Naruto: Sasuke’s Sharingan Evolution, Explained

Naruto is a very creative series when it comes to ninja skills. Although every shinobi can learn all sorts of jutsu through training, some of them are born with advantages. There are techniques that can only be used by those with certain bloodlines, and these DNA-related techniques are called kekkei genkai (literally, “bloodline limit”) in Naruto‘s universe.

The doujutsu (or visual jutsu), techniques that use the eyes, are one of the best known kekkei genkai in the series. Sharingan is a doujutsu of the Uchiha clan, but there are specific conditions under which an Uchiha will be able to unlock the Sharingan. Throughout the series, Sasuke not only awakens his Sharingan, but is also able to improve and achieve even more powerful “forms” of it.

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Unlocking the Sharingan and Regular Powers

Sasuke is able to unlock the Sharingan quite early in the story, during his first C-Rank mission, when he fights Haku. Usually, Sharingan is awakened when the user is under emotional stress, especially when those they hold dear are in danger — for this reason, not all Uchiha members are able to unlock it. Due to the stress, their brains release a special form of chakra that changes the appearance of their eyes and grants them new powers.

Sharingan allows the user to use two abilities: the Eye of Insight and the Eye of Hypnotism. With the first ability, the user can “read” someone’s chakra flow, mimic their movements and copy their jutsu — so, this ability is mostly related to an enhanced perception. The second ability allows the user to gain control over their opponent, compelling them to act in a certain way or reveal information, just like hypnosis — this is commonly called “Genjutsu Sharingan” in a generic way, and can be performed with simple eye contact.

With both abilities, the user can mimic their opponent’s actions with the Eye of Insight and slightly slow them down with the Eye of Hypnotism, creating an advantage, as if the user could “see the future”.

Mastering the Sharingan Technique

Sharingan is not usually awakened to its full power at once — the wielder must improve this technique in order to make the most of it, and even combine it with other jutsu. According to Madara, Sharingan only unleashes its true full potential if both eyes are activated — which does not mean that single-eyed users won’t be able to unleash massive power.

There are a few techniques that require the Sharingan — and thus are almost exclusive to the Uchiha clan. Two powerful “Sharingan-only” jutsu are Inazagi and Izanami (Sasuke does not use any of them in Naruto):

• Izanagi: a defensive genjutsu in which the user creates an illusionary reality and has full control over it. It is generally used when the user is badly injured, in order to create an illusion where they are not hurt at all and can protect themselves. The effect lasts as long as they have chakra to maintain the jutsu active.
• Izanami: similarly to Izanagi, Izanami also creates an illusionary reality. But in this case, the user usually locks the target in a loop of a previous moment of their battle, trapping them in a perpetual cycle that they cannot change even if they realize they are inside a genjutsu. The target will keep reliving that moment in their mind. This powerful technique costs a high price, though, and the eye used to cast it becomes blind and white.

Unlocking Mangekyou Sharingan

For a Sharingan user to be able to unlock the Mangekyou Sharingan, they need to go through an extremely traumatic experience — usually, the tragic death of someone dear. That’s why Itachi unlocks it after seeing Shisui’s suicide. Meanwhile, Sasuke awakens it shortly after killing his own brother, when he learns the truth about Itachi.

However, for a long time, the Uchiha clan mistakenly believed that they had to kill their loved ones to unlock it. It’s not exactly like that, but killing a loved one is certainly an immense trauma and will usually work as a way to unleash it.

If the Sharingan hasn’t fully matured yet, awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan will force it to do so. But, as usual, great powers come with great risks.

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The Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan

Overusing the Mangekyou Sharingan will eventually lead to blindness, since it requires a lot of chakra to be activated. But there is an exception: if the Mangekyou is transplanted to a close relative, the new user won’t ever go blind due to it — the so-called “Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan”.

Sasuke gets the Eternal form when Itachi’s Mangekyou Sharingan is transplanted to him. This is like the ultimate version of the Mangekyou Sharingan, as it is even more powerful, less chakra-consuming and can be activated at any time. With the Mangekyo Sharingan (any form of it), Sasuke is able to use the Susanoo jutsu.

The Ultimate Eye: Unlocking the Rinnegan

After acquiring Hagoromo Otsutsuki’s chakra from Hagoromo’s own spirit, Sasuke is finally able to awaken the Rinnegan, but only in his left eye. The Rinnegan is apparently a unique trait of the Sage of Six Paths and likely related to his mother’s Rinne Sharingan. Only a few shinobi have been able to wield the Rinnegan, and Hagoromo’s chakra (or his sons’ chakra) is an essential feature in order to achieve it.

Rinnegan grants the user tremendous power and allows them to use the Six Paths Jutsu, which includes reading the opponent’s mind and even controlling life and death (allowing the user to revive someone). In Sasuke’s case, he is also able to use Amenotejikara with the Rinnegan.

Naruto

Release Date

2002 – 2006

Showrunner

Masashi Kishimoto

Directors

Hayato Date

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