Tobirama’s Water Release Mastery, Explained

The Naruto series is laced with characters with godly powers and unrivaled techniques, yet none compare to the power and prestige of the Hokage. Each Hokage is known for a unique power, whether it’s Hashirama’s Wood Release Kekkei Genkai or Minato’s Flying Raijin Jutsu. However, there is one underrated Hokage who is known for many feats, yet his name tends to fly under the radar. Tobirama Senju, known as the Genius of Konoha, is renowned for inventing several forbidden techniques and introducing new systems to Konoha.

However, his strongest feat was his mastery over Water Release, an aspect of his power that is quite often overlooked. Tobirama Senju had mastered his Water Release to such an extent that he became known as the strongest Water Style user to ever exist in Naruto. With a plethora of Water Style techniques in his arsenal, and the ability to manifest water out of thin air, Tobirama Senju has left behind a lasting legacy in the form of his all-powerful Water Style.

Related

Naruto: Hashirama’s Deep Forest Emergence, Explained

Deep Forest Emergence is one of Hashirama Senju’s strongest techniques. Here’s a closer look at it’s intricate workings.

How Tobirama Perfected Water Release

Tobirama Has Complete Mastery Over Water Style

According to the Naruto Databooks – the official source for character power levels and power scaling – Tobirama Senju has access to all five elemental releases, including yin and yang release. Despite possessing every type of elemental release, Tobirama Senju’s Water Release is clearly his strongest asset. His Water Style techniques are far superior to the rest of his arsenal, to the point where he almost entirely relies on his Water Style techniques. While the exact reason behind why Tobirama’s arsenal centers around Water Release was never clearly specified, it can be speculated that he geared his techniques towards countering the Uchiha, who are known for relying on Fire Style techniques.

With his genius intellect, Tobirama was able to invent a handful of techniques, along with evolving pre-existing Water Style techniques. The Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu is a prime example of how Tobirama put his intellect to evolve his arsenal. The Water Dragon Bullet technique requires a total of forty-four hand signs to be used, the highest for any technique in the entire Naruto series. However, Tobirama was able to perfect the technique to the point where he only required one hand sign, a feat that is yet to be accomplished by any other shinobi.

Producing Water Out Of Thin Air

Tobirama Is One Of the Few Characters to Use Water Style Without a Water Source

Tobirama is stated to be the only shinobi capable of producing water out of thin air. The initial databooks clearly state that for any shinobi to use Water Style, there must be a body of water located in the vicinity. This was made clear during the fights between Kakashi and Zabuza in the initial chapters of Naruto, as the two could only use Water Style techniques by manipulating the water around the river.

Related

Naruto: How Madara Awakened The Rinnegan, Explained

Madara’s awakening of the Rinnegan was a long and calculated pursuit of ultimate power.

While this aspect of Water Style techniques was later retconned, Tobirama was initially the only shinobi capable of producing water out of nothingness, a feat that is said to only be possible by elite level shinobi. This feat was first witnessed during Tobirama’s fight against Hiruzen when he was reanimated by Orochimaru. Tobirama was able to turn the entire battlefield into a sea with just one technique, in-turn shifting the tide of battle in his favor.

Tobirama’s Strongest Water Style Techniques

Tobirama Has Access to Several Powerful Water Release Jutsu

Since Tobirama Senju had long passed before the set time of the Naruto universe, he received minimal screen time throughout the series. Despite being a deceased character in the Naruto series, Tobirama managed to still make a few appearances, each time through his very own creation — the Reanimation Jutsu. The first time Tobirama was witnessed in action was during Orochimaru’s battle against Hiruzen, where Tobirama was reincarnated and used as a puppet to fight his very own student.

During his battle, Tobirama used a few Water Style jutsu, with the most prominent one being Water Release: Water Colliding Wave. This jutsu creates a vortex of water that can block attacks, meaning it primarily serves a defensive purpose. However, it doubles as an offensive attack as well, as the vortex explodes and covers the entire battlefield in an ocean of water, wreaking havoc and incapacitating enemies along the way. Since this technique covers the entire battlefield in water, it becomes easier to use other Water Style techniques using the very same water. The rest of its techniques were witnessed during the Fourth Great Ninja War, where Tobirama was again reanimated by Orochimaru. This time, however, Tobirama fought alongside Konoha and the rest of the Shinobi Alliance.

Related

Boruto: What Happened to the Jogan?

The Jogan remains a mystery in Boruto’s narrative, with many speculating its return to the series.

Throughout the battle, he was witnessed using a number of Water Style techniques as his primary offense. The most prominent of these was Heavenly Weeping, a technique that allows him to shoot needles of water from his mouth. This jutsu was rather useful, as it can be used even if Tobirama is incapacitated and unable to use hand signs. Another powerful technique is Water Style: Severing Wave, which emits a sharp wave of water that can cut through flesh and stone alike. Lastly, his iconic Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet technique remains his most powerful jutsu. While this technique has been used by a handful of Shinobi throughout the Naruto series, it remains synonymous with Tobirama, since he perfected it and reduced the number of hand signs required to one.

The Symbolism Behind Tobirama’s Water Style

Tobirama’s Mastery Over Water Style Holds Symbolic Value

Since Tobirama possesses all five elemental releases, it’s quite odd to see him rely solely on Water Style as his primary elemental release. However, there’s a symbolic reason behind Tobirama’s odd fondness for Water Style, one that pertains to his own brother, Hashirama. As Hashirama possesses the Wood Release, Tobirama’s Water Style symbolically complements his brother’s Kekkei Genkai. Since trees require water to grow, Tobirama’s Water Style symbolizes his efforts to maintain and grow the foundation of the Hidden Leaf Village, which was Hashirama’s vision from the very beginning.

This symbolic relationship between the two brothers becomes even more plausible considering the meaning behind their names. Hashirama’s name translates to “the space between two pillars,” while Tobirama’s name roughly translates to “the space between two doors.” While their names might not seem to reflect much on their own, putting the two together hints at a structure that is more akin to a Buddhist altar. In a way, their names also suggest that Tobirama’s purpose was to support Hashirama in his endeavors, a task that he took on quite earnestly. Their names perfectly complement the theory of Tobirama’s Water Style being symbolic of supporting and aiding Hashirama.

Another symbolic reason for Tobirama’s mastery over Water Release pertains to his character being the inverse to the Uchiha clan. Since he spent his early life fighting the Uchiha during the Warring States era, Tobirama was accustomed to using techniques that countered the Uchiha clan. Since the Uchiha clan members relied primarily on Fire Style techniques, Tobirama perfected his own water style so that he could counter the Uchiha clan without relying on an external source of water.

Naruto is available to stream on Prime Video.