Snake

Snakes (蛇, 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]

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[]

• Aoda
• Garaga
• Three Giant Snakes
• Ichikishimahime
• Manda
• Manda II
• Tagitsuhime
• Tagorihime
• White Snake Sage

Other Snakes[]

• Three giant brown snakes were summoned during the Chūnin Exams. One was exploded by Naruto's clones after eating him, another was defeated by Sasuke, and the third's summoning was released by Orochimaru after sealing Naruto's chakra.
• A giant brown snake was summoned in pair by Orochimaru with the aid of Kabuto to fight against Jiraiya and Tsunade.^[5]
• A large white snake was summoned by Sasuke to defend against Deidara's explosive clay. In the manga, it was almost disintegrated as a result, but in the anime, it merely suffered several burns.^[6][7]
• A giant blue snake was summoned by Anko to destroy a wall in the Demon Island Laboratory.^[8]
• Mutated two-headed snakes summoned by Ichi, which can further extend more snakes from their mouths.
• In the anime, a giant snake was seen on the Summoning Island.^[9]
• Clone Snakes created by Kabuto using Orochimaru's DNA. They were used to recreate Hidan,^[10] a four-tailed copy of Naruto Uzumaki,^[11] and formed together into a giant black snake to drown Naruto.

Summoners[]

• Orochimaru

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.

• Anko Mitarashi

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 Uchiha

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.

• Kabuto Yakushi

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

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

• Mamushi (Genin)

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

• Boruto Uzumaki

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

• Ichi

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[]