Tobirama’s Secret Techniques to Counter the Uchiha

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Summary

  • Tobirama devised techniques like Flying Raijin & Water Release Jutsu to counter Uchiha strengths.
  • His skepticism towards Uchiha influenced key events, including their rift with the Senju.
  • The Shadow Clone Jutsu was invented by Tobirama specifically to counter the Uchiha’s Sharingan.

Known for his brilliant mind and knack for creating potent jutsus and techniques, Tobirama Senju – the second Hokage – is often lauded. Yet, Tobirama’s character has a less praiseworthy side: his distrust of the Uchiha clan. Although the Uchiha were accepted into the Hidden Leaf Village, Tobirama continued to harbor suspicions about their real motives. This skepticism eventually created a divide between the two clans that played a significant role in various pivotal moments throughout the Naruto series.

Instead of just showing mistrust through his speech and behavior, Tobirama Senju also carefully crafted his abilities and jutsus to challenge the Uchiha Clan in various ways. Whether it’s his Flying Raijin Jutsu or his expertise with Water Release, Tobirama specifically tailored his techniques to match up against the Uchiha’s seemingly divine powers.

Tobirama’s Skepticism Towards the Uchiha

The Uchiha Clan Never Fully Gained Tobirama’s Trust

In the Naruto series, Tobirama wasn’t the only character harboring doubts about the Uchiha clan, but his opposition towards them was particularly evident. His antipathy towards the Uchiha wasn’t solely based on irrationality; it was born from his experiences during the Warring States Period where he frequently clashed with the Uchiha Clan. The Senju and Uchiha clans were in a long-standing feud, and Tobirama’s youth was marked by battles against the Uchiha, resulting in the loss of his brothers and fellow clan members.

Though Hashirama welcomed the Uchiha warmly and without reservation, Tobirama harbored doubts about the Uchiha’s loyalty within Konoha. This suspicion toward Madara Uchiha led to a rift between him and the village’s co-founder, causing Hashirama to eventually leave the Hidden Leaf Village. The consequences of this departure played out in subsequent events, culminating in the great battle between Hashirama and Madara at the Valley of the End. Although Hashirama supposedly defeated Madara, Tobirama remained vigilant, closely monitoring the Uchiha, a reflection of his lingering distrust for the clan. As Hokage of Konoha, Tobirama continued to maintain a watchful eye over the Uchiha, hinting at his ongoing apprehension towards the clan.

It’s important to mention that while Tobirama may not have had the same physical strength as his brother Hashirama, he was endowed with a remarkable intellect instead. His inventive mind allowed him to compensate for his lack of raw power by creating strategic weapons specifically tailored against the Uchiha clan. This is a testament to his extraordinary intelligence.

The Flying Raijin Jutsu Counters The Sharingan

Tobirama Invented the Flying Thunder God Technique to Evade the Sharingan

First Appearance Naruto Shippuden, Episode 119 “Kakashi Chronicles ~ Boys’ Life on the Battlefield ~ Part 1”
Debut Date July 30, 2009

Without a doubt, the Uchiha Clan’s primary danger lies in their unique ability, the Sharingan, also known as the Copy Wheel Eye. This extraordinary eye can almost instantly detect an enemy’s movements, granting the user the power to follow each of their opponent’s moves precisely. Consequently, traditional hand-to-hand combat and physical attacks become ineffective against Uchiha members, compelling Tobirama to create a technique that circumvents this advantage they possess.

Due to this situation, Tobirama developed the Flying Raijin Technique, also known as the Flying Thunder God Jutsu. This space-time ninja technique enables the user to swiftly transport to a designated seal, regardless of its distance. This technique effectively thwarts the Sharingan’s ability to track movements since space-time jutsu occur instantly, leaving no opportunity for the Sharingan to discern an opponent’s actions.

During Tobirama’s fight with Izuna Uchiha, Madara Uchiha’s brother, we witnessed a flashback of this encounter. In this battle, Tobirama utilized the Flying Thunder God Slash, an instantaneous attack that caught Izuna off guard and left him unaware of what had transpired. This technique was remarkably swift and precise. It’s important to mention that during the fight, Izuna had activated his Mangekyou Sharingan, one of the most potent dojutsu in the entire Naruto series. However, despite this powerful ability, Izuna met his end at the hands of Tobirama’s Flying Raijin technique. This battle provided a clear demonstration of how Tobirama had strategically designed a technique capable of outmaneuvering the Sharingan’s key advantage in combat.

Tobirama’s Mastery Over Water Release Counters the Uchiha’s Fire Style

The Uchiha Are Famed For Their Exceptional Fire Style

Though the Uchiha clan is famed for employing the Sharingan during fights, they were particularly skillful in mastering Fire Style techniques as well. Unlike many residents of the Hidden Leaf village, the Uchiha excelled at exploiting Fire Style abilities tactically, as shown by their proficiency in jutsus like the Fireball Jutsu and Madara’s Great Fire Annihilation technique.

To match the extraordinary proficiency of the Uchiha’s Fire Style, Tobirama specialized in Water Style moves, an elemental release that opposes Fire Release. Although he had command over all five Elemental Releases, Tobirama was exceptionally skilled in utilizing Water Style techniques, earning him a reputation as one of the top water style masters in the Shinobi world. Tobirama developed new Water Style techniques and improved upon existing ones. A notable example is the Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet jutsu, a technique that requires the execution of forty-four hand signs, making it the most complex move in the entire Naruto series.

It’s astonishing to think about applying the Water Style, a martial art technique, in a location devoid of water. Incredible!

In contrast, Tobirama mastered the skill of using this ability to such an extent that he could perform it with just one hand gesture. To date, no other shinobi has been able to match this feat. Interestingly, Tobirama was initially known as the sole shinobi who could conjure water from nothingness. Unlike Fire Style techniques which generate fire through the user’s chakra, Water Style typically necessitates relying on a nearby water source for the technique. However, Tobirama has the unique ability to create water out of thin air using his own chakra, a talent that left many amazed during his fight against Hiruzen in the Konoha Crush Arc.

The Shadow Clone Jutsu Overwhelms the Sharingan

Tobirama Devised the Shadow Clone Jutsu to Render the Sharingan Useless

First Appearance Naruto, Episode 1 “Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!”
Debut Date October 03, 2002

In the popular anime series “Naruto,” the Shadow Clone Technique stands out as a highly recognized ability. This technique has been frequently displayed by the main character, Naruto Uzumaki. Although it is strongly associated with Naruto, it was originally devised by Tobirama Senju. It’s important to note that the creation of this technique was primarily in response to the Uchiha Clan’s Sharingan ability.

As per the Naruto Databooks, neither the Sharingan nor the Byakugan can penetrate the illusion of Shadow Clones. This makes it extremely difficult to identify which clone is the genuine ninja. The Sharingan’s strengths lie in trapping opponents with a Genjutsu or by analyzing enemy movements. However, the Shadow Clone Jutsu nullifies these benefits as it overpowers the Sharingan’s capabilities by presenting multiple copies of the original.

If a user can’t discern the genuine Shinobi amidst a multitude of Shadow Clones, it becomes extremely difficult to ensnare them in a Genjutsu using the Sharingan. Essentially, the Shadow Clone Technique serves as an effective defense against the Uchiha Clan’s Sharingan, demonstrating not just Tobirama’s intellectual prowess but also his unwavering determination to mitigate the Uchiha Clan’s threat.

Naruto is available to stream on Prime Video.

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2025-02-26 19:24