15 Things You Didn't Know About Rock Lee
Rock Lee is a well-loved character from the Naruto series. Known for his exceptional talent in taijutsu, his hot-blooded training partnership with his mentor Guy, and his refusal to give up no matter how long the odds, it's hard not to root for him. But even the biggest Rock Lee stans still may not know all of the trivia and fun facts surrounding him. That's what this list aims to change!
What are some things you didn't know about Rock Lee? There's the fact that he was heavily modeled after Bruce Lee, from his name and birthday to the circumstances of his injury. Also, he has something surprising in common with Sakura Haruno.
Vote up the Rock Lee facts you most enjoyed learning about.
- 1138 VOTES
His Character Was Inspired By Bruce Lee
There are many ways in which Rock Lee's character was based around real-world martial artist and film star Bruce Lee. These include their similar names, their shared November 27th birthday, their similar hair style, and the fact that Rock Lee's Part 1 uniform bears some resemblance to Bruce Lee's costume in the 1973 film Game of Death.
- 2184 VOTES
His Injury Was Inspired By One Sustained By Bruce Lee
Photo: Studio PierrotAfter Rock Lee's battle with Gaara, he was so severely injured that his doctors believed he would never be able to return to his former life as a shinobi. Through hard, painful work, he was eventually able to recover.
This was apparently based on something that happened to Bruce Lee. In 1970, Bruce Lee suffered a back injury that damaged his sacral nerve. This happened during a training session, though many people erroneously believe that it happened during a fight. Lee was told that he'd have to give up his martial arts career, but he was able to recover and continue his career.
- 3110 VOTES
The 'Rock' Part Of His Name Is A Musical Reference
Photo: Studio PierrotRock Lee's name is unusual, even within the Naruto universe. The 'Rock' part of his name was intended as a reference not to stones, but to rock music. That's why his son is named Metal - it's a reference to yet another musical genre. Taking bets on whether Metal will name his future child Shoegaze, Punk, Reggaeton, or Visual Kei.
Why music? Because he's based on Bruce Lee, and 'Bruce' sounds like 'Blues' when pronounced in Japanese.
- 494 VOTES
His Stats Make Him Look Weaker Than He Is
Photo: Studio PierrotThough Rock Lee's total stat score, 22, is relatively low, his taijutsu skill is so on point that it more than makes up for it.
Ninjutsu: 0.5
Taijutsu: 5
Genjutsu: 1
Intelligence: 2
Strength: 4.5
Speed: 4.5
Stamina: 3.5
Hand Seals: 1
Total: 22
- 597 VOTES
Kishimoto Wanted To Do More With Him
Photo: Studio PierrotRock Lee was spectacularly popular with fans, ranking #9 in an official Shonen Jump popularity poll that combined data from previous polls. This surprised Kishimoto, but it also made him happy, since Lee was one of his favorite characters to draw. This inspired him want to do more with Rock Lee's character.
Unfortunately, he never had the chance. Maybe this means that he'll eventually get a larger role in Boruto?
- 688 VOTES
His Favorite Words Reflect His Values
Photo: Studio PierrotMost characters in the Naruto databooks have favorite words or phrases. Rock Lee's favorite words are "Endeavour" (努力, doryoku), "Guts" (根性, konjō), and "Love" (愛, ai).
Rather than meaning that he's into My Hero Academia, Berserk, and Gaara's tattoo, it likely means that he prioritizes working hard and being brave, and values his bonds with others.
- 785 VOTES
He Has Multiple Desired Opponents
Photo: Studio PierrotMost Naruto characters have one or two desired opponents, but Rock Lee has several. He wants to have an all-out, no-holds-barred showdown with Naruto, and he also wants rematches with Neji, Sasuke, and Gaara. This info is from prior to Neji's demise - most likely, he feels differently about that one than he did when Neji was still alive.
- 885 VOTES
Nobody Knows Who The Mother Of His Child Is
Photo: Studio PierrotOne of the biggest mysteries surrounding Rock Lee is the identity of his son's other parent. Unless Lee has a uterus we're not aware of or got ahold of Orochimaru's cloning technology, somebody has to have given birth to Metal Lee.
While many fans speculate that it might have been Lee's former teammate Ten Ten, no actual explanation has been put forward.
- 972 VOTES
His Hobbies Aren't Really Hobbies
Photo: Studio PierrotWhile some characters have hobbies that let them relax during their down time, Lee doesn't have time for that. He'd much rather use his spare moments on training - specifically, the intense taijutus training regimens he undertakes with Guy.
- 1091 VOTES
He's Not A Picky Eater
Photo: Studio PierrotIf you want to cook a meal for Rock Lee, you can make pretty much anything you want, because he likes all food. That said, he's especially fond of medium spicy curry rice and curry pilaf.
- 1179 VOTES
He's Been On Few Official Missions
Photo: Studio PierrotLike many of the other ninja in his age group, Rock Lee has been on a relatively small number of official missions. These include 25 D-rank, 21 C-rank, 4 B-rank, 10 A-rank, and 1 S-rank missions.
- 1290 VOTES
He Has Something In Common With Sakura
Photo: Studio PierrotWhy was Lee so enamored by Sakura Haruno when they first meet at the start of the series? It might be because Kishimoto originally intended for the two of them to have something in common: both represent human weakness. While Lee lacked the ability to mold chakra, Sakura lacked physical strength. As the series progressed, both would work hard to improve themselves in areas that suit their strength, with Sakura focusing on medical ninjutsu, and Lee learning taijutsu.
- 1384 VOTES
He's The Star Of A Spin-Off Series
Photo: Studio PierrotHave you ever wished that Rock Lee were the main character of Naruto? While he's never taken the protagonist's role in the main series, there is a spin-off comedy manga and anime called Rock Lee & His Ninja Pals where he takes center stage. Rather than dealing with serious things like war, the series has storylines like Guy-sensei being transformed into a baby.
The series was created by Kenji Taira, one of Kishimoto's assistants.
- 1454 VOTES
He Has A Confusing Nickname
Photo: Studio PierrotIn Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes, Rock Lee refers to himself as "Leaf Village's Noble Savage." It's not clear whether he gave himself this nickname, or if someone else chose it for him.
The term "noble savage" is used to refer to a stock literary character who has avoided being corrupted by society due to being indigenous to their land or being raised in the wild. This brings them closer to humankind's true nature. The concept is a controversial one that's heavily associated with racism towards indigenous people.
It's not clear what whoever coined that phrase meant by calling Rock Lee that, but either way, it's his nickname.
- 1570 VOTES
He's A Member Of The Lee Clan
Photo: Studio PierrotClans and families aren't the same thing. A clan is a large group that may be connected by blood but is also connected by political alliances. That's why the Uchiha clan was practically its own town before it was annihilated - they weren't all direct family members, although those who developed the Sharingan clearly shared blood ties.
Despite the fact that there are very canon members, the Lee Clan is a thing. It consists of Rock Lee, his son Metal, and a random member who was identified in the spin-off series Rock Lee & His Ninja Pals as Pak Lee.
