Kirin is an extremely powerful, one-shot lightning technique that according to Zetsu travels at 1/1000th of a second. The user draws lightning directly from thunder clouds to supplement the power of his or her strike, and controls it with chakra. Because the technique uses natural lightning as opposed to elemental chakra, its power easily outmatches all other Lightning Releases. However, the preparation time required also decreases the technique's efficiency. This technique in the absence of active thunder clouds requires Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique or other such techniques to produce the necessary storm conditions to initiate it.
To initiate a lightning storm, and then to take control of lightning in order to guide it to a target while using the shape manipulation shown above, drained even Sasuke of most of his chakra. However, the manipulation of the lightning itself requires little chakra. In addition, usage seems to destroy the thunder clouds as the sky cleared up of clouds after use. As such, this technique can only be used once in a fight. However, the blast is strong enough to completely annihilate the entire Abandoned Uchiha Stronghold, so it is almost unavoidable. Itachi withstood this technique by using Susanoo.
Influences
In Japanese mythology as following Qin Dynasty Chinese Mythology the Kirin is the highest ranked mythological animal below the Dragon and Phoenix, which are also in the names of techniques the Uchiha clan use.
References
- ↑ Third Databook, page 247
