A kekkei genkai (血継限界, Literally meaning: Bloodline Limit) is an anomaly of the DNA that allows the wielder to use unique techniques. A kekkei genkai's name describes both the anomaly and the resulting technique. Most kekkei genkai are passed down between generations of a clan, an exception being Hashirama Senju's Wood Release. Likewise, most individuals only inherit one kekkei genkai, but Mei Terumī is known to naturally possess two.

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Overview

Generally speaking, there are three types of kekkei genkai:

Kekkei genkai make their users far more powerful than the average shinobi. In times of war they are deadly on the battlefield, and are often deployed to turn the tide of the battle. They are highly effective in this regard, but this tends to create issues for them after the conflict is over: survivors of the battle that witnessed or that lost loved ones to kekkei genkai users come to fear and hate them for their actions. They are persecuted because of their abilities, forcing them to the lower rungs of society or driving them into hiding. Even the villages that employ them may stigmatise them, relying on them in combat situations but being unconcerned with their actual survival.

Even though individuals with kekkei genkai are mistreated, the actual kekkei genkai remain coveted by many. Kumogakure, for example, has made different attempts to steal the Byakugan. The Hyūga clan has taken steps to preserve the secret of the Byakugan, first by obligating members of its branch families to sacrifice their lives for members of its main family, and furthermore by branding branch members in order to destroy their Byakugan when they die. Despite these safeguards, Ao of Kirigakure was able obtain a Byakugan, and he goes to great lengths to ensure it cannot be taken back.

When attempting to transfer kekkei genkai to others, dōjutsu are the easiest to work with; the recipient merely needs to be implanted with it. If the recipient does not have a genetic predisposition for the dōjutsu, using it will demand far more chakra than is required for natural users. For nature transformation kekkei genkai, only Hashirama Senju's Wood Release has been shown trying to be recreated in others: Orochimaru attempted to reproduce Wood Release by modifying tests subjects' DNA, succeeding only with Yamato;[1] Kabuto Yakushi perfected grafts of Hashirama that could be implanted in others, granting them Wood Release; Madara Uchiha developed a substance that, when used for artificial limbs, allows limited Wood Release usage. For bodily kekkei genkai, transferring or reproducing them appears to be prohibitively difficult: to acquire Kimimaro's Shikotsumyaku, Orochimaru planned to simply take over Kimimaro's body, a plan he had to abandon when Kimimaro's body was discovered to be dying.

If an individual cannot gain access to a kekkei genkai directly, they can try instead to use it through the kekkei genkai's original user. Sasori could access the Third Kazekage's Magnet Release via a human puppet made from the Kazekage's body. Orochimaru and Kabuto use the Impure World Reincarnation to revive the dead – complete with any kekkei genkai they possessed during life – which are fully under their control. Kabuto also develops a method of creating mindless copies of kekkei genkai users which he generates as needed.[2]

List of Kekkei Genkai

Boil Release

Main article: Boil Release

沸遁

Byakugan

Vapour Style) is a nature transformation kekkei genkai, a combination of fire and water . Whereas most kekkei genkai are largely identical between users, Boil Release has different forms depending on who's using it.

Main article: Byakugan

白眼

Crystal Release

TheWhite Eye,All Seeing White Eye) is a kekkei genkai dōjutsu that originated from the Ōtsutsuki clan . After the Ōtsutsuki settled on Earth the Byakugan became more commonly associated with the Hyūga clan descendants of the Ōtsutsuki. It is regarded as one of the "Three Great Dōjutsu", the others being the Sharingan and the Rinnegan

Main article: Crystal Release

晶遁

Dark Release

Crystal Style) is a rare nature that is seen only in the anime.

Main article: Dark Release

冥遁

Explosion Release

Shade Style) is a combined nature transformation kekkei genkai that can be used to absorb , manipulate, and release chakra taken from an opponent. Hiruko used techniques of this nature through a mark on his left hand. This mark resembles two diamonds, one overlapping the other. Chakra is absorbed through the upper square, while it is released and manipulated through the lower.

Main article: Explosion Release

爆遁

Iburi Clan's Kekkei Genkai

Explosion Style) is a nature transformation kekkei genkai, suggested to be a combination of earth and lightning Explosion Release users utilise explosive chakra in combat.

Main article: Iburi Clan's Kekkei Genkai

Ice Release

This unique kekkei genkai is possessed by the members of the Iburi clan , which allows them to turn their bodies, either partially or fully, into smoke to serve various purposes. While in their smoke form the user becomes impervious to damage and can use this trait to gain an opportunity in battle, for example by allowing weapons to slip through them without any effects. However, if needed, they can still interact with physical objects.

Main article: Ice Release

氷遁

Jōgan

Ice Style) is a nature transformation kekkei genkai, a combination of water and wind The Land of Water 's Yuki clan was feared for the power of their Ice Release,forcing its members to go into hiding to escape persecution.

Main article: Jōgan The Jōgan is a unique dōjutsu that is known only by the Ōtsutsuki Clan,[10] whose members claim it's troublesome and that it's a power strongly inherited from their clan. [11]

Jūgo's Clan's Kekkei Genkai

In the manga the dōjutsu is featureless in appearance with a barely visible pupil.When depicted in the anime, the dōjutsu is blue in colour with a darkened sclera and visible pupil.

Main article: Jūgo's Clan's Kekkei Genkai

Ketsuryūgan

The kekkei genkai of Jūgo's clan is an instinctual ability which allows its members to absorb and make use of natural energy without any training in senjutsu . Due to the steady but constant intake of natural energy, they are prone to mental instability, sporadically feeling sudden and uncontrollable urges to kill. The wielder's body can also secrete special fluids which, through means of Senjutsu chakra, allow them to transform parts of their bodies.

Main article: Ketsuryūgan

血龍眼

Kurama Clan's Kekkei Genkai

TheBlood Dragon Eye), is a dōjutsu , which appears in certain individuals of the Chinoike clan . The Ketsuryūgan is recognised by its reddish colour, giving a special appearance for the users of this dōjutsu, characterised as holders of "eyes as red as blood". Its power earned it comparison to the Three Great Dōjutsu.

Main article: Kurama Clan's Kekkei Genkai

Lava Release

A rare trait of the Kurama Clan . Every few generations, a member will be born with an incredible talent for genjutsu . The clan member's prowess in that field is so absolute that even without proper training, their genjutsu is simply overwhelming. Furthermore, the genjutsu is so powerful that it causes the brain to believe anything that happens to the victim to the point where the genjutsu physically harms the victim's body in the same manner they envisioned. This fearsome ability allows the clan member to potentially kill their opponents with genjutsu.

Main article: Lava Release

溶遁; 熔遁

Magnet Release

"Corrosion Style" or "Lava Style") is a nature transformation kekkei genkai, a combination of fire and earth . Whereas most kekkei genkai are largely identical between users, Lava Release has a variety of forms depending on who's using it.

Main article: Magnet Release

磁遁

Mangekyō Sharingan

Magnet Style) is a nature transformation kekkei genkai, suggested to be a combination of wind and earth Magnet Release users generate a magnetic force which they apply to other substances for various purposes.

Main article: Mangekyō Sharingan

万華鏡写輪眼

天壌の理を掌握せし瞳

Mud Release

TheKaleidoscope Copy Wheel Eye) is an advanced form of the Sharingan that has only been activated by a handful of Uchiha They are noted to be the "heavenly eyes that see the truth of all of creation without obstruction" ().

Main article: Mud Release

泥遁

Ranmaru's Kekkei Genkai

) is a nature transformation kekkei genkai , a combination of water and earth . Because these same natures are used to create Wood Release , and because Wood Release is so famous, few people have ever heard of Mud Release, to the point that Hidan initially believes its very existence is a lie.

Main article: Ranmaru's Kekkei Genkai

Rinha Clan's Kekkei Genkai

Ranmaru possessed a dōjutsu kekkei genkai which, when activated, causes his eyes to glow red in colour. It grants him abilities such as penetrative vision as well as the ability to hinder dōjutsu such as the Byakugan which his own dōjutsu has been likened to.

Main article: Rinha Clan's Kekkei Genkai

Rinnegan

The kekkei genkai of the Rinha clan allows them to absorb a person's chakra and duplicate their appearance and memories

Main article: Rinnegan

輪廻眼

Ryūzetsu's Kekkei Genkai

TheSaṃsāra Eye) is reputed as the most exalted eye amongst the "Three Great Dōjutsu",the others being the Sharingan and the Byakugan . It is said that in times of disorder, one who wields the Rinnegan is sent down from the heavens to become either a "God of Creation" who will calm the world or a "God of Destruction" who will reduce everything to nothingness. The Rinnegan is characterised by concentric circles covering the eyeball.

Main article: Ryūzetsu's Kekkei Genkai

Sakon and Ukon's Kekkei Genkai

This unnamed kekkei genkai apparently allows the user to perform Reincarnation Ninjutsu as it allowed Ryūzetsu to perform the Dragon Life Reincarnation technique. It was seen only inand Ryūzetsu was the only known user. Other details, such as whether it was common or rare and whether any other technique could be performed using it, are unknown.

Main article: Sakon and Ukon's Kekkei Genkai

Scorch Release

Main article: Scorch Release

灼遁

Sharingan

Scorch Style) is a nature transformation kekkei genkai. When Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki combine their fire and wind -natured techniques, the resulting technique is dubbed "Scorch Release",suggesting those are its component natures.

Main article: Sharingan

写輪眼

Shikotsumyaku

TheCopy Wheel Eye,Mirror Wheel Eye) is the dōjutsu kekkei genkai of the Uchiha clan that appears selectively among its members.It is regarded as one of the "Three Great Dōjutsu", the others being the Byakugan and the Rinnegan

Main article: Shikotsumyaku

屍骨脈

Steel Release

Dead Bone Pulse,Macabre Bone Pulse) is a kekkei genkai which gives its wielder the ability to manipulate their own bones. It very rarely manifests within members of the Kaguya clan , of which Kimimaro was the last survivor.

Main article: Steel Release

鋼遁

Storm Release

TheSteel Style) is a combined nature transformation kekkei genkai. It is unknown what elements this nature entails.

Main article: Storm Release

嵐遁

Swift Release

"Gale Style" or "Storm Style") is a nature transformation kekkei genkai, a combination of lightning and water . It is used by several shinobi from Kumogakure most notably Darui

Main article: Swift Release

迅遁

Tenseigan

Quick Style) is a combined nature transformation kekkei genkai that can be used to move with incredible speed, becoming nothing more than a blur when in motion. Therefore, taijutsu becomes ineffective if the opponent is not fast enough.

Main article: Tenseigan

転生眼

Typhoon Release

TheReincarnation Eye) is a dōjutsu introduced in. The movie's novelisation explains that the Tenseigan can be acquired when an Ōtsutsuki is implanted with the Byakugan of a Hyūga : this combination of the two clans' chakra transforms the Byakugan into Tenseigan.

Main article: Typhoon Release

颱遁

Wood Release

Typhoon Style) is a nature transformation kekkei genkai, which consists of at least the wind nature transformation. It seems to essentially be a stronger form of Wind Release, involving the creation of vortexes that decimate the user's surroundings. Its only known user is Nowaki

Main article: Wood Release

木遁

Inspiration

Wood Style) is a nature transformation kekkei genkai , a combination of earth and water It was famously used by Hashirama Senju , and in fact is not known to have naturally occurred in anyone else, leading to it being regarded as impossible to use without having his cells.Because of Wood Release's power and versatility, there have been various efforts to reproduce it after Hashirama's death.

The concept of special ninja techniques limited by bloodline inheritance may have been inspired in part by the works of Futaro Yamada, which strongly influenced later depictions of ninja in fiction. In particular, The Kōga Ninja Scrolls (甲賀忍法帖, Kōga Ninpōchō), published in 1959, featured a pair of warring ninja clans that, through selective breeding, had produced ninja with a variety of deformities, mutations, and special abilities, even dōjutsu.

Trivia

See Also

Notes