Sage Mode


 * Name:
 * Type: Senjutsu, No rank, Supplementary
 * Users: Jiraiya, Naruto Uzumaki, Shima and Fukasaku
 * Debut (Manga): Chapter 376

Sage Mode is the result of using natural energy along with a ninja's normal chakra in perfect balance to explosively increase a ninja's abilities.

Learning Senjutsu
To learn senjutsu, one must first learn to draw in the natural energy around them by remaining perfectly still. By stopping their own flow as a creature, they will begin to harmonize with the flow of nature. After feeling the flow, one must then learn to balance the external natural energy with their own chakra. Once this balance is achieved, they will enter a state called Sage Mode, allowing them to use senjutsu.

The fastest method of learning to balance the three energies is applying the Secret Toad's Oil from the Myobokuzan Mountain onto one's skin. It can help the user feel the natural energy around them before they learn to remain perfectly still. However, there is a great risk in implementing the oil and drawing in natural energy. If one draws in too little, Sage Mode cannot be achieved. If one draws in too much, they will turn into a toad. If one attempts to continue the senjutsu training and fails, they will turn into solid stone. They essentially become a part of nature. Furthermore, moving while drawing in natural energy causes an uncontrollable inflow of natural energy, thus initiating the Toad Transformation as well.

Imperfect Sage Mode
When Natural Energy is not properly balanced with the chakra of the gatherer and yet it is not enough to trigger Toad Petrification, the result is known as Imperfect Sage Mode. Jiraiya used this transformation during his fight with Pain.

Though he was capable of fully utilizing the abilities of senjutsu, Jiraiya never fully mastered the art of balancing his own internal chakra with that of the external natural energy he took in. So, whenever Jiraiya was using Sage Mode, he drew additional lines on his cheeks. Jiraiya would summon the two Toad Elders, Shima and Fukasaku to assist him in using Sage Mode. The Toad Elders fused to Jiraiya's shoulders with Sage Art: Amphibian Technique, gathering natural energy from their stationary positions for Jiraiya's use.

As a result of the toad-fusion (and the imperfect nature of his transformation), Jiraiya took a number of toad-like traits when using Sage Mode. His appearance was altered (he has a bigger nose, a goatee, and toad-like eyes). Further transformational attributes includes him taking on a toad-like stature, his hands and feet also became that of a toad and the lines on his face become much thicker, taking over each side of his face. Because of these traits, Jiraiya didn't like to use Sage Mode as it "displeases the ladies". This transformation is an Imperfect Sage Mode.

True Sage Mode
When a user is able to perfectly balance the natural energy gathered with his/her own chakra, it results in the transformation to True Sage Mode. In this form, the user maintains all of his physical traits except their eyes, which morph to a toad's eyes. This physical feature is the sign of a True Sage and are always present in Sage Mode.

After Jiraiya's death, Naruto manages to learn how to enter Sage Mode perfectly. He seemed to be more skilled when training, being said to be learning faster than Jiraiya did (this could be attributed to his use of shadow clones, and possibly to all of Naruto's prior experiences with his initial Jinchūriki Form and his following transformations).

Because he cannot gather natural energy while fighting, Naruto tried to use Sage Art: Amphibian Technique to fuse with Fukasaku as Jiraiya had done. The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox sealed within him made this impossible, so he had to resort to having shadow clones gather natural energy and then disperse when he needs to use senjutsu.

Nine-Tails Influence
During his meeting with Nagato, Naruto is stabbed in the gut with the former's chakra disruption blade. Nagato thinks he would be able to control Naruto with his own chakra, but Naruto inadvertently reveals a fusion of his Jinchūriki form and Sage Mode characteristics. Now with the chakra granted to him by the Nine-Tails added to the Sage chakra, Naruto appears to have become very powerful, as he easily cancels the effect of Nagato's chakra in his body and maintains control of himself.

Although the combat abilities of this hybrid form are, as of yet, unknown since Naruto does not fight Nagato during the time in this form. However, considering that using the Nine-Tails' chakra enhances Naruto's speed, strength, stamina, and rejuvenation (likewise jutsu) just as Sage Mode does, it can be presumed that the combat abilities of this hybrid form are far more formidable compared to them being used separately. It would also stand to reason that in order to achieve this hybrid mode, Naruto must keep his physical energy, his spiritial energy, natural energy and the Nine-Tails' chakra all in balance; just like how he has to keep his physical, spiritial and natural energy in balance to create Sage Chakra.

Advantages

 * The user's physical strength, speed, and durability drastically increases.
 * The user's ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu become more powerful.
 * The user can have the natural energy surrounding them become an extension of their body, increasing the reach of their attacks.
 * The user gains the ability to sense the chakra around them.

Weaknesses of Sage Mode
Sage Mode only has three known weaknesses to be aware of:
 * 1) Because the user is moving, the Sage chakra cannot be replenished, which means the user can't stay in this mode for extended periods of time.
 * 2) More importantly, in order to gather enough natural energy to initiate the transformation into Sage Mode, the user must remain perfectly still. Because of that, the user can be an easy target for an opponent.
 * 3) As soon as Sage Mode ends the user is left in an exhausted state, and can easily be attacked.

Overcoming the Weaknesses
In order to balance out the weaknesses, Shima and/or Fukasaku must fuse to the user's shoulders, after which they help gather the Natural energy required to sustain Sage Mode. In other words, they can remain still while the user can move and not be defenseless. Fukasaku attempted to fuse with Naruto so that he could gather Natural energy without having to stay still. However, the Nine-Tails inside Naruto prevents Fukasaku from fusing with him. Naruto decided to learn how to gather Natural Energy while moving. When Fukasaku tells Naruto that it is like looking left and right at the same time, Naruto gets an idea similar to the one he had during the Shadow Clone/Wind Release training with Kakashi.

During Naruto's fight with Pain, he reveals that he has learned how to use shadow clones to assist in the process of gathering Natural energy. By leaving two clones back at Myobokuzan, Naruto allows them to gather Natural energy and to maintain their Sage chakra while he engages in battle. When he is in need of more natural energy, Naruto uses a giant scroll to "reverse summon" one of his clones and dispels it, thus transferring the clone's Sage chakra back to the original, thus allowing Naruto to re-enter Sage Mode.

It's later revealed that this method limits the number of clones Naruto can use (ie: two clones to gather energy and three for use in battle). Using more than five clones in battle would interfere with the ones focusing Sage chakra. This limits his ability to use Sage Mode to a maximum of three times in the battle. It also limits his use of the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to a maximum total of five clones (two of them gathering sage chakra) or four (while there is one clone focusing Sage chakra) until the last focusing clone is dispelled.