body each time, thus building his own strength and stamina. In keeping to his penalties he turns every failure into a successful way to train. His motto is to live life passionately, because life is short and you don't want to regret it. This is pure conjecture, but a small underlying reason for his rivalry with Kakashi might be the goal to gain a reaction from one he considers his rival and comrade.
Gai is very intelligent, despite the way he acts. This is proven several times throughout the series, as well as in the character data book, where it states that he went through the academies nearly as fast as his genius rival, Kakashi. Considered a loser as a child, something he shares with his student, he has come very far for someone relying on his own body, rather than talent. As a primarily Taijutsu user, he has to be smart and adaptable to hold his own against Kakashi, and eventually Kisame.
Gai is one of the few who has worked out a way to fight a powerful sharingan user. As many of the sharigan's genjutsu abilities require eye contact, Gai has trained himself to be able to predict the movements of his enemy by watching their feet. In the character data book, he is rated a three in overall intelligence, which is average, but he makes it up with his adaptability and ingenuity.
Gai is strong in his convictions and even stronger in his friendships and relations. He is protective over those he cares about, as well as anyone put under his care, and will do anything for them. His zest for life allows him to show his emotions more dramatically than most people. When he is joyful, he smiles and laughs, when he's upset, he cries buckets upon buckets of tears. When he is angry... he gets very angry. Watching Gai's emotions is a good way to judge the seriousness of whatever encounter he's involved in. If he gets serious, as his did in the Kisame fight then you know it's a true challenge for him, and he will do anything to protect the people around him. Gai doesn't believe in showing off, as shown by the promise he forced out of Lee not to use the Lotus unless needed.
Gai is a very loud man in volume, ideals, and clothing. Many people find him scary or strange because he constantly breaks into loud and zestful speeches about youth and energy, as well as love and friendship. Not caring much what people think about him, he constantly refers to himself as "Konohas Prideful Green Beast", showing his deep abiding self confidence and his pride in himself. He has a special affection for his student, Rock Lee because he can see some of himself in the young man and admires his determination.
Gai tends to pay more attention to Lee then anything else. He seems to look at him as something of a son, as well as a protoge in the earlier seasons. Other than the fact that Gai sees something of his own childhood in Lee, this also may be one of the reasons Gai taught Lee some of his dangerous and forbidden techniques. When Lee was injured by Gaara, the thought that Lee might not be able to realize his dream of becoming a great ninja hurt Gai deeply enough that Gai told Lee that if he died, Gai would follow.
Background:
Gai has very little background to go on, as his parents are not mentioned in the series,and very little is mentioned about his past. Though I have a personal background based on what is said, I have kept much of my speculation out of this history since I was told canon only was accepted.
Maito Gai was born in Konoha and entered the academies at an early age. He had trouble with ninjutsu and genjutsu and was considered something of a loser because of it. He had to work hard at things that the other students could do easily, and work hard he did!
Somewhere along the line Gai's determination came into play and he decided that nothing would hold him back. He would become the best ninja he could be. He trained long an hard and eventually graduated at the age of seven, becoming a chuunin four years later, at the age of eleven. These were hard times in Konoha, due to the Third Great Shinobi World War and Gai eventually advanced to the Jounin level.
No one knows precisely when his self proclaimed rivalry with Kakashi started, but it had to have started in this time period, either in the academies or during the war. In episode 100 Gai implies that one of the reasons he became a great ninja was because he had a strong rival. Since he refers to Kakashi as his Eternal Rival, this says that their rivalry has been going on for some time. The fact that they only have 48 wins/losses by the time Gai has a genin team says that the "official" rivalry has either been going on for a much shorter time...or Kakashi just hasn't shown up much. Due to Gai's surprise and consternation at Kakashi's initial suggestion of rock/paper/scissors for their 49th match, not all of the challenges have been as childish.
There is no mention of Gai having any teams before Neji, Tenten and Lee, so it can be assumed that they are his first team. Gai met Lee while Lee was still in the academies. The boys failure at genjutsu and ninjutsu had reminded Gai of himself as a child. The man proceeded to march up to Lee one day while he was practicing to give him a stirring and enthusiastic speech about being "hot-blooded" and how determination and dedication can make anything possible. He gave the boy his "nice guy pose" as punctuation, then left.
Not too long after,when Lee became part of his team and told the man his goal, Gai defended him to Neji, saying essentially, that with enough effort Lee could become a great ninja through Taijutsu. Gai stuck with Lee through his training, giving him encouraging words when he had trouble, but their relationship didn't change much more until Lee saw one of Gai's matches with Kakashi. It had been Kakashis turn to decide the match and the copy-nin had chosen rock-paper-scissors. Gai was shocked at the simple choice, but couldn't back down and so put a stipulation on the match. If he lost, he would make 500 laps around Konoha-on his hands. Gai's team scoffed at the mans declaration, thinking it was just bluster, but following his defeat Lee found him doing exactly as he'd said he would do. Lee watched Gai walk around Konoha on his hands as people laughed and jeered.
Later that night, Lee went to confront Gai about it asking him why he had made the promise in the first place, and why he was doing such a thing. Gai was happy about the fact that Lee would ask at all and answered him truthfully because he believed Lee might understand. He told Lee that he set his penalties so that he could turn even a small thing into a training excercise to make him a better ninja. Although Gai had expected Lee to understand, he didn't expect the boy to join him in his laps. Lee told Gai that now,in addition to becoming a great ninja through taijutsu,his goal was to become as strong as him some day. When he heard that,Gai knew in his heart that Lee had the potential for more.He made it his own life's goal to train Lee so Lee could achieve his goal.
After that night, Gai took Lee as his protege. Although he pushed his entire team to become the best that they could be, he spent more time with Lee, training him even after Neji and TenTen turned in for the night. He helped boost Lee's skills and confidence, and watched with pride as Lee began to grow into his own. He taught Lee everything he knew,even going so far as to teach Lee dangerous and forbidden techniques such as the Eight Gates and both the Primary and Secondary Lotus. He eventually sent his team to take the Chuunin exams and that is the first time we see him in the series. Gai showed up, with a characteristically dramatic entrance to prevent Lee from using the Lotus in a frivolous fight against Sasuke. He punched Lee for nearly breaking his promise, and then they have a dramatic make-up moment with a bone-cracking hug.
Gai watched his students as they entered the exams and cheered for them from the sidelines. When Lee faces Gaara he tells Lee to take off his leg wieghts and watched with pride as his student nearly defeated Gaara. When Lee was beaten he leaped into the ring to prevent the red-head from killing Lee and leaves the arena to stay by his side while he is treated. He immediately regrets teaching Lee so many destructive techniques, much of the damage to Lee's body was caused by the stress his body was under due to the gates.
A month later he stepped in to save Lee's life yet again, when Gaara snuck into Lee's hospital room. He remained with Lee, only returning to the exams when Lee was mobile enough to come with him. He was surprised to see Naruto defeat Neji, and knew that Lee wished he had been the one to beat his rival. During Sounds invasion of Konoha he stood back to back with Kakashi to help beat back the invading ninja. Being who he was, he turned it into a competition between himself and his rival, telling Kakashi that the one who killed the most enemy ninja won.
Not much is known of what Gai did following the invasion, but when Itachi and Kisame returned to Konoha and ended up facing Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai, Gai stepped in to save the day. He used the knowledge he had gained while fighting against Kakashi's sharingan and Itachi and Kisame left because they didn't want to start a war. This is the first time Itachi cautions Kisame against underestimating Gai. He brought Kakashi to the hospital and went after Itachi,accidentally attacking Jiraiya in the process. In asking Jiraiya what he was doing there, he found out that the old ninja was looking for Tsunade. Knowing that Tsunade was a great medical ninja he begged Jiraiya to ask her to help heal Lee. He brought Sasuke back to Konoha and waited for their return.
When Tsunade finally returned to Konoha, she checked on Lee and tells them that the operation Lee needed had a 50% chance of survival. This devastated both Gai and Lee because if Lee chose not to take the risk, he would never live his dream of becoming a great ninja using only Taijutsu. Finding a depressed Lee on the balcony where his team first met, Gai talked to him and they reminisce about how they met, and Lees training. Gai tried to convince him to get the operation, because Gai knew that Lee would allow himself to waste away if he didn't have his Taijutsu. Gai revealed to Lee that on the day they met, Gai's life goal, his way of the ninja, became to help Lee become a greater ninja. He told Lee that if he died, Gai would have no reason to live anymore,because Lee had become his reason. Gai was ecstatic when Lee's operation was a success and he remained by Lee's side until he was ready to train again.
In Shippuden we don't see team Gai until the rescue Gaara arc. He was older, as is his team and each of them seemed to have become stronger. Although he showed few signs of slowing down, Gai lamented many times throughout the arc that he is no longer in his "Springtime of Youth". It is noted that Lee was somewhat stronger and faster than his sensei now, as Gai is getting older.
Team Gai was sent with Team Seven to help rescue Gaara from the Akatsuki. On the way they were ambushed by Kisame. During the following fight, Gai's team was easily trapped in a bubble and nearly drowned. To save them Gai opened the sixth chakra gate and used his Morning Peacock attack to defeat the blue menace. They find out after examining the corpse that it was not the real Kisame, but a different man who the real Kisame was channeling his chakra into.
After reuniting with Team Seven, Gai's team stayed behind to break the seals that kept the gateway into the Akatsuki's lair locked. They each end up fighting a doppleganger of themselves and subsequently defeat them. Once Team Seven recovered Gaara, and he was revived Gai carried an injured Kakashi piggyback all the way back to Konoha.
Abilities/Additional Notes:
Gai is known as a taijutsu specialist, though, unlike his beloved student, Lee, he does have the ability to use basic ninjutsu and genjutsu, but prefers not to. Due to his training, and his self-set penalties, Gai has a high level of strength, endurance and stamina, as well as incredible speed of movement that he uses to deadly effect. Although, like other ninja he has the ability to enhance any of these with chakra, he doesn't do so unless it's required. Unlike many ninja, if his ability to use chakra was bound, Gai would still have the strength to put a full grown man through a wall, and move fast enough to keep most enemies off balance even before removing the leg weights he constantly wears.
Gai is also highly skilled with nunchaku, a skill he has passed on to Rock Lee. He doesn't often use them, as he prefers to put his trust in his own body during a fight. His summon is a tortoise, which may give us some insight into Gai's personality. Gai built his strength and speed up slowly over the years, and his only fast track to power is very dangerous.
Gai has several attacks that he has created and named that use the force of the wind created by the attack to cause a whirlwind that can sweep his enemies off of their feet. These can be used on several levels, for example, the Konoha Renpuu is a lower attack aimed at the legs and feet, where the Konoha Senpuu is aimed at the chests and faces. He also has several strong and fast kicks designed to take an enemy by surprise, known as the Dynamic Entry.
Gai's main crowning glory, and in some cases, burden of knowledge is the fact that he is one of the only ones to survive opening six of the eight inner gates. The eight gates are designed to release the restrictions the brain puts on your muscles to stop you from overexerting them. Each gate enhances certain parts of the body, for example, the second gate Kyuumon increases the users physical strength, and two gates later the fourth gate, Shoomon increases the users speed and power. Each progressive gate becomes more dangerous as it overloads the users system. The fourth gate can have the side effect of tearing the muscles of the user. Due to the training of his body, Gai seems to be able to open the sixth gate with no visible side effects, other than extreme exhaustion. As seen in the Gaara retrieval arc, however, the exhaustion seems to be something he can recover from fairly quickly, as not too long after, he runs back to Konoha carrying Kakashi on his back.
All in all, Gai is a master in his chosen area, and one not to be messed with lightly. Itachi, a high level missing-nin warned his equally powerful partner not to underestimate Gai on more than one occasion. Although the warning might have been a reference to Gai's unpredictability, it's rather interesting because Itachi didn't seem to think much of Kakashi when he faced the copy-nin in Konoha.
Outside of his abilities as a ninja, Gai seems to have a talent for ridiculous poses such as the "Nice Guy Pose" (only used when something he's saying is believed to be true), extremely clean and shiny teeth, and the ability to summon a dramatic sunset backround, at will.
Sample Journal Post:
[Accidental Post]
[There is a small click as Gai rolls over onto the device,turning on the audio]
Where am I? The last thing I remember is leaving the training grounds to find my rival for our latest challenge and now I am...wherever I am! Is this some plan to avoid my challenge perhaps?!
No! My rival would never be so cowardly. This must be some sort of enemy attack.
[A crunch of gravel as Gai sits up]
What is this?
[ There is a small *snick* as Gai picks up the device,followed by the sound of the wind swishing by as he shakes it curiously. As he studies it,he accidentally switches it to video and we get a lovely close-up of Gai's nostrils before the video swings back to display his lower jaw.]
[Video]
I wonder what this is? It looks like some sort of television.
[The mouth in the picture purses,as the person it belongs to holds little trust for technology.]
I believe that that it is impossible for them to be so small. No matter!
Perhaps my Eternal Rival will know once I find him. But first I must find out how to break whatever genjutsu I must be under, and find the one who put it on me!
[The screen is enveloped in a sea of tan and metal as Gai tucks it into his weapons pouch, a lucky shift in angle as Gai begins to explore knocks a kunai into the power button and the screen goes blank]
Sample RP:
Maito Gai snorted in his sleep, then rolled over onto his face as the world around him began to register. Something wasn't right. He was sure he had gone to sleep in his own bed after finishing his penalty laps from his rivals latest challenge, but he could tell that he was currently lying on the ground. After listening carefully and deciding that he was alone, Gai leaped to his feet and took stock of his situation. He was standing among the ruins of a great city.
How he had gotten to this place, he did not know, but he had to find his way back home soon. His adorable student's birthday was in three days.The very thought of missing Lees special day brought tears to his eyes, and an ache to his chest. He had made a promise, a promise with the nice-guy-pose and he would keep it or die trying.
His hot-blooded student was growing up, and had returned from his first solo mission in one piece. Gai had been so proud of him that he thought his heart would burst with the force of a thousand explosive tags. They had made plans to make a run to an amazing all-you-can-eat curry place that Lee had found on his stint to Rain Country. They would race there together, then show their true spirit by eating the fieriest curry they could find.
Gai's brow furrowed in thought as he paced; after they had made their plans, he had gone with Lee for a short sparring session. On the way to the training field, they had stopped at the Hyuuga compound to ask Neji if he would join them for Lee's Birthday Curry Run of Youth. Gai had been disappointed when his all-too serious student had turned white at the suggestion and declined. He had thought that Lee and his rival had been getting along better, much like himself and Kakashi.
The thought had led him to Kakashi's door after a refreshing spar with his beloved pupil, they had been tied even at 73/73 for far too long!
After being his usual hip and smooth self, his rival had eventually agreed to a match.
Gai's face turned red as he remembered the challenge. A literary challenge, to train the mind Kakashi had said. Gai thought that it was more likely his rival had wanted to throw him off balance -he never considered that Kakashi simply hadn't wanted to put down his bedtime reading.
Kakashi had provided the book, and they had eyed each other challengingly as the silent countdown began. On three, the had pulled the books open,eyes flying across the pages as they attempted to outread each other. It had taken about three sentences for Gai's mind to catch up with the words on the page, and they had nearly bugged out of his head as his cheeks heated dramatically.
He had lost. His eyes had slowed as his hand reached into his pouch for a hankerchief to stifle his sudden nosebleed. His rival, of course, had no such problems, ploughing through the smutty novel with ease. After having admonished his rival for making him take part in such a match, Gai had immediately begun the required six hundred pushups. Once he was finished he had gone home to shower, gone to bed, and awoken here.
After deciding that nothing that had happened the following day could account for his current predicament, Gai nodded to himself determinedly and stretched. There was nothing he could do for the moment but find out where he was. Once he did that he would be one step closer to getting back home to Konoha. He turned his face to the sky, teeth white against his tan and clenched his fist, thumb pointing to the heavens.
" I will keep my promise to you, Lee! No matter what"