"Naruto" is a animated Japanese comic series in manga style, created by Masashi Kishimoto. The comic has been transferred to several movies and a television series screened in the United States by Disney XD. The series tells the story of a young warrior, Uzumaki Naruto, who grows up in a fantasy world that consists of various secret ninja villages that provide highly specialized warriors to the armies of their countries. Even though he is distrusted by the villagers at home, Naruto dreams of becoming a respected ninja leader. He develops his skills continuously throughout the series. The art of Kugutsu no Jutsu is practiced by one of the villages, Sunagakure or Hidden Sand. The method requires gifted ninjas to attach strings from their chakra to puppets who will be able to fight without the warrior being physically present.
In "Naruto," the chakra is a combination of the body energy and spiritual strength. Ninjas are trained to use their chakra through exercise. After a ninja gains experience, he can concentrate and focus the chakra on specific points of his body. In the case of Kugutsu no Jutsu, the chakra is focused on the hands, from which the warrior will emit chakra strings that connect to the puppets. When moving his hands and fingers, the ninja can control the puppet's movements and either attack, or protect, something or someone without being present.
Most puppets found in the village of Hidden Sands were developed over a long time. The skills to create and control them were passed on from generation to generation of new ninjas. Usually, they are equipped with a variety of weapons and tools, including blades, swords, needles and piercing wires. In most circumstances, the tools are poisonous. Puppets often are created out of dead bodies. In a bizarre attempt to find comfort, one of the main antagonists in the series made puppets out of his own deceased parents.
The main puppet masters in the series are Chiyo, her grandson Sasori and Kankurou. Chiyo is a 73-year-old grandmother and retired ninja who also dabbles in poison. She is very suspicious to villages outside her own Hidden Sands town. She has taught the craft to her grandson Sasori who later leaves the village and joins a criminal organization. Kankurou is also from the village of Hidden Sands. He takes over Sasori's puppets and develops them further. While Sasori is a villain Naruto has to fight against, Kankurou, after some antagonism, sides with the hero of the series and helps out with his craft when required.