Flying Thunder God Technique

The Flying Thunder God Technique is a space–time ninjutsu created by Tobirama Senju.

Overview
Before the Flying Thunder God Technique can be performed, users must first mark a target with their. The formula is applied after the merest touch and cannot be removed; it will remain in place even after the user has died. There is seemingly no limit to how many targets can be marked with technique formulas, as Minato Namikaze routinely uses dozens at a time. A user's shadow clones also seem to double as a kind of technique formula.

By entering a dimensional void, users can instantly teleport to a technique formula's location whenever they please, regardless of distance. To an onlooker, it may look like the Body Replacement Technique, but the Flying Thunder God actually has more in common with the Summoning Technique. Anything that the user is holding, contacting, or that is linked with their chakra will teleport with them, but this requires additional chakra to do; particularly large objects can require so much chakra as to place a limit on how far away the user is able to teleport. Users can choose to teleport to a different location than the objects, or they can teleport objects without teleporting themselves.

In combat situations, the Flying Thunder God can most effectively be used by marking an opponent's body with the technique formula, allowing the user to teleport to them at anytime: when the marked opponent tries to attack, the user can attack them first; when the marked opponent tries to escape, the user can instantly appear at their side. Tō no Sho likens this to a juinjutsu, in that anyone marked with the technique formula is essentially sentenced to death. While trying to find an opportunity to mark opponents, the Flying Thunder God also gives users a defensive option, as they can teleport away from an opponent's attacks. In order to take advantage of this, the technique formula is often applied to projectile weapons, such as Minato's special kunai, which can quickly be scattered around a battlefield to create several teleportation destinations that can be escaped to and subsequently attacked from.

Both Tobirama and Minato were famed as the fastest shinobi during their lifetimes. While both were very fast on their own, the Flying Thunder God also contributed to their fame. During the Third Shinobi World War, Minato's extensive usage of the Flying Thunder God led to his moniker as "Konoha's Yellow Flash": he would randomly appear behind enemy lines and, by seemingly being in many places at once, wipe out whole squadrons before they had time to react. By combining their naturally good reflexes with the instantaneousness of the Flying Thunder God, Tobirama could intercept and redirect a Truth-Seeking Ball mid-detonation and Minato could escape Kamui mid-capture. Minato's ability to dodge A's Lightning Release Chakra Mode led A to dub Minato the fastest ninja who ever lived.

When both Tobirama and Minato are revived during the Fourth Shinobi World War, they connect each others' Flying Thunder God networks, allowing them to teleport to the other's technique formulas. Together, they develop the Flying Thunder God Mutually Instantaneous Revolving Technique, which allows them to switch places with each other in combat to set-up different maneuvers. During their lives, both developed their own variants of the Flying Thunder God: Tobirama had the Flying Thunder God Slash, which he used to stab opponents the instant he teleported to their side; Minato had Flying Thunder God: Guiding Thunder, which created a barrier in front of him that teleported incoming attacks to a different location.

Trivia

 * The name Hiraishin is also the phonic of the Japanese word 避雷針, which means "lightning rod". This may suggest the reasoning as to why the technique is restricted towards a seal, because lightning is attracted to lightning rods.
 * The Flying Thunder God Technique has sometimes been referred to as the Body Flicker Technique, despite the fact that they are fundamentally different.
 * Minato incorporated the Flying Thunder God's mark into his wife's seal, allowing him to immediately come to her aid when needed.
 * Although it's been said that the technique formula can't be removed, its marking has disappeared from individuals that have tailed beasts sealed into them and extracted from them.
 * In the anime, Minato's technique formula appears to say 忍愛之剣, made up of the kanji for, , , and . Tobirama's is more reminiscent of the formula used for seals – a random assortment of Kanji, Hindi script, and other symbols.
 * In video games, Minato's use of the Flying Thunder God Technique creates a yellow flash, in reference to his nickname.