Earth Release

is one of the basic elemental nature transformation techniques and allows the user to manipulate the surrounding earth for offensive and defensive purposes or create it; be it dirt, mud, or rock.

Earth Release techniques have the ability to change the strength and composition of the earth from being as hard as metal to as soft as clay, as well as manipulating their density, making them heavier or lighter. This includes allowing the user to travel through ground and rock in various ways which can be essential for both transportation and for setting up attacks or creating defences or for offence. Indeed, this makes earth techniques one of the most versatile of the elemental techniques. Pre-existing earth is not necessary though, for the user can create it with their own chakra.

Earth Release affinities are the most common amongst the ninja of Iwagakure, and is commonly affiliated with the Snake seal and/or slamming their palm onto the ground.

Relationship with other Natures

 * Earth is strong against water because earth naturally contains water or absorbs water to the point when it becomes muddy then dries up but weak against lightning because it can easily travel through and break the ground apart.
 * In the anime, Earth Release was shown being used in conjunction with Fire Release.
 * It seems that Explosion Release chakra can be infused into clay using the the Iwagakure Kinjutsu to form explosive clay. This clay is earth-based, and is weak to Lightning Release.
 * Earth-natured chakra is a component of the following kekkei genkai: Wood Release, Lava Release and Magnet Release.
 * It is also a component of the kekkei tōta: Dust Release.
 * Earth Release is suggested to be related to Crystal Release due to Guren's crystal dragons being shattered by Kakashi's Lightning Cutter and Kiba having mistaken the actual element for an Earth Release technique.

Trivia

 * Earth Release parallels the real-life ninja art . One example of real-life doton-no-jutsu is Uzura-gakure: the practice of curling into a ball and remaining motionless in order to appear like a stone.