| This article is about the sand used by Gaara and other shinobi. For the ninja village, see Sunagakure. |
Sand (砂, Suna), is a versatile material, most often employed by the shinobi originating from Sunagakure for various purposes, including numerous supplementary functions ranging from concealment to disguise. However, the tool itself rose to prominence in the hands of the jinchūriki of Shukaku, whom acquired the ability to manipulate sand through the beast, with the most renowned amongst these being Gaara.
While Gaara is capable of controlling any sand, he keeps specially-made sand (特別製の砂, Tokubetsu Sei no Suna) in his gourd,[1] also made from this sand. This sand is infused with his chakra, allowing him to make faster and more powerful attacks, as well as being used to make his Shield of Sand. It was also noted by both Gaara's father and uncle that the sand would always protect him, because it possessed his mother's will within it.[2] Since this revelation, many of Gaara's techniques have begun to adopt the appearance of his mother.[3]
Sand includes a wide variety of minerals, and Gaara can select the hardest minerals to create stronger defences and, in the anime, offences. However, Gaara also possesses the capability to incorporate other materials into the sand, increasing its versatility even further by introducing substances that can alter its properties to a certain degree, such as gold and hail.[4] Similarly, he can insert his sand into other people, thereby exerting influence over their movements.[5]
When in need of more sand, Gaara can crush the soil, meaning nearly any kind of earth, with the sand he already has, to create more. Although this sand is more difficult to control than his specially-made sand, it provides the amount needed for large-scale techniques such as the Quicksand Waterfall Flow.
It was shown that despite its durability, the sand could be countered by mixing other harmful substances, such as Explosive Clay, into it. Other methods include the integration of substances that make the sand heavier, such as gold,[6] or by making it bind together through the use of oil, which means that the sand crumbles very easily.[7]
Other Uses
- Naruto Uzumaki was able to utilise sand when he gained the Six Paths Sage Technique, where Shukaku combined its Magnet Release Chakra together with his techniques, creating the Sage Art: Magnet Release Rasengan and Sage Art: Super Tailed Beast Rasenshuriken.
- Kankurō used sand to disguise his puppets, allowing him to make his puppets appear as another person,[8] or as himself, to trick enemies into attacking his puppets instead of him.[9][10]
- In the anime, Sasori also used sand to make a clone of himself as shown during his fight with Kankurō when he escaped from Kuroari.[11]
- In the anime, Temari also utilised sand in her Dust Wind Technique to cause her opponent to lose their footing in battle.[12]
- Due to the versatility of sand as a weapon, the Third and Fourth Kazekage both crafted their own imitations of sand manipulation via the use of their Magnet Release kekkei genkai to manipulate iron and gold dust respectively.
- In the anime, Nagare also creates his own imitation of Gaara's sand manipulation through his Assimilate All Creation Technique using of rock powder.
- Earth Release users can also manipulate sand in some instances, as seen in the effects of Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique[13] and Earth Release: Sand Dance.[14]
Trivia
- Sand has a complete immunity towards Fire Release, with it being the only substance which Amaterasu, the highest level Fire Release technique, has yet to burn into or through.[15][16]
- Due to the number of people Gaara has killed, his sand smells of blood, as noted by Kiba.[17]
References
- ↑ Chapter 349, page 15
- ↑ Chapter 547, pages 16-17
- ↑ Chapter 548, page 10
- ↑ Chapter 557, pages 16-17
- ↑ Chapter 658, pages 5-6
- ↑ Chapter 546, pages 11-12
- ↑ Chapter 556, pages 1-2
- ↑ Chapter 42, page 18
- ↑ Chapter 70, page 16
- ↑ Chapter 213, pages 18-19
- ↑ Naruto: Shippūden episode 8
- ↑ Naruto episode 72
- ↑ Third Databook, page 292
- ↑ Naruto: Shippūden episode 316
- ↑ Chapter 464, page 12
- ↑ Chapter 128, page 8
- ↑ Chapter 59, pages 2-3
