editVery Hiden-Wood Release: Shin Kodama  | |||
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| Name | |||
| Kanji | 極秘伝-木遁: 真 木霊 | ||
| Rōmaji | Goku Hiden-Mokuton: Shin Kodama | ||
| Literal English | Very Secret-Wood Release: True Tree Spirit | ||
| English anime | Very Secret-Wood Release: True Spirit of the Forest | ||
| Debut | |||
| Appears in | Manga, Game | ||
| Data | |||
| Classification |  Kekkei Genkai, Hiden, Ninjutsu
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| Nature | |||
| Class | Supplementary | ||
| Range | All ranges | ||
| Hand seals | Ram → Boar → Tiger → Snake → Dragon → Snake → Ox → Hare → Ram → Ox → Tiger → Dragon → Clap Hands | ||
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"Inhabitants of a world that we cannot quite see blends themselves between our reality and the next. The true keepers of the forest, the lone protectors of the Spirit Tree and guardians of Hanako Yagami." |
 Goddess of the Double Blossomed Cherry Tree
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The Very Hiden-Wood Release: Shin Kodama (極秘伝-木遁: 真 木霊, Goku Hiden-Mokuton: Shin Kodama) is a unique technique crafted by the daimyō of The Isle of the Blooming Flowers, Hanako Yagami and it is one that utilizes the concept of the Creation of All Things to manifest a new form of grand design, a Shin-Kodama. In a basic sense, Kodama (木霊 or 木魂, Tree Spirit) is a very old belief, and a very old word similar to the Gushkin-banda: Tanghasangii technique. It is a technique that will leave to the imagination the endless vista of possibilities in the concepts of not just ninjutsu but rather creation itself. In the Isle of the Blooming Flower’s history, the name kodama was spoken long before the major populace of the Yagami clan had a written language. The spiritual Shin-Kodama exists in the physical and metaphysical which allows them to affect the environment of both realms. They are considered the soul of the tree and if that tree is harmed, a terrible curse shall be inflicted on the opponent, one that lapse into pathos and absurdity.
History[]
In ancient times, kodama as stated by the elder council of the Luoyang Village were said to be kami, nature deities that dwelled in gargantuan trees deep within the remote forests of the Isle of the Blooming Flowers. Some believed that kodama were not linked to a single tree but could move nimbly through the forest, traveling freely from tree to tree as if it was a spirit However, other clans located on the Isle of the Blooming Flowers believed that the enigmatic kodama were the trees themselves due to no one actually being able to see them. They would say that seeing a kodama was equivalent to drinking the spirit of the Earth. Though not only were the Kodama were spirits they were also a sound that seemed to possess those whom hear the ethereal rambling. Most notably, the Kodama possessed a powerful ability, a striking otherworldly power that was said to be a gift from mother earth or a curse. Kodama are rarely ever seen, but when they do appear, they usually look like faint orbs of light in the distance; or occasionally as a tiny, sublime-shaped vaguely humanoid figure.
The gathering of the tree spirits.
Abilities[]
The abilities of the Shin-Kodama are mysterious in nature but yet just with their creation, they cause the opponent to be lost in a delirious wonder or a sense of amazement. From the moment they are created, the shimmering appearance drifts between the physical and the metaphysical realm as it appears if they are shifting between multiple realms. Understanding their nativity involves a labyrinth of perplexities. They are able to produce ethereal amounts of Wood Release on their own and are capable of extracting natural energy and chakra from the environment along with the manipulation of the spirit. By simply touching the Shin-Kodama results in the spirit being removed from the body but it will be able to return to their body if the opponent is skilled enough. This spiritual displacement is what makes the Shin-Kodama so baffling as even user of the Spirit Transformation Technique are reversed back into their physical vessels if they would even connect with the slightest interaction. However, their most dangerous aspect is that once a Shin-Kodama touches the opponent, they are able to transform into a perfect copy of the opponent right down the chakra and endurance and in turn, each of the other Shin-Kodama proceeds to do the same numbering into the hundreds or even the thousands. While transformed, the Shin-Kodama are capable of matching any opponent in strength and ability. For example, if the spirited Shin-Kodama touches a Limbo: Border Jail creation, they likewise transform into a replica of the exact likeness. They are imbued with an unsurmountable amount of natural energy and as such, it is almost impossible to sense them as they do not possess life, emotions or chakra. Their metaphysical forms vary between a unique floating hydra or a human shaped spirit with a morbid face. Just as the Genesis Flower, the Shin-Kodama are but a small fraction of earth's will and are even immutable to the will of lesser beings. The drawback to the Shin-Kodama is that they are extremely slow and appear to be no more than floating lanterns however, the massive numbers are capable of protecting the user and swarming the opponent in any case.
Trivia[]
- In Japanese folklore, Kodama are revered as gods of the trees, and protectors of the forests. They bless the lands around their forest with vitality, and villagers who find a kodama-inhabited tree honor it by marking it with a sacred rope known as a shimenawa. Occasionally, very old trees will bleed when cut, and this is regarded as a sign that a kodama is living inside. Cutting down such an ancient tree is a grave sin, and can bring down a powerful curse on any villagers who do so, causing a prosperous community to fall into ruin.
- The initial appearance of the author's Shin Kodama is based on the ethereal spirit hydra from Avatar.
- The shinboku (神木) or the Ki no Kami (The God in the Tree) was also an inspiration for this technique. The importance of these tree-dwelling kami was established in the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters), where the legend is told of the founding sibling gods of Japan Izanagi and Izanami. The two gave birth to hundreds of thousands of godling children, but their second-born was the kami of the trees.
