Naruto's Controversial Reaper Death Seal Rewrite

Long-running shonen anime series often face the challenge of recurring plot holes and inconsistencies, which can prompt authors to make significant changes to the storyline for the sake of coherence. Naruto is one such anime, boasting an impressive 720 episodes, making plot holes an inevitable occurrence.

One such plot hole that creator Masashi Kishimoto had to address was the Reaper Death Seal, which is the most potent sealing jutsu in the Naruto franchise. While the technique has been used on several occasions and has left a lasting impact on the story, its initial depiction as a permanent sealing jutsu was later retconned, significantly diminishing its value.

One of the most powerful sealing jutsus in Naruto is the Reaper Death Seal, often used as a last resort to stop the enemies in their tracks. This technique is exclusive to the Uzumaki Clan and summons a Shinigami that devours the soul of the target. However, it comes with a significant cost. The caster must first allow the target's soul to pass through their own body, leading to the sealing of both their souls. Consequently, the caster loses their life as well, making this technique a forbidden jutsu.

Since the Shinigami stores the souls it takes in its stomach, these souls are unable to enter the Pure Land or join the cycle of purification. Furthermore, the Reanimation Jutsu cannot resurrect these souls as it only summons souls that are lingering in the Impure world or have already entered the Pure Land.

The Reaper Death Seal Retcon

Initially, the Reaper Death Seal was deemed as an irreversible sealing technique, trapping the souls of its victims in the Shinigami’s stomach forever. As a result, the deaths of all four Hokage were considered permanent and irreversible. This solidified the technique's reputation as a formidable jutsu that should only be used in life or death situations, as exemplified by its previous applications. However, this perception changed when the author introduced the Reanimation Jutsu, which allowed for the resurrection of all four Hokage.

The straightforward approach of reviving the Hokage would have created a plot hole in the narrative, rendering the Reaper Death Seal irrelevant. In order to avoid this, Kishimoto introduced the Shinigami Mask, a new concept in the series. This mask, found in the abandoned Uzumaki Clan shrine, holds the key to overriding the Reaper Death Seal. To revive the souls from the Shinigami's stomach, one must don the mask and sacrifice themselves by slicing open their stomach. Orochimaru, being the wearer of the mask, was able to escape its consequence by transferring to another vessel. However, the introduction of the Shinigami Mask reduced the significance of the Reaper Death Seal to a mere plot device.

Other Inconsistencies With the Reaper Death Seal

The Reaper Death Seal has been a subject of confusion among Naruto fans, with another inconsistency arising in the form of a third coffin summoned by Orochimaru during the Konoha Crush. Though the First and Second Hokage were successfully summoned, Hiruzen managed to prevent the third coffin from emerging. While it is strongly suggested that the coffin contained the Fourth Hokage, this conflicts with the fact that Minato's soul was trapped in the Shinigami's stomach, making the appearance of the coffin contradictory to the entire concept.

Some fans argue that Minato's failed reanimation was due to his soul being sealed, not because Hiruzen tried to prevent the coffin from being summoned. However, this contradicts the mechanics of the Reanimation technique, which requires a vessel and proper setup to resurrect a soul. The appearance of the third coffin is a plot hole and inconsistent with the workings of the Reaper Death Seal.