Shikamaru Nara is the leader of his clan and one of Konoha's 11 in Naruto. With an IQ of over 200, Shikamaru is widely regarded as Konohagakure's most intelligent ninja. He makes up one-third of the Ino-Shika-Cho combination within Team Asuma.

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Shikamaru's intelligence isn't the only thing enemy shinobi should fear. He's also got a deadly arsenal of shadow-based jutsu that's been passed down for generations within the Nara clan. Never one to solely follow tradition, Shikamaru not only mastered these techniques but also invented some of his own.

10 Shimaru's Earth Style Barrier Helped Redirect The Ten-Tail's Beast Bomb

Shikamaru Nara Uses The Earth Release- Earth Style Barrier Against Ten-Tails, Naruto Shippuden

The Earth Style Barrier is an Iwagakure specialty that creates an earth wall to defend its user. This technique produces a relatively weak barrier but can be used by multiple shinobi simultaneously to increase its strength. The Earth Style Barrier is also simple to learn as non-Earth Release users can still perform the technique.

Shikamaru utilized Iwagakure's Earth Style Barrier Jutsu during the Fourth Ninja War. He ordered hundreds of shinobi to use the technique simultaneously, creating a blockade to successfully redirect a Ten-Tailed Beast Bomb. Shikamaru and the rest of the Shinobi Alliance owe their lives to this rudimentary Earth Jutsu.

9 The Shadow Clone Jutsu Is Konohagakure's Signature Technique

Hiruzen Uses Shadow Clone Jutsu, Naruto

The Shadow Clone Jutsu allows its user to divide their chakra evenly into an identical clone copy. These corporeal manifestations can assist their original by performing jutsu, providing a distraction, or adding to their allies' numbers. Konoha's Second Hokage invented the Shadow Clone Jutsu during his lifetime.

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Like other Konohagakure ninja, Shikamaru learned his village's signature Shadow Clone Jutsu. Though he rarely required clones to execute his attacks, Shikamaru sometimes used them as a substitute when facing multiple enemies. Initially, he lacked the chakra necessary to perform the technique but can still use it in a pinch.

8 The Shadow Possession Jutsu Is A Nara Clan Specialty

Shikamaru Nara Uses The Shadow Possession Jutsu, Naruto Shippuden

The Shadow Possession allows members of the Nara clan to merge their shadow with their target. Once connected, the Nara's shadow immobilizes the target and forces them to imitate the user's movement. The versatility of this technique lends itself well to both offensive and defensive strategies.

Shikamaru used the Shadow Possession Jutsu as the base for his entire arsenal. He used the technique to render Kin Tsuchi unconscious during the Chunin Exams by forcing her to smash her head into the wall. Similarly, he often used the Shadow Possession Jutsu to protect Ino, moving her body after she'd fallen unconcious due to the negative effects of the Yamanaka's Mind Transfer Jutsu.

7 The Shadow Pull Jutsu Can Manipulate Objects Using Shadow Tendrils

Shikamaru Nara Uses The Shadow Pull Jutsu, Naruto Shippuden

The Shadow Pull Jutsu reduces the size of a user's shadow to a thin line. Capable of producing multiple shadow-tendrils, this technique allows users to manipulate objects by grabbing them. It's often used to simultaneously animate and throw weapons like shuriken and explosive-tagged kunai. It's also extremely precise and can be used to thread tiny holes.

Shikamaru was capable of using the Shadow Pull Jutsu with precise control and pinpoint accuracy. His ability to lift and throw objects using this technique was often incorporated into surprise attacks, or else used to set up coordinated ninjutsu with Asuma Sarutobi or the other members of Team 10.

6 Shikamaru's Shadow Grab Jutsu Acts Like A Steel String Linking Him To Opponents

Shikamaru Nara And Ino Yamanaka Use The Shadow Grab Jutsu, Naruto Shippuden

The Shadow Grab Jutsu is similar to its parent technique, Shadow Pull, as it allows users to manipulate objects or opponents using their shadow. However, the Shadow Grab enlists a user's chakra to strengthen their shadow to a steel-like density. This can be used against opponents as a weapon or else attached to rapidly-moving allies like a wire in order to guide their trajectory. The Shadow Grab Jutsu is different from the Shadow Possession Jutsu as it doesn't force the target to copy the user's movements.

Shikamaru's Shadow Grab Jutsu allowed him to create a variety of coordinated ninjutsu with Choji Akimichi, his best friend and fellow teammate. As Choji's Human Boulder Technique prevented him from turning, Shikamaru supplemented Choji's reduced mobility using the Shadow Grab Jutsu to change his course as enemies evaded him.

5 The Ninja Art: Shadow Stitching Jutsu Attacks Enemies While Binding Them In Place

Hidan Caught In Shikamaru Nara's Shadow Stitching Jutsu

Unlike most of the Nara clan's techniques, the Ninja Art: Shadow Stitching Jutsu focuses primarily on damaging opponents rather than immobilizing them. By creating multiple shadow-tendrils, unwary opponents caught by the jutsu are bound immediately in place. The needle-sharp tendrils then sew themselves deep into their target's bodies, causing piercing damage while leaving them vulnerable to follow-up attacks.

Shikamaru learned and mastered the Nara's secret Ninja Art: Shadow Stitching as a Chunin. He first used this technique against Hidan while protecting Asuma Sarutobi from the Akatsuki's attack. Following Asuma's death, Shikamaru used Shadow Stitching on Hidan again; this time, he sewed several wires of explosive kunai into Hidan's skin before setting them off. Shikamaru defeated the Akatsuki's one immortal member using this jutsu.

4 The Nara's Ninja Art: Shadow Strangle Jutsu Does Exactly What Its Name Implies

Shikamaru Nara Uses Shadow Strangle Jutsu On Tayuya, Naruto

The Ninja Art: Shadow Strangle Jutsu transforms its user's shadow into an arm that wraps around their opponent, binding them in place. As the shadow's hand gets closer to the target's neck, its constricting force increases to strangle its victim. The Shadow Strangle requires a lot of chakra, so it's best used to dispatch enemies quickly.

Shikamaru learned the Nara's Ninja Art: Shadow Strangle Jutsu while he was a genin. He used it against Tayuya of the Sound Four during Konoha's Sasuke Retrieval Mission. Although it failed to kill her, Shikamaru used it to successfully break Tayuya's genjutsu by forcing the Shadow Strangle to break his own finger. As an adult, he later used this jutsu to force the Otsutsuki clan members to fight among themselves.

3 The Shadow Imitation Shuriken Technique Removes The Necessity For Close-Quarters

Hidan Caught In Shikamaru Nara's Shadow Possession Shuriken Jutsu, Naruto Shippuden

Shikamaru Nara invented the Shadow Imitation Shuriken Technique while training with Asuma Sarutobi's chakra blades. By imbuing them with his own chakra, Shikamaru can bind enemy shadows after hitting them with the thrown blade. This greatly improves Shadow Possession technique as it doesn't require the user to be within a specific distance to bind their targets.

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Just as Shikamaru invented it using Asuma's chakra blades, Shikamaru's ultimate goal for the Shadow Imitation Shuriken Technique was to avenge his murdered teacher. He used to bind Hidan and Kakuzu during their battle; while Kakuzu was immobile, Shikamaru led Hidan away from battle and successfully defeated him within the Nara Clan Forest.

2 Shikamaru Leads Ino-Shika-Cho's Sixteenth Generation

Ino-Shika-Cho Combination Faces Asuma Sarutobi, Naruto Shippuden

The Ino-Chika-Cho Combination is a unique coordination ninjutsu derived from three of Konohagakure's clans: the Nara, Yamanaka, and Akimichi. By utilizing each clan's specialty techniques, a series of deadly formations can be performed against multiple enemies at once. To date, the Ino-Shika-Cho Combination has five total formations that utilize several of its individual member's jutsu.

Shikamaru is currently the 16th head of the Ino-Shika-Cho Combination following the death of his father, Shikaku. He used the technique alongside Choji and Ino to progress to the Chunin Exams final phase, successfully captured Konoha's Legendary Stupid Brothers following their jailbreak, and helped defeat the army of White Zetsu using "Formation E" which he invented to capitalize on his teammates' strongest jutsu.

1 The Human Boulder Yo-Yo Is Ino-Shika-Cho's Ultimate Coordinated Technique

Shikamaru's Human Boulder Yo-Yo Jutsu in Naruto Shippuden.

The Human Boulder Yo-Yo was invented by Shikamaru Nara and labeled "Formation E" in the Ino-Shika-Cho Combination. It utilizes Shikamaru's Shadow Possession to control the trajectory of Choji Akimichi's Super Human Boulder Technique; meanwhile, Ino Yamanaka's Sensory Location Jutsu locks onto the chakra signatures of every enemy within the attack's range. Shikamaru then uses Choji's Human Boulder to wipe out enemies with pinpoint accuracy.

The Human Boulder Yo-Yo Jutsu represents the pinnacle of Konohagakure's coordination ninjutsu. It utilizes the unique specialties of three of Konoha's oldest clans to overrun large quantities of enemies using a single jutsu. Knowing that Team 10 would be at a numbers disadvantage during the Fourth Ninja War, Shikamaru single-handedly invented Ino-Shika-Cho's deadliest technique that proved capable of wiping out entire acres of enemies in a matter of minutes.

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