Substitute Technique

This technique allows a White Zetsu to become an exact copy of anyone, at will. In becoming the perfect duplicate of another individual, he will even possess chakra identical to that of the one that he is impersonating along with any clothing they might be wearing or tools they may be carrying. He can also copy the victim's abilities to the extent of what is known to him. For example, a Kisame Hoshigaki copy attempted to use the original's Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique, and another copied the appearance of Hinata Hyūga's Byakugan. It was only in the anime, however, that they were shown actually using copied techniques. Because the substitute is usually weaker than the original individual, their primary purpose is to function as a diversion.

When he used this technique, White Zetsu created parasite clones to serve as substitutes; he was able to control these clones remotely and remained aware of their actions and experiences. The transformed clone retained the appearance of the person they were impersonating even after death, reverting to its true form only after the technique was voluntarily released by White Zetsu.

A variation of this technique is also used by the soldiers of the White Zetsu Army. Unlike the original's version, the technique is seemingly dispersed once the transformed clone is dealt with a significant amount of damage or killed. These clones also demonstrated the ability to partially revert to their true forms while transformed.

Trivia

 * In the anime, this technique was shown to be activated by White Zetsu having a clone make physical contact with its target and transform. In the manga, it is not made clear whether this was the case or White Zetsu could simply create clones of others that he had previously touched.
 * In the manga, the clone used as a substitute for Kisame Hoshigaki resembles a regular parasite clone. In the anime, however, the clone possesses the Venus flytrap-like extensions that protrude from the side of the original White Zetsu, as well as the clothing that White Zetsu was wearing at the time.
 * In both the manga and anime, the transformed clones were shown to bleed when damaged. However, in Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie, limbs severed from transformed clones were shown to leak a white substance, similar to Obito Uchiha's artificial arm. One clone was also shown to regenerate its lost limb upon reverting to its true form.