One joy of watching Naruto is seeing the characters power up to levels of strength they had never reached before. The evolution that certain characters experience throughout the series shows how much they grow by the end. Although characters can attain more power through rigorous training, many can accelerate their growth by receiving power-ups.
Some power-ups require lots of training and hard work to gain, while others can be transmitted from another person. Many of these power-ups excite fans and stir controversy within the Naruto fandom. From which power-up offers the most power to considering a power-up's effect on the narrative, fans debate about power-ups from various angles.
10 Hashirama Cells Boost Characters' Strength To Astronomical Levels
Several characters infuse their bodies with Hashirama cells, dramatically improving their physical capabilities. Orochimaru tests the efficacy of these cells on his lab subjects and sees incredible results. For instance, because Orochimaru infuses Hashirama cells into Yamato and Danzo, Yamato acquires the ability to use Wood Release, while Danzo can use Kotoamatsukami on a more frequent basis.
Hashirama cells also enhance the characters' healing capabilities, as shown when Obito instantly heals from Kakashi's attacks during their fight. On top of all this, Hashirama cells enable characters to boost their physical strength to astronomical levels, making their punches and kicks hit harder than usual.
9 The Curse Mark Transforms Ninjas Into Monsters
Orochimaru invents the Curse Mark and bestows it upon his disciples to amplify their power. The Curse Mark allows characters to tap into Orochimaru's chakra to significantly improve their strength. When characters enter the first stage of the Curse Mark, a unique mark spreads across their skin, and they become stronger.
However, in the second stage, their power improves to a greater extent, and their bodies completely transform to the point where they do not look like themselves anymore. For example, Sasuke sprouts wings in the second stage, and his entire appearance changes.
8 Choji's Pills Turn The Tide Of The Fight Against Jirobo
Jirobo poses a serious threat to Choji because Jirobo has multiple Earth Release techniques up his sleeve and can tap into the power of the Curse Mark. Nevertheless, despite Jirobo's impressive repertoire, the spinach, curry, and chili pills amplify Choji's physical strength and chakra reserves to the point where Jirobo has no chance of winning.
The pills that Choji ingests enable him to punch Jirobo around as if Jirobo were a punching bag. However, the strength Choji gains from the pills come at a great cost, as swallowing the pills damages his body.
7 Characters Can Dramatically Enhance Their Techniques With Sage Mode
Only a few characters train themselves to enter Sage Mode, which improves everything from their physical strength to the power of their jutsu. Sage Mode allows users to utilize natural energy to boost their fighting abilities significantly. For example, Naruto enters Sage Mode to fight against Pain and consequently gains the ability to throw his Rasenshuriken and alter its size.
Sage Mode also enables characters to have more awareness of their surroundings with their heightened sensory capabilities. Madara's use of Sage Mode is a case in point since he continues to dominate against the Shinobi Alliance despite losing his eyes after Black Zetsu performs Rinne Rebirth.
6 Chakra Of The Tailed Beasts Provide A Wide Array Of Benefits
Naruto shows from the beginning of the series the extent to which the chakra of the Nine-Tails makes him stronger. The chakra of the Nine-Tails helps Naruto break out of Haku's ice mirrors, knock out Orochimaru's giant snakes, and overpower Neji during the Chunin Exams.
Later on, Naruto becomes increasingly stronger as he trains himself to learn how to utilize the Nine-Tails' power. Other characters who are not jinchuriki also reap the benefits of Tailed Beast chakra. For instance, Naruto shares the Nine-Tails' chakra with the Shinobi Alliance, thereby improving his comrades' fighting capabilities.
5 Sasuke & Kabuto Absorb Orochimaru's Power
Sasuke absorbs Orochimaru while Orochimaru attempts to take over his body. Consequently, Sasuke improves his durability, as he can heal faster and outlast his opponents. Sasuke also gains access to a few of Orochimaru's jutsu, such as the substitution technique.
On the other hand, Kabuto does not absorb Orochimaru the way Sasuke does, as he instead infuses Orochimaru's remains into his body. Kabuto adds extra modifications to his body and becomes so powerful that he boxes both Itachi and Sasuke into a corner during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
4 The Eighth Gate Nearly Kills Might Guy
Might Guy decides to open the eighth gate after learning that Taijutsu can work against Madara. Guy exerts himself to his absolute limit when opening the Gate of Death and consequently endures a great deal of pain while punching and kicking Madara.
The Gate of Death proves to be effective, as it gives Guy access to taijutsu techniques that put Madara on the brink of death. At the same time, Guy understands that he must accept death as an inevitable consequence of opening the last gate.
3 Characters Steal Each Other's Eyes To Become More Powerful
Characters who possess special ocular powers must be wary of other ninjas who might try to steal their eyeballs. Since characters can take their eyeballs out with little effort, they can easily grab each other's eyes out of their sockets.
Some characters who are hungry for power, such as Orochimaru and Danzo, chase down other ninjas with powerful eyes, like the Sharingan and Rinnegan. Orochimaru ultimately never succeeds in obtaining Sasuke's Sharingan, but Danzo collects multiple Sharingan and implants them into one of his arms.
2 Intense Emotions Give Members Of The Uchiha Clan A Massive Power-Up
When Uchiha Clan members experience intense emotions such as hatred, their physical abilities grow stronger. They have to endure emotional suffering to evolve their ocular powers, as most characters awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan by experiencing a traumatic event.
However, Uchiha Clan members can also become stronger through hatred without evolving their ocular powers. Sasuke feels animosity toward the Leaf Village when arriving at the Kage Summit, and although his ocular powers do not evolve, his chakra consequently becomes darker and more powerful.
1 Hagoromo Bestows His Powers Upon Naruto & Sasuke
Naruto and Sasuke receive major boosts in strength once Hagoromo bestows his powers upon them. They become so powerful that when they return to the battlefield, Naruto gives Madara a beating, and Sasuke also overwhelms Madara with his speed.
However, Naruto's power-up makes the narrative inconsistent, thereby causing controversy among fans. Although Naruto portrays himself as an underdog who can change his destiny by never giving up, Hagoromo shows that Naruto is destined to obtain tremendous power to save the world. In other words, Naruto claims that he is an underdog despite being the reincarnation of a prominent figure in shinobi history.