Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation

Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation
Name
Kanji	口寄せ・穢土転生
Rōmaji	Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei
Literal English	Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation
Viz manga	Summoning: Worldly Resurrection
English TV	Summoning Jutsu: Reanimation
Games	Forbidden Jutsu: Return from the Dead
Other	Summoning: Impure World Resurrection
Debut
Manga	[[|Chapter #117]]
Anime	[[|Naruto Episode #69]]
Video Game	Naruto: Ultimate Ninja
Appears in	Anime, Manga and Game
Data
Classification	Ninjutsu, Kinjutsu, Reincarnation Ninjutsu, Space–Time Ninjutsu
Rank	S-rank
Class	Supplementary
Hand seals	Tiger → Snake → Dog → Dragon → Clap hands
Other jutsu
Users Warren Keitō Uzumaki Kamui Uchiha Uematsu Tomi Uzumaki Yujo

The Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation (口寄せ・穢土転生, Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei) is a forbidden technique used to reincarnate the dead.

Background

The seal for the ritual.

To perform this technique, the user must first acquire some of the DNA of the person they intend to reincarnate. Kabuto remarks that this basically amounts to grave-robbing, although blood stains or organs salvaged after the target's death also work. The soul of the intended reincarnated must also reside in the pure world (浄土, jōdo); those whose soul has been consumed by the Death God, for example, cannot be reincarnated.

Torune being reincarnated with Fū as the sacrifice.

Next, a living sacrifice is required for the soul of the reincarnated to use as a vessel. Once all prerequisites for the technique have been met, the acquired DNA of the person is smeared on a special scroll and once the scroll is activated, the remains spread out in the form of a special seal with the living sacrifice in the centre. Then dust and ash encase the sacrifice's body, giving them the same appearance that the reincarnated had at the time of their death. The process is apparently somewhat painful as seen when Fū was used to reincarnate Torune. The person is then reincarnated and the end product is usually stored in a casket until summoned by the user. The user can theoretically reincarnate a limitless number of people in this way, so long as they have enough sacrifices, chakra and DNA to perform the technique.

Details

Summoning

When first summoned, the body of the reincarnated is stored in a coffin; their body will appear grey and in a state of minor decay, marred by cracks and other imperfections, and the individual will also appear to be asleep. Upon awakening they retain their personality, memories, and all abilities they had in life, including kekkei genkai, kekkei tōta and summoning contracts. Although clothing is also retained by the reincarnated shinobi, weaponry on the other hand is not and must be procured by the user when necessary, as seen when two members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were unable to retrieve their weapons from a scroll upon reincarnation, as they were currently in the possession of others. However, once obtained, shinobi that have stored their weapons in or about their person are still able to re-summon their tools, regardless of the number of times they are stored within their respective coffin. As a downside, the reincarnated seem to retain any permanent body damage and physical limitations they received during their lifetime. The summoned all have grey sclera and retain their original eye colours however the entire eye is darkened. When Kabuto takes complete control of them however, they gain black sclera and white irides. Except for their sclera, the eye colours of dōjutsu wielders don't change at all. The summoned can be recalled at will by the user, causing an empty coffin to emerge and reclaim the individual, and the summoner can also use reincarnated individuals to remotely summon coffins containing additional reinforcements.

Along with this, the summoned individual can feel the person's chakra flowing through them. Persons with sensory ability are also able to go one step further and decipher the actual source of the chakra that is manipulating them, even if the summoner is within the confines of a barrier. This poses a potential disadvantage to the summoner, as a renegade summon that is no longer under their direct control may be able to locate them.

Control

Orochimaru's talisman.

After the individual has been summoned and awakened, the summoner can bind the individual to their will by using a special talisman, which is attached to the end of a kunai and implanted in the brain. Upon implanting the talisman, the reincarnated individual will regenerate further, eliminating any remaining imperfections with the exception of small cracks that may run across the body and restoring colour to their bodies.

Different talismans can be used to enact different degrees of control. Orochimaru's talismans completely eliminated the personalities of the summoned, turning them into mindless killing machines under his command. Kabuto prefers to use a weaker binding talisman on certain individuals, allowing them to retain some degree of their own personality. The latter method is useful for psychological warfare, and can also allow the summoned individual to tap into their own emotions, memories, or creativity to enhance their effectiveness in combat, but also carries a host of drawbacks; it takes more effort to retain control with the weaker binding which can make it possible for the hearts of the summoned to be swayed by strong emotions, which can result in the soul breaking free and returning to the Pure World, or the reincarnated contradicting orders that they are given. Reincarnated shinobi with their personalities still intact have their movements limited to certain actions, and are basically on "auto-pilot" to react to enemy techniques. Once they recognise an enemy technique their bodies are programmed to counter it with an appropriate method.

The pebbles and grid Kabuto uses to monitor the reincarnated shinobi.

Even so, Kabuto can completely remove their personalities if he needed, and may elect to if they resist his command too strongly. After gaining more experience with the technique, and absorbing Orochimaru's chakra from Anko Mitarashi, Kabuto exerts greater control over the summoned and can even overwrite his own talismans, greatly increasing the power of the binding. Once deployed, he can either remotely control or track the summoned individuals using pebbles he manipulates on a simple grid, which acts as a map of sorts. When a reincarnated person is sealed, the pebble cracks and disappears, and the reincarnated shinobi can no longer be used to summon others. This was seen when Haku an Zabuza were immobilized by Kakashi, Maki, and the rest of their division. The pebble for his trump card was black in colour while the others are light-coloured. The summoner can also directly talk through the summoned individual.

Provided the summoner has not eliminated the reincarnated's personality, the reincarnated shinobi can break the link binding him or her to the summoner. In doing so, they take full control of their being and if the technique is cancelled, they will remain under their own power, with the immortal body and chakra the technique provides.

Enhancements

Unlike while they were still alive, the reincarnated have unlimited chakra as well as seemingly near-unlimited stamina and can fight continuously, as neither Kimimaro nor Itachi showed any fatigue from their illnesses as they did in life, and Itachi was even able to use multiple Mangekyō Sharingan techniques without showing exhaustion, while minor uses caused fatigue in life.

The reincarnated are impossible to kill by normal means. Any damage they receive will easily regenerate, be it lost limbs or complete disintegration. Not even killing the summoner will get rid of them. The summoned can make practical use of the this regeneration ability by using suicide attacks and large scale ninjutsu to wipe out everything on a battlefield and then simply regenerate.

Kabuto can also modify his summoned fighters, as he did with Madara Uchiha, claiming that he made him even better than he was in his prime. Tobi also modified the eyes of the reincarnated jinchūriki to match his own, as well as resealing the tailed beasts back into their respective hosts.

Countering

While the reincarnated are immune to traditional attacks such as weapon-based attacks and even the death of the summoner being ineffective, there are three discovered methods to end the technique:

1. Seal away the soul of the reincarnated individual.
2. Have the summoner end the technique. As they are unlikely to do this voluntarily, using a genjutsu to trick them into cancelling the technique is ideal. The sequence of hand seals for cancelling the technique is Rat → Ox → Monkey → Tiger → Dragon → Boar and saying "release" (解, kai) (when demonstrating the technique to Tobi, Kabuto lied that the seals to release it are Dog → Horse → Tiger). If the summoner dies before the technique is deactivated, then this method is impossible.
3. The reincarnated individual is affected in some emotional way that gives them closure; Kankurō notes that human emotions are not so easily restrained. However, this method cannot work if the summoner destroys the personality of the reincarnated individual before their soul is freed of its bonds.

Itachi Uchiha's soul ascending.

Once any of the first three methods are accomplished, the reincarnated individual will briefly regain their personalities before crumbling back into dust, leaving the bodies of the sacrificed individuals lying among the ashes. If the technique is cancelled by the user, the reincarnated's bodies are surrounded by a light before beginning to deconstruct. After this, the reincarnated individual's soul will begin to ascend, leaving behind the corpse of their vessel.

Aside from the three methods of actually defeating the technique outright, there are four discovered methods of countering the effectiveness of this technique:

1. The technique can be partially combated by immobilizing the bodies in a way that it cannot move, act, or be recalled by the summoner. Although this does not truly defeat the summoning, it is effective at neutralizing the immediate threat the reincarnated pose in battle.
2. If the reincarnated still retain their personalities, they can speak against the user or themselves by providing hints and advice to the opponents, even in the midst of involuntarily fighting them. With considerable strength of will, the summoner's authority can even be completely overridden, albeit briefly.
3. A certain powerful genjutsu can free the reincarnated person from the technique's control by giving them an order overwriting the user's control. This can be remedied if the user can place a new talisman into the said reincarnated person, thus reestablishing control.
4. The one risk of the technique, if the resurrected knows the specific seal, one can release the Impure World Reincarnation's summoning contract, severing the bond between themselves and the summoner. This leaves the individual effectively immortal with an unlimited amount of chakra, and the summoner has no control over the individual's mind and movements any longer, nor can the technique be deactivated on the said individual.

It should be noted that the reincarnated are still vulnerable to any technique that could affect them while they were alive, but they are able to reform as soon as they receive any damage. Furthermore, while the reincarnated can't be destroyed and feel no pain which originates from bodily harm or mutilation, they are still vulnerable to the drawbacks from their own techniques or weaknesses. Such examples include Hanzō's poison, Mū along with the Second Mizukage being left weakened after using certain techniques, and Itachi's eye bleeding on the activation of his Mangekyō Sharingan.

Usage Rules

Non-Combat

• Alts and NPCs are not allowed to become ET zombies. No trading alts with a friend for ET zombies.
• ET Zombies are allowed to declare official Jinchūriki challenges but are not allowed to be a host.
• Teacher:Student rule. "Teachers" are allowed to teach a single person ET. Once done, neither teacher nor student can share the technique, unless one or the other dies.
  • Current Teacher-Student Bonds:
    • Kamui Uchiha > Vex
    • Warren > Keitō
    • Tomi > (none)
    • Yujo > Cannot Teach
  • Former/Deceased Users:
    • Rinn (Replaced by Tsuyo)
    • Trev (Replaced by Bocchiere)
    • Bocchiere (Replaced by Kamui)
    • Kamui (Replaced by Guruguru)
    • Tsuyo (Replaced by Masane)
    • Masane (Replaced by Yujo)
    • Shinro (Replaced by Ryoji)
    • Hazama (Replaced by Akasaka Rakudo)
    • Akasaka Rakudo (Replaced by Shinkō)
    • Shinkō (Replaced by Hazama)
    • Hazama (Replaced by Keitō)
    • Kyu Mizushima (Replaced by Warren)
    • Guruguru (Replaced by Athos)
    • Ryoji (Replaced by T'Challa)
    • Arashi Yujo (Replaced by Guruguru)

• If ET is pirated from someone (i.e via the Human Path) the person who attains the knowledge takes the spot on the Teacher-Student list of the person they robbed it from. They will then be bond to any "teacher" or "student" that the previous user was connected with.
• A former user who either had ET stolen from them or quit and had their position in the "Student-Teacher" list replaced can no longer perform ET until they get themselves onto the above list again.
• ET zombies cannot perform ET.
• In order to use the ET technique, a deceased (player-controlled) character's DNA must be obtained and a living character must be sacrificed. Alts may not be used as sacrifices.
• To give a zombie an implant, something else must be traded off for it. (i.e. Naruto give his ET zombie a sharingan implant, but that same zombie loses the ability to use Mokuton).
• As of July 2, 2013, ET users who summon a zombie then release or lose it will still have a constant 20% chakra drain until that freed ET Zombie is sealed away.
  • Currently Unbound Zombies & Unbounder:
    • Uchiha Rares > Trev (freed before this rule was introduced)
    • Taiga Saejima > Uchiha Rinn
    • Uchiha Desare > Uchiha Rinn
    • Trev > Hazama
    • Uchiha Madara > Ryoji
    • Luka Kaguya > Ryoji

Combat

• Only 3 ET zombies may be summoned per battle.
• Only 1 ET zombie can be summoned per Jinchūriki challenge.
• 20% of chakra is used for each individual zombie summon and permanently lost for the duration that the zombie is active. Summoning the maximum of 3 zombies equals a permanent 60% loss of the summoner's total chakra pool. Only when a zombie is sealed or banished is when the user can start recovering the lost 20% for that summon.
• Zombie Regeneration Periods:
  • "Superficial Damage" (No recovery period)
    • Minor scratches & bruises, etc.
  • "Minor Damage" (1 turn regeneration period)
    • Broken limbs, cuts that would cause bleeding, etc.
  • "Moderate" (2 turn regeneration period)
    • Loss of a hand/foot/etc, getting run through by a sword, getting smashed by certain levels of taijutsu, etc.
  • "Serious" (3 turn regeneration period & forced immobilization)
    • Loss of a limb, serious run throughs with swords, 'knockout' blows such as hidden lotus, etc.
  • "Death" (4 turn regeneration period & forced immobilization)
    • Damage that would result in for-sure death had the zombie been "alive" a.k.a. Chidori, getting beheaded, etc.
  • "Complete Annihilation" (5 turn regeneration period & forced immobilization)
    • Complete obliteration a.k.a dust release, burnt to ashes, ripped/blown apart, etc.
• As long as ET is being used, the user can only use defensive moves. And these defensive moves can't be used in the motions of an attack.
• 1:1 Ratio rule. The user can only summon as many ET as there are opponents. 3 is the maximum.
• ET zombies are not allowed to transfer their chakra to other beings through any means.
• ET zombies are also not allowed to use "physical" clones such as shadow clones, or any other variation of a solid clone.

Users and Pacts

Keitō

• Demon
• Kimimaro Kaguya
• Meikai Uchiha
• Roshi

Kamui Uchiha

• Bocchiere
• Uchiha Desare

Uematsu Tomi

• Shinji
• Sharuto
• Yukai Uchiha

Uzumaki Yujo

• Arashi Riku
• Jinkouno Jinchūriki Roune
• Ichirou Ōtsutsuki
• Yoshiro Seiryōku
• Uchiha Masane

Vex

• Hideisamu
• Taiga Saejima

Trivia

• "Edo" (穢土; Literally meaning "Dirty Soil") is what Japanese Buddhists call the normal world, unenlightened people live in. The current, living world. The world of the people who have not yet have escaped the polluting thoughts (greed, hatred, delusion, etc.) that result in suffering.
• A possible translation of Tensei is "Resurrection". In terms of this technique, both "Reincarnation" and "Resurrection" can be found; the sacrificed body is reincarnated into the body of the summoned shinobi, while the reincarnated shinobi is resurrected from the dead.
• In chapter 117 of the manga, when Orochimaru first performs the technique, he tries to summon a third coffin. When the coffin is not summoned, he comments on its failure. Years later, in chapter 520, Kabuto explains that Orochimaru's attempt to summon the Fourth Hokage had failed due to his soul not residing in the "Pure World", which Orochimaru was not aware of. In episode 69 of the anime, when Orochimaru used this technique, the coffin briefly appears, with "four" (四, Yon) written on it; though the summoning of the Fourth Hokage still fails. Based on Kabuto's demonstration, it would seem the actual failure would have occurred when Orochimaru performed the original preparatory ritual.
• The video game, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2, the (non-canon) storyline contradicts the idea the soul of the reincarnated must reside in the Pure World, as Orochimaru revives the Third Hokage no differently than anyone else he summons in the game.
• Kabuto also mentions his desire to reincarnate certain shinobi, including:
  • Jiraiya, though his body lies at the bottom of the ocean where the water pressure is too great to reach. However, he claimed that the bloodstains on the Six Paths of Pain's weapons may provide enough DNA.
  • Shisui Uchiha, but Kabuto could not find his body, though he suggested that Shisui's crushed eye, which is in Tobi's possession, may be sufficient. Later, after learning that Shisui's other eye was on the battlefield, he seemed excited at the prospect of obtaining it. However, Itachi incinerated it.
• In the manga, when the First and Second Hokage were reincarnated, their eyes appeared blank. In the anime version, their eyes appeared normal. Later in Shippūden, the sclera of a reincarnated shinobi is changed to dark grey.
• In Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations, Kabuto Yakushi (Snake Cloak Form) uses this as his ultimate technique. He summons Kakuzu, Itachi and Deidara, who attack the opponent using the Lightning Release: False Darkness, Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique and C1 techniques respectively.
• In the anime, when Kabuto summons the reincarnated shinobi for war, there are several additional ones who do not appear in the manga.