What is Sharingan: Types and Capabilities

If you’ve seen at least a few episodes of the iconic Naruto anime, you’ve heard of the Sharingan. It’s one of the most spectacular and mysterious jutsu in the whole manga: as the story progresses, more and more of its unimaginable abilities are revealed. How to awaken the Sharingan, what types this jutsu has, and what powers it gives its wearers will be discussed in detail below. 

Read More About Sharingan

The Sharingan only appears in the Uchiha Clan, and not in everyone. In order for the Sharingan to be awakened, an Uchiha is supposed to undergo a severe emotional shock associated with a loved one. In some cases, the Sharingan can be triggered by positive emotions, such as the desire to protect a loved one. At this moment, the brain produces a special kind of chakra, which affects the ocular nerve and activates the technique.

In addition, a non-Uchiha clan member can also use the Sharingan, but only if he has a transplanted eye with already awakened powers. In that case, it would take a lot more chakra from the ninja than from the Uchiha.

The Sharingan is quite easy to recognize visually. It is characterized by red pupils and specific black patterns – Tomoe. Their number depends on the stage of Sharingan development. We’ll talk more about this later.

Types of Sharingan and Their Possibilities

The Sharingan activates gradually and develops its capabilities over time. In parallel, the number of tomoe in the wearer’s eye increases. “Naruto” narrates these stages of Sharingan evolution:

1. The Sharingan with a single tomoe is the first stage of dojutsu awakening. Thanks to it, Uchiha achieves perfect reactions, easily recognizing the opponent’s quick movements. However, the technique can only be used once per duel so far.
2. The Sharingan with two tomoe allows you to predict the opponent’s actions, copy simple techniques and recognize clones. At this stage the Uchiha’s eyes are already very attentive and almost never miss anything.
3. The final stage of ordinary Sharingan development is three tomoe. This stage reveals the wearer’s unique Sharingan abilities, as follows:

• The wearer can almost perfectly copy any technique he has ever seen, and even improve upon it. However, in order to reproduce complex techniques, one must have good physical training and the necessary abilities. This is why the Uchiha cannot copy other eye techniques, such as Byakugan.
• The wearer gains inhuman perception speed, anticipating their opponent’s intentions at the slightest movement of the muscle and copying and deflecting any attacks.
• The perfect Sharingan can use genjutsu, a technique that affects the opponent’s mind. Through eye contact, Uchiha is able to take control of his opponent’s thoughts and actions, force him to give away secret information or attack his comrade-in-arms, and sometimes even read his enemy’s memories.

In addition to these abilities, there are two other unique Sharingan techniques that Uchiha uses:

1. Izanagi, a technique that can change reality by combining it with illusion. It allows the wearer to avoid death and rewrite fate.
2. Isanami imprisons the opponent in an endless time loop. This technique was invented as punishment for those who abused Izanami.

Both techniques put a tremendous strain on vision, with the Sharingan wearer going blind in one eye after each use.

Despite all the amazing powers of the Sharingan, it is not yet its most powerful form. Some of the Uchiha clan manage to develop it to an advanced level, resulting in the Mangekyo Sharingan. In addition to the aforementioned capabilities, it grants exceptional abilities unique to each user. Although on rare occasions they overlap: for example, both brothers Sasuke and Itachi were able to use the Amaterasu and Susanoo techniques.

Mangekyo is awakened when Uchiha experiences severe psychological trauma due to the death of a loved one. Misinterpreting this condition, clan members began to kill close friends themselves in order to acquire the unique Sharingan. The Mangekyo species are extremely difficult to study and classify, as each wearer takes a unique form. Let’s look at the most spectacular Sharingans in Naruto below.

Sharingan: Bearers

All Sharingans are incredibly strong and spectacular in combat. But some of its owners in “Naruto” managed to develop the technique to an incredible level:

Uchiha Itachi

Itachi gained the Mangekyo Sharingan after his best friend Shisui committed suicide. His left eye can activate Tsukuyomi, a genjutsu that distorts his opponent’s perception of time. Itachi’s right eye can use Amaterasu: a black flame appears in the place where his gaze is directed, which does not go out until the target is completely destroyed. After Itachi’s death, his younger brother Sasuke transplanted his eyes to increase the power of his Sharingan. 

Uchiha Sasuke

Sasuke received Mangekyo some time after Itachi’s death and gained similar abilities as his brother Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, and Susanoo. Sasuke later developed a rare form of Choku tomoe – the Sharingan, which gives him special agility in battles. 

Uchiha Obito

One eye with Mangekyo Obito gave to his friend Hatake Kakashi. This hero is a prime example of the fact that not only Uchiha can use the power of Sharingan. Obito and Kakashi were able to use Kamui, a teleportation technique, thanks to the connection between their eyes. 

Uchiha Madara

He is the first Uchiha to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan, but little is known about his unique abilities. Having been blinded by Mangekyo, Madara had his brother Izuna’s eyes transplanted. Because of this, like Sasuke’s, Madara’s Sharingan possesses the rare form of Choku tomoe.

Even in the Naruto manga, the nature and capabilities of the Sharingan remain a mystery, and its wielders are always on the lookout for greater power.