Minato Namikaze, the 4th Hokage of Konoha, is renowned as a brilliant and exceptionally powerful leader in Konoha's history. He is celebrated as the hero who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the people from the ferocious Nine-Tailed Beast. Prior to this heroic act, he earned the moniker "Konoha's Yellow Flash" for his outstanding performance during the Third Shinobi World War. Regrettably, since his departure predates the events of Naruto's story, we are limited in our opportunities to witness his complete battle prowess.
However, through various flashbacks, we catch glimpses of Minato's brilliance in actual combat scenarios. Notably, his encounters with the future Raikage and Killer B, his clash against Obito, and his contributions in the Fourth Shinobi World War provide glimpses into his unique fighting style. Drawing from these battles, here are some distinct characteristics that define Minato's approach to combat.
Flying Thunder God Jutsu
Minato Namikaze, also known as the Konoha’s Yellow Flash, was renowned worldwide for his incredible speed even before becoming Hokage. This exceptional speed was achieved through the utilization of the Flying Thunder God jutsu, a technique originally created by second Hokage Tobirama Senju, but perfected by Minato himself. With this jutsu, Minato could instantaneously teleport to any pre-marked location or object.
When it comes to high-ranking shinobi, particularly those of Jonin rank or above, it is common for them to have a signature move that they consistently employ in combat. This signature move may either be a unique technique developed by the shinobi themselves, like Kakashi’s Raikiri, or a personalized adaptation of an existing technique, as seen with Guy’s Eight Inner Gates. Their chosen fighting style typically revolves around these techniques, showcasing their individuality and personality. Consequently, Kakashi meticulously analyzes his opponents before delivering the final blow with Raikiri, while Guy, on the other hand, is known for leaping into the fray headfirst and adjusting his usage of the inner gates accordingly.
Yellow Flash, also known as
The Use Of Custom-Made Kunai
, follows the same principle. In the case of Minato, he utilized an enhanced version of an old jutsu called the Flying Thunder God jutsu, along with his own unique jutsu known as Rasengan. Regardless of the adversaries he faces, Minato's combat style revolves around these two jutsus. The Flying Thunder God enables him to move at an incredibly fast pace, while the Rasengan serves as Minato's ultimate one-hit knockout technique.As mentioned previously, the Flying Thunder God jutsu grants its users the ability to instantly teleport to pre-marked locations or objects. However, what happens if they find themselves in an unfamiliar place? Does this mean that the Flying Thunder God can only be utilized for escape purposes? Although this jutsu can indeed aid in evading enemies, there is actually another method to overcome this specific limitation - employing a marked object. In the case of Minato, his chosen object for marking is the three-bladed kunai.
Minato, as a full-time shinobi, never utilizes regular kunai. Instead, he exclusively relies on custom-made three-bladed kunai. There are two primary reasons behind this preference. Firstly, these kunai possess a longer and flatter grip compared to regular ones, enabling Minato to inscribe the Flying Thunder God mark onto the handle. Secondly, their unique design makes them easily distinguishable from conventional kunai, allowing Minato to identify his own amidst the chaotic flurry of thrown projectiles in the midst of a heated battle.
During actual combat scenarios, whether it be a one-on-one confrontation, a team skirmish, or an expansive battlefield, Minato's initial action involves hurling numerous three-bladed kunai in various directions. The quantity of kunai he throws corresponds to the number of adversaries he encounters. In fact, there is a scene in the anime wherein Minato requests his fellow shinobi to employ his kunai during an open battle, enabling him to cover more ground. After all, possessing a greater number of kunai on the battlefield grants him more potential teleportation destinations utilizing his Flying Thunder God jutsu.
Fast And Unpredictable Movement
After scattering his marked kunai, Minato gains the ability to traverse the battlefield effortlessly using the Flying Thunder God jutsu. With this technique, he can surprise his opponents by instantly appearing behind enemy lines and rendering them unable to react. Regardless of the enemy's mastery of devastating jutsu, it becomes meaningless when Minato can suddenly materialize behind them and deliver a powerful Rasengan to their vulnerable back.
However, there are instances where adversaries seem to possess a countermeasure to this strategy. A prime example of this is A, the future Raikage, and Obito. A utilizes thunder-based jutsu to achieve lightning-fast movement and has an extraordinary reflex that enables him to instantly follow Minato's teleportation. He is among the rare few who can keep up with the Yellow Flash. In such cases, Minato resorts to creating a new mark by touching one of A's teammates, namely Killer B, and uses the threat to his life as leverage. This tactic proves sufficient in compelling A to withdraw.
Obito possesses the ability to phase through objects, making it impossible for Minato to deliver a finishing blow. However, Minato realizes that there is a brief moment after Obito uses his phasing ability where he solidifies. Seizing this opportunity, Minato throws his kunai directly at Obito's head, forcing him to activate his phasing mode. In the split second after the kunai phases through Obito, Minato activates the Flying Thunder God jutsu, teleporting directly above Obito and slamming him to the ground with a powerful Rasengan attack.
Minato's exceptional battlefield analysis and strategic thinking, combined with the Flying Thunder God jutsu and his unique kunai, make him an incredibly unpredictable and formidable shinobi. This is the secret behind the Fourth Hokage's unmatched fighting style.
Naruto is available to stream on Crunchyroll.