Board Thread:Theories and Speculation/@comment-32617252-20171101024222/@comment-734582-20171113085503

Lorenzo.r.2nd wrote: water is water. its always there, and it wont change. but chakra can grow, and change at the same time, along with having many more different properties than water. Except that Eight Gates takes chakra that is already there, strength that is already there, and allows the user to overcome natural barriers to using them. It doesn't draw from an external source. Choji's mode similarly draws upon chakra that's already there, and allows him to allocate it in a more convenient form.

Suigetsu's technique takes water that's already there, and allows him to alter his body to gain increased powers. This is essentially Choji's mode. Then, he can also take in external water to augment his own. This is essentially Sage Mode.