Naruto: The real reason shadow clone jutsu is a forbidden ninja technique

Time of India

24-05-2025

If you're familiar with the world of anime, you know that Naruto is one of the most popular Japanese series of all time. It's the epic tale of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja with great aspirations and even greater superpowers.
He's best known for one of his coolest skills, the Shadow Clone Jutsu, a technique that allows him to make perfect duplicates of himself in combat.
Here's the catch—this famous move is completely banned in the ninja underworld. So why is Naruto blasting it everywhere? Why on earth is it banned for all but the most advanced ninjas?
So here's the really good news—here's why it's awesome.
What is the shadow clone jutsu in Naruto?
In the universe of Naruto, the Shadow Clone Jutsu is a badass technique that allows a player to produce corporeal doubles.
Each one of these clones is able to fight, strategize, and move independently as though they were the original ninja. Unlike the earlier basic clones (which are mere chakra illusions), shadow clones are physically tangible, and they even share the user's chakra— or life energy.
In either case, it's a game-changing offensive play on the field of war. With great power comes a greater cost.
Deadly chakra loss makes it too risky for most ninjas
The Shadow Clone Jutsu is forbidden due to the enormous chakra expenditure.
When a ninja creates a clone, their chakra is evenly divided between the original and the clone. Create additional replicas? Your chakra purviews divides once more, choosing two different harbingers of doom. Do this long enough, and you're eventually running on empty—or six feet under.
In the world of Naruto, chakra is a ninja's energy source. Losing it all means you not only pooch your experiment but you actually fall apart or perish in some irreversible way.
That's why even elite ninjas like Kakashi guide you to not use it too much.
Even the Third Hokage, arguably the strongest ninja in the history of the Hidden Leaf Village, could only summon two shadow clones during a fight. For most of us, that's just not enough time to ninja. Push past that, and you're playing roulette with your life.
Due to these hazards, the method is banned and cataloged in the Forbidden Jutsu Scroll stored by the Hokage.
It's taught only in the rarest of circumstances—or pilfered, as Naruto did in the very first episode.
Who invented the shadow clone jutsu?
The Hiraishin, as the technique is called, was developed by Tobirama Senju, the Hidden Leaf's Second Hokage. Tobirama hailing from the noble and mighty Senju Clan, he was reputedly a master of chakra control. Though he developed the technique it's most famous for today, the technique's dangers were evident from the beginning.
So dangerous was the potential of this jutsu that even Tobirama recognized this jutsu as being too dangerous for everyday use. So that's why he restricted it to just the most elite shinobi in the village.
Why Naruto can use the shadow clone jutsu without getting hurt
Where most ninjas shun the Shadow Clone Jutsu, Naruto Uzumaki wields it as if he's been doing it his whole life. He creates hundreds—or even thousands—of clones and does it all with no effort. Here's one way he gets away with it.
He's from the Uzumaki Clan
Naruto's clan is known for having massive chakra reserves and strong life energy. Similar to the Senju, Uzumakis are well known for being able to withstand even the most deadly jutsu that would otherwise kill most ninjas.
He's the
Nine-Tails Jinchuriki
Inside Naruto lives Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, a powerful beast made of chakra. This provides Naruto with near boundless chakra, permitting him to utilize advanced forms of the technique such as the
Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu
.
These two advantages combined, Naruto can afford to spam the Shadow Clone Jutsu in fight after fight without risking his life.
The multi shadow clone jutsu: Naruto's signature move
This more advanced version of the original jutsu allows Naruto to summon entire armies of clones. It's one of the most celebrated, most iconic powers in history of the entire Naruto saga and it helps him become the hero he's destined to be.
The Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu is almost twice as forbidden as the original.
The chakra drain is extreme, and no average ninja would ever be able to sustain it. Naruto's special skills allow him to 'transform' it into his most powerful combat ability.
A dangerous jutsu with legendary impact
The Shadow Clone Jutsu might be banned, but it's one of the key, most popular moves from Naruto history. Few ninjas are able to utilize it without severely damaging themselves. Naruto's unique chakra abilities allow him to make it his signature technique.
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