Susanoo is a technique that creates a spiritual humanoid being. The spirit is gigantic and surrounds and protects the user. It is the third ability granted by the Mangekyō Sharingan, after Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi have been awakened.[1] According to Madara Uchiha, for a Sharingan user to activate the Susanoo is a rarity.[2]
Like the other techniques granted by the Mangekyō Sharingan, the user is strained while using Susanoo because it consumes a large amount of their chakra. Sasuke described it as feeling pain in every cell in his body, as the depletion of chakra likely places stress on the cells that partially produce chakra. Susanoo is formed through the materialization of the user's chakra and as such it may differ in appearance between users. It begins by forming a large skeleton with muscle tissue around the user. Even in an imperfect state, the bones can act as armor for the user and it is capable of regenerating as long as the user has the energy to spare.
Itachi's version
Itachi's version was first shown in an incomplete skeletal form that managed to save Itachi from Sasuke's Kirin. It is able to turn into a humanoid being complete with skin, armor and an actual face. It is further able to gain a layer of armor which resembles a yamabushi. In this final stage, it wields the sacred Yata Mirror (八咫鏡, Yata no Kagami, Eight Span Mirror) as a shield in its left hand and the legendary Totsuka Sword (十拳剣, Totsuka no Tsurugi, Ten Hands Long Sword) in its right hand. The mirror is considered one of the three sacred treasures and is endowed with all nature transformations, it can change its own characteristics depending on the characteristics of the attack it receives, making the technique ineffective. The sword, a kind of Sword of Kusanagi also known as the Sakegari Longsword (酒刈太刀, Sakegari no Tachi, Sake Cutter Longsword), is sheathed in a sake jar held by a third hand growing from Susanoo's right forearm. It is an ethereal weapon with an enchanted blade capable of sealing anything it pierces in a "world of drunken dreams" for all eternity. Orochimaru sought the sword and Zetsu commented that he could never find it because it doesn't actually have a physical form.[3] Zetsu also said that the Totsuka Sword combined with the Yata Mirror essentially makes Susanoo invincible, and it has thus been labeled as the "Raging God of Battle".[1]
Sasuke's version
When Sasuke is first seen using Susanoo, he is only able to manifest its ribcage. Though useful as a defense, the Fourth Raikage proves to be able to snap the ribs or even bypass them and attack Sasuke directly. As his battle with the Raikage and his allies progresses, Sasuke begins further developing Susanoo as a large skeleton with some musculature on it, which envelops him more completely and includes giving it horns on its head and three hands that have six fingers on them. At this stage, Susanoo can use its fists or a chakra blade to attack but can still act as a defense for Sasuke. During his fight with Danzō Shimura, Sasuke is able to complete Susanoo, giving it the appearance of a demonic and evil-looking humanoid being and a bow that doubles as a shield. In this form, Susanoo can also produce chakra arrows from its right hands, which can travel at such speed that evading them is nearly impossible.[4] While fighting Kakashi Hatake and driven by hate, Sasuke's Susanoo gains a layer of armor, similar to Itachi's, but with jagged sharp teeth around the hooded area and with a much darker and menacing appearance. The orb in its third hand also changes to a pitch-black color, while the bow in its left hand also took on a different shape. This form was seen only briefly, though, as Sasuke's deteriorating eyesight caused it to fade away.
Sasuke's development of Susanoo is marked by intense feelings of hatred; whenever angered by the words or actions of his opponents, Susanoo grows in power. His Susanoo is, accordingly, noted to be much darker in both in appearance and composition to Itachi's Susanoo. Bystanders have also noted how Sasuke's chakra seem to change and become "darker and colder" before and when he used this technique.[5][6]
Influence
- Similar to other Mangekyō Sharingan abilities, Susanoo was taken from Japanese mythology. Susanoo, the god of sea and storms, was the brother of Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, with Susanoo born from Izanagi washing his nose.
- The Totsuka Sword is the sword used by the god Susanoo to slay the eight-headed and eight-tailed snake, Yamata no Orochi, just like it was used by Itachi's Susanoo to defeat Orochimaru's Eight Branches Technique (八岐の術, Yamata no Jutsu).
- The Yata no Kagami (八咫鏡, Eight Span Mirror) is one of the Three Imperial Regalia of Japan (三種の神器, Sanshu no Jingi), together with the Kusanagi no Tsurugi (草薙劍, Grass Cutter Sword) and the Yasakani no Magatama (八尺瓊曲玉) Jewel necklace.
- The Totsuka no Tsurugi (十拳剣, Ten Hands Long Sword) is the sword used by Izanagi to kill his newborn son, Kagu-Tsuchi, after his birth burned his mother, Izanami, to death. From the blood of the Totsuka no Tsurugi, eight new Shinto gods were born.
Trivia
- Prior to the completion of Sasuke's Susanoo, it was seen at least two times, once when Sasuke's "hatred" and chakra manifested as Susanoo before he attacked the samurai and the other time when its completed appearance was glimpsed as a shadowy figure in a genjutsu that Sasuke placed C under.[5][7]
- On Volume 51's front cover, Sasuke's Susanoo can be seen in the background and is shown to be bluish purple, in contrast to Itachi's being fiery red.[8]
