The shadow cloning technique is one of the most common abilities that the eponymous protagonist uses in the anime “Naruto”. This complex jutsu, which he studied at a young age, has many features. All of them, together with skills based on this ability, and interesting facts are described in the article.
Essence of skill
The shadow cloning technique is an improved version of conventional illusion creation. Unlike him, this ability produces real copies with a piece of chakra and the user's strength. No matter how many clones were created, they will possess all the skills that the ninja himself knows. Any copy from this jutsu can use seals and even bleed in rare cases. Most often, from strong blows, they disappear in the air. Clones can be removed by the owner of the equipment at will. They can also disappear on their own, because they have a piece of the mind of a fighter.
Link to the original
It is worth noting that the shadow cloning technique is quite difficult to use and has several limitations. For example, if chakra vibrations occur inside the original, then each copy will have the same process displayed simultaneously in the body. A resonance is created between them, as a result of which a successful strike on a fighter can destroy all the clones at once. In the anime, it was shown that each sample of a person recreated by the technique will certainly feel the emotions of the skill owner, including severe pain. Separation of clones remotely does not interrupt communication with the original, otherwise they will disappear. A vivid demonstration of the feelings of the copies was shown in the anime when Naruto, along with teacher Kakashi, fought against Deidara. Then the tailed beast awakened inside the protagonist, which greatly affected the behavior of the spears. The main limitation of the shadow cloning technique is the simultaneous use of other jutsu, which require high concentration. Then a limit is imposed on their number.
The main plus of the skill
At first, in the anime, the technique of shadow cloning (in Japanese Kage Bunshin no Jutsu) was considered a sign of tremendous mastery for the ninja. All due to the fact that she gave a huge advantage to the owner on the battlefield. Only Madara Uchiha could recognize among the total number of doubles of a real person in the world of Naruto. His individual mastery and knowledge of the behavior of the copies made it possible to calculate the original among them. Against other fighters, the ability worked perfectly and forced to fight with each clone, because there was a risk of getting a blow from the master himself. Sharingan, Bakugan and even Rinnegan did not allow to identify a real person among doubles. The whole reason is a clear distribution of skills with forces between the created copies. In the first part of the anime, Sasuke said that he could figure out the real Naruto in battle, and this contradicts the canons of the manga. Perhaps he wanted to confuse his friend and make him worry in sparring.
Restriction on use
Viewers in the anime could notice that, in addition to Naruto, only a few more ninjas used the constant creation of clones. The reason is the limitation that this technique imposes. An inexperienced fighter can easily use up his entire chakra if he calls in more than a hundred doubles. This threatens with the deprivation of all strength, and in a real battle it is necessary to die. For the constant call of spears, you need to have huge stocks of chakra that Naruto possesses. It is not a problem for him to call in a mob of assistants in battle and to share with them a reserve of his own forces. This is a feature of the Uzumaki clan, plus in critical situations it is always supplied with energy by the Nine-Tailed Fox. There were plenty of such moments in the anime. Only occasionally could one see someone else using such skills. For example, Hinata in the World of Genjutsu could use the ability, which testifies to her dream of being like Naruto.
Main advantage
In addition to using copies in battle, the shadow cloning technique in Naruto had another important advantage - the accumulation of information. If you create doubles and send them to explore the territory, collect data or spy, then the original may be nearby waiting. Everything that they see through their eyes passes into the brain of the ninja, if the clones are removed. Plus, sending them to the rear of the enemy is easier, since time is saved and the return of the fighter is not required. The same method can be used in training a fighter in new styles in practice. Working with the chakra involves a long, constantly tedious work for the ninja. He has to comprehend the truths on his own, which, however, also requires time, often it takes years to study. The use of clones with their own thinking greatly simplifies this task. They immediately possess those techniques as the main fighter and are capable of transmitting information instantly to the head of the original.
Take advantage of this advantage.
The technique of shadow cloning in real life with this type of training would be incredibly useful, but it is impossible to do in our world. The anime was demonstrated once when Naruto used this technique. Kakashi, the teacher of the protagonist, invented it, and later told him about it. For the battle against Akatsuki, the young ninja needed to master the wind chakra, but it was a long and exhausting process. To speed it up, the guy created two hundred doubles every day, made special movements with them. After that, he dispelled the technique and quickly accumulated information. On the basis of it, an understanding came about how to most correctly achieve a clear mastery of the elements of your chakra. In this, he was helped by Yamato, who was supposed to stop attempts to release the energy of the tailed beast. The danger of learning was that constant communication and interaction with so many copies were dangerous for the psyche of the ninja.
Creation of a new technique
While still studying Rasengan at a young age, Naruto used shadow cloning. It was by this method that he gave the chakra in his hand the shape of a ball, and then used this force to strike. In the process of studying the nature of energy, he had to find a method using twins to find out how to cut a huge waterfall with his own strength. When the main character succeeded, it was time to add the Element of the Wind to Rasengan. For a long time, the guy could not understand exactly how to achieve this until the teacher Kakashi came to the rescue. He demonstrated the ability to look in two directions at the same time, which prompted Naruto to an interesting thought. The guy created two shadow copies, each of which was responsible for his work. One double worked on the form, and the second added wind chakra. The result was a technique that the inventor himself called the shuriken of the wind.
Skill enhancement
The multiple shadow cloning technique is an improved version of the ability that Naruto often uses. She belongs to the rank A and is available only to the ninja with the rank of johnin. The main character was the only exception due to the huge supply of chakra. The simultaneous creation of more than two hundred copies is considered prohibited in the shinobi world, as it can cause death in an inexperienced user. Even many masters can not do it because of the limitations of their body. For the first time in the anime, this skill was demonstrated to Naruto when he battled a spy in List Village. He initially persuaded a lonely boy to steal a scroll, but Iruka's teacher managed to show the guy that he was not indifferent to him. Then the character opened the scroll, learned the technique and easily defeated the enemy, who surpassed him in experience many times over. Since then, the main character has regularly used the ability for various purposes.
Use with Shurikens
In the anime “Naruto”, shadow cloning is available not only for the appearance of copies of a person, it can also be used on weapons. For the first time, the third hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen demonstrated to the audience of the series. He fought with Orochimaru when he attacked the village of Liszt. During the battle, the head of the settlement threw a shuriken and applied the shadow cloning technique. In the course of its implementation, a thousand varieties of flying weapons are created into the enemy. It becomes difficult for a ninja to evade all of them and at the same time keep track of the author’s further actions. That is why several of them will certainly stick into the body, if you do not fend off the attack with your own equipment, as Orochimaru did. In the Fourth World War of Shinobi, the resurrected Sarutobi did a similar trick, but with Shuriken Fuma so that Minato could quickly move across the battlefield to the enemy. This means that the skill can be done with any type of weapon. The shadow cloning technique seals are similar to those required to create copies of shurikens.
Later use of clones
In the second season, Naruto used his doubles for a wide variety of purposes. First, he left them on Mount Mieboku to accumulate energy in Sage Mode when Payne attacked the village of Liszt. Three doubles remained in this area, and the protagonist gradually called them for himself to continue to use senjutsu. He had to do this in order to remain immune to Payne's techniques. In the Fourth World War of the Shinobi, the main character completely mastered the chakra of the tailed beast and could create just an incredible number of clones. Naruto used their abilities to help allies in all parts of the battlefield. They actively used the skills of the original, which greatly influenced the outcome of various fights. Later, clones could even use wind shurikens and other powerful skills. The shadow cloning technique was used at all stages of the anime in different forms, and therefore is considered one of the most famous among fans.
Other interesting facts
How to make the technique of shadow cloning, the protagonist of the saga knew after the initial training, and therefore always used it. Sasuke saw in the use of doubles a symbolic way for Naruto to move away from constant loneliness, although he himself had never recognized this. The only one who could use the shadow clone on an ongoing basis was Madara Uchiha, because this is how he staged his own death. Already during the last battle with Sasuke, technology reached its climax in professionalism, because the doubles did not disappear at the moment when they reached the black flame of Amaterasu. After depriving one hand and waiting for a replacement, the protagonist learned to use the seal with only five fingers.