Origin of Sai's Name

[ouroborus]

祭
ON reading(s): Sai
KUN reading(s): Matsu, Matsuri

A matsuri is a festival. During the summer just about every city, town, and village has some form of matsuri where they have lots of fun. They usually have floats, souvenirs, food, and games. The kanji for matsuri is 祭 and the another reading (pronunciation) for this kanji is sai. Example, a religious festival is called sairei, using the kanji of 祭礼.

Of course, there are many kanji (100+) that just happen to have the reading of sai and it isn't totally out of question Sai's name has no meaning at all. However, there is a reason why this kanji is more likely to the origin of Sai's name than any other kanji with the sai reading.

Uchiwa Matsuri (information)

The Uchiwa Matsuri - fan festival - is a matsuri celebrated in a small city of Kumagaya at the end of July. In the late 19th century, shops would hand out free fans - uchiwa - to all passerbys and customers around the third weekend of July. The matsuri itself started from this event.



By now, most people know that the Uchiha's name is based on the uchiwa and it also serves as their clan symbol. So when you take the sai reading of 祭 then Uchiwa Matsuri becomes Uchiha Sai!!!

This could be a fantastic coincidence or it could be a simple yet elegant hint from Kishimoto about Sai's true origin. The manga has already made repeated references to Sai's resemblance to Sasuke, so it does make it very interesting.

To be safe, I checked with a resident translator to make sure my interpretation was currect. Thanks goes to Sho for confirming it!

Sho's Response:

Originally Posted by Sho

Interesting info you found; especially that picture of the sairei kanji on the uchiwa with the tomoe markings.

As for your post, you are correct. The on-yomi reading for 祭 is indeed "sai". Also, if someone were to be named with that kanji (or if something were to be named), they would go with the on-yomi reading, rather than the kun-yomi, so a child would be named "sai" rather than "matsu" or "matsuri" for example, if they were to be named after "festival".

It could be planned that Kishimoto did that, however it could also be due to coincidence. For example, there's approximately 100 kanji that have the on-yomi reading for "sai" including the kanji for festival (and this is not counting any irregular or author created meanings using other kanji). There's also the probability that Kishimoto didn't want his name to mean anything, so thus the lack of kanji (and this is a very real possibility for both him, and other characters).

But yeah, your post and research is correct regardless, and feel free to post my message if you want.

Bonus

On my long search about this Uchiwa Matsuri, I also found an uchiwa with the kanji for sairei. What is also interesting about it is the tomoe.

[Yasha]

Great find.

Masashi Kishimoto is the master of hints.

[rorykage]

hmm...thought provoling info for sure.

being from one of konoha's strongest clans could explain his presnce in "ROOT" and could explain why he is supposed to be a really strong ninja, and danzou's (semmingly) favorite/most reliable pupil. could also be why he was chosen to try and assassinate sasuke, the only thing that can defeat a sharingan is another sharingan?

i'm not thouroughly convinced yet, but i'm looking forward to further developments with sai, as he hasn't appeared in the manga lately.

[QuoNina]

Such a neat and interesting piece. Nice research, ouroborus~!

Cool that it appears on uchiwa with tomoes. XD

could also be why he was chosen to try and assassinate sasuke, the only thing that can defeat a sharingan is another sharingan?

hm... Assuming Sai is Uchiha, Danzou later warned Sai that "emotions lead to hatred, hatred leads to wars". If Sai is indeed Uchiha, I would imagine Danzou tries to block his Sharingan ability rather than to promote it.

[Kickmeister]

Really cool theory Ouroborus! I like the idea a lot!

[Turrin]

See the problem i have with sai being a uchicha is the fact that the sharingan can only be activated in a time of high emotionall stress..but sai before joining up with team 7 had no emotions at alll. So why would danzo who seems to know at least a little about uchiha train and uchiha this way...it reallly doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

[Brooke Logan]

Originally Posted by Turrin

See the problem i have with sai being a uchicha is the fact that the sharingan can only be activated in a time of high emotionall stress..but sai before joining up with team 7 had no emotions at alll. So why would danzo who seems to know at least a little about uchiha train and uchiha this way...it reallly doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Maybe he doesn't want the sharingan being used, maybe he thinks it's too dangerous?

[QuoNina]

^And that would also kind of explain why he orders Sasuke dead.

[Thorn]

Originally Posted by Turrin

See the problem i have with sai being a uchicha is the fact that the sharingan can only be activated in a time of high emotionall stress..but sai before joining up with team 7 had no emotions at alll. So why would danzo who seems to know at least a little about uchiha train and uchiha this way...it reallly doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Or maybe Sai will just be the first Uchiha that doesn't need the Sharingan to be a reputable ninja.

[hinata-chan87]

I have a question. Maybe don't have point but here I go ... Sai isn't his real name so how can posibly this nick name conect him with his "real" family?
I though that Sai name was only a cover .Still in the series he didn't say his real name.

[ouroborus]

Originally Posted by hinata-chan87

I have a question. Maybe don't have point but here I go ... Sai isn't his real name so how can posibly this nick name conect him with his "real" family?
I though that Sai name was only a cover .Still in the series he didn't say his real name.

Uchiha Sai wouldn't be his real name, but the way Uchiha Matsuri reads, if Kishimoto was looking for a name for new Uchiha character, then he could have been inspired by it and named him Sai, regardless of whether the name was suppose to be real or not.

[Thorn]

There's always a possibility that Sai was never told his real name, instead he was referred to some code-name. But in actuality, Danzou gave Sai his real name before the mission started.

[Zorokiller]

well..it's a good found thing^^ +rep

[rorykage]

i just posted in your newer thread about danzou, it's interesting in combination with this theory.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

See the problem i have with sai being a uchicha is the fact that the sharingan can only be activated in a time of high emotionall stress..but sai before joining up with team 7 had no emotions at alll. So why would danzo who seems to know at least a little about uchiha train and uchiha this way...it reallly doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

if danzou and/or sai were survivors of itachi's wrath, then danzou may have all the reason in the world to train sai in this way. to prevent another itachi.

anyway, i had an idle thought while looking at ouroborus' newer threadm which made me want to post here.

hypothetically, if sai had a sharingan, it could be large contributing factor to the images we saw in his sketchbook. every page he was facing off against a new enemy with new fighting style (as denoted by the difference in weaponry, and necessary differences in stylem to accomodate said weaponry), and with a sharingan, it would have been easier for him to adopt the style of his fallen opponent.

ayway, this theory is becoming more interesting to me, and there are still many mysteries surrounding sai and danzou, and their goals.

[ouroborus]

Originally Posted by rorykage

i just posted in your newer thread about danzou, it's interesting in combination with this theory.

Yup, the Origin of Danzou's Name makes it interesting for both. If you take one of them alone, it maybe a strange coincidence, but if you consider them both together then it makes you wonder if its more than a coincidence and really a hidden meaning from the Author.

[Clandestine]

Awesome theory, I find sais potential to become a reputable naruto character vast. To finally see some evidence that hints towards a showdown between uchihas is great.

reps for joo!

[Tokyo Jihen]

Nice theory....but uchiha matsuri sounds girly...to, idk bout you guys. i like the idea though.

why wouldnt danzou exploit Sai's sharingan? why would he? why not develop your own style than being dependent solely on your bloodline limit. If Sai truly is an uchiha with sharingan, i say he could be a lot more powerful than Itachi at the same age.

Since sharingan does not require a mature age to evolve, i dont see why sharingan can evolve from no tomoe to mangekyou within days, heck, hours, given the requirements are fulfilled...which leads me to believe that is the reason why danzou hid Sai's true identity from himself, and train Root ANBU to have no emotion; to avoid the awakening of sharingan as one of the reasons.

[blueskey]

Originally Posted by bubblymocha

Such a neat and interesting piece. Nice research, ouroborus~!

Cool that it appears on uchiwa with tomoes. XD hm... Assuming Sai is Uchiha, Danzou later warned Sai that "emotions lead to hatred, hatred leads to wars". If Sai is indeed Uchiha, I would imagine Danzou tries to block his Sharingan ability rather than to promote it.

I never thought of this. Initially, I was against the "sai is an uchiha" theory, since I always think that for this theory to be true his sharingan should be activated long ago as sai is also quite strong.

Now if the sharingan is really activated by emotions like some have speculated, then quite possibly that is why sai never got around to activating his. Cool...

[Nick Soapdish]

Interesting.

It's still tenuous, but not nearly as hare-brained an idea as I first thought. I still think it's a coincidence that they look alike, but you've found some other interesting coincidences to go along with it.

Have you given any thought into what your new crack theory would be if this one falls through (and isn't crack)?

[Daitsuki]

and even in the manga Sakura and Ino says that he somehow reminds Sasuke, who is an Uchiha. You know, members of a certain clan usually look alike.