Shadow Clone Technique

The Shadow Clone Technique is a technique developed by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. Similar to the basic Clone Technique, this technique creates copies of the user. However, these clones are corporeal instead of illusions. The user's chakra is evenly distributed among every clone, giving each clone an equal fraction of the user's overall power.

The clones are capable of performing techniques on their own and can even bleed, but will usually disperse after hit by a strong enough force. The clones can also disperse on their own or be dispelled by the user of the technique. Shadow clones can't be distinguished from the original with Sharingan, Byakugan, Rinnegan or Rinne Sharingan. Shadow clones also seem to be able to think for themselves and feel the original's pain to some extent, as evidenced by Naruto's clones feeling pain when the Nine-Tails' cloak awakened while he and Kakashi were fighting Deidara. Because of the manner in which the clones are created, the user must divide their chakra among the clones, potentially using up all their chakra fairly quickly if the user is low on chakra, or makes too many clones.

This is especially problematic when the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique is used; whereas the normal version will only create a few clones, the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique can create hundreds. A characteristic that is unique to the Shadow Clone Technique is that any experience the clones gain during their existence is transferred to the user once they are dispersed. This makes the technique ideal for spying, since the user can simply send a clone to spy on a target, then have the clone disperse itself without returning, to pass the information back to the user. Similarly, because they are clones of the original, any chakra that the clone possesses will return to the original after being dispelled. Conversely, the reverse is also true and the original is still able to manipulate the chakra of the clones. It's also useful for training purposes, since the total amount of experience the user gains is multiplied by the total number of clones being used to train. For example, if a user creates one shadow clone and trains together with this clone for one hour, then dispels the clone, the user gains two hours of training in one hour by adding the hours of clone and the user together. This particular feature is not revealed until Part II by Kakashi Hatake. When done with several hundred, like Naruto does, training that could take weeks or months can be completed in a few hours. While the technique can be extremely beneficial, attempting to use multiple clones for training purposes can be mentally harmful to the user, as not only is all the experience collected by the user, but so is all the mental stress from training each clone. Kakashi stated that Naruto is the only person able to can do this type of training, due to the amount of chakra that Naruto has.

Genjutsu

Genjutsu are techniques that are employed in the same fashion as ninjutsu, requiring chakra and hand seals. However, the primary difference between the two is that the effects of genjutsu are illusory; instead of attacking the victim's body, like taijutsu or ninjutsu, genjutsu techniques manipulate the flow of chakra in the victim's brain, thus causing a disruption in their senses. According to the Second Mizukage, genjutsu fittingly falls under the broad category of Yin Release. This is frequently used to create false images or to cause pain from trauma (because the body is led to believe it is in pain); however, there are plenty of other uses depending on the situation.

They are not used as often as ninjutsu because they don't physically harm the opponent, but several characters have made themselves well-known for their great prowess with genjutsu like Itachi Uchiha, Shisui Uchiha, Kurenai Yūhi, Gengetsu Hōzuki, and Tayuya. Genjutsu can also be used to manipulate others, similar to brainwashing by feeding the victim illusive suggestions, the primary example being Tobi controlling Yagura. However, there exists at least one genjutsu, Izanagi, that has the opposite effects to normal genjutsu, by changing reality to illusion and vice versa. Genjutsu can also be used for other supplementary purposes such as interrogating an individual by breaking their will. Genjutsu is created when a ninja controls the chakra flow of the opponent's cerebral nervous system, thereby affecting their five senses. Those with special abilities like the Uchiha clan's Sharingan — which can cast generic genjutsu — or with high intelligence have an easier time executing and countering genjutsu. Those under the influence of genjutsu will either appear to be unconscious or continue to move around under the pretence of the genjutsu. The latter is very effective in battle as a genjutsu user can make themselves appear to be somewhere else and attack the victim from behind or change the environment to make the victim see a flat plain where there is a steep cliff. According to Shikamaru, genjutsu that affects the victim via hearing is the most dangerous one as it can be done from a far away distance, enabling the caster to stay away from enemy range while casting their genjutsu.

Genjutsu attacks usually require a lot of skill, and, if performed incorrectly, will not work; even Jiraiya had trouble performing such techniques. Genjutsu is most often used by ninja with very precise chakra control and very high intelligence, two notable users being Itachi Uchiha and Kurenai Yūhi. It is explained in the anime that because genjutsu affects activity throughout the prosencephalon structure of the brain, humans, dogs and other species of mammal are therefore all affected by genjutsu; however, the kikaichū, like all insects, lack such a structure to their brains, and so do not even notice it: as Shino Aburame put it, insects are ruled almost solely by their senses alone, which makes them immune to genjutsu and gives the Aburame clan an ability to detect it, even when heightened senses become succeptible. Shikamaru Nara states that among genjutsu the most dangerous are those that affect the opponent with sound allowing the user to stay out of sight. Tayuya is a great example of this sound-based, long-range type of combat. The sometimes more complex genjutsu, although still employing illusions, have elemental chakra natures associated with them. Techniques such as these are less common, however. Such examples are Water Release Genjutsu: Demonic Phantom Fog Prison and Lightning Release: Lightning Illusion Flash of Lightning Pillar. In the anime, it is shown that genjutsu can be "stored" inside of special pills which produce the genjutsu once the target ate a pill and went to sleep. The anime also showed that genjutsu can work on mechanical beings, corrupting the internal system. The ninja needs to stop the flow of chakra in their body, and then apply an even stronger power to disrupt the flow of the caster's chakra; this is called Genjutsu Dissipation, Genjutsu Kai). This can also be done by an unaffected ninja by applying a sudden surge of chakra into the affected person. In addition, tailed beasts can break their jinchūriki out of genjutsu in a similar fashion if they have a good enough cooperation, as seen in Killer B's case. Another is through intense pain not caused by the genjutsu and utilising the resulting pain to bring their senses back in order (of the first two options, the latter seems more effective in most situations, or at least is the easiest). Another option is accessible only to Sharingan wielders. Members of the Uchiha clan can break or see through genjutsu using their Sharingan. Breaking Tsukuyomi is possible with an ordinary Sharingan, but requires a lot of skill. Sharingan wielders can also use their dōjutsu to liberate each other from genjutsu. Through eye contact, they are able to literally insert themselves into each other's genjutsu freely allowing them to break whatever genjutsu it is that imprisons their comrade. The Byakugan is also noted to be able to tell when genjutsu is being used. Ordinary people can sometimes train their eyes (without Sharingan) to break genjutsu through unknown means, like Deidara. One can prevent a person from casting genjutsu using obstructive techniques like the Hiding in Mist Technique to prevent one from being trapped by an ocular genjutsu as Zabuza demonstrated against Kakashi. In the anime, it was shown that strong smells like that from the Chilli Pepper Bombs, can counteract genjutsu.

Chakra

Chakra is essential to even the most basic technique; it is the moulding of the physical energy present in every cell of the body and the spiritual energy, English TV: Mental Energy) gained from the mind. Once moulded, it can be channelled through the chakra pathway system, which is to chakra as the circulatory system is to blood, to any of the 361 tenketsu in the body. Through various methods, the most common of which is hand seals, the chakra can then be controlled and manipulated to create an effect that would not be possible otherwise, such as walking on water, exhaling fire or creating illusions. Through the process of nature transformation, chakra can be converted into a number of different natures. Most ninja have a natural affinity to one chakra nature, but they have the capacity to use natures apart from their own affinity. There are five basic natures, but in addition to these, certain genetic traits allow multiple natures to be combined into new natures; for example, it is possible to mix Water and Wind into Ice. While many ninja can use more than one chakra nature, very few are able to combine them in this manner.

Chakra originally belonged to the Shinju. When Princess Kaguya Ōtsutsuki ate the fruit that Shinju bore, she became the first person in history to wield chakra. With her new-found power, she ended all the wars that plagued the lands. Her sons, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, who would become the man known as the Sage of the Six Paths, and Hamura Ōtsutsuki were the first people to be born with chakra. It was Hagoromo who spread chakra to others, intending for the chakra to connect people's spiritual energy so that they would understand one another without even talking. This became known as ninshū, Literally meaning: Shinobi Sect), with his goal being to lead the world toward peace. However, the people did not use chakra in the way the Sage had hoped, instead using it to connect their inner spiritual and physical energies. They kneaded their inner chakra to amplify and weaponise it, creating what is now known as ninjutsu. In the end, they ended up using their chakra in battle, just as Hagoromo's mother Kaguya did. Since being spread by the Sage of the Six Paths, chakra has become a form of life energy that all living individuals produce to some degree and require to survive. Produced within the "chakra coils" that mainly surround and connect to each chakra-producing organ, the energy circulates throughout the body in a network called the "Chakra Pathway System", which is similar to the cardiovascular system. Certain groups, such as shinobi, have learned to generate more chakra and release it outside their bodies through pressure points called tenketsu in order to perform jutsu. Chakra is not normally visible to the human eye, though it can be seen in situations where a person releases as much of their chakra as possible. This is rarely seen due to the restrictions of eight specific tenketsu known as the Eight Gates, which limit the amount of chakra an individual can release at a single given time. Chakra can also be visible when performing certain techniques, such as the Rasengan. Of the many different types of techniques, ninjutsu, genjutsu, dōjutsu, and so on, all require the use of chakra. However, taijutsu is different, usually requiring no chakra use whatsoever; stamina is all that is needed. While the ninja still needs a set amount of chakra to live, regular taijutsu doesn't require any active moulding or manipulation of chakra, with few exceptions. A standard attack like a punch or kick falls into this technique category.

Chakra is created when two other forms of energy, known collectively as one's stamina, are moulded together. Physical energy, shintai enerugī) is collected from each and every one of the body's cells and can be increased through training, stimulants, and exercise. Spiritual energy, seishin enerugī, English TV: Mental Energy) is derived from the mind's consciousness and can be increased through studying, meditation, and experience. These two energies becoming more powerful will in turn make the created chakra more powerful. Therefore, practising a technique repeatedly will build up experience, increasing one's spiritual energy, and thus allowing more chakra to be created. As a result, the ninja is able to do that same technique with more power. This same cycle applies for physical energy, except the ninja needs to increase their endurance instead. The general term for the source of chakra, the overall physical and spiritual energy an individual has, is called their "total stamina". The maximum amount of chakra an individual can create and retain at a given time is called their "chakra power-level". Each person's chakra is different and as such gives off a unique chakra signature, which sensor type ninja are able to detect. One's chakra signature can be altered by absorbing DNA from multiple people, as seen in Kabuto Yakushi's case. By mixing various chakra signatures together, it became a whole new one, so that not even a sensor type who was already familiar with him could recognise him by his chakra. Like DNA, chakra seems to be passed from parent to child, with the child inheriting the chakra signatures similar to their parents. Chakra Control, chakura kontorōru) is a term that refers to the control of one's chakra and aptitude at controlling it. In Naruto, chakra takes time and a great deal of training to gradually build up. Thus, the key is not actually having chakra, but being able to sufficiently control and conserve it. Everyone has chakra, but only skilled ninja can correctly "mould" and "manipulate" it to its fullest extent. Moulding chakra involves the extraction of physical energy from the body's cells and spiritual energy from the mind's consciousness, and then mixing them together within the body. In other words, a ninja could create too much or too little chakra for a given technique, resulting in the chakra being used inefficiently. In addition, even if a ninja is able to mould the correct amount of chakra, if they cannot manipulate the chakra properly, the desired technique will not be as effective or will not execute at all. Wasting stamina and chakra will also create weaknesses like early exhaustion, which would hinder the ninja's capacity to fight long-term battles. General training methods for improving one's moulding and manipulation of chakra are the Leaf Concentration, Tree Climbing, and Water Surface Walking exercises. As an in-between stage, some ninja can partially manipulate their chakra. This means they can use their chakra, but not effectively control it, which results in a poorly executed technique. A prime example is when Naruto Uzumaki tried to use the Clone Technique during his Academy graduation exam. To manipulate their chakra more easily, hand seals can be used. With these hand seals, users can control their chakra with higher efficiency, allowing them to execute their techniques more effectively. Different techniques also require the use of different hand seals. Shinobi who are extremely skilled at chakra control can become medical-nin or make more effective use of genjutsu.

Gunbai

A Gunbai Literally meaning: army arrangement) or Gunbai Uchiwa, Gunbai Uchiwa, Literally meaning: army arrangement fan is a non-folding fan, carved from an unique spirit sacred tree, this Gunbai is a honourary, passed down from previous clansmen generations. Madara Uchiha during his lifetime was famed for the use of this fan in battle.

Obito Uchiha would later wield this fan while posing as the legendary Uchiha, before returning it to his reincarnated ancestor during the Fourth Shinobi World War. It is a wide fan with tomoe on it and has a long handle with bandages wrapped around the base, as well as having a long chain attached to it. In the past, when Madara used it, it was brown with a black border, with red tomoe, and a chain was attached to the handle that appears to have been connected to his kama. When Obito started using it, it was depicted as having a purple tint with a black border, and tomoe design on it, with the chain appearing to enter his sleeve. During the Third Shinobi World War it was seen hanging on a wall inside the caverns of the Mountains' Graveyard. This gunbai had the ability to convert incoming chakra into Wind nature transformation reflecting an opponent's attack back towards them. Madara wielded it both as a shield and as a mace in conjunction with his kama, and it also allowed him to perform various other techniques. Obito also wielded the gunbai predominantly like a flail using the chain attached to guide the fan which he can use also as a shield because of its durability, as it was able to block Naruto's Super Mini-Tailed Beast Ball without receiving any noticeable damage.

Poison

Poisons, toxins, and venoms are all poisonous, intoxicating substances - powders, liquids, and gases - that can be used by ninja in combat. Poisons come with a variety of effects, ranging from body weakness, paralysis, or death.  Tsunade has been noted by Jiraiya to be the only person capable of poisoning a ninja without them knowing, as she managed to spike his sake with an odourless, colourless poison that left him unable to properly control his chakra.

Kabuto Yakushi has developed a poison which is specifically designed to suppress the Wood Release kekkei genkai. Sasori had developed such a poison that even if a small amount is introduced into the bloodstream, the affected person will die within three days while also being painfully paralysed for the duration. According to Sakura, this poison is refined with heavy metals which gets into the muscles and destroys the cells. The antidote for this poison is extremely complex so much so that no one in Sunagakure was capable of creating it. Orochimaru's true form's blood is poisonous, and evaporates upon contact with air, paralysing anyone who breathes it in. Its potency is such that even Sasuke Uchiha, who has gained an immunity to most poison, was affected. One of the poisons taught to Sakura by Shizune is able to be entrenched in kunai and has a delayed effect, as Naruto was cut with it but collapsed some time afterwards. Sakura also uses smoke bombs that contain a strong knock-out gas that can even render ninja like Sai, Lee, and Kiba unconscious in moments. Hanzō, in his youth, transplanted the poison sac of a black salamander in his village. He was able to poison the environment just from breathing. He also imbued his kusarigama's blade with poison. Ino Yamanaka has been shown to at least have knowledge of poisonous plants seen early when she threw poisonous plants into Ami's mouth.

She also makes heavy use of wolf's bane in the video games. Most poison users use poison on their weapons through various means. Sakura, for example, after learning from Shizune coats her kunai with poison so that if she is able to cut the target, they are instantly injected with the toxic substance. Puppet-users, such as Kankurō and Sasori, prefer to put poison inside their puppets so that they inject via hidden bladed weapons. Sasori, similarly to Sakura, puts poison that is clearly noticeable on the blades of his puppet, the Third Kazekage, as well as in his Iron Sand, which is far less noticeable. Poison may be used in other forms, not only as a liquid substance. It can be used in a mist form, as demonstrated by Shizune, with her Poison Mist technique. Inhaling the slightest bit of poison can prove fatal, as seen when Sasori trapped Sakura in two consecutive waves of his poison mist. Such vapours can also be used for paralysing effects, as Ibuse demonstrated. Certain characters have encountered poisons throughout their careers as ninja. Those skilled in the fields of chemistry and biology are capable of producing antidotes to the poisons. Tsunade, during the Second Shinobi World War, was able to produce antidotes to every one of Chiyo's poisons, much to the latter's resentment. During the mission to rescue Gaara, Sakura Haruno demonstrated the skill to not only extract and analyse Sasori's poison swiftly, but also produced an antidote to counter it, something Chiyo could not do. Apart from using antidotes to poisons, a ninja can also work to build-up a tolerance to certain poisons by gradually exposing oneself to non-lethal amounts of those poisons. Orochimaru, in the effort to make Sasuke Uchiha into the perfect vessel for his Living Corpse Reincarnation technique, made it a point to make Sasuke immune to most poisons, such as the one that Shizune taught to Sakura Haruno in order to use on her kunai. Anko was seemingly put under the same regime during her time with Orochimaru. Mifune has been shown to have built up an immunity to both Hanzō and Ibuse's poison.

Puppets

Puppets are used as weapons by puppeteers. They are most often humanoid-looking creations, but depending on the creator, can resemble anything. They are fashioned in a manner that uses every part as a weapon, giving the puppeteer a myriad of ways to manipulate it. Puppets are long-ranged type weapons that can be used offensively, defensively or for supplementary reasons, and are controlled via Chakra Threads. Because of their design, the weak point of any puppet is its joints. There are two types of puppets: ones made from material such as wood, and Human Puppets. Famed puppeteer Sasori of the Red Sand was the inventor of human puppets and also created a puppet which he wore like armour, bypassing the usual disadvantage that puppeteers had of being weak in close-ranged combat. Puppets are often sealed within scrolls using fūinjutsu, for ease of transport. Karasu is a puppet, originally created by Sasori, but passed onto Kankurō. It resembles a three-eyed, four-armed humanoid with jagged teeth and spiky brown hairstyle protruding from the top of its head and framing the sides. In Part I, Kankurō typically keeps Karasu wrapped in bandages on his back, and he is able to switch places with it at will using the Body Replacement Technique.

Kuroari is a puppet, originally created by Sasori, but was passed onto Kankurō. It has a much longer head than Karasu with a bucket-shaped face sporting two sharp red horns and six arms; its facial features include three eyes similar to Karasu, with a dark dishevelled hairstyle. Its overall body-frame somewhat resembles a large barrel. Sanshōuo is a puppet, originally created by Sasori, but passed onto Kankurō. Unlike Kankurō's other puppets, Sanshōuo stays true to its name and resembles a salamander. Sanshōuo is a puppet that has high defensive power. Hiruko is a puppet used by the Akatsuki shinobi, Sasori. As a puppet, he served as Sasori's "puppet armour", as Sasori was capable of hiding inside of it. Sasori even adorned Hiruko with the Akatsuki's robes, and hid inside it so often that others came to recognise him only when he was wearing it. In the anime, Hiruko is a human puppet made from the corpse of a renowned shinobi. According to Chiyo, Hiruko was Sasori's favourite puppet. Mother and Father were the first two puppets Sasori ever created, modelled after his real mother and father, who were killed by Sakumo Hatake during the Second Shinobi World War. The Chikamatsu Collection was created by the first puppet master, Monzaemon Chikamatsu. They later came into Chiyo's possession. They were designed to work together for devastating capabilities, and were designed to be much stronger than normal puppets. They are capable of taking down an entire castle when used by the right puppeteer. The One Hundred Puppets used by Sasori are said to be able to take down an entire country. Each one is an opponent defeated and converted into a human puppet, specifically chosen from his collection of 298 of such puppets, being adorned with special red clothing. Due to Sasori converting himself into a puppet, he has a special mechanism that allows him to control one hundred puppets. Though they lack teamwork, they use sheer attrition to wear down the opposition.

During their battle with Sasori, Chiyo used Sakura as a puppet by connecting chakra threads to her and controlling her like a puppet. Fū Yamanaka uses a simple straw puppet in his Mind Puppet Switch Cursed Seal Technique. During the fight of the two surprise division, Sasori used Muta Aburame, Shin, Tokuma Hyūga and Ranka as puppets. In the Fourth Shinobi World War: Countdown, an allied ninja uses five puppets dressed up as daimyō to deceive potential enemies and capture them with nets fired from back.  Young Sunagakure puppeteers use simple toy snake puppets for amusement. The mechanics behind the toy was likened to the Garian Sword by Kankurō. In the anime, Sasori's childhood friend Komushi was turned into a human puppet after his death. In the Mizuki Tracking Mission, Mizuki used a simple puppet in his likeness equipped with a sword. The three Ryūdōin brothers used a type of wooden doll training posts as puppets. While most were controlled by a tag on the back of their head, some were controlled by the Puppet Technique. Puppets almost identical to these appeared in a Shippūden filler episode being used as a defence measure for Iō's weapon lab. In the first OVA, a group of automatic puppets appeared in Akagahara. The Asura Path was a puppeteer in life, according to the anime, using an infant-like puppet which had 4 to 6 arms and the ability to spin rapidly, as well as emit deceptive, infant-like noises.  Puppet Walker: A simple B-Rank puppet with razor-like claws. It has the "cut" kanji in its chest, and "self" (自) in its neck. Kamikaze Puppet: A kamikaze A-rank puppet that can self destruct. It has a 自 in its neck. Mecha Puppet: A-rank puppet that fires small electric orbs from its arms. It has the "shoot" kanji in its chest, and 自 in its nose. Insect Drones: Bee-like puppets that uses electrical attacks. They can also produce smaller "drones" from within their carapaces. It has the "thunder" kanji in both wings. Elemental Puppets: Two puppets that use elemental attacks. The Red Elemental Puppet uses fire attacks, and has a "flame" kanji on its chest, and the Blue Elemental Puppet uses water attacks, with a "water" kanji on its left arm. Lizard Puppet: An S-rank puppet. It is similar to Sanshōuo as it is based on a lizard and breathes fire, stick to vertical surfaces, and spin itself rapidly in midair for a strong rolling tackle. It's use was supposedly exclusive only for the top-ranking members of the Shirogane. Master Puppet: The most powerful puppet from the Shirogane clan. It is a six-armed, four-faced puppet seemingly inspired by the Asura. It has many fearsome abilities, such as elemental attacks and regeneration.

Kunai

The kunai, along with the shuriken, is one of the most common ninja tools. It is a black dagger with a handle wrapped in bandages and a small ring attached to the end of it. The kunai is designed for thrusting and stabbing, though it can still do some damage if thrown despite not being designed for it, and is about the length of one's hand. Many shinobi attack by attaching an explosive tag to the blade. The kunai is usually thrown so that it lodges in an object near the target, and then the explosion from the attached tag destroys the target. This use of the weapon is known as an explosive kunai kibaku kunai.Kunai can also be kept on spring-loaded wires up the user's sleeve, as seen in Naruto Uzumaki's fight with Sai when they first met. They can be used for close combat, like a normal knife. Empowered with chakra flow, kunai thrown into targets can cut through solid wood and even solid stone targets. Shinobi appear to favour them so much due to both their sturdy and dependable nature as well as their evident versatility.

Zabuza Momochi was shown using a special kunai that curved inward on one side, making it more suitable for stabbing and thrusting. This type is also shown used by Kirigakure in the anime. Kabuto Yakushi, when threatening to kill a hospitalised Sasuke Uchiha in Part I, held a kunai with a curved blade to Sasuke's neck. This seems to be the same type that Roshi used. Its design is reminiscent of a Chilean Corvo knife. Before the first part of the Chunin Exams, Zaku Abumi used kunai with holes in the middle and no rings at the ends. The kunai that Kotetsu Hagane threw at Sukima during the first part of the Chunin Exams had a tassel connected to the ring possibly to make it more noticeable. During the second part of the Chunin Exams, Team Oboro used double-bladed kunai while facing Team 7. Minato Namikaze used three-bladed kunai that had a special seal applied to them in order to perform his Flying Thunder God Technique. When the Third Division engaged the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, three-pronged kunai were shown. In the anime, a member of the Kurama clan used a kunai with a shape similar to a combat knife. Tenten used a smaller version of kunai when threatening Menma. During the Chunin Exam, Tenten used two kunai with curved blades, which were connected through a short chain in the bottom ring. Shiin used kunai with long, thin, red ropes attached to them, similar to a Johyo. The Father puppet, created by Sasori, was equipped with a segmented wooden whip covered with kunai. Deidara was shown wielding a kunai with a square hilt in his mouth. Asuma was also seen with a pair of these after being reincarnated. During their battle with Hidan, Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu used kunai the size of ordinary blades to attack him. When next observed, the pair were connected by a length of chain, with a weight attached to its centre. In the manga, the Prajña Group used very long kunai to assault Danzo Shimura.

However, in the anime, these were replaced instead by the standard variant of kunai and later katana. An unnamed Iwa shinobi of the First Division used a kunai with a manriki-gusari attached to its hilt, in a similar manner to a kusarigama, during their initial engagement with the Akatsuki forces in the Fourth Shinobi World War. An unnamed Kiri shinobi of the Fourth Division used a kunai with a noticeably serrated edge along at least one of its sides during their first direct engagement with the Second Mizukage and Third Raikage in the Fourth Shinobi World War. Obito Uchiha owns several kunai of immense size, storing them in the other dimension to launch them with Kamui in quick succession. In the anime, a young Naruto finds a special Takigakure kunai with an extending blade on one side before being pursued by The Taki Kunoichi. It had two thin blades, one larger and one smaller, causing it to resemble a jutte or a hachiwara. Among the many weapons created by Io there were two variations of a kunai: a double-bladed one without a handle, but with poison on the blade and therefore, dangerous to the user, and one with another ring at the end instead of a blade. Obviously, they were basically useless. Shinobi from Benisu Island uses kunai with curved sides and flat surfaces. Kusuna used a double-bladed kunai that could disconnect into two kunai during his first attempt to assassinate Shion. The kunai each had a grip around the handle. During the assassination attempt on Shion's life, Shizuku was seen using a kunai with two retractable blades at the hilt, which in turn was attached to a chain ending in a handle, thus allowing the kunai to be wielded similarly to a Johyo. Sana used a type of kunai which had two spikes protruding from either side of the main blade, making it similar to a crossguard. Kiba Inuzuka employed the use of a clone of Akamaru to release kunai when approached. The doppelgänger swelled and then burst, launching the kunai at the opponent. Tenten used a grenade that released kunai and shrapnel in an omnidirectional manner once it detonated. Chiyo used a simple length of cord to thread numerous kunai together, in such a manner that the entirety could be released and thrown consecutively with just a single motion. A similar arrangement was employed by a shinobi of the Third Division, during their attack on the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, in the Fourth Shinobi World War. Dotō Kazahana's army of Yukigakure ninja used mortars mounted on their train compartments to launch massive amounts of kunai at a very rapid rate. The ninja of the Land of the Sky equipped themselves with Handheld Kunai Launchers that could fire kunai rapidly, similar to machine guns. When Hiruko declared war against the Five Great Shinobi Countries and Konohagakure was blamed for it, Tsunade had prepared a large amount of mortars with giant kunai loaded into it, akin to missile launchers, in an attempt to defend her village from Sunagakure's attack. In the anime, a trap was shown which included a number of kunai launching cannons firing automatically at intruders.

Forehead Protector

A forehead protector is a headband composed of a metal plate and a band of cloth. Forehead protectors are worn by most shinobi and are engraved with the symbol of their Hidden Village. Forehead protectors have been worn since at least the time of Asura Ōtsutsuki, though there was no engraving then. Forehead protectors are usually worn as a sign of pride and fealty for one's village. Ninja consider it an honourable, important part of their tradition, and make a point of wearing it at all times, especially when sparring with a comrade from the same village. Although not wearing a forehead protector is frequently viewed as disrespectful to one's village and peers, a ninja who does not wear one may still be loyal to their village.

Some missing-nin, such as Zabuza Momochi, do not stop wearing their forehead protector while others gives them up. Akatsuki members who retain their forehead protectors carve a long, horizontal scratch across the symbol, to show they have rescinded their allegiances and rejected their villages. Villagers of Amegakure aligned with Pain bear the same scratches across their forehead protectors, but remain loyal to the village; it symbolises their victory during the civil war against Hanzō. Joint shinobi forehead protectors In preparation for the Fourth Shinobi World War, Mifune designs a new forehead protector to be worn by members of the Allied Shinobi Forces. Engraved with the kanji for shinobi, it symbolises that, whereas once each ninja fought for their villages separately, they now stand united under one banner for the same cause. The members of the Alliance wear this in place of their original forehead protector. Despite being called a "forehead protector", it is not necessary for a ninja to wear it on their forehead or even on their head at all. Sakura Haruno wears hers as a hair-band. 

Genma Shiranui wears his like a bandanna with the village symbol facing backwards. Kankurō wears his on his hood. Kakashi Hatake wears his as a makeshift eye-patch. Hinata Hyūga wears hers as a choker. Shikamaru Nara wears his on his upper left arm. Chōjūrō uses it like a badge on his chest. Yagura uses a undershirt in which the protector is in the middle. Gaara wraps his on his sand gourd. Might Guy wears his as a belt. Konan's is not ordinarily visible; she wears it underneath her cloak on her right hip.  Navy Blue: The most common colour of forehead protectors. Many ninja keep this colour for the entirety of their ninja career. Black: The second most common colour of forehead protectors. Some, such as Naruto Uzumaki, even switch from blue to black after the timeskip. Crimson: Common among ninja of Iwagakure. Also used by Rock Lee and Might Guy and, after the timeskip, Sakura Haruno and Chōji Akimichi. White: Though rarely seen, several Kumogakure ninja use it, as do the Four Celestial Symbols Men. Purple: Has been used by those loyal to Otogakure and Hoshigakure. Inoichi Yamanaka and the Gold and Silver Brothers also use purple. Brown: Seen briefly in the ninth OVA, worn by a Kumokagure genin. Dark Green: Has been used by genin of Kusagakure in the anime: Kazami, Muyami and Burami. On the cover for chapter 567, each jinchūriki is shown with a white forehead protector with the kanji for the number of tails of their respective tailed beasts. Masashi Kishimoto, in an interview, noted that he created forehead protectors because he found it too cumbersome to draw Naruto's goggles every week. In episode 27 of Rock Lee's Springtime of Youth Full Power Ninja Chronicles, Chōza is seen wearing a forehead protector with the kanji "shinobi", similar to the ones worn by the shinobi of the Allied Shinobi Forces.

Samehada

Samehada is a large sentient sword, comparable in size to the Kubikiribōchō. It is described as "the most terrifying of all the Seven Swordsmen's blades" and even earned the title of greatsword, further adding to its fearsome reputation. Mangetsu Hōzuki was said to have been able to use all seven blades, including Samehada. However, Fuguki Suikazan was the primary wielder of this blade at the time. Later on, after Kisame Hoshigaki killed Fuguki, the blade came into his possession The two had a long history together and during this period, confronted various renowned shinobi on several occasions, with their pairing leading Kisame to become regarded as a Tailed Beast without a Tail Motanai Bijū, English TV: Tailless Tailed Beast.

They were together for so long in fact, that their chakra signatures eventually became identical, which Kisame could use to his advantage by concealing himself within Samehada in order to avoid detection by sensors. When Kisame defected from Kirigakure, he took Samehada with him, thus leading the village to lose another of their seven blades. During Kisame's initial fight with Killer B, Samehada grew fond of the taste of B's particular chakra and ultimately betrayed Kisame, although being one of Zetsu's clone in disguise, returning some of the chakra it had previously absorbed from B during their battle and even shielding him from his attacks. Despite this, Kisame was still able to force Samehada to comply to his commands, allowing him to hide within it and infiltrate Kumogakure as a spy, before forcefully using it to absorb B's chakra when his presence was exposed. After Kisame's death, Samehada actually cries for him, not only bestowing the blade with even more life-like characteristics but also, standing as a testament to the bond shared between the two. Now in B's possession, Samehada kept five of his Supervibrato Lightning Release Swords within it, to better assist him during the events of the Fourth Shinobi World War. Though mostly wrapped in bandages, Samehada's construction is atypical in that its actual blade is comprised from a series of downward facing scales running along the entirety of its length until its hilt, at the base of which is a small skull. Samehada grows larger in proportion to the amount of chakra it absorbs, causing its scales to become so long that they ultimately resemble shark fins and its mouth, located at the tip of the blade, to become even more pronounced. Keeping Samehada wrapped in bandages apparently helps to inhibit this growth to a certain extent.

Samehada is unique for being a sentient weapon that gains nourishment from the chakra of others and as such, the blade is at its happiest when engorged with chakra that possesses both a distinctive and pleasant flavour. It apparently greatly enjoys Killer B's chakra since, according to Kisame, it tastes like octopus. However, it has shown displeasure towards fire-natured chakra, stating that — according to B it's far too hot. Being capable of conscious thought, Samehada chooses its own user, an exclusive process that has often resulted in it being thought of as notoriously picky. If someone it disapproves of attempts to wield it, spikes protrude from the handle in order to force them to release their grasp, at which point Samehada will make efforts to return to its chosen owner. Even if it did betray its former owner for a more powerful wielder like Killer B, the blade was at least close enough to Kisame to mourn his death. As the blade is made up of scales, it inflicts injuries through shredding or shaving what it comes into contact with, rather than just cutting the object in question. This flaying effect is similar to a shark's skin, hence the sword's name. While it ordinarily remains rigid, Samehada's hilt is able to stretch and bend to great extent, allowing the weapon to be used like a flail. Samehada shares a symbiotic relationship with its wielder, similar to that of the kikaichū. Although it continually consumes the chakra of its owner, its largest meals come from fights, wherein it absorbs the chakra of the opposition instead. Such an ability allows Samehada to literally slice through an opponent's techniques, in spite of whether the chakra has been transformed or not, and even prevent them from being performed by absorbing all of the necessary chakra, before preparations can be completed. This is particularly useful when fighting jinchūriki, as Samehada can quickly deplete their large chakra supplies as well as remove their chakra cloaks, illustrated when Killer B was reduced back to Version 1 after initially being in Version 2. In the anime it was even capable of "eating" a "Version Two" Tailed Beast Ball. However, it seems to be unable to automatically absorb ambient chakra, as in all instances where it has absorbed chakra are when either the opponent had a visible aura around them or when direct physical contact had already been established. Due to its voracious appetite, Samehada is drawn to those with large chakra supplies, allowing it to be used as a quasi-sensor. While the ability to absorb chakra is useful in defeating opponents, it is also beneficial to the user as well. Samehada has the ability to transfer the chakra it has absorbed to the wielder by partially fusing with them, so it can be used to either revitalise the wielders chakra and stamina or instantly heal even fatal injuries. This makes the user of this sword extremely difficult to defeat conventionally. A wielder such as Kisame can take this fusion one step further, by completely merging with Samehada. Doing so causes him to become much more shark-like in appearance, growing fins and webbed hands that allow him to move through water with considerable ease. Kisame also receives some of Samehada's abilities while in this form, such as being able to extend spikes from his body for offence, and absorbing chakra when others come into direct contact with him, as well as the ability to track chakra.

Kubikiribocho

The Kubikiribōchō is a massive broadsword shaped like a giant butcher knife, earning it the title of seversword,. Like the other weapons belonging to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, the sword is passed down from generation to generation amongst the group's members. Jūzō Biwa wielded the blade with great brutality during his time as one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. He killed many enemies with it, dying battlefields red with their blood, and was infamously known for it internationally.

Although this giant blade was said to have been used by Mangetsu Hōzuki, it became the trademark weapon of Zabuza during his time as one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist. After defecting from Kirigakure, he continued to use it up until his death, where it was left beside his grave until Suigetsu took it for himself three years later. During Taka's fight with Killer B, not only did the Kumogakure jinchūriki wield the blade momentarily, he managed to slice into a portion of the blade, weakening it considerably. When later confronting the Fourth Raikage, A struck the blade along the same cut that B had created, splitting it into two. Despite being halved, Suigetsu continued to use the blade, which now resembled a cleaver, knowing it has regenerative capabilities, but the sword was taken from him when he was captured and imprisoned by the Land of Iron's samurai.

However, in spite of trying to locate the sword after his escape, he was unable to find it anywhere. Shortly afterwards, during the clash between Kabuto Yakushi's troops and the Third Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces, the sword is shown having been returned to a reincarnated Zabuza, who starts striking down numerous enemies with it in order to reform the broken blade. Nevertheless, the sword is only fully restored after Zabuza wounds Kakashi Hatake, who had been immobilised by Haku. Later, with Zabuza's defeat, Kakashi took the blade into his possession and has shown great skill in using it in battle. While doing so, he flowed lightning-natured chakra through the sword to enhance its cutting power, similar to the Sword of Kusanagi: Chidori Katana technique of his former student. When Kakashi saves Naruto Uzumaki from Tobi, the sword is not seen in his possession. The blade itself has two cut outs, a circle close to the top and a semi-circular one nearer the handle, that aptly fit the sword's purpose of decapitation, as demonstrated through Suigetsu Hōzuki's use. The latter notch allows a strap to be wrapped around the weapon, making it easier for the user to carry. Its extremely long handle is also detachable to further aid transportation and then reattached when required for combat. However, despite being well-trained, Suigetsu noted that the weight of the blade could still tire him out easily; a problem Zabuza Momochi didn't have. Like the other weapons employed by the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, the sword possesses a unique power, this being its ability to reform itself using the iron harvested from the blood of its victims. This regenerative process takes place almost instantaneously and is capable of bringing the weapon back to its original condition no matter how severe the damage is, from a simple chip or nick to a complete separation of over half the blade. The sword also possesses high durability and is quite strong, able to cut through almost anything.

Karin

Former subordinate of Orochimaru, a former kunoichi of Kusagakure, and a member of the Uzumaki clan. She assisted Orochimaru in his experiments, and was left in charge of his Southern Hideout while he was away. She was later recruited into Sasuke Uchiha's group Taka, which was initially called "Hebi" at the time of its creation, as the sensor and healer of the group. Ultimately, she and the rest of the world were freed from the genjutsu by Naruto and Sasuke after they ended the war. Karin's whereabouts after this are currently unknown. Karin is quite intelligent. During Hebi's hunt for Itachi, she was able to deduce that the Konoha shinobi's way of tracking them was by Sasuke's scent. From this, she quickly came up with a method of throwing them off Hebi's tracks, by tearing up Sasuke's sweat-soaked shirt and tying it to many birds and having them fly in multiple directions.

She was capable of quickly deducing the basics of a complex technique such as Izanagi during Sasuke's battle against Danzō. She is also resourceful, as seen during her imprisonment, hiding a blade in the frame of her glasses as well as a lock-pick set within a portrait that she seemingly carries around with her, all the while putting up an act of fluctuating feelings for Sasuke in order to lessen the guards' sense of security on her. As a direct descendant of the Uzumaki clan, Karin has a remarkably powerful life force. This grants her a potentially immense longevity as well as equally strong vitality. As noted by Kabuto, Karin also possesses a unique healing ability which seemingly stems from this powerful life-force. With this power, she not only has incredible regenerative capabilities, by biting herself and consuming some of her own chakra she can heal most injuries, and can heal others by letting another person bite her. The potency of her healing chakra was enough to restore Tsunade's chakra reserves. However, it is dangerous for her to use that ability more than once a day, and as a consequence, she is left with permanent bite marks on her arms, chest and neck. She can also use this ability to heal herself by biting herself.

Himawari Uzumaki

Himawari accompanied her mother in visiting her cousin Neji's grave, and asked if he would like the sunflowers she brought. Hinata tells her he would, because they are the same as her name. She then stated happily that next time she wanted to go with her brother. Himawari bears resemblance to her mother in her youth, with short dark blue hair with straight bangs and hime-cut.

Like her brother, her hair flares out on the sides and she has an ahoge on the top of her head, which resembles the stem of a leaf. She has blue eyes and a pair of whisker markings on each cheek, which she inherited from her father. Himawari is a curious, considerate and kind-hearted child, asking her mother if her deceased cousin Neji would like the sunflowers they brought him. She also seems to be fond of her older brother. Himawari is the second child of Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyūga. On one peaceful morning during the winter time, she and her older brother Boruto were seen embracing their father and starting a snowball fight, along with their mother joining in.

Boruto Uzumaki

Upon hearing that he and the rest of the class will be going through graduation exams in a week, Boruto goes off to vandalise his father's Hokage statue to instigate a round of tag with his shadow clones. With Sarada watching and helping Boruto extend the length of the game, Shikamaru Nara arrives and ends the game, much to his annoyance. Boruto is the first child of Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyūga. On one peaceful morning, during the winter time in Konoha, he and his younger sister Himawari were seen embracing their father and starting a snowball fight, along with their mother. Unlike his late-blooming parents, Boruto is recognised as a prodigy.

Before graduating from the Academy, he already mastered the advanced Shadow Clone Technique and a degree of taijutsu proficiency. Also, he showed noticeably sharp battle instincts while playing with his father. As a descendant of the Uzumaki clan, Boruto is blessed with an especially strong life-force. This grants him tremendous stamina, immense reserves of chakra, and strong vitality, to which also bestows him an extreme longevity.

Epilogue When classes at the Academy were dismissed, Boruto told his classmates that he would show them a prank. The new generation of Ino–Shika–Chō tried to convince him not to pursue it because of the Kage Summit that was about to commence; he replied that being able to pull off a prank despite the heightened security would prove their talent as shinobi. In the end, none of his peers joined in on his prank, though an intrigued Sarada Uchiha followed and observed his handiwork: defacing the Hokage Monument statues with red paint, just as his own father had done once before. Knowing that his father would come to punish him, Boruto prepared to ambush him with a well-timed shuriken, but was stopped when Naruto suddenly appeared using the Body Flicker Technique. While reprimanding Boruto, Naruto recognised that his son was acting out as an attempt to get his attention, and explained that he has to be a father to everyone in the village, so he can't always give Boruto as much attention as he would like. He asked Boruto to endure this hardship, because true shinobi were "those who endure".

Sarada Uchiha

Sarada was only an infant, Sasuke left Konoha for reasons unknown, so Sarada has never actually met her father, much to her chagrin. This caused her to often wonder why her father had left her and her mother for so long. Under unknown circumstances, Sarada was able to awaken her clan's kekkei genkai, the Sharingan. Using this dōjutsu, she gains various advantageous abilities. With it, she can see the flow of chakra, perceive all but the fastest of movements, or copying any skills that she witnesses being used, and cast illusions on a target with eye-to-eye contact.

The exact extent of her abilities is currently unknown, but it is implied that she is very skilled due to her lineage, giving her a natural aptitude for combat and ninja skills, as Chōchō Akimichi stated that Sarada should be able to pass graduation exams with ease. After Boruto asked his classmates to join him in pulling a prank, none of them joined him, but Sarada did follow and observe him from afar, keeping herself hidden behind him. Later when she arrived home, she told her mother that boys are stupid, but remarked that Boruto and herself had some things in common, like their similar wishes towards their fathers.

Upon hearing that she and the rest of the class will be going through graduation exams in a week, Sarada questions the very meaning about becoming a shinobi and doesn't see why it was important. Soon, Sarada becomes depressed that everyone is training with, or spending time with, their fathers while she has never met her own father, who left when she was still an infant. When questioning the validity of her mother's marriage to her father, Sakura gets angry and accidentally destroys the house (apparently again). Moving her mother to Shizune's place, Sarada returns to her home's ruins to retrieve their belongings, only to discover that one of the pictures of her mother and father together is a fake. This discovery leads Sarada to discover the existence of Karin who, like her, wears glasses and has an association with her father, visually disturbing her.

Naruto Gaiden: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring

After Boruto once again defaces the Hokage Monument, Naruto uses a shadow clone in order to spend time with his son while also fulfilling his duties as Hokage. Using his clone, Naruto trains with Boruto, who reveals that he used his own clone to distract him while he makes his escape. After noticing Sarada Uchiha watching them from a distance, Naruto confronts the young Uchiha and asks her where Boruto went, unbeknownst to him that he was in fact hiding in a nearby sign. Sarada lies that he went the other way before being thanked by Naruto, who continues looking for his son.

  
Naruto Gaiden: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring A spin-off sequel mini-series of the Naruto franchise and part of the Naruto Project. The mini-series will focus on Naruto's son, Boruto Uzumaki, and the next generation of shinobi in Konohagakure. As Shino Aburame explains to his class that within one week they'll be going through graduations for genin positions, the majority of the class voices their views on the opportunity. As Sarada Uchiha walks home, she begins to show jealousy over all her classmates getting training from their fathers for the coming graduation with Chōchō Akimichi eating with her father Chōji Akimichi, Inojin Yamanaka getting drawing lessons from his father Sai, and even Boruto playing an expansive game of hide-and-seek with his ever busy father the Seventh Hokage, coupled with being given a lecture by Shikadai Nara and his father Shikamaru Nara. Seeing all this, Sarada quietly admits she has never seen her own father Sasuke Uchiha in her whole life. Upon returning home and seeing a picture of her parents together, Sarada questions her mother Sakura Haruno on if her father needed glasses like her. However, when Sakura can't give her a straight answer, Sarada openly questions the validity of her parents' marriage causing Sakura to violently lash out for the comment. Collecting herself, Sakura apologises to her daughter but realises her outburst has destroyed their house, much to her horror as apparently this is not the first time Sakura destroyed it as she cries out about a loan she took out, fainting. Dropping off her mother to Shizune, Sarada returns to her house's ruins to collect some valuables. However, as she picks up the picture from before, Sarada makes a horrifying discovery: the picture is fake. Pulling out the larger picture of her father, she sees him with the rest of his team Taka and, to her horror, Karin, a girl with glasses similar to her, causing Sarada to further question the validity of her parents' marriage and, more importantly, her own parentage as well. All the while, Sasuke appears to be returning to Konoha.

Naruto Uzumaki

Two years after the Fourth Shinobi World War, Naruto grew taller again with his hair cropped short and moved the metal portion of his forehead protector to a simple black elastic headband. He wears a black uniform-style jacket with an orange zipper that features several buttons on the waist and sleeves, allowing him to fold up the left sleeve and rear coattails, giving him easy access to the pouches on the back of his belt. He wears a red armband with an Uzumaki crest on his left arm. While off-duty, Naruto wears an orange hooded sweatshirt and black and orange shorts with sandals. He initially wore a teal and light blue striped scarf that was knitted by his mother, but later took it off when he found out Hinata was knitting a long red scarf for him.

When he and Hinata married, Naruto was wearing a traditional black wedding kimono. After becoming Hokage, Naruto stops wearing a headband altogether. He now wears an orange sweatshirt with black stripes, along with black pants and sandals. Along with the traditional Hokage headpiece, he also dons a white cape decorated with red flame-like motifs on the edges, with the kanji for "Seventh Hokage" written vertically down the back, and held together by a red rope, similar to the one worn by his father.


Epilogue Years later, when Kakashi stepped down as the Sixth Hokage, he chose Naruto to be the Seventh. While loving his children and wife greatly, Naruto's duties as Hokage made it harder to spend as much time with his family as he wanted. Because of this, his son would often pull pranks as his father did in childhood to be noticed. An example of this is when Boruto defaced Naruto's face on the Hokage Monument. After he was informed, Naruto swiftly appeared next to Boruto and smacked his head. He explained to Boruto why he couldn't be there for him as as much as before because the whole village is his family including Boruto. Naruto ends up arriving late to a Kage meeting he was hosting. After he arrived, he declared it to begin.