Sakura Haruno practicing medical ninjutsu.
Medical Ninjutsu (医療忍術, Iryō Ninjutsu, literally Meaning: Medical Ninja Techniques) is a branch of ninjutsu associated with healing, as well as the manipulation of their own, or another's body, practiced by shinobi classified as "medical-nin". The use of medical ninjutsu requires very advanced chakra control, as well as extensive knowledge about the human body and medicines. Some skilled medical-nin are experts on herbs and even poisons. According to Tsunade, medical ninjutsu uses too much chakra[1].
The knowledge of medical ninjutsu can be used for a variety of purposes apart from simply healing, such as creating poisons, as seen with Shizune; or creating antidotes against them, as seen with Sakura Haruno. Professional medical-nin can perform surgeries of high difficulty using different techniques.
Medical ninjutsu can also be used offensively by skilled medical-nin, witnessed by Kabuto Yakushi's use of chakra scalpels in battle[2], Sakura Haruno overriding his opponent's natural recovery abilities by applying healing jutsu to kill the body's cells[3] or altering the nervous system like Tsunade[4]. There are forbidden medical ninjutsu techniques indicated for regeneration rather than healing, like Creation Rebirth, a jutsu created by Tsunade with the ability to regrow organs and limbs known as "the pinnacle of medical ninjutsu", only achieved by herself and Sakura Haruno[5]. Likewise, Tsunade, renowned as the greatest medical-nin in the world during her prime, was able to apply the extreme chakra control required for medical ninjutsu to create chakra-enhanced strength, an ability she taught to her student, Sakura Haruno.
In the present, Sakura Haruno is the best user of medical ninjutsu in the world, surpassing her master in both healing abilities and chakra-enhanced strength. She is in charge of teaching the next generation of medical-nin[6].
Trivia
- According to Yamato, medical ninjutsu uses either Yang Release.
- In the anime, Sakura Haruno teaches aspiring medical-nin by showing them how to separate fluids, sprout flowers and applying chakra control on dummies[6].
- Mitsuki is the only member of Team 7 to know medical ninjusu according to his character trivia in the manga, showing the highest skill of the new generation[7].