Summary
- Rock Lee lacks chakra molding skills to use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu due to the way the power system of Naruto works
- Lee doesn't exhibit a clear elemental chakra nature, hindering his access to ninja techniques.
- Despite his current limitations, Lee could potentially develop body-focused Yang release.
We are introduced to the character Rock Lee in the original Naruto series as a highly specialized taijutsu fighter. It is explained by his teacher, Might Guy, that he skipped Lee’s development in Ninjutsu and Genjutsu so he could achieve more with what he could do, physical combat.
However, even though Lee is thought to be weak in these areas, it’s a wonder why we never saw him use at least some kind of rudimentary technique in Naruto. Lee is shown to be able to use chakra to accomplish feats like standing on water, and uses chakra in his Hidden Lotus techniques. Given that Lee has some degree of control over his chakra, why doesn’t he ever use Genjutsu or Ninjutsu techniques?
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Earth Release is Naruto’s most underrated chakra nature—here’s why it’s quietly one of the most powerful and strategic elements in the series.
Lee’s Chakra Flaw
He Lacks the Ability to Mold His Chakra
Although Rock Lee uses chakra like other ninja in Naruto, the way he uses it is a bit different than how they use it. He can only move his chakra around his body, and seems not to be capable of using elemental releases. This is why he can use chakra to improve his physical strength and run across water, but not use anything more advanced than that.
Lee doesn’t possess the ability to mold chakra in the way necessary to create many Ninjutsu or Genjutsu techniques because he most likely lacks the necessary chakra nature. Most people strong enough to be a ninja in the show have at least one elemental affinity, determined by the results of the chakra induction paper test. Although not made explicitly clear in the anime, the data books show Rock Lee as having no clear chakra nature, as none of the basic elements are highlighted for him. Without an elemental chakra nature, Lee would have difficulty using the vast majority of non-taijutsu ninja techniques. This is likely why Might Guy felt it wise for Lee to skip trying to train these kinds of skills and focus purely on taijutsu. The primary reason Lee can’t use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu is that the barrier for entry for him is too high, so he never put in the effort to see if he could use any.
Naruto: Hinata Would Be A Better Character If The Series Had Done This
Many fans felt that Kishimoto underdeveloped Hinata Hyuga in Naruto, but she had a lot of potential as a character.
Could Rock Lee Someday Use Them?
The Series Might Still Explore Rock Lee’s Potential One Day
Despite currently being unable to use these powerful ninja techniques, it’s possible that Rock Lee could someday use some version of them. This is because, beyond the basic elemental natures, there also exist Yin and Yang releases. Yin release is primarily focused on the mind and is what makes many types of Genjutsu work. While this seems unlikely as something for Lee to pick up, Yang release is infinitely more promising. The Yang element is closely associated with the body and physical energy, something that Lee has in spades. It’s possible that Lee could find a way to more easily tap into it for Yang's release, though admittedly, this is unlikely. In the series, most of the advanced ninja techniques are passed along through bloodlines and clans, making it likely also a requirement that Rock Lee is a secret descendant of some powerful ancient ninja for him to use something helpful. Yang release is what Chōji Akimichi and his clan use to increase the size of their bodies on the battlefield.
“That might be a good idea, that is, if he had any. Lee has no ninjutsu or genjutsu skills at all…Oh that’s nothing, you should have seen how hopeless he was when I first met him, no talent whatsoever.” -Might Guy commenting on Rock Lee’s growth during his fight with Gaara in the Chunin Exams.
If Rock Lee were ever given another chance to shine in the series continuity, one way they could do it is to give him the ability to use some body-related Yang release power, perhaps the results of his intense physical training during his shinobi adventures. Still, his years of having undeveloped chakra pathways might have made him miss the boat. Lee probably needed to have put in the effort earlier if he wanted to stand a chance at using some Ninjutsu or Genjutsu eventually.
Naruto can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
Naruto
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 2, 2002
- Network
- Adult Swim
A popular shonen anime based on Masashi Kishimoto's manga, Naruto follows its eponymous shinobi's journey as he goes from his town's outsider to its hero.
- Main Genre
- Animation
- Seasons
- 5
- Studio
- Pierrot
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Masashi Kishimoto
- Number of Episodes
- 220
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix, YouTube
- MyAnimeList Score
- 7.99
