Eight Gates

The Eight Gates are eight specific points on a person's Chakra Pathway System. They limit the overall flow of chakra within a person's body. The basis for the idea of the chakra gates comes from the body's limits on the functions within it. This makes the body much weaker, but it keeps the body from expiring too soon. By undergoing intense training, one can learn how to open these gates allowing the user to surpass their own physical limits at the cost of extreme damage to their own body.

Rock Lee is able to open the first five gates. Might Guy, who taught Lee the skill, is able to open at least seven. Kakashi can open at least one gate, as shown during Kakashi's one-handed rock climbing where a shot of his brain shows the relevant point activating, as well as in his usage of the Front Lotus. Opening the gates is a difficult feat even for the most talented ninja, and Kakashi was surprised to find out that at that time, Lee could open as many as five of them.

The state of having all Eight Gates open is known as. Any shinobi who activates this state will temporarily gain powers greater than a Kage, but they will die because of the damage done to their body. Due to the immense amount of chakra flooding the body all at once, drastic changes can occur upon the user's body. The most common of these changes are the darkening of the skin, eruption of veins around the temples, and the eyes turning completely white. The recipient's voice also becomes deeper for the duration of the release.

Gates

 * 1) The, located in the brain. This gate removes the restraints of the brain on the muscles so 100% of their strength can be used whereas normally, a person can only use 20% of their muscles' strength to keep them from disintegrating. Unlocking this gate allows the user to use the Front Lotus.
 * 2) The, located in the brain. Forcibly increases one's physical strength and temporarily re-energises the body.
 * 3) The, located on the spinal cord. Allows the user to use the Reverse Lotus. The increased blood flow turns the skin red.
 * 4) The, located on the spinal cord. Increases the user's speed and power. May cause muscle tissue to tear on use.
 * 5) The, located in the abdomen. Increases the user's speed and power.
 * 6) The, located in the stomach. Increases the user's speed and power. Allows the user to perform the Morning Peacock. Opening of this gate releases such enormous amounts of chakra that it can cause nearby water bodies to form a vortex around the user.
 * 7) The, located below the stomach. Further increases the user's speed and power. Allows the user to perform the Daytime Tiger. Those who open this gate will pour glowing green sweat from every inch of their body, which immediately evaporates from their own heat energy, creating an aura which people would mistake as a green chakra coating. Unfortunately, the side effects of opening the gate are that the user's muscle fibres are ripped to shreds, causing intense pain if anything or anyone touches them.
 * 8) The, located at the heart. Releasing this gate uses up all of the body's energy. It makes the heart pump at maximum power and exceeds the power of every other gate. Opening this gate assures the user's death shortly after.

Trivia

 * In Naruto Shippūden 2: Bonds, Shinnō managed to use a technique that allowed him to open all eight gates without any drawbacks.
 * In Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 and Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3, Neji Hyūga uses a technique called Last Resort: Eight Gates Bombardment to specifically block access to the Eight Gates.
 * In Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, when Might Guy activates his awakening, he mistakenly says "Eighth Gate of Joy!", instead of "Sixth Gate of Joy!"
 * In several video games, Rock Lee can unlock the sixth and seventh gates, despite the fact that in the manga and anime he can only unlock the first five gates.