Naruto: The 2nd Mizukage’s Unique Fighting Style, Explained

Highlights

Gengetsu Hozuki has the most unique fighting style in Naruto, with the ability to defeat foes without moving and using a water gun as a dangerous weapon.
The giant clam summoned by Gengetsu has an impenetrable shell and releases smoke that creates a genjutsu mist, trapping enemies and allowing Gengetsu to attack unnoticed.
If the clam is destroyed, Gengetsu can create a deranged doppelganger called the Steam Imp, which explodes and creates hot steam to attack opponents.

The early parts of the 4th Great Ninja War are one of the best story arcs in Naruto. After all, the fans get to see so many characters who wield different kinds of strange jutsu, each entering the battlefield with such a unique style of fighting. There’s the 3rd Raikage and his unstoppable lightning spear, the 4th Hokage and his Flying Thunder God, the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist and their strange-looking swords, and many others.

However, the one who has the most unique fighting style has to be the 2nd Mizukage, Gengetsu Hozuki. He is the kind of fighter that can defeat a battalion of ninjas without moving an inch. He can shout the secret to his technique at the top of his lungs, and would still defeat anybody that dares to challenge him. From his water gun to his deranged doppelganger, here’s all you need to know about Gengetsu Hozuki’s unique fighting style.

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Clams and Water Gun

The moment he enters a fight, Gengetsu immediately summons his contract creature, a giant clam. This clam is about the size of a small house and it has an incredibly tough shell. This hard shell provides an excellent defense for Gengetsu. Because no matter what the enemy throws at it, be it bladed weapons or destructive ninjutsu, nothing can leave a scratch on that hard shell.

This shell is so hard it can even withstand a full-power punch from the 3rd Tsuchikage. His earth jutsu punch can easily destroy a massive boulder, but it can’t even crack the clam’s shell. He needs to enhance his earth jutsu punch to the point of breaking his own body in order to destroy the 2nd Mizukage’s clam.

Furthermore, since Gengetsu is a part of the Hozuki clan, just like Sasuke’s teammate Suigetsu, he has the ability to liquefy his body. This means he can also use the clan’s iconic water gun, which also means that he doesn’t need any kind of weapon at all. Because the fact that he can freely transform his body from solid to liquid is already a dangerous weapon in and of itself.

Smoke and Mirage

Gengetsu’s summoned creature may have an extremely durable shell, but what is terrifying about the 2nd Mizukage’s clam is not the size nor the hard shell. It is the smoke that the clam releases from its appendages. This smoke has two main functions, which are to provide a thick blanket of mist and a realistic mirage.

The clam releases so much smoke to the point that it can easily cover everything in its surroundings in a matter of seconds. In a way, this is similar to the mist used by Zabuza for his silent killing technique. This mist tremendously reduces the enemy’s visibility and it also hides Gengetsu’s presence at the same time.

However, this mist is more than a simple smoke that can limit your visibility. This mist can actually trap anybody unlucky enough to be in its vicinity into a powerful genjutsu. This genjutsu may not be as deadly as the Sharingan’s Tsukuyomi, but it is strong enough to affect the senses of those who are trapped in it.

Gengetsu uses this genjutsu mist to create a fake version of himself and the clam while simultaneously hiding the real ones. This means while the enemy is busy attacking the mirage, Gengetsu can take his sweet time taking them apart one by one with his water gun. This is by far the most effective, efficient, and low-energy fighting style in this series.

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Derange Doppelganger

If the enemy can somehow break through the wide-range genjutsu and even destroy the clam, which is precisely what happens in the 4th Great Ninja War, Gengetsu will create a deranged doppelganger of himself. The official name of this jutsu is the Infinite Explosion Jutsu, otherwise known as the Steam Imp.

Although Gengetsu has a body that can liquify just like the rest of the people from the Hozuki clan, his body is actually a lot more complex than a regular Hozuki. Gengetsu’s body is composed of a mixture of water and oil, which is why Gaara has a difficult time trying to seal Gengetsu with his sand.

Gengetsu’s Steam Imp is composed of the same mixture. Its outer appearance is made out of thin layers of oil, while the inside of the body consists of a hefty amount of water. In its small form, the Steam Imp will create a water blade along the length of its arm and slash any nearby opponents. Due to its small size, it can be very agile, making it hard for the enemy to attack it.

The longer the Steam Imp moves around, the hotter its layer of oil will be, which in turn will boil the water inside its body. The boiled water creates high-pressure steam, which enlarges the imp’s body. Once it gets big enough, the Steam Imp will explode and let out a burst of hot steam that can boil anybody around it.

As the explosion sends the hot air high toward the sky, it gets cooled down in the upper atmosphere. These rapid changes in temperature cause a temporary hail that in turn cools the Steam Imp down, allowing it to return to its small form. And thus the cycle of endless slashes and explosions has begun. Just like with the clam’s Mirage, the only way to beat the Steam Imp is to find Gengetsu and take him out, or at least force him to release the Jutsu.

Compared to the other powerful ninjas in Naruto,the 2nd Mizukage is arguably the most cunning fighter of them all. He has layers upon layers of tricks and traps that he can use either to instantly kill his opponent or slowly drag them into a long, painful, and frustrating death. That’s why he has undoubtedly one of the most unique fighting styles in the series.

Naruto is available to stream on Crunchyroll.