Naruto is an iconic show for its development of primary characters and its exploration of complex, sympathetic villains. Its model has been so successful that the series spans over three installments, yet nothing is more iconic than its jutsu. Naruto fans easily recognize the Rasengan as Naruto's signature attack, and can pinpoint Sasuke's Sharingan in the image of a pinwheel eye.
Yet some jutsu, despite being lesser known, are even stronger than these but were banished to the confines of forgotten fillers. Despite being avoided by most, filler episodes provided a wealth of information about the Naturo universe, from exploring a shinobi's true capabilities to showcasing a range of powerful and diverse jutsu.
10 Menma's Ocarina Enhanced Chakra Tenfold
As a former bandit of the Shiin clan, Menma raided a mining village and fell off a cliff while saving the life of a young girl. He arrived in Konohagakure shortly afterward, suffering from amnesia. Following his trip back to the village he had once attacked, Menma nobly sacrificed his life to help defeat the bandits once and for all.
Menma's ocarina was vital in preventing the bandits from raiding the village a second time. By activating his auditory jutsu, Offsetting Sound, Menma granted his allies increased strength and speed. His music could also release genjutsu and completely erase a target's memories.
9 Yakumo's Latent Genjutsu Abilities Rivaled Itachi Uchiha's
As heiress to the Kurama clan, Yakumo possessed a kekkei genkai of incredible genjutsu. She became Kurenai Yuhi's student to gain control over her powers, but they were later sealed under the Third Hokage's orders after Yakumo inadvertently killed her own parents. She later sought revenge against Kurenai, nearly destroying Konohagakure in the process.
Yakumo used paint and canvas to cast genjutsu over a wide range and could extend over the entirety of Konohagakure. As a result of her clan's heritage, Yakumo's illusions manifested as real. They could even physically kill her opponents despite being genjutsu, which are typically just sensory hallucinations.
8 Gensho's Puppet-Prison Technique Was Inescapable
Gensho was the son of a man who lost against Might Guy. To avenge his father's humiliation and death, Gensho lured Guy away from Konohagakure with the intent to kill him. He trapped Guy in a wooden castle and forced him to fight to the death against a disguised Rock Lee, but both managed to defeat Gensho's ninjutsu through intense hand-to-hand combat.
Gensho's technique utilized the simultaneous attacks of several hundred puppets that he could combine to form complex shapes and vast structures. Once imbued with chakra, these structures became so strong that Might Guy couldn't break them even after opening the Inner Gates. Gensho's Wooden Men Possession Manipulation could also force allies to fight one another to the death.
7 Renga's Ice Release Was Deadlier & More Versatile Than Haku's
Renga was the oldest brother and leader of the Janin, a trio of rogue ninja who killed the Land of Green's daimyo. He led the hunt for Lady Haruna, the Land's heiress, and killed her two attendants during an escort mission to deliver Haruna to safety. Renga used Ice Release similar to the Yuki Clan by condensing moisture in the air to form transparent ice sheets for combat.
Renga's Ice Release was both deadly and versatile. He could string ice discs together like mirrors over miles of distance as surveillance or use them as platforms to float on. Offensively, he could create transparent, razor-sharp discs. More impressively, he used ice to act as magnifiers for the sun, creating pillars of light capable of completely disintegrating his opponents.
6 Kikunojo's Mastery Of The Flower Ninja Art Was Unrivaled
Kikunojo was a proclaimed genius ninja from the Land of Greens and master of his clan's Flower Ninja Art techniques. He was selected alongside Yurinojo to escort Lady Haruna safely after the Janin performed a coup d'etat. He ultimately sacrificed himself to give Haruna and the others time to escape.
While facing Ruiga, Kikunojo unleashed several flower-based attacks. He caused a field of flowers to ignite in flames or fall from the sky and explode like cluster bombs. He also caused them to float and harden to steel, propelling themselves forward in a shower of flower shuriken. The flower's pollen could also cast an area-darkening genjutsu.
5 Amachi's Medical Knowledge Enabled Transformation
Amachi was a medical-nin and scientist under the employ of Orochimaru. He performed deadly experiments on subjects kidnapped from the Land of the Sea. His ultimate goal was to create an extremely powerful underwater ninja for Orochimaru and used himself as a test subject.
Due to his experimentation on Isiribi, Amachi was able to achieve his goal in its entirety: he became capable of transforming himself into a man-fish capable of breathing underwater. In this form, he was capable of using multiple water release techniques, including summoning the indestructible Umibozu.
4 Arashi's Spell Was Strikingly Similar To Particle Style
Arashi was a ninja from the Land of Rice Paddies who joined Orochimaru to restore the Fuma Clan. He unwittingly became a pawn in Orochimaru's experimentation and was forced to fight Naruto and Sasame when they invaded Orchimaru's lair. After killing his kinsmen and absorbing their power with the Casualty Puppet technique, Arashi lost his mind and subsequently died.
While under the influence of the Casualty Puppet, Arashi could perform the Curse Mandala, a jutsu incredibly similar to particle style. He could erect indestructible pyramid-shaped barriers to constrict and crush his opponents. After absorbing his kinsmen, Arashi also gained access to their techniques and chakra.
3 Ranmaru's Occular Jutsu Trumped Both The Byakugan And Sharigan
Ranmaru was an orphan of Kirigakure who grew up alone due to various health issues. He was taken under the care of Raiga Kuroski, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, and acted as his aid and advisor. He used his kekkei genkai to help Raiga take control of the Katabami Gold Mine before turning good as a result of Naruto's influence.
Ranmaru's jutsu allowed him to see and hear perfectly across vast distances and determine the location and status of anyone based on their chakra signatures. He could also replicate or hide another's chakra, read minds, or transfer some of his own life energy into another without dying. He also rendered all other dojutsu ineffective by manifesting red dust around his target.
2 Monju's Steel Thread Offered Offensive & Defensive Capabilities
Monju was a member of the Ninja Dropouts, a criminal organization that raided villages at random and left no survivors. He faced Naruto while trying to capture Gontetsu, a Ninja Dropout former member, and was defeated. Monju used a wire-based technique, utilizing metal threads for offensive and defensive purposes.
This included immobilizing his opponents in traps that tightened as the temperature rose and eventually cut his opponents into pieces. He could protect himself from attacks by creating a wire-mesh cage. Additionally, once Monju infused chakra in the wires, they became sharp enough to cut through anything, including the hull of a steel ship.
1 The Ninja Art Kujaku Was So Strong It Even Killed Its Users
Hoshigakure received its name after a star fell from the sky to strike the village. Its leader, the Hoshikage, learned how to use the star to forcibly enhance chakra and instituted the village's star training. It was later canceled due to the star's power being fatal the longer it was accessed. Naruto was tasked with protecting the star, and later destroying it after it was stolen by Lady Natsuhi.
Despite its deadly effects, the Ninja Art Kujaku was one of the strongest and most versatile jutsu seen in Naruto. It could produce chakra beasts that combined into a single, vicious entity. It shielded its user from projectiles and ninjutsu or else formed wings to enable flight. It could enhance its own chakra by consuming others, as well as resurrect a user's spirit following their death.