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Karyl Trejo

Karyl’s first introduction to anime was none other than Sailor Moon, and when she had finished watching the complete series, she realized she was completely hooked. She soon graduated to Trigun, Hellsing, and Cowboy Bebop — and thus, her lifelong love of anime was born. These days, she remains a voracious watcher of anime and fills in the gaps of her downtime with whatever manga she can get her hands on. When she’s not arguing about the differences between sub and dub to the unwary (team sub all the way!), she’s memorizing the lyrics to her favorite J-pop songs so she can sing them to her cats.

Latest posts by Karyl Trejo (see all)

• Strongest Bleach Characters Ranked - June 22, 2022
• What is Baryon Mode in Naruto - June 7, 2022
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What makes Naruto special when compared to all of our favorite shinobis is the fact that the Nine-Tailed Fox was sealed within him by his father, Minato Namikaze. As a Jinchuriki of the most powerful Tailed beast, Naruto gains access to its immense power that other shinobis are simply incapable of having.

The world of Naruto continues to grow, through the shows Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden, and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Over the years, we have witnessed the strength of Naruto increase. 

This is because the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox can be manifested by the many forms its Jinchuriki can take. In what is perhaps Naruto’s ultimate form, the Baryon Mode was shown when he fought Isshiki Otsutsuki in the “Kawaki” Arc.

What Are Naruto’s Different Modes?

Throughout the different shows in the universe of Naruto, we’ve seen Naruto grow through his many different forms or modes. These modes are often an example of the potential power that he can unlock through Kurama. 

However, at times, some of his modes do not require the use of the tailed fox sealed within him – but instead, his sheer skill as a great shinobi.

Initial Chakra Form

In the “Land of Wave” Arc, Naruto is pushed to tap into the Nine-Tails Chakra in his fight against Haku. This form appears out of rage because of Sasuke’s assumed “death”. Filled with anger, the orange chakra gave Naruto enhanced healing and strength. 

The form allowed Naruto to get back on his feet despite already being exhausted from Haku’s Crystal Ice Mirrors Jutsu. Just fueled by rage, Naruto goes berserk while manifesting several beast-like qualities such as fangs and claw-like nails.

One-Tailed Form

The first major manifestation of Kurama’s power we see in Naruto is when he fights Sasuke Uchiha at the Valley of the End. This marked a major turning point in the series as this was the first major fight we witnessed between the two iconic characters. 

Despite Sasuke’s Cursed Seal, the power of the One-Tailed Form was enough for Naruto to go head-on against Sasuke. During this fight, Naruto was able to hold a substantial amount of chakra. This allowed him to heal from his injuries quicker all the while being much faster and stronger at the same time.

The One-Tailed Form is illustrated by a dense shroud of chakra around the Jinchuriki. The shroud of chakra which resembles boiling liquid offers a form of protection to Naruto himself. Though, it should be noted that extended use of this form if not mastered can harm the user as well.

Four-Tailed Version 2 Form

While the Initial and One-Tailed Forms of Naruto had him pretty much still in control of his own body albeit with rage, Naruto would lose that control completely when using the Four Tailed Version 2 Form.

In the battle against Orochimaru in the “Long-Awaited Reunion” Arc, Naruto lets the Nine-Tails take full control of his body. In the fight, the Nine-Tailed Fox goes on a rampage which ultimately leads to Hashirama Senju sealing the beast within him once again.

Because this form surrenders full control to Kurama, Naruto fails to distinguish apart friend from foe. This leads to him attacking and going on a rampage unaware of the possible consequences. What’s more is that upon entering this form, Naruto experiences a burning pain which is visibly shown once he is out of this state.

Six-Tailed Version 2 Form

Similar to the Four-Tailed Version 2 Form, the Six-Tailed Version 2 Form was a form that surrendered all of Naruto’s control to Kurama. Apart from the beastly transformation and the boiling red aura that surrounded Naruto, Kurama’s skeleton is also manifested over the body of Naruto. 

Upon transformation, Naruto’s strength increases dramatically. However, it comes at a cost. In this form, Kurama takes more control of his mind and body which furthers Naruto from being able to regain his consciousness.

Eight Tails Form (Partial Transformation)

Used in the battle against Pain, a partial transformation of the Nine-Tailed Fox briefly appears as he was trapped within the Planetary Devastation Jutsu. The transformation shows the whole body of Kurama with only his muscles showing.

Naruto’s Eight-Tails Form resembles the appearance of Kurama, lacking only the final tail, fur, and skin. This form was cut short due to the seal Minato Uzumaki had placed within Naruto in the event of Kurama attempting to be reborn.

Sage Mode

To not rely on the power of the Nine-Tails chakra too much, Naruto trains at Mount Myōboku with Fukasaku to learn Senjutsu. It is here that he learned how to enter Sage Mode by learning to control and be aware of the Natural Energy surrounding him. 

Upon entering this mode, Naruto gained numerous advantages in terms of strength, stamina, reflexes, and overall durability. What’s more, is that all of his jutsus become more powerful because of his ability to manipulate Natural Energy.

Partial Nine-Tails Chakra Mode

Once Naruto was able to gain control over the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed within him, he unlocked more of Kurama’s power. Training with the great Jinchuriki, Killer Bee, Naruto was able to gain full mental control over Kurama which would not have been possible in his previous transformations.

The mode allowed Naruto to fully act of his own will utilizing the Nine-Tails’ chakra during the “Fourth Shinobi World War”. Though Naruto gains significant enhancements across all his abilities, he is still limited as a result of forcefully using Kurama’s chakra. This fundamentally limits the Nine-Tails power he can draw which is shown by his inability to use Tailed Beast Balls. 

Kurama Mode (Nine-Tails Chakra Mode)

Upon learning the name of the Nine-Tailed Fox, Kurama, Naruto can understand and connect with the Tailed Beast. This mode is set apart from the Partial Nine-Tails Chakra Mode because there is no longer an inner battle between Naruto and Kurama. 

Essentially, the form allows Naruto to make use of all of Kurama’s Chakra without his resistance. Thus, being able to use the whole power of the Nine-Tailed Fox at his own will. In this form, he is also able to transfer Kurama’s chakra onto others giving them strength.

Six Paths Sage Mode

Bestowed to him by Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Six Paths Sage Mode grants Naruto significant powers as well as additional techniques that are well above the Sage Mode level. This mode is essentially a heightened state of the Sage Mode, which allows Naruto to augment and absorb immense amounts of Natural Energy into his techniques.

The power of this mode allowed Naruto to go against Madara Uchiha and even Kaguya Otsutuki. Since Naruto gains greater awareness of the chakra and Natural energy around him, he can react to things not visible to the naked eye such as the shadows within the Limbo.

Tailed Beast Mode

As a result of Naruto befriending Kurama, thus accessing Kurama Mode, he is now able to fully manifest the full form of the Nine-Tailed Fox. Previous forms of the Tailed Beast were fueled by rage. This mode gives Naruto full control of the physical form of Kurama which was shown in “The Last: Naruto the Movie.”

Through this form, Naruto is still able to use the different jutsus he is capable of. This mode is primarily used when fighting against large opponents that would dwarf the size of regular shinobi to maintain an even playing field.

Asura Kurama Mode

With strength surpassing the Tailed Beast Mode, Naruto can enter the aforementioned mode whilst obtaining the Six Paths Senjutsu from Hagaromo. This mode is a construction of two different Tailed Beast shadow clones culminating into a single figure with three faces and six arms.

In this mode, Naruto can use one of the strongest abilities in the universe by combining the Rasenshuriken and the Tailed Beast Ball forming the Six Paths: Ultra-Big Ball Rasenshuriken which evenly matched Indra’s Arrow.

Baryon Mode

Naruto’s latest form, the Baryon Mode, may very well be his final and strongest mode yet. Described by Kurama as a process similar to nuclear fusion, both his and Naruto’s chakra are melded into a new form of energy. This exponentially increases Naruto’s overall chakra all the while boosting all of his capabilities to the extreme. 

Despite being one of the strongest abilities shown in the world of Naruto so far, it comes at a cost. When in use, it gradually drains the user’s lifespan and strength. With this risk, every single movement of the user should be necessary and calculated. Once the breaking point is reached, Kurama’s very being can even be destroyed.

In the fight against Ishhiki, Naruto and Kurama had to keep fighting despite the negative side effects of Baryon Mode. This is because the mode also drains the opponent’s life force. Once Isshiki was defeated, Naruto had already reached his tipping point. This eventually led to the very life force of Kurama fading away.

Baryon Mode Deconstructed

The term “baryon” comes from particle physics. They are composite subatomic particles that are made up of three quarks. These quarks are often composed of neutrons and protons, both of which are the particles that go through fusion in the Sun.

As explained by Kurama, the Baryon Mode is extremely similar to nuclear fusion. Both the chakras of Naruto and Kurama undergo fusion which leads to this final form. Drawing tremendous power from the two, the chakra that is consumed creates a new type of energy with immense power.

Widely increases all of Naruto’s attributes surpassing even that of a member of the Otsutsuki Clan, the Baryon Mode allows the user to effortlessly parry any attack. On top of the significant power-ups granted by this mode, it also actively drains an opponent’s lifespan with each attack.

Even as an overtly powerful form, it is not to be used lightly. The mode itself is a double-edged sword that affects not only the opponent but the user itself. As Kurama mentions, every second and every movement using the Baryon Mode drains the user’s lifespan as well. 

Such drawbacks indicate this mode should never be used lightly as it has very risky consequences that will permanently impact the user. Under this mode, even singular movements may effectively drain Naruto’s life force faster putting Kurama at a greater risk.

How Strong is Baryon Mode, Exactly?

The Otsutsuki Clan is by far the most powerful group ever to step foot in the Naruto Universe. Before the Baryon Mode, Naruto had much difficulty in dealing with members of the clan. This mode has granted him incredible strength which would eventually be enough to overwhelm Isshiki in their fight.

With each iteration of Naruto’s different modes, physical attribute enhancements are expected. The Baryon Mode far exceeded any of the past jumps in improvement on the mere fact that Isshiki could not keep up with all of Naruto’s movements.

On top of the unworldly physical enhancements, Naruto’s ability to drain his opponents’ lifespan makes this mode even scarier. During his fight against Isshiki, Naruto defeats the Otsutsuki member not by sheer force but by simply draining his lifespan little by little.

This power of draining an opponent’s life force would ultimately mean that each blow Naruto makes while using the Baryon Mode would be extremely lethal. Remember, Isshiki is one of the strongest individuals in all of Naruto. What more if a regular shinobi was hit by one of the Baryon Mode’s attacks.

While the strength of the Baryon Mode relies primarily on the importance of each of the moves Naruto makes, it is still an other-worldly power introduced in the franchise. With this strength, Naruto could quite possibly defeat any individual apart from Hagoromo Otsutsuki himself.

How Baryon Mode Compares to Six Paths Sage Mode

Out of all Naruto’s different forms, the mode with the closest power level is arguably the Six Paths Sage Mode. Some may even argue that the Six Paths Sage Mode might be an overall better option than the Baryon Mode. 

When comparing the two, one can easily argue for either of the camps’ sides. This is because both the modes are simply too different from one another to compare from a one-to-one standpoint. 

Unlike the Six Paths Sage Mode, the Baryon Mode has a strict time limit as it could severely impede the user. Baryon Mode’s inability to keep up with time affects its case for the stronger mode. However, under this mode, the user is granted physical attributes that are dialed up to the extreme. 

Even with a time limit, the amount of power Naruto possesses while utilizing Baryon Mode is more than enough to beat most of his opponents. While the same might be said for the Six Paths Sage Mode, it will still be extremely difficult when he is up against Otsutsuki clan members. 

Why Baryon Mode is So Cool

In my opinion, Naruto’s latest mode is his best form to date. The beauty of Baryon Mode when compared to other modes such as Sage and Six Paths Sage Mode is that it will only be used in dire situations. The aforementioned modes are already forms he’s mastered.

What makes Baryon Mode special is that it is precisely a double-edged sword that pushes Naruto and Kurama to the edge whenever they would use it. Modes that Naruto has already mastered simply bring his power level up permanently. 

In the case of the Baryon Mode, we only got to see it happen once… and it was easily the most special moment of Naruto so far.

Frequently Asked Questions

My Final Thoughts

The Baryon Mode just might be the final mode of Naruto we get to witness. Though Boruto can have a stronger mode in the future, I believe this mode marks an end to an era for all the Naruto fans out there.

Unlike any of Naruto’s previous modes, the Baryon Mode was an extremely risky form that had consequences – all of which could have easily left fans feeling betrayed. However, Masashi Kishimoto did the series justice by properly creating a very detailed and nuanced final mode for Naruto Uzumaki.

In the end, Naruto’s Baryon Mode serves as an integral instrument in the whole of the Boruto series so far. Whether you’re a fan of Boruto or the old Naruto series, the Baryon Mode is too exciting of a mode to miss. Do yourself a favor and witness it once again (if you haven’t already) for all its glory!