There are a plethora of techniques that characters have access to within Naruto that go well beyond the limits of what a shinobi should be able to do. As early as the very first episode of the franchise, fans are introduced to the concept of the tailed beasts, and the inhuman amount of power surrounding them. Characters have the ability to summon inhuman allies such as giant toads, slugs, and snakes that can understand human speech and somehow communicate back with them. These things help keep the series more engaging and make for some of the most memorable action scenes not just in the series, but in anime as a whole.
On some level, the same could be said about kekkei genkai, bloodline traits passed down through generations that grant their users near unrivaled power. However, not everything about this highly powerful genetic power is handled well, and in some instances, it ends up hurting the show more than it helps.
10 HELPED: It Makes Some Villains Seem Like Insurmountable Threats Early On
The first kekkei genkai that fans really get familiar with over the course of the series is the Sharingan. Aside from seeing small glimpses of Kakashi and Sasuke harnessing its power, the first time its true deadly nature is brought out is when Itachi and Kisame infiltrate the Leaf Village.
Up until this point in the series, jonin such as Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai, seem all-powerful, at least in comparison to their genin students. Itachi's arrival shatters the feeling of peaceful training that had begun to settle in, and he feels like a truly terrifying threat.
9 RUINED: It's Never Really Explained How Certain Clans Obtain Their Kekkei Genkai To Begin With
Kekkei genkai are anomalies within characters' DNA that allow them to use unique abilities. These abilities vary in strength and effectiveness and are typically passed down through clans.
What's never really explained, though, is how certain bloodline trait comes to manifest in the first place. Viewers are never told whether it's an anomaly that simply started appearing within certain clans over time, or why they stay contained within the bloodline and aren't seen elsewhere if this is the case. The only exception to this is dojutsu, the variety of kekkei genkai that manifests within a user's eye, which is explained concretely within the series.
8 HELPED: It Allows Characters To Match Or Surpass The Power Of The Tailed Beasts
As early as the very beginning of Naruto, the tailed beasts and the power that they possess are set up to be the biggest threats in the series. After all, before the nine-tailed fox spirit was concealed within Naruto, it nearly destroyed the entire village and many lives were lost.
It wouldn't be much of an interesting series if the tailed beasts' power really was unmatchable, and this is one of the areas where kekkei genkai can really shine. It allows characters who would otherwise lose to stand on equal ground with the tailed beasts and pose powerful threats of their own.
7 RUINED: It Doesn't Make Sense For Implants Like Kakashi's To Work Given Its Nature
Fans are aware that kekkei genkai are bloodline traits that are typically passed down through clans. It involves DNA, but if this is the case, the "transplant'" method of obtaining these powers doesn't make any sense.
A few characters throughout the series, such as Kakashi, are seen able to use kekkei genkai by using the transplant method, which works with both external limbs and organs. However, given the nature of kekkei genkai's powers, it doesn't make sense for them to be able to be obtained in this way.
6 HELPED: It Allows For More Creative Use Of Jutsu By Combining Chakra Types Together
There are five basic nature transformations within the Naruto universe, with Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, and Water. Even with just these simple systems, shinobi are able to pull off all kinds of impressive jutsu, but thanks to kekkei genkai, the possibilities don't end there.
There are all kinds of different special transformations that kekkei genkai users are able to come up with. These include boil, explosion, ice, mud, and lava.
5 RUINED: Puppets Retain Their Kekkei Genkai Despite Having Their Internal Organs Removed
The human puppet technique created by Sasori allows him to use the abilities and kekkei genkai of a fallen shinobi by removing their internal organs to prevent decomposition. Since many kekkei genkai directly involve users' organs, and because some kekkei genkai become inaccessible after death, it doesn't make sense for them to be able to retain these abilities after they pass. This is slightly different when it comes to the Impure World Reincarnation technique, as one person is sacrificed in order to revive a fallen shinobi back to the state they were in while alive, with all of their old powers intact.
4 HELPED: Certain Kekkei Genkai Radically Modify The Body, Making For Some Of The Series' Most Memorable Fights
Kekkei genkai aren't solely limited to the eyes or the types of chakra its user can manipulate. It also can apply to wide-reaching areas of the user's body, resulting in freakily fascinating feats that make certain fights truly unforgettable.
Kimimaro, for instance, is a villain who's hard-ingrained within fans' minds despite him not being present in the story for all that long. He was able to grow new bones anywhere in his body that he would then use as weapons, making for a distinct and unforgettable fighting style.
3 RUINED: It Forced The Hyuga Family To Separate Into Main & Branch Families, A Cruelly Unfair System
One of the most painful and unnecessary repercussions of kekkei genkai in the Naruto universe is how it ended up splitting the Hyuga Clan into main and branch families. This was done in order to protect the Byakugan, and members of the branch family were expected to sacrifice themselves when necessary.
Not only was this an incredibly hurtful ideology to the branch members, but it also didn't even end up working out for them in the end. Despite all the safeguards they put up that crushed the mental well-being and even lives of many branch members, someone was still able to escape with the Byakugan regardless.
2 HELPED: Kekkei Genkai Users Are Realistically Feared, Rather Than Praised, For Their Powers
The powers that kekkei genkai users possess are immensely powerful, and these ninja are typically deployed as deadly weapons during times of war. However, not even the villages that deploy them care about their well-being, using them only for their powers instead.
The people of these villages hold an incredibly fearful mindset, shunning these users and oftentimes forcing them into hiding or making them conceal their powers altogether. And while this is an incredibly horrible thing for them to have to face, the fear of someone stronger is very realistically portrayed here.
1 RUINED: Although Some Combined Nature Transformations Are Incredibly Cool, They're Hardly Ever Seen
The idea of combining already-existing nature transformation types is incredibly cool, but sadly the execution doesn't quite line up. Many of them are anime-only or movie-exclusive and are only seen being wielded by a single person. This means that interesting concepts such as Crystal Release and Dark Release go underexplored, and it feels as if only a handful of more basic combinations are ever given time in the spotlight.