In Naruto, forbidden jutsu are not simply extremely powerful techniques. They cross a line shinobi are not meant to cross: some consume their user’s life, others ravage the body, manipulate the dead, or deprive a target of their freedom. Their danger lies as much in their effectiveness as in the price required to use them.
From Orochimaru’s experiments to the sacrifices of Minato, Hiruzen, Chiyo and Nagato, these techniques reveal the ambitions, traumas and convictions of those who wield them. They also tie into the major issues surrounding Naruto’s clans, powers and legacies, particularly those of the Uchiha, Uzumaki and Senju.
Deidara’s explosive clay: art made to destroy
Deidara shapes a special chakra-infused clay using the mouths in his hands and on his chest. He gives it a variety of forms, often animal-like, before animating it and detonating it from a distance. This mastery allows him to vary his attacks, from small targeted blasts to explosions capable of destroying an immense area.
His C4 technique takes this logic to a terrifying level: a giant statue releases microscopic bombs that enter living cells and explode from within. To Deidara, every explosion is an ephemeral work of art. This vision culminates in C0, his ultimate suicidal attack: he turns his own body into a bomb, creating an explosion with a radius of more than ten kilometers.
The techniques that make their users almost immortal
Kakuzu’s Earth Grudge Fear
Earth Grudge Fear gives Kakuzu exceptional resilience. His body is threaded with black tendrils that allow him to stitch his wounds back together, extend his limbs to attack or restrain an opponent, and survive damage that would normally be fatal.
Its most unsettling ability is to steal the hearts of other shinobi and integrate them into his own body. Kakuzu can therefore possess up to five hearts, effectively giving him five lives. Each heart can also become an independent entity and use elemental jutsu. This reserve of lives and chakra natures makes him a particularly difficult fighter to eliminate.
Orochimaru’s Living Corpse Reincarnation
Orochimaru developed a technique that lets him transfer his consciousness into a new body to escape death. He captures a target, renders them unconscious, then takes possession of their physical vessel, chakra and abilities. The victim’s consciousness is erased while Orochimaru takes total control of the body.
This form of immortality remains imperfect: the host body eventually rejects him. Orochimaru must therefore repeat the process and constantly seek powerful vessels, such as Sasuke.
Forbidden jutsu that play with death
Reanimation Jutsu
Developed by Tobirama Senju, then perfected by Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi, the Reanimation Jutsu brings the dead back in immortal, nearly indestructible forms. It nevertheless requires a living sacrifice, transformed into the vessel of the summoned deceased person.
Reanimated people regain their appearance, memories and skills, but they are subject to the summoner’s will. Kabuto uses it during the Fourth Great Ninja War to bring back legendary figures, including Madara Uchiha and the former Hokage. Their regeneration and power then upset the balance of the conflict. This jutsu embodies a violation of the dead’s rest: their memories and talents become weapons against their will.
Rinne Rebirth
Reserved for the wielder of the Rinnegan, Rinne Rebirth can bring the dead back to life and restore their wounds. It demands an immense amount of chakra as well as the user’s life force, making it a sacrificial technique.
Nagato uses it after choosing redemption following the attack on the Hidden Leaf Village. He sacrifices his life to resurrect the inhabitants he had killed. Madara Uchiha also intended for this technique to be used on him in order to gain true immortality, but Black Zetsu hijacks the plan to bring back Kaguya.
Chiyo’s One’s Own Life Reincarnation
Chiyo, a medical ninja from Suna, can transfer her life force to another person in order to bring them back from the dead. Initially intended to give life to puppets, this technique is later used to save human beings. Its cost remains absolute: the user dies to restore life to the deceased.
Chiyo uses it to resurrect Gaara after Shukaku is extracted from him. Her act reflects both her regrets and her belief that the younger generation represents hope for the future. To better understand Gaara’s importance and the vessels of these creatures, also read our guide to Naruto’s nine Bijū and the Ten-Tails.
Sacrificial combat techniques
Dead Demon Consuming Seal
This forbidden technique of the Uzumaki clan summons the Shinigami, the god of death. The user can seal their target’s soul inside this entity’s stomach, but must offer their own soul as payment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi uses it against Orochimaru and succeeds in sealing his former student’s arms, preventing him from using jutsu. He saves Konoha at the cost of his life. Minato Namikaze also uses this technique during Kurama’s attack: he divides the demon’s chakra in two, sealing one part within himself and the other inside the newborn Naruto. The village is preserved, but Minato dies in turn.
Twin Snakes Mutual Death
Anko Mitarashi masters this last-resort attack. She immobilizes her opponent, summons two large snakes that coil around both fighters, then the snakes bite them to inject venom. The principle is clear: eliminate the enemy and the user at the same time.
When Anko attempts to use it against Orochimaru, he substitutes himself with a clone, preventing the technique from accomplishing its goal.
The body as a limit: Eight Gates, Lotus and Byakugō
The Eight Inner Gates allow users to remove the body’s natural limiters and gain extreme strength, speed and endurance. Each gate opened increases the user’s power, but also worsens the physical damage. The eighth, the Gate of Death, grants power comparable to that of a god at the cost of the user’s life.
A master of this discipline, Guy opens all eight gates against Madara Uchiha and becomes Night Guy. His speed and strength allow him to wound an opponent with divine powers, but his body ends up burned and broken by the effort.
Rock Lee uses a less extreme form with the Front Lotus, also called the Hidden Lotus. After removing the weights from his ankles and opening the first gates, he temporarily gains speed and power. He launches his opponent into the air, chains together a series of blows, then smashes them into the ground in a devastating attack.
The Byakugō Seal, used by Tsunade and Sakura Haruno, relies on storing chakra in a diamond-shaped mark on the forehead. Once released, this reserve enhances their strength, medical jutsu and regeneration. The chakra then spreads through the body as a network and allows injuries to be healed instantly, without hand seals. This mastery can also strengthen techniques such as Tsunade’s Creation Rebirth and Sakura’s Cherry Blossom Impact.
Cursed seals and control techniques
Orochimaru applies the Cursed Seal of Heaven and the Cursed Seal of Earth to his victims’ bodies. These marks draw on their chakra and life force to increase their abilities, eventually causing a transformation and an even more powerful second state.
The Cursed Seal of Heaven is given to Sasuke, while Kimimaro receives the Cursed Seal of Earth. In exchange for this strength, the bearer risks losing control or succumbing to Orochimaru’s influence.
Izanagi and Izanami: the Uchiha clan’s forbidden techniques
Izanagi and Izanami are two forbidden Uchiha dōjutsu linked to the manipulation of reality. Izanagi allows illusion to be turned into reality: its user can negate injuries, damage and even their own death for a limited time. Its cost is permanent, however, as the Sharingan used becomes blind.
Izanami was created to counter the abuse of Izanagi. It traps its target in an illusionary loop they relive endlessly. To escape it, they must accept their fate, acknowledge their mistakes and change. Rather than killing, this technique forces a confrontation with oneself.
Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu and Tobirama’s tandem explosions
Invented by Tobirama Senju, the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu can create hundreds or even thousands of functional clones. Each copy can fight, use jutsu and gather information, which then returns to the original. The danger comes from chakra sharing: the more clones there are, the more the reserves are divided. Naruto can nevertheless use this jutsu thanks to his immense chakra and his status as Kurama’s jinchūriki.
Tobirama also uses the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags. The explosions continuously replicate, setting off successive detonations to surround, trap and devastate an entire area.
Finally, Naruto’s Rasenshuriken combines the Rasengan with wind chakra to form a four-bladed energy shuriken. On impact, it causes a massive explosion and cellular-level damage. Originally, using it at close range also injured Naruto’s arm. After learning to throw it and gaining better control of his chakra, he can use it effectively without suffering this backlash.
FAQ about Naruto’s forbidden jutsu
Why are some jutsu forbidden in Naruto?
They are prohibited because they can cost the user their life, cause irreversible damage, manipulate the dead, or endanger an entire area and its inhabitants.
Which forbidden jutsu can resurrect the dead?
Several techniques can do so with different effects: the Reanimation Jutsu summons the deceased under a user’s control, Rinne Rebirth truly brings them back to life, and Chiyo’s One’s Own Life Reincarnation requires the sacrifice of the person who uses it.
What is the risk of the Eight Gates?
Each gate pushes the body beyond its limits. The eighth, the Gate of Death, grants exceptional power but normally condemns the person who opens it.
