How many tails has Naruto been able to form? Transformation history, explored

Before Naruto befriended Kurama, the nine-tails demon fox who lives inside the former, their bond caused a slew of issues for the protagonist. Not only was he rejected by the people of Konoha during his childhood, but there were also occasions when the young shinobi lost control of himself when tapping into Kurama’s power.

Battles against the likes of Sasuke, Orochimaru, and Pain took a huge emotional toll on him, which prompted the release of the tails. So, how many tails was he able to form during the original series and Shippuden? Let's go over his history with this power and how it played out for the young Uzumaki.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Naruto series.

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Looking back at how many tails Naruto was able to form in the series

1) Using one tail against Sasuke Uchiha at the Valley of the End (Naruto)

Naruto using a tail for the first time in the series (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Naruto had channeled Kurama’s chakra a couple of times in the series. He had used a bit of his power against Haku in the Land of Waves and against Neji Nyuga in the Chunin Exams. However, the fight with Sasuke at the Valley of the End at the end of the original series saw him unleash a tail for the first time.

This power gave the protagonist an edge during a portion of the battle, but Sasuke channeled the next form of the Cursed Mark, endowed by Orochimaru during the Chunin Exams, which resulted in the latter winning the battle. Of course, this outcome would prompt him to go train with Jiraiya and become a lot stronger during the time skip.

However, the clash between the Rasengan and Sasuke’s Chidori remains one of the most iconic moments in the franchise and anime history as a whole, which is why this scene of him channeling one of the demon fox’s tails for the first time is so fondly remembered.

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2) Using four tails against Orochimaru (Shippuden)

Nobody could deny that when Orochimaru taunted Naruto with Sasuke at the beginning of Shippuden, everyone knew things were about to turn ugly, and they did. The protagonist let loose a lot of Kurama’s chakra and went into rage mode, unleashing four tails and going all out against Orochimaru.

This new form has him covered in dark red chakra, displaying four tails, and overall looking extremely menacing. The young Uzumaki had no control over his actions and was very powerful in this moment, as it is shown during this battle.

However, this transformation also comes with a price. Naruto’s skin starts to get burned because of the chakra that is unleashed, and some of his muscles and bones start to break the more he uses it. While it is true that Kurama heals him at the same time, this combination leads to Naruto having to shorten his lifespan, which goes to show how angry he was in this particular moment, even hurting Sakura Haruno in the process.

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3) Six tails against Pain (Shippuden)

Naruto having six tails against Pain (Image via Studio Pierrot).

After Hinata Hyuga sacrificed herself to protect the protagonist against Pain, he decided to go all out against the Akatsuki leader. However, this wasn’t something of his own volition. Naruto was so enraged at Pain that he released six tails, which is when the combat became extremely perilous.

This form is very similar to the four tails, except that now he has a fox’s skeleton above him. His physical strength is greatly increased, and he has a lot more chakra to use, which is something that allows him to go toe to toe with Pain. It was one of the most disturbing moments in the series to watch the protagonist fully break and go all out.

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4) Eight tails against Pain (Shippuden)

Eight tails against Pain (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Six tails weren’t enough to deal with the leader of Akatsuki. When Pain decided to use his Planetary Devastation Jutsu, Naruto chose to break the Nine-Tails’ seal and use eight tails. This would prove catastrophic for all the people involved in this battle.

This form is very powerful and chaotic, which goes to show the protagonist’s emotional state at the time. With eight tails, the young Uzumaki is now fully covered by the fox’s form, with the muscles and only the fur lacking, and is strong enough to overpower the Six Paths of Pain.

This was the most chaotic form of the Nine-Tails’ chakra and the last time it was ever seen this way before the two decided to become friends.

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Final thoughts

The relationship that Naruto and Kurama had was one of the most important aspects of the series. The entire story begins with the fox being sealed inside the little Uzumaki, and it kicks off their journey together, which had a very rocky start at first. But eventually, they managed to understand each other and use their powers in a way that could help and protect everybody.