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In the world of Narutosome characters have unique abilities that are possible through the power of kekkei genkai, which is referred to as a bloodline limit in the English version of the show. Of course, not every kekkei genkai is as strong as the next, but those that have more uses and power tend to get the most attention. This is especially true for kekkei genkai that involve eyes, such as the Sharingan and Byakugan. However, even a strong kekkei genkai can be awful, depending on the way it works. There are times when the price of power doesn’t seem worth it.
Kekkei genkai are unique in that these abilities can’t be learned if you don’t inherit them through your family. As a result, they can often be confused with techniques that are associated with a specific clan, not because they’re a kekkei genkai, but because that clan only teaches those techniques to people within the clan.
1) Typhoon Release
While this kekkei genkai has only Nowaki as a known user and only Wind Release as a known component, you don’t get to see how it could vary among users, which tends to be the case for unique release types. In theory, this could’ve been a powerful and interesting kekkei genkai, but at the current moment, it seems more like a slightly improved Wind Release. In terms of abilities inherited through blood, it just comes off as lackluster.
2) Yanaru Aze’s Clone Communication
This kekkei genkai only appears in the Naruto Retsuden: Naruto Uzumaki and the Spiral Destiny novel, and it’s used by a single character: Yanaru Aze. Yanaru has the ability to communicate with shadow clones that have already been summoned, letting him give them new instructions at any time.
While he uses it to send coordinates for assassinations, it doesn’t seem necessary at all. Yanaru already disguises himself as somebody in his targets circle, so he doesn’t need the shadow clones at all. Sure, there are times where this could be useful, but it just doesn’t come off as having a purpose beyond giving Yanaru a kekkei genkai in general.
3) Swift Release
You won’t see this kekkei genkai in the show, but you might spot it being used in Naruto Shippuden the Movie: The Will of Fire or in Naruto Mobile. It’s pretty much what it sounds like, a release form that lets the user become super fast. However, there are multiple shinobi who are known for their speed without access to Swift Release, such as the fourth hokage and Shisui Uchiha. As a result, it doesn’t seem like it offers abilities that can’t be acquired through other means and techniques.
4) Scorch Release
This is a kekkei genkai that’s not bad because it’s weak—it’s actually powerful and useful—but because it’s possible to recreate Scorch Release without having the kekkei genkai. In the show, Pakura from Sunagakure is the only user of Scorch Release as a kekkei genkai. However, when Naruto and Sasuke combine their wind and fire techniques, the final combination is also referred to as Scorch Release. It might take two people of specific natures to recreate this kekkei genkai, but the fact that it’s possible to recreate makes it rather lackluster.
5) Iburi Clan Kekkei Genkai
The Iburi Clan has a kekkei genkai that lets their clan members turn into smoke. There are a bunch of uses to this ability, like being able to possess someone else’s body, dodging weapons, and oxidizing an opponent’s body from the inside. What makes it one of the worst kekkei genkai is that it’s not exactly a stable ability. To stabilize it even moderately required putting one of Orochimaru’s curse seals on the clan members. Otherwise, you have to deal with turning into smoke at random and dissipating instead of returning to human form.
6) Rinha Clan Kekkei Genkai
This kekkei genkai is only in Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Eraand it gives its users the ability to absorb chakra, then use it to duplicate somebody’s appearance and memories. The memory part is useful, but shinobi can copy people’s appearances normally without even needing to absorb their target’s chakra. So, it could be a great technique to have, but it feels too niche to get a lot of use out of unless you specifically focus on espionage roles.
7) Jugo Clan Kekkei Genkai
While there’s a lot of power to be gained from this kekkei genkai, it comes at a cost, which makes it one of the worst to end up having. Clan members are able to absorb and use natural energy without requiring the training that would normally be needed to do so, but it also means that they’re taking in a constant flow of energy. Unfortunately, this kekkei genkai comes with the side effect of many clan members suffering from mental instability and sudden, uncontrollable homicidal tendencies.
8) Shikotsumyaku
This is the kekkei genkai that Kimimaro has as the only survivor of the Kaguya Clan, in which some members can manifest Shikotsumyaku. As seen through Kimimaro, this is the ability to manipulate the user’s own bones, which sounds awful, and you would think that nobody would want to actually use this power.
Of course, Kimimaro shows off how Shikotsumyaku can be a useful and strong ability to have, but the cost of having your bones move around and grow more than they should makes the kekkei genkai sound like one of the worst to have simply because it would hurt and be incredibly uncomfortable.
9) Mud Release
Another nature release type of kekkei genkai that combines Earth Release with Water Release, Mud Release only appears in a novel, Akatsuki Hiden: Evil Flowers in Full Bloom. There’s one known user of Mud Release, and that was Ameyuki, who filled a valley with a bunch of mud before dying, which would later become clay that’s great for making ceramics.
So, in theory, this kekkei genkai has a lot of potential to be powerful. However, its rarity means that you’d have a tough time finding information about it or its techniques if you happened to inherit the power. Additionally, you’d have to deal with the stigma of being dirty, since using Mud Release, as you might expect, leaves you a bit muddy.
10) Jogan
The Pure Eye that Boruto can use, which originates from the Otsutsuki Clan, brings quite a few abilities with it, even if some of them sound rather similar to the Byakugan. Unlike the Byakugan, it gives Boruto the ability to see between dimensions, basically bypassing the barriers that generally prevent such sights. However, if the clan in which the kekkei genkai originates considers it to be a troublesome ability, then it’s probably not a great experience to have the Jogan.
In the Naruto universe, a kekkei genkai can give a shinobi an advantage, but there are quite a few of these inherited abilities that come with some drawbacks, from blindness due to Sharingan use to bouts of homicidal tendencies. As a result, there are kekkei genkai that would be amazing to have, and then other kekkei genkai would be awful to end up with, even if they’re strong.
