Of all the popular battle shonen anime, Naruto definitely can take credit for having one of the most complex power systems with its use of jutsu. Not only are there three main types of jutsu (Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu) but there is also the chakra system to wrap and its various natures to wrap your head around. We haven’t even mentioned hand seals yet! The point is, there is a lot of great trivia out there when it comes to jutsu, and we’ve curated the coolest ones that even major Naruto fans can appreciate.
For example, you might not have known that Sasuke’s Chidori was based on myth about a samurai who used his sword, Chidori, to save his own life by attacking a Thunder God inside a bolt of lightning. Then there’s the fact that the Nara Clan’s signature Shadow Jutsu wasn’t created for battle at all – it was designed to help them hunt deer.
1. Gaara’s Sand Smells Like Blood
Because of the high number of people Gaara has eliminated through various sand-based jutsu, the sand that he manipulates smells like the blood it’s absorbed. However, the scent might not be strong enough for everyone to detect, as the person who pointed it out is Kiba, whose sense of smell is dramatically enhanced.
2. Wind Release: Rasenshuriken Destroys Its Target More Thoroughly Than Almost Anything
Because of how flashy it is, it’s easy to forget what Wind Release: Rasenshuriken is actually doing to its targets. It doesn’t just deal obvious physical damage, though it does plenty of that. It actually rips apart the targets on a cellular level, permanently destroying their chakra pathways in a way that can’t be healed by any form of medical ninjutsu. Essentially, anyone who is subjected to this dangerous move will never be able to use any other jutsu again.
3. Minato Used The Flying Thunder God Technique To Help Kushina
Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato can instantly teleport to any location that he’d previously marked with a special seal.
He incorporated his seal into his wife Kushina’s Tailed Beast seal, so that he could instantly teleport to her side.
4. The Shadow Imitation Technique Wasn’t Created For Battle
Though the Nara clan has used their signature jutsu against enemy ninja in a variety of creative means, it actually wasn’t created for battle purposes.
Instead, it was created in order to keep deer still so that they could be hunted for their antlers.
5. What Happens When A Byakugan User & A Sharingan User Have Kids?
What happens when a Byakugan user and a Sharingan user have a baby? Though this hasn’t happened yet, and is far less likely to happen after the Uchiha massacre than it ever was in the past, Kishimoto did say that if it did happen, the child would be born with one Byakugan and one Sharingan, rather than a new doujutsu that combines the two.
6. Kotoamatsukami Doesn’t Seem To Require Eye Contact
Most doujutsu seem to require eye contact in order to be able to work. Shisui’s powerful genjutsu Kotoamatsukami appears to be an exception. This was shown when Danzo used the move on Mifune without taking the bandages off of his right eye.
7. Gentle Fist Might Have Been Based On Two Real World Fighting Styles
Gentle Fist is the fighting style used by members of the Hyuuga clan.
It could be based on two different real-world martial arts styles. The first is Baguazhang, which is a Chinese fighting style that focuses on circular motions and momentum. In Japan, it’s called Hakkeshō. The second is the Touch of Death, which involves causing extreme damage by targeting specific pressure points in the body.
8. Many Of The Uchiha Clan’s Jutsu Are Named After Shinto Gods
Naruto often takes inspiration from figures from the Shinto religion, and it’s very apparent the jutsu used by the Uchiha clan. The two creator deities, Izanagi and Izanami, have a sun goddess daughter named Amaterasu. Amaterasu was once married to the moon god, Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto. Meanwhile, Susano-o reigns over the sea and storms – not sure why that one wasn’t a Water Release jutsu.
9. The Name ‘Chidori’ Was Derived From A Story About A Samurai
The name ‘Chidori’ has a literal meaning: A Thousand Birds. While it is meant to sound like its namesake when used, it was also inspired by a myth about a samurai named Tachibana Dōsetsu.
He owned a sword called Chidori, which he used to survive being struck by lightning. He did this by cutting the Thunder God from inside the lightning bolt. After that, he changed his sword’s name to Lightning Cutter, or Raikiri.