Naruto is by all accounts a legendary anime. Praised for its many strengths from its plot, to its characters, a beautiful soundtrack, and stunning visuals, the anime is widely regarded as one of the greatest of all-time. The series has also raised a whole generation of anime lovers. Masashi Kishimoto’s shonen masterpiece ran from 2002 to 2017, with a joint 720 episodes contained in Naruto, and its sequel series, Naruto: Shippuden, all adapted from the manga of the same name.
Throughout the anime, viewers are introduced to loads of very interesting abilities and techniques ranging from teleportation to human puppetry. However, some of the most fascinating are the eye techniques. Eye techniques (called dōjutsu) in Naruto are some of the most unique, and powerful abilities in shonen anime. Much like the Nara Clan’s shadow technique, dōjutsu are often restricted to members of specific clans, and can only be used by them. Two of the most popular eye techniques in Naruto are the Sharingan, and the Byakugan. Although the Byakugan is sometimes overshadowed by its more famous counterpart, the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan, it is an equally formidable eye technique. It Is the pride of the Hyuga clan, and a symbol of their strength and legacy.
Origin of the Byakugan
The Byakugan, literally meaning “White Eye,” is an eye technique possessed by the Hyuga clan of the Hidden Leaf Village. It originated from the Otsutsuki clan, an ancient clan of celestial beings who arrived on Earth a millennium ago. The Hyuga are direct descendants of Hamura Otsutsuki, a son of Kaguya Otsusuki, and one of the first two people to be born with chakra of their own. Hamura was also the inheritor of the Byakugan, and founder of the Hyuga clan. The Byakugan is a visual Kekkei Genkai, which is an ability associated with unique ocular powers often exhibited through the eyes, passed down through specific bloodlines within particular ninja clans. The Hyuga clan, being descendants of Hamura Otsutsuki, naturally inherited the ability. In the timeline of the Naruto anime, the Hyuga clan are more commonly associated with the technique.
Manifestation and Physical Features
The Byakugan is referred to in Naruto as one of the three great dōjutsu, alongside the Sharingan, and the Rinnegan. The eyes manifest in members of the Hyuga clan from their time of birth, unlike its counterparts. Possessors of the eyes are easily recognizable because of the color of their irises, which are perpetually white. Due to the color of their irises being the same as their pupils, they are no longer distinguishable, except when users activate their Byakugan, which causes the pupils to become more distinct. When activated, the increased blood flow to the user’s eyes causes a noticeable bulge in the veins near their temples.
Abilities
Like every other dōjutsu, the Byakugan grants its users exceptional visual abilities, ranging from X-Ray vision to chakra pathway perception. It provides its users a 360-degree field of vision, affording them extraordinary spatial awareness. By allowing them to perceive their surroundings in all directions, users can eradicate blind spots. This makes it extremely difficult for enemies to launch surprise attacks on them. Byakugan users can also see, and analyze the flow of chakra within a person’s body. Possessors of the Sharingan have access to this ability as well, but the ability provides its users a deeper level of sight, and offers greater chakra visibility than the Sharingan. This ability allows users to identify pressure points, observe the inner workings of jutsus, and detect disruptions in chakra flow.
The Hyuga Clan’s unique fighting style, called the Gentle Fist, utilizes their aforementioned ability to perceive chakra pathways. Since they can identify pressure points and see the flow of chakra in the human body, they are able to target vital points and intentionally disrupt chakra flow in an opponent. This makes them highly dangerous adversaries, even though their fighting style is deceptively gentle. Other abilities the Byakugan grants its users include: long-range vision, even in low-light conditions, and x-ray vision, which enables them to see through solid objects.
The Byakugan’s arsenal of useful, and powerful abilities, makes it one of the most coveted and sought-after dōjutsu in Naruto. As such, the Hyuga Clan has gone to great lengths to protect it, and keep it within the clan. The clan went as far as developing and applying cursed seals on most of its members, which, when activated upon their death, destroys their Byakugan. Some of the most powerful and proficient users of the Byakugan in Naruto are Hyuga Neji, Hyuga Hanabi, Hyuga Hanabi, and Kaguya Otsutsuki.
