InNaruto,Taijutsuentails hand-to-hand combat and martial arts, potentially bolstered by but not requiring the use of chakra, as in Ninjutsu orGenjutsu. This makes Taijutsu a viable alternative for those with poor chakra control, like Rock Lee, who uses it exclusively, and his teacher Might Guy, who knows a few Ninjutsu but specializes in it.
Lee, Guy and Lee’s son Metal use the Strong Fist style of Taijutsu, which emphasizes raw physical power and requires intense training. They are also among the few ninja capable of opening any of the Inner Gates, which limit the output of chakra in all humans' bodies.
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How Do The Eight Inner Gates Work?
Each of the gates acts as a limiter to protect the body from overexertion, and thus those unable to open them can only use about 20% of their full physical potential. Opening each gate consequently makes the user exponentially more powerful, but the risk to their bodies increases exponentially in turn. Each of the gates is named and lies in a different place on the body. The first gate, the Gate of Opening, negates its users thoughts from holding them back, and grants access to the powerful Front (or Primary) Lotus technique. It is located in the left hemisphere of the brain. The second gate, found in the brain’s right hemisphere, is the Gate of Healing, which rejuvenates the body and grants increased physical strength.
When the third gate, the Gate of Life, is opened, major physiological changes occur in the user’s body. Their skin turns red, their veins bulge, their hair stands straight up, and their pupils disappear. By using the Reverse (or Hidden) Lotus, the users’speed is increaseddrastically.Rock Leeused this technique to move faster than Gaara’s sand was able to defend him, breaking through the latter’s so-called “Absolute Defense”. The Gate of Life is located on the spinal cord.
The fourth gate, the Gate of Pain, is also located on the spinal cord. At this point, the user’s power and speed increase further but their body begins to take serious damage, incuding the tearing of muscles. The fifth gate, the Gate of Limit, is found in the abdomen and increases its users' power further, but can fracture the users' bones as a result of its use.
The sixth gate, the Gate of Joy, is in the stomach and covers the user in a green aura (at least in the anime). The chakra emitted is so strong that it can evaporate water. Using the sixth gate opens access to the Morning Peacock technique, which envolves throwing punches at such a speed that they create flames due to friction. The seventh gate, the Gate of Wonder, rests below the stomach, and causes the user’s sweat to evaporate, covering them in a thin blue aura. The signature technique of this gate is the Daytime Tiger, which is a blast of compressed air caused by a powerful punch.
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The eighth and final gate is the Gate of Death, which is aptly located in the heart. At this point, the users' blood evaporates, darkening their skin further and coating them in a red mist. The users' heart pumps at maximum speed and increases their power a hundredfold, which in Might Guy’s case made him a match for the immensely powerfulMadara Uchihain his Ten-Tails Jinchuriki form, and allowed him to temporarily exceed Kage-level strength by leaps and bounds.
There are two techniques exclusive to the eighth gate. The first is the Evening Elephant, which hits the opponent with five punches of increasing speed that generate columns of pressurized air, similar in appearance to an elephant’s foot. The second technique is the Night Guy, a kick that generates such force that italters the spacein front of it, making it nearly impossible to counter. The latter technique completely shatters the bones in the leg used for it.
As its name implies, opening the eighth gate almost always results in the user’s death. Might Guy was saved from crumbling byNaruto, but is permanently crippled as a result of using the technique. Might Guy’s father, Might Duy, also gave his life up using the technique against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. He managed to kill four members before succumbing to its effects.
Opening the Eight Inner Gates represents the peak of Taijutsu mastery, and allows its users strength that rivals those of the strongest Ninjutsu. It also makesLeeand Guy powerful despite their lack of variability and embodies the principles of dedication and hard work that they abide by.
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