Naruto tells the story of a young ninja who wishes to become the leader of his village, and it shows just how important things like friendship and determination truly are. The ninja world is filled with villages who have almost always been in conflict with one another, and when war does break out, there are always heroes and villains on both sides.
The vast majority of ninja are incredibly skilled individuals, and every single one of them belongs to a clan, but some clans are far more dangerous than others. This is because certain techniques and jutsu are passed down through clan members, and in a battle that usually lasts just a few minutes, such techniques can make all the difference. Many clans possess useful secret techniques, but some are better than others.
10 The Nara Clan's Shadow Possession Jutsu Can Manipulate Shadows To Their Advantage
There are plenty of characters who are stronger than Shikamaru, but he comes from a clan with an incredibly useful technique. The Nara Clan's Shadow Possession Jutsu allows the user to move their shadow across a surface and merge it with their target's shadow, and when this happens, they can stop and control their target's movements.
The user can also use their shadow to throw shuriken, but the most terrifying thing about this jutsu is the fact that the user can use their shadow to strangle their opponent.
9 The Aburame Clan's Insects Assist Their Hosts In Wearing Down The Opponent
Shino is definitely a character who stopped being important, which is a shame because he comes from a clan that can easily take out dozens of enemy ninja. At birth, members of the Aburame clan are given several special breeds of insects who use their bodies as nests.
These insects can be used as scouts, but more importantly, they can be used for offensive purposes. One breed of insects can drain an enemy of their chakra, while another can paralyze them with poison, and another species is capable of eating chakra, but when they do not get the right amount, they begin to eat the enemy's flesh.
8 Hozuki Clan's Hydrification Technique Allows Them To Liquefy Their Bodies At Will
The Hozuki Clan is native to the Hidden Mist Village, and notable members include Suigetsu and the Second Mizukage. Some members of this clan can use the Hydrification Technique which allows them to liquefy any part of their body at will.
This technique can be extremely useful because it allows the user to slip through restraints, but more importantly, they can avoid critical injury from ninja tools since they can simply pass through them. The one downside of this technique is the fact that the user needs to remain well hydrated at all times.
7 The Akimichi Clan's Calorie Control Converts Calories To Chakra To Expand Their Bodies
Thanks to his family's secret technique, Choji is capable of beating several ninja, and this technique also happens to be the reason why he eats so much. The technique is called Calorie Control, and it allows the user to convert their calories into chakra, and the Akimichi Clan developed an entire fighting style around it.
During a battle, members of the Akimichi can use this technique to expand specific parts of their bodies, or they can grow their entire body until they become literal giants who are the same size as the Gedo Statue. While in this form, they can wipe out dozens of enemy ninja at once.
6 The Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu Is What Sealed The Nine-Tails Away For Decades
Naruto is known for his shadow clones, and for using a variety of Rasengan, but as a member of the Uzumaki Clan, he comes from a long line of ninja who specialized in sealing jutsu. A sealing jutsu is used to seal away objects, chakra, and living beings, and it's thanks to the Uzumaki that the Nine-Tails was properly sealed for decades. They are also the clan that created the Reaper Death Seal.
The Uzumaki Clan hailed from a village in the Land of Whirlpools, and their skill was both admired and feared, and when it became apparent that they were becoming too powerful, several other villages joined forces and eradicated the village, scattering the survivors across the entire world.
5 The Kazekage Clan's Magnet Release Allows Gaara & His Father To Control Sand
Gaara is so strong that he can annihilate a number of powerful ninja, but fans will notice that his clan's name has never been revealed. Seeing as he became Kazekage after his father died, it's fair to say that he technically belongs to the Kazekage Clan.
His sister might specialize in Wind Release, and his brother may be a puppet master, but members of Gaara's clan have an affinity for Magnet Release, which is why Gaara can manipulate sand, and why his father could control gold dust.
4 The Yamanaka Clan's Mind Transfer Jutsu Is Perfect For Interrogation & Telepathic Communication
The Yamanaka Clan may run a flower shop in Konoha, but they are extremely important to the village's safety. The clan specializes in mind-related techniques, which is why they are primarily used for espionage, information gathering, and interrogation.
Thanks to their sensory abilities, members of the Yamanaka Clan are capable of reading minds and communicating telepathically, but they are also capable of transferring their consciousness into a target's body. They can also take control of several enemy bodies at once, and force them to attack each other.
3 The Inuzuka Clan's Beast Transformation Is Dependent On The Bond Between The User & Their Canine Partner
Kiba definitely stopped being important in Boruto, but his importance had diminished well before the sequel series. There are several ninja who fight with the help of animals, but Kiba's clan excels at Cooperation ninjutsu, and they primarily use large dogs.
Members of the Inuzuka Clan are given a dog at a relatively young age, and they are expected to form a close bond with them. Once that bond is secured, the partners can fight side by side and use Man-Beast Taijutsu techniques like Fang Over Fang, but they can also use a type of joint transformation jutsu that creates a giant wolf.
2 The Kodon Clan Can Produce A Drug With Genjutsu Abilities
The Kodon Clan never appears in the anime or in the manga, but they do appear in Naruto: Thunderclap Chronicle Day of the Howling Wolf, which is a canon novel that takes place right after Sasuke's climactic fight with Itachi.
They possess the ability to produce a drug within their body called Kotaro, and although they are the only ones who can do this, their ability is not considered a kekkei genkai. This drug allows members of this clan to produce a purple cloud which induces genjutsu-like effects when someone breathes it in.
1 The Fuma Clan's Curse Mandala Technique Can Trap An Enemy Within A Chakra Pyramid
The original Naruto anime had a lot of filler arcs, and one of those arcs introduced fans to the Sound Village's Fuma Clan. When Orochimaru founded the Sound village, he tricked half of the clan into following him, and he used them in his experiments because they can use a special ancient jutsu.
It's called the Curse Mandala, and it allows the user to trap an enemy by creating a pyramid-like chakra cage. What makes this technique really scary is the fact that the cage slowly constricts as the user moves their hands closer together.