The world of Naruto is filled with a variety of fighting styles, from the Hyuga clan’s Eight-Trigrams to the way that Sakura punches people with her apparent super strength. It would be easy to say that every ninja in Naruto canon has a fighting style that is derived from Kung Fu or Karate, but that denies the rich histories and teachings that were learned in order to create these characters that use them.

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Masashi Kishimoto put a lot of time and energy into researching different martial arts and using them in his works. By looking at the martial arts in Naruto, it is notable that there are some famous styles missing or incredibly underdeveloped, some of which are discussed here.

10 10. Based On: Aikido

Kabuto using Aikido

The most obvious use of Aikido is performed by Kabuto in his many appearances throughout the series. Being a strategic medical ninja, he knows pressure points and weaknesses that allow him to not have to fight as hard as other ninjas around him.

Kabuto regularly uses chakra infused knifehand strikes to attack his enemies’ weak points. A knifehand technique is using the blunt of the hand with fingers outstretched, making the strikes resemble those of a sword or knife. As a medical ninja, Kabuto regularly incorporates scalpels, which fit with this movement very cleanly. He also implements a variety of pinning grabs, where he takes the wrist and twists it to control his opponents.

9 9. Should Be: Sumo

Choji Akimichi with butterfly wings in Naruto.

The sumo style is much more performative, but it is surprising it isn’t seen more in the world of Naruto. While characters like Choji and Jirobo had nods towards the style, there isn’t a single character that focuses on the style as their main martial art.

Choji is obviously the first choice for a sumo style fighter, and while sometimes it would feel grating, it would at least be something different. With his expansion jutsu, Choji already completes many throws, so it wouldn’t be too much of a change, but it would be better than just having the one trick of expanding.

8 8. Based On: Boxing

Sakura Haruno readying a punch

After the jutsu is gone and most of the shinobi are burnt out with little chakra, they typically resort to just punching the crap out of their opponent. While that doesn’t constitute boxing in its own right, it helps to understand how prevalent the action is in the universe.

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When Sakura uses her punches, her form is distinctly like the boxing you’d see in matches. Her leg movements mixed with the tucking of her gut and extension of her arm are the same. She uses many different fighting styles, but boxing is typically her go to, especially when she is even more powered up by her anger.

7 7. Should Be: Kickboxing

Might Guy and Kakashi potential Kickboxing users

In some ways, the elements of kickboxing are in many of the martial arts stylings in Naruto. Kickboxing is essentially boxing mixed with karate then refined into its own style. While many characters seem to use a fighting style similar to kickboxing, none are directly inspired.

There are plenty of candidates for users of kickboxing, such as the Guy and Lee family, but Kakashi could have benefitted from a few kickboxing lessons as well. In most of his combat throughout the series, Kakashi seldom throws a kick since he relies so heavily on his hands. It would have been interesting to see him use kickboxing stances, even if he copied them from other fighters.

6 6. Based On: Hapkido

Boruto Uzumaki's kick being blocked by Konohamaru Sarutobi

Similar to Aikido, Hapkido has a focus on locks, throwing, and grappling, but as Kickboxing is to Boxing, there is also a heavy focus on various kicks. The clearest user of Hapkido is actually Boruto, who regularly attempts to grapple enemies during battle and charges into most fights with a flying sidekick.

What is most interesting is that he is not the only one in the family that uses Hapkido. To a lesser extent, Minato used a lot of the same techniques, enhanced by his jutsu, to get around enemies. Since there is no connection between the two other than blood, Hapkido is kind of a family fighting style for them.

5 5. Should Be: Ground Fighting

Metal Lee on the ground with sanpaku eyes and a gaping mouth.

Ground fighting is exactly what it sounds like, fighting from the ground. While there are bits and pieces of the technique in most martial arts, the form itself can be an intense stance. The ultimate goal of ground fighting is to get the opponent to the ground and keep them close. By doing so, you can get solid strikes in, plus do other damage with bites or stabs.

Someone who could use this technique would be Metal Lee. Instead of being, essentially, a carbon copy of Rock Lee, he could use a technique that many would consider weak until they see it in action. It would give a larger difference between the father and son, as well as provide new opportunities for fights.

4 4. Based On: Drunken Fist

Rock Lee Using Drunken Fist

Speaking of Rock Lee, one of his most popular fighting styles is the Drunken Fist. This is first seen during his fight against Kimimaro when he takes “medicine” and gets incredibly more powerful. He only uses it a few more times throughout the series, but fans love to see the stumbling action.

While the style is named Drunken Fist, and Lee gets drunk, it isn’t actually about alcohol. Instead, it is the rapid movement and seemingly untactical stances. By implementing a strategy where the fighter looks uncoordinated, an opponent might assume they have the upper hand, only to be knocked down by the speed and tactics of the fighter.

3 3. Should Be: Krav Maga

Mitsuki Boruto Uzumaki Sarada Uchiha

Krav Maga is a combination martial art that focuses on realistic, yet tactical self-defense. Since it blends techniques from multiple martial arts, it is the perfect counter for the shinobi world. It borrows strikes, throws, and ground fighting techniques to make an all-around solid defensive and offensive fighter, however, the top belief for Krav Maga is that it is to be used for defense.

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Any ninja would benefit from Krav Maga, so it is hard to pinpoint exactly who should have the techniques, especially since many of the shinobi in the world have the discipline of one of its father arts.

2 2. Based On: Baguazhang

Neji Hyuga using Baguazhang against Akatsuki

The Hyuga family has two main quirks, the kekkei genkai eye technique Byakugan and the combat style of Gentle Fist. Gentle Fist is based mostly on Baguazhang, or Eight Trigram Palm, which is one of the three main martial arts of the Wudang school. The circle motions, much like those shown in Naruto are an important factor in the art.

Not only does Baguazhang make up the Hyuga line’s main fighting style, but Airbending in the Avatar series is also based on the style. The style uses mostly open palms and is mixed with Dim Mak, the use of pressure points on the body. The first helps the user generate speed using circular motions, while the other helps to take down opponents.

1 1. Should Be: Weapon Fighting

Iwabee Yuino in Boruto.

Shurikenjutsu is a major part of the Naruto series, but excluding throwable weapons like shuriken and kunai, not a lot of focus is given to combat weapons. Sasuke, Ten-Ten, Iwabee Yuino, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hidan, the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, and Kotetsu Hagane all have weapons that they use. Still, the focus is not on the weapon fighting, rather the jutsu that is surrounding the weapon.

Iwabee is the closest the series has come to having a main weapon fighter, but his abilities do not stay with the jo he wields. There are several times in the series that he loses it almost immediately. It would be interesting to have a character like Ten-Ten who doesn’t just throw all their weapons at the enemy, instead uses each one as its own form of combat.

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