Summary
- Hashirama's cells grant extended life force and stamina, making him an unbeatable powerhouse.
- The cells exponentially increase the strength of jutsu and techniques for those who have them implanted.
- Hashirama's cells are known for their regenerative properties, allowing for immediate healing and recovery of wounds.
The Naruto series has cemented the First Hokage as the strongest shinobi to ever walk the lands, granting him an almost godly status in the story. From the rare Wood Release Kekkei Genkai to unlimited chakra reserves, almost all of Hashirama’s powers can be traced back to his well-endowed genetics. With such innate power at his disposal, it naturally makes sense for his DNA to grant immense power boosts to those that have this genetic material implanted.
This concept gave birth to the Naruto series’ deus ex machina – Hashirama’s cells. These cells have made rounds throughout the show, mostly being utilized by antagonistic factions to dramatically increase their strength. Hashirama’s cells hold a controversial place within the series, as every other unexplainable aspect of Naruto is simply tied to these cells. However, Hashirama’s cells do hold some merit, and the powers granted by his DNA have shaped much of the series.
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Hashirama’s Cells Grant Extended Life Force
Hashirama was renowned for his inexplicable life force, which essentially granted him immense durability and stamina, coupled with inexhaustible chakra reserves. These attributes are a result of two factors — Hashirama’s Senju lineage and his place as Asura’s reincarnation. The Senju were renowned for their longevity and life force, yet the added chakra bestowed upon him as Asura’s reincarnate turned him into an unbeatable powerhouse.
Since these attributes are all innate, Hashirama’s DNA can be used to induce these powers in other people. Madara and Obito are two primary examples, as both characters utilized Hashirama’s Cells to extend their life force considerably. Madara was on a sort of pseudo-life-support during the time he met Obito, artificially keeping himself alive through Hashirama’s DNA. He later implanted the same cells into Obito to sustain his body after half of it was crushed by a boulder.
Danzo also utilized the very same concept to sustain his Sharingan-laden arm, an appendage made entirely out of Hashirama’s cells. Activating a Sharingan requires immense chakra, as witnessed in Kakashi’s case, yet Danzo was able to maintain several at the same time, a feat clearly stemming from these cells. Moreover, he was able to use Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami solely due to the stamina he received from the cells.
Exponential Increase in Jutsu Strength
Since Hashirama’s cells exponentially increase one’s life force, the result is reflected in the strength of the recipient’s jutsu and techniques. Shinobi that have these cells implanted within them experienced an unprecedented increase in the potency of their techniques. Kabuto used Hashirama’s cells present within Yamato to dramatically boost the strength of his White Zetsu army.
When Orochimaru revived the four Hokage, Tobirama failed to undo the Edo Tensei on his own. This was largely due to Orochimaru’s body being infused with a White Zetsu, resulting in an exponentially powerful control on the Edo Tensei. Madara’s reanimated body also had Hashirama’s cells imbued within, leading to a cataclysmic battle between him and the shinobi alliance. Much of his godlike power can be attributed to this amp, since Kabuto stated that Madara in his reanimated form is somewhat better than his prime.
Hashirama’s DNA Amplified Healing Abilities
Hashirama was known for his regenerative abilities, healing wounds and injuries almost immediately. This healing was also a result of his life force and immense chakra pool, an attribute that likely stems from being Asura’s reincarnate. Owing to this inherent ability, Hashirama’s cells became known for their healing and regenerative properties.
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These regenerative properties have made rounds several times throughout the series, with some of its most common uses tied to medical ninjutsu. Naruto’s lost arm was replaced with a new one made out of Hashirama’s cells. Another major example is Obito, who had lost half of his body after being crushed by a boulder. Hashirama’s cells not only sustained his body but also recovered his wounds almost entirely, though the healing process was a bit long-hauled due to his extreme injuries.
The Coveted Wood Release Kekkei Genkai
The Wood Release Kekkei Genkai is an unexplained peculiarity of the ninja world, as Hashirama is the only shinobi in existence to naturally possess this power. Many have tried to replicate this power by injecting Hashirama’s cells within themselves, but these experiments were to no avail. Orochimaru has remained a staunch believer in research and experimentation of ninjutsu, and replicating the powers of Wood Release is one of his biggest feats.
His experiment involved kidnapping several children from the Fire Nation and constantly infusing Hashirama’s cells into their bodies from a young age. Hundreds of children died in these experiments, since none were compatible with Hashirama's potent DNA. However, Orochimaru had one success in the form of Yamato, who survived by a miracle and gained the revered Wood Release Kekkei Genkai. If Orochmaru had continued the experiments, it’s likely that a few more would have been compatible, in-turn reviving this lost Kekkei Genkai.
Naruto is available to stream on Prime Video.
