The Sharingan is one of the most iconic and powerful abilities in Naruto. It belongs to the Uchiha clan, a family known for their exceptional talent and often tragic history. But what exactly is the Sharingan, and why does it play such a massive role in the series? Let’s break it down, starting from its basics and then diving into the more complex aspects.
The Sharingan is a dōjutsu, or “eye technique,” that grants the user extraordinary abilities. It is usually triggered by strong emotions, especially grief or trauma.
Sharingan Users
The Sharingan has been passed down through generations of the Uchiha clan, but not all of its members have made a name for themselves. Some, however, have mastered this powerful dōjutsu to a remarkable degree, each adding their own touch to its legacy. Let’s take a look at all the key Sharingan users we know about in the Naruto series.
Sasuke Uchiha
Let’s start with the most famous of them all: Sasuke Uchiha. As one of the last surviving members of his clan, Sasuke took the Sharingan to heights few others could reach. He awakened his Sharingan during a life-threatening moment in his early years and eventually gained the Mangekyō Sharingan after witnessing the death of his brother, Itachi.
Thanks to Itachi’s eyes, Sasuke unlocked the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. This gives him mastery over Amaterasu and Susanoo without going blind. He can also use powerful Genjutsu to control minds. One of his key moves is Kagutsuchi, where he shapes and controls black flames at will.
Itachi Uchiha
Itachi Uchiha was a prodigy, awakening his Sharingan at an early age. He quickly became one of the most skilled users of the eye, mastering genjutsu to a frightening level. Itachi’s Mangekyō Sharingan abilities included the powerful Tsukuyomi and the black flames of Amaterasu. He was also known for his use of the Susanoo, which wielded the Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror, making him a nearly invincible force in battle.
Madara Uchiha
Madara Uchiha is one of the most legendary Sharingan users in history. As one of the founding members of Konohagakure, he played a massive role in shaping the shinobi world. Madara was not only one of the first to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan but also the first to achieve the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan after transplanting his brother’s eyes. His power was on another level, especially once he awakened the Rinnegan later in life, giving him god-like abilities.
Obito Uchiha
Obito Uchiha started as a kind-hearted ninja who eventually turned into one of the most notorious villains. After a traumatic near-death experience, Obito awakened his Sharingan, which evolved into the Mangekyō Sharingan following the loss of his friend, Rin. His Mangekyō Sharingan granted him the unique ability of Kamui, which allowed him to phase through objects and teleport to different dimensions.
Shisui Uchiha
Shisui Uchiha was another talented Uchiha known for his incredible skills. He was most famous for his use of the Kotoamatsukami, a powerful genjutsu that could control a person’s mind without them even realizing it. Shisui’s loyalty to Konoha and his desire to prevent the Uchiha coup led to his tragic death. Before dying, he entrusted one of his Mangekyō Sharingan to Itachi, who later used it to protect the village.
Kakashi Hatake
Although not an Uchiha, Kakashi Hatake is one of the most well-known Sharingan users. He received the Sharingan as a gift from Obito during a mission where Obito was thought to have died. Over the years, Kakashi became known as “Kakashi of the Sharingan” due to his remarkable ability to copy over a thousand jutsu with it. Eventually, he unlocked the Mangekyō Sharingan and learned to use Kamui, just like Obito.
Fugaku Uchiha
Fugaku Uchiha, Sasuke and Itachi’s father, was the head of the Uchiha clan during the time of the Konoha coup. While not much is shown about his Sharingan abilities, it’s mentioned that he had the potential to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. As the clan leader, he was highly respected for his strength and tactical mind, though his story remains mostly in the background.
Indra Ōtsutsuki
Indra Ōtsutsuki is the ancestor of the Uchiha clan and the first person known to have the Sharingan. As the elder son of the Sage of Six Paths, Indra inherited his father’s strong chakra and later awakened the Sharingan, which eventually became the foundation of the Uchiha’s bloodline. His rivalry with his younger brother, Asura, started the cycle of conflict between the Uchiha and Senju clans.
Izuna Uchiha
Izuna Uchiha was Madara’s younger brother and one of the earliest Uchiha to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. He and Madara were extremely close and often fought side by side. After losing his eyesight due to the Mangekyō’s overuse, Izuna willingly gave his eyes to Madara, allowing Madara to gain the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Powers of the Sharingan
The Sharingan comes with a wide variety of powers. Let’s take a closer look at what makes this dōjutsu so special.
Enhanced Perception
The Sharingan gives the user the ability to see and react to movement at a much faster rate than normal humans. In battle, this is a huge advantage. Users can almost “predict” their opponent’s moves before they happen, which makes dodging and counter-attacking far easier. This perception also helps with recognizing and breaking through genjutsu (illusion techniques).
Copying Techniques
One of the most well-known abilities of the Sharingan is its power to copy ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu. When a user sees an enemy perform a jutsu, they can mimic it almost perfectly, provided they have the necessary chakra and skill. Kakashi is famous for using this ability extensively, although he gradually relied on it less as the story progressed.
Genjutsu
How Does the Sharingan Enhance Genjutsu?
The Sharingan’s natural ability to read chakra flow and see through illusions makes it a perfect fit for casting genjutsu. By making direct eye contact with the target, the user can cast a powerful illusion that traps their opponent in a false reality. The moment their eyes meet, the target is caught in the genjutsu, often without realizing it.
The genjutsu can controls how the victm experience time, pain, and emotions within the illusion. The victim can pass days of pain in the genjutsu when in reality it was just a second.
Types of Genjutsu Using the Sharingan
The Sharingan can cast a wide variety of genjutsu, ranging from simple illusions to advanced techniques that can cripple an opponent mentally and emotionally. Let’s explore some of the key forms of Sharingan-based genjutsu.
Basic Genjutsu
Even with a regular, two-tomoe or three-tomoe Sharingan, users can cast basic genjutsu. These illusions are designed to confuse or distract the opponent. For example, a user can make the target believe something is happening that’s not real, like seeing multiple enemies or thinking they’ve been injured. This can throw the opponent off their game, making them easy to attack.
Tsukuyomi
The Tsukuyomi is one of the most powerful genjutsu abilities that comes with the Mangekyō Sharingan. Unique to Itachi Uchiha, this technique is designed to completely break the will of the target. By trapping them in an illusion, Itachi can control time within this illusionary world.
Seconds in reality can feel like days, weeks, or even years inside the illusion. An example of Tsukuyomi’s usage is when Itachi forces his target to experience continuous, unbearable pain for what feels like days, sometimes in the form of being stabbed or tortured.
Kotoamatsukami
Kotoamatsukami is another rare and extremely powerful genjutsu, cast by Shisui Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan. Unlike Tsukuyomi, Kotoamatsukami doesn’t rely on torture or illusion. Instead, it allows the user to manipulate someone’s thoughts completely without them even knowing.
The victim believes their altered actions and thoughts are entirely their own, making it perfect for secret control. This technique is so powerful that Shisui planned to use it to prevent the Uchiha clan from staging a coup. It’s also incredibly rare, as the cooldown time between uses takes years.
Breaking Free from Sharingan Genjutsu
As powerful as Sharingan-based genjutsu is, it’s not impossible to break free from. Skilled shinobi can disrupt their chakra flow to snap themselves out of the illusion. Alternatively, having a partner help break the illusion can work too, but this requires serious focus and timing. However, breaking out of high-level Sharingan genjutsu like Tsukuyomi or Kotoamatsukami is much harder due to the intensity and precision of the illusion.
Naruto Uzumaki, for example, struggled with genjutsu throughout much of the series because it requires fine chakra control. However, his ability to work with Kurama, the Nine-Tails, allowed him to sometimes break out of illusions by disrupting his chakra flow.
The Mangekyō Sharingan
The Mangekyō Sharingan is an advanced form of the Sharingan. It’s activated by experiencing the trauma of losing someone close. The design of the eye changes and each Mangekyō Sharingan grants its user unique abilities, specific to that individual.
Amaterasu
Amaterasu is one of the most well-known Mangekyō powers. This black flame are cast on whatever the user is focusing his vision on, and it burns anything in its path and never goes out until it has completely consumed its target or seven days have passed. Sasuke and Itachi are both known for wielding this fearsome ability.
Tsukuyomi
This genjutsu allows the user to control time, space, and reality within the mind of their target. Itachi famously used Tsukuyomi to trap his opponents in illusions where they experience days of torture in mere seconds.
Susanoo
The Susanoo is a massive, humanoid avatar made of chakra. Only those with the Mangekyō Sharingan in both eyes can summon it. This guardian acts as both offense and defense, shielding the user while unleashing devastating attacks. Over time, it evolves to a near-invincible form.
The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan
The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan is an even higher level of the Mangekyō Sharingan. The drawback of the Mangekyō is that its overuse leads to blindness. To counteract this, an Uchiha must transplant the eyes of a blood relative who also possesses the Mangekyō. The result is the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, which removes the risk of blindness and greatly enhances the user’s abilities.
The Rinnegan
Though it’s not strictly part of the Sharingan’s base abilities, the Rinnegan is a final form that some Sharingan users, like Sasuke and Madara, have awakened. It’s considered one of the most powerful dōjutsu in existence, granting its wielder the ability to control life and death, master all forms of chakra, and use the Six Paths Techniques, which are abilities that offer control over gravity, summonings, and even souls.
The Curse of Hatred
There’s a dark side to the Sharingan, often referred to as the “Curse of Hatred.” Because it awakens through trauma and loss, many Uchiha users are consumed by their grief and anger, leading to a cycle of revenge. This curse has caused the downfall of many Uchiha, including Sasuke, whose path of vengeance nearly destroys him. It’s a tragic element tied to the Sharingan’s power, great strength, but at a heavy emotional cost.
