As Kishimoto originally planned Akatsuki to be a group of individuals with close to no human characteristics, he decided to make Zetsu half black and half white to emphasize his split personality.
Masashi Kishimoto planlagde oprindeligt, at Akatsuki skulle være en gruppe af individualister uden menneskelige træk og bestemte sig for, at Zetsu skulle være halv sort, halv hvid for at vise hans delte personlighed.