With the Naruto series featuring hundreds of abilities in its extensive line-up of jutsu, it's only natural for a few techniques to take the backseat, receding into the background after one or two instances. While this makes perfect sense for minor techniques and benign jutsu, it's certainly quite odd for a technique with inexplicable power to be sidelined after just one use, especially with the aura of novelty surrounding it.
With only one canonical instance of its usage, Kirin is arguably the most underused jutsu in the entire Naruto series. Being one of the strongest lightning style techniques, Kirin’s limited usage doesn’t sit right with most, especially considering it was one of Sasuke’s trump cards. Given the ability’s extensive setup, it's understandable that Kirin would receive less screen time, though a few instances served as perfect opportunities for this technique to be showcased. The author would surely have his own reasons for not including the technique in the series more often, yet it’s still worth exploring why it was relegated to a mere one-time technique.
Kirin – Tamed Lightning
Kirin was a technique created by Sasuke for the sole purpose of killing off Itachi Uchiha, a fact that speaks volumes of the inexplicable power this technique holds. With one strike, Kirin can annihilate anyone in its wake, no matter how strong the opponent may be. What makes this technique so distinct is the fact that the lightning isn’t conjured out of the user’s own chakra, rather its natural lightning that is tamed and directed towards a target.
However, the technique is held back by several prerequisites needed to achieve a conducive environment for conjuring the lightning beast. The primary requirement for using Kirin is finding a natural source of lightning – thunderclouds. In case the weather is clear, thunderclouds can artificially be formed through the use of fire style techniques, resulting in the formation of pyrocumulus clouds, similar to the ones that appear during volcanic eruptions.
Sasuke was able to perform Kirin in a similar manner, intricately setting up the weather with his fire style abilities and striking down Itachi once the conditions had been met. As soon as Kirin is used, the clouds disperse and the lightning fades, meaning Kirin can only be used once in battle.
The Setup Is Overly Complicated
Kirin may be the strongest lightning style technique out there, but the overcomplicated and long-winded setup negates its overpowered nature. The setup can be quite an ardent task in case the weather isn’t already conducive for thunderclouds to form naturally. In Sasuke’s fight with Itachi, he purposely used a number of fire style techniques in a bid to form thunderclouds. However, doing so took a considerably large amount of time, a setup that can play against the user.
It could be argued that Kirin could have been used in a few other instances as well, such as Sasuke’s fight with Danzo and Team 7. However, setting up the right conditions for the jutsu wouldn’t have been possible in that situation considering Sasuke was already out of chakra. Still, a technique such as Kirin being used only once canonically seems like a waste as it could have served as the perfect concluding note to many of Sasuke’s fights.
Sasuke Developed More Effective Techniques
Another reason for Kirin’s underwhelming usage may be linked to Sasuke’s already diverse arsenal. With the Mangekyo Sharingan, Sasuke had access to a range of overpowered techniques that were quick and effective. Compared to Kirin which takes an extensive setup, Sasuke’s other abilities seem like a far more effective option in battle. Moreover, Kishimoto gave Sasuke’s Mangekyo abilities the center stage during the latter part of the series, with Kirin almost being forgotten entirely.
For Kirin to be used effectively, Sasuke would have to set up thunderclouds through extensive use of fire style abilities. The concept seems doable in theory, though the chakra and effort needed to perfect the setup seems rather pointless when he could achieve the same with his other abilities. With the insane power creep that Sasuke went through during the war arc, it makes perfect sense for such a complicated ability to be given the backseat for more simple yet heavy-hitting techniques to shine.
Kirin’s Position as Sasuke’s Trump Card
Before Indra’s Arrow took up the position of being Sasuke’s trump card, Kirin was clearly his strongest technique, resulting in him using it only when it mattered the most. His battle with Itachi was everything he had worked for, and using Kirin simply for ridding Itachi worked towards a greater narrative.
With Kirin being tied to such a dramatic event, reusing it again would have resulted in the technique losing its novelty and iconic place as Sasuke’s magnus opus. Coupled with Kirin’s flashy art and epic appearance, reducing it to a one-time jutsu furthered the narrative of its absurdly powerful nature, presenting it as a technique that can only be used when all is lost – a notion that better serves Kirin’s position in the series.