Highlights

  • The Byakugan is a powerful Kekkei Genkai that grants exceptional vision and the ability to sense Chakra accurately.
  • The Sharingan is iconic in Naruto, with abilities like insight, hypnotism, and powerful jutsu exclusive to its users.
  • The Rinnegan, originating from Kaguya's Rinne Sharingan, grants godlike powers and access to the Six Paths abilities.

The concept of Kekkei Genkai is one of the cornerstones of combat in the world of Naruto. These can range from powerful offensive attacks to unique defensive techniques that are passed down to a specific family or bloodline so that only people belonging to these families can use them. While they're all powerful, some are far superior to the rest in terms of power and relevance to the world.

The Three Great Doujutsu are included within this latter category. These Kekkei Genkai have shaped the world of Naruto as it is known today and they are often regarded as having some of the most powerful abilities in the entire world. These eyes have also belonged to the most powerful beings in the entire series, so let's break each of them down and see just why they're so strong.

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The Byakugan - The All-Seeing Eye

Neji's Byakugan

First Appearance

Naruto, Episode 24, "Start Your Engines: The Chunin Exam Begins!

Debut Date

March 30, 2003

Notable Users

Hinata, Neji, Kaguya, Isshiki

The Byakugan is the Kekkei Genkai of the Otsutsuki Clan who settle on various planets across the cosmos. This ability was introduced within the world of Naruto by Kaguya, and over time, as the Otsutsuki Clan passed on their genes while on Earth, the Byakugan was passed on to the Hyuga Clan, who are their descendants. Unlike many other Doujutsu, such as the Sharingan, the Byakugan manifests at birth and isn't activated upon undergoing certain conditions.

No matter how good a ninja you are, no one can escape my Byakugan!

Traits of the Doujutsu:

Those who have the Byakugan have massive, white irises with very faint pupils. When activating the Kekkei Genkai's full abilities, their pupils become enlarged and the vascularity around their temples increases. The Byakugan allows the user to sense Chakra much more accurately than even the Sharingan and gives them the ability to see an almost 360-degree radius around themselves, and the vision can also let them see underground or through objects.

Moreover, the vision that this Kekkei Genkai grants the user is unparalleled, as they can see much further away from themselves. As an adult, Hinata can see things 20 kilometers away, whereas Kaguya's Byakugan gave her the ability to see the entire globe.

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The Sharingan - The Eye That Reflects The Heart

Naruto - Sasuke Uchiha's Sharingan

First Appearance

Naruto, Episode 5, "You Failed! Kakashi's Final Decision"

Debut Date

October 31, 2002

Notable Users

Sasuke, Madara, Itachi, Kakashi

This Doujutsu is the most iconic in the entire series and belongs to the Uchiha Clan. Though it was originally a part of Kaguya's Rinne Sharingan, it was later separated into its own Kekkei Genkai by Indra Otsutsuki, who is the ancestor of the Uchiha and the son of Hagoromo. This eye is activated within an Uchiha after they experience something that evokes a powerful, emotional response within them, making their brain emit a special type of Chakra that goes directly to their optical nerves.

My two Sharingan eyes can see through everything!

Traits of the Doujutsu:

The Sharingan is often activated when an Uchiha experiences a great loss, stemming either from sadness or hatred. The eye itself greatly enhances the timing and perception of the wielder, but in a way that is different from the other Doujutsu. The Sharingan has two latent abilities; The Eye of Insight and the Eye of Hypnotism, the former of which can let the user see their opponent's Chakra and greatly increase their perception. At higher levels, the Eye of Insight lets the user copy other's jutsu, as long as they're not Kekkei Genkai or Elemental Releases.

The Eye of Hypnotism allows the user to essentially manipulate and coerce others into doing something they do not know about, even gaining control of someone else's body. Moreover, the Sharingan lets the user use incredibly powerful abilities that are exclusive to those with this Kekkei Genkai, such as the Izanagi, Izanami, and Susanoo. An even more powerful version of this, named the Mangekyo Sharingan, can also be formed.

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The Rinnegan - The Eye Of The Six Paths

Nagato Activating His Rinnegan In His War-Torn Village In Naruto

First Appearance

Naruto, Episode 135, "The Promise That Could Not Be Kept"

Debut Date

May 18, 2005

Notable Users

Kaguya, Hagoromo, Madara, Nagato

Just like the Sharingan, this Kekkei Genkai was also originally part of Kaguya's Rinne Sharingan and was only separated by her son, Hagoromo, afterward. Using the incredible abilities of this eye, Hagoromo was able to defeat and seal the Ten Tails, since it is said that this Kekkei Genkai grants the user godlike powers, which they can use to become either a 'god of creation' or a 'god of destruction'. Being the 'Eye of the Six Paths', it gives the user access to the Six Paths, each of which comes with its own powerful abilities.

The Rinnegan cannot be awakened without possessing both Uchiha and Senju powers.

Traits of the Doujutsu:

The Six Paths give the user of the Rinnegan a whole host of abilities; control of the attractive and repulsive forces of gravity with the Deva Path, mechanically manipulating their own body with the Asura Path, extraction of souls with the Human Path, summoning various animals and creatures with the Animal Path, absorbing Chakra with the Preta Path, and gaining control over the King of Hell with the Naraka Path. Perhaps the most overpowered ability of the Rinnegan comes from a secret seventh path called the Outer Path, which allows them to resurrect the dead.

Through the mastery of these paths, it is said that the one who uses the Rinnegan possesses the powers of a god. Unlike other Kekkei Genkai, this is the only one that doesn't have any ties to a particular bloodline and can only be awakened by one who possesses the Chakra of Indra and Ashura Otsutsuki. By combining the two, the Chakra of the Sage of the Six Paths is manifested and the Rinnegan is awakened.

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Naruto_ Shippuden
Naruto: Shippuden
Action
Adventure
Release Date
February 15, 2007
Creator
Masashi Kishimoto
Number of Episodes
500