Highlights
- Explosive Clay: A versatile technique that relies on Deidara’s resourcefulness and creative eccentricities for powerful chakra creatures.
- Origins: Stolen from Hidden Stone Village, Deidara’s forbidden technique combines clay creatures with Explosion Release for devastating effects.
- Weaknesses: Reliant on clay supply and chakra levels, Deidara’s Explosive Clay can be deactivated by Lightning Style users, limiting its potential.
Out of the many jutsu that make up Naruto’s power system, Deidara’s Explosive Clay release stands out as one of the most novel techniques in the series. Capable of creating dynamic chakra creatures imbued with Explosion Release, this technique has incredibly versatile applications, and Deidara’s sole reliance on this technique further proves its resourcefulness.
As a forbidden technique stolen from the Hidden Stone Village, Explosive Clay naturally possesses unprecedented power, though Deidara’s own creative eccentricities are what allow the jutsu to truly leave a mark. From his lethal C4 technique to his ultimate art C0, Deidara’s explosive techniques are what cemented him as one of the Akatsuki’s strongest members.
The Origins of Explosive Clay
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First Mention |
Naruto Shippuden, Episode 3, “The Results of Training” |
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Debut Date |
February 22, 2007 |
While Explosive Clay is often referred to as a Kinjutsu from the Hidden Stone, the actual forbidden technique is the art of creating living creatures out of mere clay. Deidara simply stole this forbidden art and imbued it with his Explosion Release Kekkei Genkai, resulting in an entirely new technique that surpasses its predecessor.
Deidara held the eccentric belief that true art can only be witnessed for a mere second before it withers away, and he sought to apply the same principle to his fighting skills. Based on this belief, he stole the forbidden technique of the Stone, which granted him an extra mouth on his palm that can knead chakra and clay to form an explosive living creature.
Fine art is the beauty of that single fleeting moment of explosion.
The Workings of the Technique
Explosive Clay relies on the simple principle of embedding clay with Explosion Release chakra, which Deidara can perform effortlessly through his mouths. However, the size and intensity of the explosion depends on the amount of chakra he imbues into the clay. He can create explosives ranging from palm-sized creatures to beasts large enough to be used as transportation.
As the name suggests, the technique is entirely reliant on the use of clay as a base material, meaning the jutsu is affected by the material’s quality. The white clay from the Ceramic Village has proven to be of the highest quality, and Deidara solely uses this clay for his explosives. Apart from the clay, Deidara’s explosives are highly dependent on his chakra levels, as the potency of the explosion is tied to how much he can imbue into the clay.
The Various Types of Explosives
Deidara’s explosives are named after the Composition C explosives often used in demolition work, ranging from C1 to C4, with C0 being his ultimate technique. The clays become more potent, both in size and explosive effect, as the clays climb in rank.
The versatility of Explosive Clay becomes evident from the forms it takes on, as the technique can range from mere explosive insects to a giant bomb capable of taking an entire village. Each type serves a different function, from defense and diversion to direct offense.
C1
Often palm-sized, C1 explosives are Deidara’s least potent clays, used as either a diversion or a surprise attack against opponents. Since these explosives are meant to serve as sneak-attacks, C1 clay takes on the form of tiny insects and small animals such as spiders, beetles, and even grasshoppers.
C2
Deidara’s C2 clay takes the form of a flying dragon, which itself is capable of spitting out smaller clays that serve as mines. Each smaller clay can detect targets and produce a sizable explosion upon impact. However, Deidara often uses the C2 Dragon for traveling long distances.
C3
The C3 bomb is a humanoid figure that Deidara drops from above, which leaves a massive explosion once activated. The C3 is his most powerful bomb, with enough explosive matter to obliterate a small-scale village. The explosive is often used similar to a carpet bomb, as Deidara rains them down from a significant height on his opponents.
C4 Garuda
C4 is arguably the most gruesome explosive out of Deidara’s lineup, as this doll-like explosive spreads microscopic bombs into the air. Once inhaled by anyone, Deidara can activate the explosives, shredding his opponents inside out on a cellular level. Apart from the grisly nature of this technique, the wide-spread destruction makes this technique one of his strongest ones.
C0 — the Ultimate Art
Dubbed as the “Ultimate Art” by Deidara himself, C0 is essentially a self-destructive bomb that is designed to take out Deidara and anyone beside him in a ten-kilometer radius. To use the technique, Deidara feeds a large amount of clay to a face stitched on his heart.
Now, tremble with fear! Be in awe! Despair! Scream! My art is… an explosion!
This essentially imbues the clay with the entirety of his chakra present inside the heart, turning his entire body into one massive bomb. Releasing it obliterates everything in a ten-kilometer radius, killing Deidara as well. The C0 is Deidara’s last resort, which ends up killing him in his fight against Sasuke.
The Downsides of the Explosive Clay Technique
While Explosive Clay is a rather versatile technique, it’s bogged down by a number of drawbacks. Its primary weakness lies in its reliance on external material, as without an adequate supply of clay, Deidara cannot perform the technique. Moreover, the potency of the explosives is also dependent on his chakra levels, meaning depleted chakra will result in subpar explosives.
Deidara’s Explosive Clay is essentially a derivative of Explosion Release, a Kekkei Genkai that has Earth Release as a constituent. Since Lightning Release nullifies Earth Release, Explosive Clay can be deactivated through any Lightning Style technique. This renders Deidara’s only technique useless against Lightning Style users, severely limiting its potential.
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