L'Edo Tensei : la réincarnation des âmes de Naruto

Edo Tensei: The Reanimation Jutsu in Naruto

1165 words | Reading time: 6 min

GuideEdo TenseiKabuto

Bringing the dead back as soldiers: the most terrifying jutsu in Naruto. This guide breaks down the mechanics of Edo Tensei, the Reanimation Jutsu, classified as a kinjutsu and created by Tobirama Senju, the 2nd Hokage. Covered here: the DNA of the deceased and the living sacrifice the ritual demands, the requirement of a soul held in the Pure Land, a regenerating body steered by a talisman — and above all the concrete ways to counter the summoning.

Bringing the dead back as near-invincible soldiers: Edo Tensei is one of the most terrifying jutsu in Naruto. Here is the complete guide to the Reanimation Jutsu: its creator, its macabre mechanics and its users.

Contents

A forbidden jutsu created by Tobirama

Edo Tensei (“Reanimation of Souls”) was developed by Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage — whom you will find again in our guide to the Hokage of Konoha. Aware of its unethical nature, Tobirama himself classified it among the kinjutsu, the forbidden techniques.

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Portrait of a ninja with spiky white hair, a gray helmet bearing the Konoha leaf, red eyes and red markings on his cheeks, and a wide white fur collar, in front of the rooftops of a village
Tobirama Senju, Second Hokage: he develops Edo Tensei, then classifies it himself among the kinjutsu.

How does Edo Tensei work?

The jutsu binds the soul of a dead person to a living body used as a sacrifice. Two ingredients are required: a fragment of the deceased's remains (DNA) and a living human being. Upon activation, the sacrificed person takes on the exact appearance of the deceased, along with their memory, their personality and their techniques. The reanimated body becomes near-immortal: it regenerates from almost any damage and has near-limitless chakra. A talisman driven into its head makes it possible to control it. Essential condition: the soul must reside in the Pure Land — a soul sealed elsewhere (devoured by the Death God, for instance) cannot be brought back.

In a forest, a red-haired person wearing a forehead protector screams as a cracked gray crust spreads over their chest and face, with flakes breaking away from it
The darkest part of the jutsu: a living human being serves as the vessel and takes on the appearance of the deceased.

Orochimaru, then Kabuto

Orochimaru used the jutsu again during the invasion of Konoha, reanimating Hashirama and Tobirama to fight the Third Hokage, Hiruzen — his attempt to bring back Minato failed, since the latter's soul was sealed inside the belly of the Death God. Later, Kabuto all but perfected the jutsu and raised a huge army during the Fourth Great Ninja War, including Madara, Itachi, Nagato, former Kage and jinchuriki. (The first four Hokage, who came to support the Allied Shinobi Forces, were reanimated by Orochimaru, not by Kabuto.)

Two armored ninja with gray skin stand in open wooden coffins; between them, a pale man with long black hair, a purple rope tied around his waist, is smiling
During the invasion of Konoha, Orochimaru calls back the first two Hokage to send them against the third.

How do you counter Edo Tensei?

Against soldiers who cannot be killed, only a few counters exist: cancellation by the summoner himself, sealing the soul or the body of the reanimated (as with the Benihisago gourd), or leading him to “find peace” so that he returns to the afterlife of his own accord. It is precisely Itachi who puts an end to Kabuto's jutsu: freed from control thanks to the Kotoamatsukami of Shisui, he traps Kabuto in the Izanami genjutsu and forces him to perform the release.

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A ninja in dark armor with spiky hair, braced and screaming, at the center of a blast of white light in shards that fills the whole frame
The release: once the jutsu is lifted, the reanimated is no longer held in the world of the living.

Summary Table

Aspect Details
Creator Tobirama Senju (2nd Hokage), classified as a kinjutsu
Ingredients DNA of the dead + a living sacrifice
Requirement The soul must be in the Pure Land
Reanimated body Near-immortal, regenerating, controlled by a talisman
Users Orochimaru, then Kabuto (army of the 4th War)
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FAQ

  • Who created Edo Tensei?
    Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage, who himself classified it among the forbidden techniques (kinjutsu).
  • How does Edo Tensei work?
    It binds the soul of a dead person to a living body offered in sacrifice, starting from a fragment of the deceased's remains. The reanimated is near-immortal and can be controlled with a talisman.
  • Can anyone be brought back?
    No: the soul of the deceased must reside in the Pure Land. A soul sealed elsewhere, such as that of Minato inside the belly of the Death God, cannot be brought back.
  • Who has used Edo Tensei?
    Orochimaru (invasion of Konoha), then Kabuto, who raised a huge army of the reanimated during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
  • How do you stop Edo Tensei?
    By canceling it, by sealing the reanimated, or by leading him to find peace. Itachi puts an end to it by forcing Kabuto, via the Izanami genjutsu, to perform the release.

In summary

Forbidden from the moment it was created, Edo Tensei turns death into a weapon and gives the Fourth Great Ninja War its most titanic clashes — until Itachi brings it to an end.

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