WEEKLY TRIVIA 5

• Sasuke was named after Sasuke Sarutobi, the Third Hokage's father, though their names in turn were likely inspired by the fictional ninja Sarutobi Sasuke. Sasuke's surname, "Uchiha", is another way of pronouncing "uchiwa" (団扇, paper fan), which is actually the Uchiha clan symbol. Uchiwa can be used to fan flames, making the flame hotter — referring to the fact that the Uchiha is a clan of fire techniques users.
• Unlike most characters in Naruto, Sasuke doesn't address anyone with honorifics at the end of their names (except to his parents, clan members, and Itachi when he was a child and after discovering Itachi's true nature), like "Kakashi-sensei" or "Orochimaru-sama", something the Japanese would consider very insulting or rude.
• In the June 2006 edition of Shōnen Jump, Kakashi remarked that, while Sasuke is a genius, he is dull to teach because he learns everything easily, compared to the less predictable Naruto.
• Although Sasuke's first appearance is generally thought to be chapter 3, he can actually be seen sitting behind Naruto in chapter 1, page 13.
• On the cover page of chapter 1, Sasuke is seen riding a hawk, which he later learns to summon. In most subsequent cover pages he is only depicted with snakes, another species he learns to summon.
• In the Naruto character popularity polls, Sasuke was placed in 3rd in the first, 4th in the second and third, and 3rd in the fourth. He finished 1st in the fifth and sixth popularity polls, and in the third databook, which added results from the previous six polls, has Sasuke as the third most popular character overall with 33,632 votes. In the most recent poll, Sasuke ranked second.
• Sasuke is one of four characters to have always stayed in the Top Ten of every Character Popularity Poll.
• Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan which consists of three overlapping pointed ellipses, giving it six points is the only one shown to have inverse colours; while most are red with black designs, Sasuke's is black with red designs.
• According to the databook(s):
  • Sasuke's hobbies are training and taking walks.
  • Sasuke wishes to fight against Itachi Uchiha (first and second databooks) and the upper ninja of Konoha (third databook).
  • Sasuke's favourite foods are omusubi with okaka and tomatoes, while his least favourites are nattō and anything sweet.
  • Sasuke has completed 16 official missions in total: 7 D-rank, 1 C-rank, 2 B-rank, 6 A-rank, 0 S-rank.
  • Sasuke's favourite word is "power" (力, chikara).
• According to the first Naruto fanbook, while in the Academy Sasuke had the highest grade in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, the lowest grade in cooperation and the second-lowest grade in assertiveness, which was bringing down his average. His overall grade was second place to Ino's.