Naruto kekkei genkai

In the Naruto anime and manga series, a kekkei genkai, or an advanced bloodline (sometimes also called bloodline limit), is any sort of property passed down the generations of a specific clan genetically that can not be imitated or duplicated by any other method. They are often beneficial and are employed commonly by Shinobis to improve their chance in battle or other challenging situations.

The eagerness with which country rulers have been taking advantage of shinobis who have advanced bloodlines for the purposes of furthering war efforts took its toll on their reputation, to such a degree that people started innately associating advanced bloodlines with war and pain. It eventually reached the point of outright fear and hatred, resulting in witch hunts and systematic murders of families and individuals with advanced bloodlines -- to the possible point of obsession (As was the case with Haku's tragedy).

Contents

1 Byakugan (Evil Eye) 2 Sharingan 2.1 Mangekyou Sharingan 3 Shikotsumyaku 4 Mastery of Water and Ice 5 Notes

Byakugan (Evil Eye)

Evil Eye which is used along with "Byakugan" in the English Viz version, is not a literal translation - "White Eye" is what Byakugan means in Japanese. The Byakugan is a special pupil condition that naturally occurs in members of the Hyuga clan. It is believed to be genetically related to the Sharingan. While the Byakugan is incapable of most of what the Sharingan is capable of, Kakashi states that in terms of insight, it surpasses it.

The Byakugan is mainly a taijutsu (hand-to-hand combat) technique. A person with the Byakugan can have a 360 degrees field of vision, except for a small blind spot behind the first thoracic vertebra. This small blind spot is the only weakness of the Byakugan (currently). Byakugan users can passively detect anything that moves around them in a 50 foot radius (with the exception of the blindspot) making them close-range combat experts. When used actively through Chakra, the Byakugan can see through most matter over extremely huge distances (although this may depend on the individual user) and perceive the Chakra inner coil system, enabling usage of the jūken, or 'Gentle Fist.' In very advanced cases, such as with Hyuga Neji, the Byakugan can see the Chakra Holes (tenketsu) and enable the user to attack them, potentially shutting off the opponent's chakra flow completely. Seasoned Byakugan users are able to deliver a fatal, single blow without trouble.

While the different levels and vast multitude of abilities which can be activated via Sharingan have been almost (if not completely) exhausted, it remains to be seen whether there is any more to the Byakugan than what has already been exposed.

The Byakugan is one of two known dōjutsu (pupil techniques) in the Naruto world, the other being the Sharingan (see below). The protection of this ability is very important to the Hyuga clan, leading to the development of an elaborate family hierarchy. The Hyūga clan is divided into two houses: the main house and the branch house. The branch house's main purpose is to protect the main house and to protect the secrets of the Byakugan. Branch house members' abilities and freedom are restricted through the means of a Cursed Seal. The cursed seal's appearance in the manga is a swastika (in Japan, this is a religious symbol) and in the anime it is a cross; regardless of the appearance, the cursed seal is placed on a branch house member's forehead. Through the means of a special technique that only main house members know, the seal can be activated. When the cursed seal is activated, the person's brain cells will be destroyed. Through the use of the cursed seal, the main house makes the branch house subordinate to its wishes. In addition, whenever a branch house member dies, the cursed seal will also seal the byakugan ability so that enemies will not be able to discover the secrets of the bloodline limit if they were to find and dissect the body.

There are several techniques developed specifically for byakugan users, which complements and makes use of the byakugan's abilities. One of these techniques is the Hakkeshō Kaiten (Eight Trigram Palms Heavenly Spin). The Kaiten works by essentially making an impenetrable dome of chakra around the user, negating all physical attacks. The Kaiten is a complementary technique, to make up for the deficiency created by the byakugan's weakness (see above). There is also another technique called "Hakke Rokujūyon Shō" (Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms). In the anime, there is also another called "Hakke Hyaku Nijuha Sho" (Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms). These techniques makes use of the byakugan's ability to see the tenketsu of an opponent. This attack strikes sixty-four of an opponent's tenketsu, thereby shutting down his chakra system, rendering him unable to use any special techniques (involving chakra); while taijutsu is theoretically possible, the technique also deals damage in addition to shutting down the tenketsus, so the user is more than likely paralyzed on the ground. There has only been one person that was able to use chakra after a successful divinity attack, Uzumaki Naruto, because he had two sources of chakra which were able to overcome the effects of the jutsu.

Characters who possess the Byakugan are all Hyuga house members (Hinata, Neji, Hiashi, Hizashi, and Hanabi).

Sharingan

The Sharingan (Literally "Copy Wheel Eye") is a special type of pupil that naturally occurs in some members of the Uchiha clan, which allegedly evolved from the Byakugan (See above) and allows the user to do to a number of things. The Sharingan's first and most well known ability is to memorize any technique that it is a witness to. It can memorize ninjutsu (ninja techniques), genjutsu (illusionary techniques), and taijutsu (hand-to-hand techniques) with perfect accuracy and allow the user to use the techniques. Second, it is capable of a unique brand of hypnosis that involves suggesting actions and thoughts to the opponent. Third, it can see through any illusionary techniques. Fourth, it has the ability to predict (and copy) an opponent's movement as well as allowing sight of fast moving objects with great clarity.

The weakness of the Sharingan is that, in some cases, it drains chakra quickly. In order to copy a jutsu, one has to have the physical ability to perform the technique. For example, they have to have the needed amount of chakra, stamina, agility, and/or strength in order to perform technique. In addition to physical skill, the Sharingan cannot copy any other bloodline abilities or summon a creature he has not made a contract with.

The Sharingan does not automatically appear from birth in a user; instead, it will usually appear when the user is in life threatening situation, where the power of the Sharingan will save the user. After this first appearance, the user can then call up the Sharingan any time he or she pleases. The power of the Sharingan is judged through the amount of dots in the person's eye. It is not unheard of for a Sharingan user to have different amounts of dots in each eye. For example, Sasuke's Sharingan initially had two dots in one eye and one dot in the other. Eventually his Sharingan evolved to two dots in each eye, then three. An "adult" and fully matured Sharingan has three dots in each eye.

The worst possible match-up for a Sharingan user such as Sasuke is a Taijutsu specialist such as Rock Lee. While still being able to read, copy and react to high-level Taijutsu, Sharingan users may lack the strength, agility and stamina to keep up with it. Also, the lack of chakra focusing or hand seals required for Taijutsu gives the Sharingan user much less time to react to their opponent's movements.

Interestingly enough, it is possible to transplant Sharingan eyes from one person to another, as is the case with Kakashi and Obito. However, transplanted eyes do not work as well without an Uchiha body (they cause much more strain on the user) and they will never be able to achieve the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Characters who possess the Sharingan include Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi, and Hatake Kakashi (Implanted by Rin from Obito's left eye, before he died.)

Mangekyou Sharingan

The Mangekyou Sharingan (literally Kaleidoscope Copy Wheel Eye) is a heightened form of Sharingan which is only achievable by those of Uchiha blood, and even those who have the potential to obtain it must make a great sacrifice in order to obtain it -- they must kill their best friend. Few people have ever obtained this legendary bloodline. To date, only two people have ever obtained it , and only three will ever be able to obtain this technique, unless the Uchiha clan is revived. Uchiha Itachi and another unknown Uchiha ancestor have obtained this technique, and Uchiha Sasuke is able to obtain this technique.

The Mangekyou Sharingan is distinguished from a normal Sharingan through its appearance. During a normal sharingan, the eye turns red, and black dots (similar in appearance to a comma) surround the pupil. In the Mangekyo Sharingan, three black spikes portrude out from the pupil and takes the form of a pinwheel, and the center of the eye where the pupil would turns red. Unlike the normal Sharingan the pupil "addition" is much larger, reaching all the way to the edge of the iris.

With the Mangekyo Sharingan, one is able to use the three most powerful jutsu of the Uchiha clan. Two of these abilities have been revealed so far -- Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu.

Tsukuyomi (Named after the Shinto Moon God, Tsukiyomi) - Execution of this technique will trap the technique's target in an illusionary world that is totally controlled by the user. The user can then torture the target for as long as desired, inflictng vast mental damage upon the target. Targets of this technique will most likely suffer mental collapse, if they are lucky enough to survive, they will not be in fighting condition for a while. Time is also distorted in the illusionary world: for example, the target will feel the effects of three days when only mere seconds have truly passed. Tsukiyomi requires that the target make eye contact with the user, however, Uchiha Itachi seems to be able to 'force' his opponents to make eye contact with him, probably through the use of the hypnotic suggestion ability (see above) of the Sharingan, as he demonstrated when he used this technique on Uchiha Sasuke, who had both of his eyes closed prior to Itachi's activation of the technique, but opened them in a shock/fear expression as Itachi opened his eyes to use the technique on him.

Amaterasu (Named after the Shinto Sun Goddess, Amaterasu) - Not much is known about this technique, as it has only been employed once. However, we do know that black fire is an after effect, and that the technique is extremely strong and can burn through even the strongest of materials, even the esophagus of an extremely large rock frog (which is capable of breathing fire) that was summoned by the legendary Sannin, Jiraya.

Shikotsumyaku

The Kaguya Clan was responsible for starting war against the Ninja of the Mist Village. Despite their bloodline limit Shikotsumyaku (meaning Corpse Bone Pulse according to Databook 2), they all got wiped out. Kimimaro was the only survivor. The Kaguya Clan has the frightening ability to manipulate bones. They can control the density, shape, movement, and the bones can even protrude out of the body or shoot from the fingertips. Their bodies are virtually indestructible and their offense allows any point of contact to be as sharp as a spear. The Kaguya clan's most powerful techniques would be its many dances, named after flowers.

Kimimaro is the only currently known character in either the manga or anime who possessed the Shikotsumyaku, and he is deceased as of the current plot due to a lethal disease, but many fans speculate that Orochimaru will use his Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei (Summoning: Impure World Resurrection) to bring Kimimaro back to life because he wields such a powerful Bloodline Limit.

Mastery of Water and Ice

Haku's Demonic Ice Mirrors is an attack that is attributed to his Kekkei Genkai. The technique consists of Haku creating a hemisphere of very strong mirrors of ice around his opponent. He then enters one of the mirrors, and can reflect himself into all of the mirrors at will. He attacks by moving very quickly between the mirrors, bouncing back and fourth much like a beam of light, and throwing needles at his opponent while in transit between two mirrors. The technique was never defeated before Haku fought Sasuke and Naruto. Haku's power with the bloodline also allowed him to manipulate water as well, as seen from a flashback where he was manipulating water in his hands. Another example is shown in the fight between Haku and Uchiha Sasuke, when Haku creates senbon needles out of water to attack Sasuke. Interestingly enough, it also appears that users of this kekkei genkei are capable of using only one hand when making hand seals, although if this is limited to this bloodline only hasn't been determined.

Notes

It should be noted that there have been some techniques shown in the anime and manga that have not been explicitly labelled a bloodline limit. An example is Akado Yoroi's ability to drain chakra from enemies. It should be assumed that unless explictly stated, these abilities are NOT in fact, bloodline limits. Rather, they are just specialized techniques that a person/clan developed and possibly, in the case of a clan, passes on; a requirement of a bloodline is that it is genetically based. Although a certain clan's techniques may be exclusive to that clan because it is a well kept secret, it does not qualify to be a bloodline limit because it could be learned by someone who was not born of that clan's blood.

According to the official data books Kidomaru's web abilities and Aburame clan's ability to control bugs are not bloodline limits but secret (clan) techniques.nl:Sharingan