Highlights
- Dojutsu is a prized power in Naruto, often stolen for nefarious reasons by power-hungry characters.
- The concept of borrowed power is rampant, with characters like Danzo and Ao taking eyes for themselves.
- The absurdity of eye transplants is shown through instances like Madara stealing Kakashi’s Sharingan.
Be it the Rinnegan or the Mangekyo Sharingan, the Naruto series has cemented dojutsu as the pinnacle of all power. Naturally, any power-hungry antagonist would lunge at the opportunity to have such a power at their disposal, and the series is dotted with such incidents. Every major dojutsu has, at one point, been stolen by another character for one heinous reason or another.
The transplant of eyes has almost become a running gag, with characters nonchalantly plucking eyes and claiming the power as their own. The concept of borrowed power is quite vehemently used within Naruto, yet these instances crank up the absurdity, revealing how uncomplicated stealing a revered power can be in the series’ framework.
Shisui Uchiha’s Sharingan
Stolen by Danzo to Gain Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami
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Episode |
Naruto Shippuden, Episode 358, “Coup d’État” |
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Air Date |
April 10, 2014 |
Danzo has been one of Naruto’s most power-hungry characters, with his eyes set on every single powerful technique to amass power. As the strongest dojutsu in the Leaf, the Sharingan was naturally Danzo’s target, which he successfully achieved after stealing heaps of Sharingan from the Uchiha massacre.
Your Sharingan shall be in my safekeeping!
However, his prized possession is Shisui’s Mangekyo Sharingan, which he was able to pluck out in a confrontation sometime before the massacre. Danzo’s goal was gaining Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami, an extremely powerful genjutsu that can subtly mind-control opponents. Viewers were able to witness this jutsu in action during the Five Kage Summit when Danzo was mind-controlling Mifune, revealing exactly why Danzo was after this unrivaled power.
Unnamed Hyuga Member’s Byakugan
Claimed by Ao After Defeating a Hyuga Clan Member
The Byakugan has strictly remained within the Hyuga lineage, as the clan’s cursed seal is set in place to seal away the Byakugan once a member dies. However, Ao of the Hidden Mist was able to claim a Byakugan for himself after defeating a member of the Hyuga Clan during the Third Great Ninja War, earning the title of the “Byakugan Killer.” An attempt was made by Danzo’s bodyguards to reclaim the Byakugan, though Ao’s talisman earrings protected his eye by forming a sealing cover over it.
It was never explained exactly how he was able to claim the dojutsu, since the Hyuga’s cursed seal would simply render the eye unusable. It is often speculated that the member could potentially belong to the main family, though it would be unlikely since members of the main house weren’t allowed to leave the village unprotected.
Kakashi’s Sharingan
Stolen by Madara to Access the Kamui Dimension
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Episode |
Naruto Shippuden, Episode 424, “To Rise Up” |
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Air Date |
August 13, 2015 |
While Kakashi’s Sharingan was never of any interest to Madara, he was forced to steal it to access the Kamui dimension. Since Obito was in the Kamui dimension with the Rinnegan, Madara had to improvise to get his Rinnegan back from him, before he could potentially harm the eye.
The scene of Madara flying past Kakashi and plucking his eye in an instant is rather absurd, as it shows how fickle the concept of dojutsu is within Nauto’s narrative. The decision to take away Kakashi’s Sharingan also came as a surprise to many, as the dojutsu had become an iconic part of his characterization. The dojutsu could have made its way back to Kakashi after Madara had no need for it, though the series decided to permanently keep this change.
Obito’s Rinnegan
Stolen by Madara to Activate the Infinite Tsukuyomi
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Episode |
Naruto Shippuden, Episode 425, “The Infinite Dream” |
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Air Date |
August 20, 2015 |
While Obito’s Rinnegan was never truly his to begin with, he claimed it after defeating Konan and extracting the eye from Nagato’s corpse. However, Obito eventually had no intentions of returning the Rinnegan to Madara after he had betrayed him. Instead, he begged Sakura to destroy the eye before Madara could steal it back.
They were too late, however, as Madara had taken Kakashi’s Mangekyo to access the Kamui dimension. Since Obito was already incapacitated by Zetsu, Madara simply snatched the Rinnegan right off his face and attached it to his own eye socket. Though the dojutsu was Madara’s own, its ownership had been transferred quite a few times before it was taken back by its original owner.
For my plan to work completely, I just need one more thing. I’ll be taking back that left eye.
Hanabi Hyuga’s Byakugan
Stolen by Toneri to Awaken His Tenseigan
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Movie |
The Last: Naruto the Movie |
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Air Date |
December 6, 2014 |
The Tenseigan is a dojutsu that is limited to The Last: Naruto the Movie, and awakening it requires a Byakugan to be transplanted to an Otsutsuki Clan member. The process is a painful one, even taking several days for the evolution to be completed. Toneri, the last of the original Otsutsuki on Earth, seeked the power of the Tenseigan, leading to him extracting Hanabi Hyuga’s Byakugan.
The power of the Tenseigan is rather fickle, as being defeated results in the dojutsu reverting to the Byakugan. This was witnessed after Toneri’s defeat led to the Byakugan being taken from him, returning it to its rightful owner. The Tenseigan’s transformation reverting after a defeat is a rather odd concept, though it was probably set in place for Hanabi to gain her Byakugan again.
Naruto is available to stream on Prime Video.
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