Kekkei Genkai play quite an important role in the world of Naruto. Introduced early into the series, these abilities are also called Bloodline Limits, meaning they are limited to certain clans. These special powers give some shinobi edge over others and make them quite special. While some Kekkei Genkai are a product of two nature transformations mixed together, such as Wood Release, others are manifested through visual Dojutsu, or eye techniques. Among the many eye techniques introduced in the world of Naruto, three stand out the most, and together, they are known as the three great dojutsu.
The three great dojutsu are special eyes in the world of Naruto that possess tremendous power. Wielded by only a select few, these eyes bless the users with abilities that go beyond the standard powers. They include the likes of the Byakugan, the Sharingan, and finally, the Rinnegan. Each of these eyes is special in its own way and grants great benefit both in and out of combat. Among all the eyes in the story, they are known to hold the most significance to the plot.
The Byakugan And The Sharingan
The very first mention of the three great dojutsu came during Chunin Exams of the Naruto series, Where two of the three eyes were seen in action. The first eye and most certainly the weakest of the three is the Byakugan. This eye is actually the Kekkei Genkai of the Otsutsuki clan. Through Hamura Otsutsuki, the younger brother of Hagoromo, this eye was passed down and those who wielded it started calling themselves the Hyuga. As such, the Byakugan is also the Kekkei Genkai of the Hyuga Clan.
This eye is also known as the all-seeing eye, as it grants the user near 360° vision with just one blind spot. It grants the power of X-ray vision, with very few materials capable of blocking its sight. In combat, it can even locate all the Tenketsu, which can then be hit by Gentle Fist and completely blocked. If that wasn't enough, the Byakugan can also extend the user's vision to several kilometers, as demonstrated by the likes of Neji and Hinata.
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The second eye from the three great dojutsu is the Sharingan. Just like the Byakugan, it finds its roots in the Otsutsuki clan. This eye originated from the Rinnegan and was first wielded by Indra Otsutsuki. Indra was known to have inherited his father's visual prowess, meaning the eye stemmed directly from him. His descendants came to be known as the Uchiha and thus, the Sharingan is the Kekkei Genkai of the Uchiha Clan. This eye is quite powerful as it allows the user to see through ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu.
Furthermore, it lets the user copy any technique that isn't Hiden or a Kekkei Genkai. Perhaps one of its biggest strengths in combat is that it can see to the most intricate of movements and help the user counter them effectively, provided they can react to them. However, the Sharingan comes at a great price and that is, the pain that comes with it. The Sharingan's manifestation is based on the loss of love. A strong emotion is what triggers the awakening of this eye and the loss of a closed one enables it to evolve into the Mangekyo Sharingan.
The Strongest Of The Three Great Dojutsu
The third and strongest eye of the three great dojutsu is the Rinnegan. The eye was first mentioned by none other than Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin of the Leaf. It was said to have been possessed by Hagoromo Otsutsuki, also known as the Sage of Six Paths. After Hagoromo, Jiraiya saw Nagato wield this eye and deduced that he would either bring world peace or cause great destruction. The Rinnegan is extremely powerful and its strength is often compared to that of a God. It grants the user the power of Six Paths, which is related to Hagoromo Otsutsuki.
Each part of the Rinnegan has a special ability. Through the Naraka Path, the user can manifest the King of Hell; through the Deva Path, the powers of attraction and repulsion can freely be controlled; animals of all sorts can be summoned through the Animal Path; the Ashura Path is used to create many weapons; chakra can be absorbed through the Preta Path and finally, souls can be extracted with the Human Path. That's certainly not all, as this eye also grants a Seventh Path called the Outer Path which holds the power to rule over life and death itself. Evidently, the Rinnegan is a godly eye and the strongest of the three great Dojutsu.
This eye is also not Kekkei Genkai of any special clan, unlike the other two. It can only be awakened by a select few individuals who possess the chakra of both Indra and Ashura Otsutsuki. By combining the two, the chakra of their father, Hagoromo Otsutsuki is born and thus, the Rinnegan can be manifested. Apart from Hagoromo, only Madara Uchiha and Sasuke Uchiha have gone on to awaken this eye which just goes to show how rare it is, as expected of an eye as powerful as the Rinnegan.