Centered on warping the fabric of reality itself, space-time ninjutsu is a family of techniques that deal with the manipulation of the space-time continuum. For the most part, this includes teleportation techniques and certain forms of sealing jutsu, which allow users to transport objects or individuals — generally themselves — from one point to another instantaneously. These types of techniques are quite rare in the Naruto universe, and the shinobi who have mastered them throughout the ages have often gone on to become Kage or gain levels of power akin to the strongest shinobi that have ever lived. The entire gamut of these kinds of abilities allows users to deal with large numbers of adversaries, transport or evade attacks that would have been impossible to defend against, or alter the setting of a battle to better suit their own strengths.
Shinobi such as the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, Obito Uchiha, and Sasuke Uchiha, are all skilled users of space-time ninjutsu, with Minato and Obito making use of it as their primary strategy in combat. While all jutsu of this nature are inherently different and related to dimensions of their own, extremely proficient users such as Obito and Sasuke have been able to synchronize their own abilities with those of another, to develop countermeasures against an opponent's use of space-time ninjutsu, or escape from a dimension they were imprisoned within. Space-time ninjutsu as shown in Naruto has its roots in the powers wielded by the Otsutsuki clan, who were the progenitors of all chakra on earth.
What Is Space-Time Ninjutsu?
As demonstrated by Kaguya Otsutsuki during her battle against Team 7 at the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War, Yomotsu Hirasaka, a kekkei mora technique, is said to be the forbearer of all space-time ninjutsu. This ability allowed Kaguya to instantly transport herself between the six dimensions she controlled, opening up dimensional rifts in order to do so. These rifts allowed Kaguya to transport herself, her attacks, or even her opponents between dimensions, or from one point to another within the same dimension. In a similar vein, most other space-time ninjutsu depicted in the series function similarly, using dimensional voids to teleport targets from one location to another.
Each form of space-time ninjutsu including Kamui, the Flying Thunder God, Amenotejikara, the Summoning Jutsu, and Sasuke's Space-Time Dojutsu, is said to be associated with a unique dimensional void which facilitates the process of teleportation. In essence, many of these jutsu display different aspects of Yomotsu Hirasaka, but none of them are capable of encompassing all of the Otsutsuki's power. They also have different sources and applications, where some are unique kekkei genkei dojutsu, whereas others can be learned by virtually anyone.
Kamui allowed Obito and Kakashi to warp objects to Kamui's dimension with their Mangekyo Sharingan and also make the user's body intangible, the Flying Thunder God was used by both Minato and Tobirama to instantly teleport between enemies on a crowded battlefield, Amenotejikara allows a Sasuke to swap places with an object or enemy with his Rinnegan. Finally, Sasuke's Space-Time Dojutsu gives him the power to travel between locations or to any dimension of his choosing. Jutsu such as the Body Flicker Technique are often mistaken for space-time ninjutsu, even when they do not rely on actual teleportation but rather, high speed movement.
How Can Space-Time Ninjutsu Be Used?
In most cases, space-time ninjutsu is extremely effective in evading attacks, confronting large numbers of adversaries, or taking on extremely strong opponents with large chakra reserves. By using these techniques, a shinobi can render most long and short range attacks ineffective by teleporting away at the last moment. These types of jutsu are also among the few techniques that can bypass virtually any form of barrier ninjutsu, as seen when the Flying Thunder God was used to bypass the Six Red Yang Formation. In each case, the amount of chakra consumed by each jutsu varies depending on the source of its power and the size of the target that needs to be transported.
For instance, Minato's use of the Flying Thunder God seems to require minimal amounts of chakra as he is seen routinely teleporting between points on a whim, earning him the title of Konoha's Yellow Flash and the fastest shinobi of his time in Naruto. With this technique, which improved upon the ideas of its creator, Tobirama Senju, Minato could take down large numbers of opponents in rapid succession, rapidly zipping across battlefields, giving enemies no chance to react to his movements. This is not the case when he is forced to transport larger objects such as a Tailed Beast Ball, or even the entirety of the Allied Shinobi Forces — tasks that required tremendous amounts of chakra to complete. This technique could also be learned by virtually anyone as it had no specific bloodline requirements.
Other space-time ninjutsu such as Obito's Kamui, are intrinsically linked to his unique Mangekyo Sharingan dojutsu, and can only be performed by someone in possession of Obito's eyes. He is also only able to use it without any repercussions due to the Hashirama cells attached to his body, as Kakashi regularly struggled and suffered from a loss of vision after using Kamui extensively. In a similar vein, Sasuke's Amenotejikara and his own Space-Time Dojutsu are connected to the power of his Rinnegan, and both techniques consume a considerable amount of chakra depending on the size of the target or the number of targets being transported between points. Hence, while these techniques are extremely valuable to a shinobi's arsenal, their greatest value is seen in the hands of those who know how to exploit them to their fullest potential.