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This article is about animal species. For the team, see Hebi. For other uses, see Snake (disambiguation).
Mitsuki's Snake

A snake.

Snakes (, Hebi), also known as kyodaija (巨大蛇, literally meaning: Giant Snakes), are residents of the Ryūchi Cave that are the signature summons of Orochimaru, his assistant, Kabuto Yakushi, and his students: Sasuke Uchiha and Anko Mitarashi.

Overview[]

The snakes vary greatly in size, body mass and species, from small enough to hide in one's sleeves to larger than buildings, and thin enough to be used to tie someone's hands[1] to strong enough to choke a colossal animal like the Island Turtle.[2] Although common snakes cannot speak human language like toads, some of their summoners could communicate with them. They are able to detect live beings by their heat and smell in order to track and lead their summoners to their prey.[3][4]

Kabuto with snakes

Kabuto manifesting snakes.

Orochimaru frequently summons snakes in battle, either having them attack for him or instructing them to carry out other tasks. While most snakes are very obedient and do as they are instructed, the largest snake, Manda, demanded a sacrifice of a hundred humans in exchange for helping Orochimaru. Snakes have also mastered the use of natural energy to enter a Sage Mode of their own. The only known way to learn it is in the Ryūchi Cave with the White Snake Sage.

Known Snakes[]

Other Snakes[]

Summoners[]

Orochimaru is heavily associated with snakes: his personality, appearance and even name are snake-like or orientated. After many experiments and forbidden techniques, Orochimaru's true form indeed became that of a snake. Orochimaru was also able to use senjutsu, and with this knowledge, he developed the cursed seals.

The first of Orochimaru's students to sign a contract with snakes, as well as the first to gain the cursed seal and survived. Anko learned several forbidden and snake-related techniques with Orochimaru, such as the Twin Snakes Mutual Death Technique. In the anime, it was also stated that she had built up an immunity to venom.[12]

Sasuke mainly used the snakes he summoned as shields to defend himself. He would later summon them once again during the Fourth Shinobi World War when he summoned Aoda to the battlefield.

At first, Kabuto only aided Orochimaru in summoning snakes while his arms were disabled. He later began to summon snakes on his own after implanting Orochimaru's remains into himself. Kabuto continued Orochimaru's research and discovered the Ryūchi Cave, where he learned senjutsu from the White Snake Sage. He gained access to a Sage Mode which, according to him, allowed him to figuratively transcend from a snake into a "dragon".

Mitsuki is able to summon snakes, which he uses as a means of communication or in tandem with various techniques.

In the anime, Mamushi can use snakes in unison with Hidden Shadow Snake Hands.

In the anime, Boruto made a temporarily summoning contract with Garaga.

In Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Will of Fire, Ichi could use snakes mutated by the Chimera Technique.

Trivia[]

  • In the anime, it was mentioned by Hiruzen Sarutobi to his grandson Konohamaru that the rainbow symbolises snakes, and is deemed an omen of the coming of evil. This was recalled during the Konoha Crush, which was led by the snake-themed Orochimaru.[13]
  • Snakes have long since been associated with dragons: a testament to this, after entering Sage Mode, Kabuto stated that he had evolved from being a simple snake into a dragon.[14] Orochimaru's Eight Branches Technique is also described as ascending beyond snakes, becoming a dragon god.[15]
  • In the anime, Aoda identifies himself as a summoning snake, suggesting all snakes that are associated with the Summoning Technique are classified as such.

References[]

  1. Naruto chapter 514, page 17
  2. Naruto chapter 514, page 3
  3. Naruto chapter 514, page 4
  4. Naruto chapter 579, page 4
  5. Naruto chapter 165, page 19
  6. Naruto chapter 356, page 16
  7. Naruto: Shippūden episode 122
  8. Naruto episode 172
  9. Naruto: Shippūden episode 227
  10. Naruto: Shippūden episode 290
  11. Naruto: Shippūden episode 292
  12. Naruto: Shippūden episode 261
  13. Naruto episode 69
  14. Naruto chapter 579, page 19
  15. Third Databook, pages 310-311
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