Literally translated as “bloodline limit,” kekkei genkai are unique genetic anomalies found in individuals or entire clans inNarutothat permit them to harness rare forms of ninjustu and other techniques. More often than not, kekkei genkai are exclusive to certain lines of ancestry.Users of kekkei genkaioften become gifted shinobi whose potential far exceeds those of their peers. In times of conflict between the great nations in the world ofNaruto, shinobi who wielded kekkei genkai were regularly used as trump cards on the battlefield, where the complex nature of their abilities severely limited the countermeasures that their adversaries could adopt.
Unfortunately, kekkei genkai users are ostracized off the battlefield, where their abilities inspire fear in the minds of both friend and foe. Consequently, the stigmatization that comes with possessing kekkei genkai shuns users to the lower strata of society. Despite all this, kekkei genkai are highly respected and coveted among most high-ranking shinobi, and rival villages have been caught conspiring or attempting to secure them through subterfuge. Shinobi from Kumogakure have tried and failed multiple times tosecure the Byakugan. Clans usually go to great lengths to secure their kekkei genkai and prevent its secrets from falling into the wrong hands, as seen in the Hyuga branch family’s branding which seals away the dojutsu at the time of a user’s death. There are three main categories that kekkei genkai can be divided into, depending on the nature of the ability involved.
RELATED:Naruto: The Tailed Beasts, Explained
Dojutsu
Used to describe ninjutsu techniques and associated abilities that are granted to a user by means of their eyes, dojutsu users are prominent throughoutNaruto. Visual prowess of various kinds has surfaced throughout the story, but three abilities of this nature have grabbed an exceptional amount of the spotlight. Termed thethree great dojutsu, these abilities include the Byakugan, the Sharingan, and the Rinnegan. Although a number of similarities exist among all three, they are all distinct forms of visual prowess, with the former two being prized kekkei genkai wielded exclusively by members of the Hyuga and Uchiha clans respectively. The Rinnegan is the most exalted among the three, conferring god-like power on those who awaken it.
The term “dojutsu” describes both the eyes themselves, and the unique range of techniques they permit. Those with agenetic predisposition towards manifesting certain dojutsuwill require less chakra to activate them. However, individuals implanted with dojutsu will find them to be larger drainers of chakra. Dojutsu offer active abilities such as the Byakugan’s x-ray and 360-degree field of vision, the Sharingan genjutsu, or the Mangekyo Sharingan’s Susano’o. They also have passive abilities such as being able to perceive the flow of an opponent’s chakra or predict their movements.The latter facets of the dojutsu usually consume less chakra. Besides the three great dojutsu, a number of other visual prowess related abilities also exist throughout the world ofNaruto, spanning from the Chinoike clan’s Ketsuryugan, the Otsutsuki’s Tenseigan, Boruto’s Jogan, or the Senrigan, among others. Under the umbrella of kekkei genkai, dojutsu are the easiest to transfer from one user to another, where a simple eye transplant will suffice in most cases.
Advanced Nature Transformations
Some of the most sought-after ninjutsu techniques in the story fall into the category of advanced nature transformations, most notably, theWood Release kekkei genkaiof Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage. Revered for its broad range of applications, this unique combination of Earth and Water Release can transform entire landscapes, with Hashirama being its only known natural user, such that recreating the ability is considered impossible without his cells. Orochimaru experimented with implanting Wood Release into test subjects, with Yamato being the only survivor of these trials. Subsequently, Kabuto Yakushi was able to create grafts of Hashirama cells, which would allow individuals to perform certain Wood Release jutsu.
While some nature transformation kekkei genkai are distinctively related to clans from certain hidden villages, they may also resurface in individuals from other regions over time. For instance, Lava Release, in its different forms, has been used by shinobi from Kirigakure, Kumogakure, and Iwagakure. Alternatively, kekkei genkai such as Magnet Release seem to be inherited almost exclusively by shinobi from Sunagakure, as in the case of Gaara, his father Rasa, and the Third Kazekage, with Toroi from Kumogakure being the only exception to this. When three chakra natures are combined, this gives rise to a kekkei tota. Till date, Dust Release, used by Onoki and his predecessor Mu, are only ones known to use this ability. Nature transformation kekkei genkai are quite difficult to transfer between individuals, making themextremely prized abilities in the shinobi world.
Bodily Enhancement
The third class of kekkei genkai is far rarer in nature. These types of abilities are usually related to a shinobi’s physiology, and can only be inherited by direct blood descendants. Implantation is likely not possible as such procedures would necessitate extensive bodily modification. Kimimaro’s Shikotsumyaku, a rare ability to alter bone structure, was only manifested by select members of the Kaguya clan. Orochimaru was quite fascinated by this ability, where the young shinobi was groomed to be a vessel for the Sannin. Unfortunately, Kimimaro was burdened with a terminal illness,which made Orochimaru scrap his plansand turn to Sasuke instead.
Other kekkei genkai of this category include the ability of Jugo’s clan to passively absorb nature energy into their bodies at all times, allowing them to make use of senjutsu and transform parts of their bodies to augment their natural ninjutsu and taijutsu techniques. The only drawback here is that such individuals are prone to bursts of bloodlust and mindless rage due to the mental instability produced by absorbing steady streams of nature energy. Another noteworthy kekkei genkai of this type is the ability of the brothers Sakon and Ukon to break down their bodies on a molecular level to either fuse with each other, or those of their opponents, and slowly incapacitate them from the inside. Such kekkei genkai are again, exclusive to members of a clan or bloodline, makingthis category the most unique and difficult to acquire.
