inchriki Transformations

Main articles: Jinchriki Forms and Nine-Tails Chakra Mode

Naruto's initial jinchriki form.

Naruto's journey to access and control Kurama's power (and later befriend the tailed beast) is a long and arduous one. Having been its jinchriki for his entire life, Naruto has always benefited from its presence. After learning of Kurama's presence, Naruto begins tapping into its chakra reserves, supplementing his own and increasing his strength and speed in the process. It also augments Naruto's healing power, able to regenerate lost flesh within seconds with no lingering signs. But Naruto does not, in fact, consciously access Kurama's power on the first few occasions. Rather, Kurama intervenes when Naruto's life is in danger or it takes advantage of Naruto's rage to exert some of its influence. Jiraiya teaches Naruto how to communicate with Kurama, enabling Naruto to thereafter request a donation of its strength. His ability to utilise it and the amount he can access grows during Part I, culminating in his ability to enter a singletailed version 1 state, which improves Naruto's defences and allows him to manifest chakra arms that increase his range. Jiraiya helps Naruto improve his control of Kurama's power during their two-and-a-half years together. Naruto is able to reach a three-tailed version 1 form, which incrementally boosts his speed and strength. Although Naruto becomes more headstrong, even violent, when using version 1 cloaks, he remains in control. Satisfied with these results, Jiraiya loosens the seal that keeps Kurama sealed inside Naruto in the hopes it will give Naruto increased access to its chakra. This inadvertently triggers a version 2 state; Naruto's capabilities grow to exponential heights in version 2, but Naruto no longer remains in control of his senses, causing him to attack anything in sight. Jiraiya is nearly killed in their first experiment and Naruto remembers nothing about it afterwards. From that point further, Jiraiya encourages Naruto to be cautious in his use of Kurama's power and, upon returning him to Konoha, Jiraiya quietly advises others about how to prevent Naruto from losing control.[67] Because he was never told about his first version 2 experience, Jiraiya's warnings do not make an impression on Naruto. Added to the increasing danger he and his friends face and the frustrations that come with them, Naruto eventually enters a version 2 form a second time. Although he is able to use it to overpower Orochimaru, he attacks Sakura in the process. Yamato, having been specifically teamed with Naruto to suppress Kurama if needed, intervenes in time to save her.[68] Yamato tells Naruto afterwards what happened. Upset that he could be a danger to those he cares for, Naruto stops relying on Kurama and looks for new ways to get stronger. He succeeds for a

time, but once again succumbs to rage during his fight with Pain and enters another version 2 form.

Naruto in Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.

Naruto's desperation for power in order to defeat Pain almost makes him release Kurama, causing him to realise that avoidance is not the solution. He instead decides to control Kurama, and seeks guidance from Killer B, the jinchriki of the Eight-Tails. With B's help he is able to conquer Kurama and gain free access to a portion of its strength, focusing its power into a NineTails Chakra Mode. Nine-Tails Chakra Mode increases his strength, speed, and defences beyond what they were in version 1 and 2, he becomes more dexterous with chakra arms, and he can sense negative emotions, a method of detection even sensor-type ninja can't do.[69] His speed in particular surpasses A's, who was the fastest shinobi in the world since Minato Namikaze died.[70] Nine-Tails Chakra Mode becomes instrumental to turning the tide of the Fourth Shinobi World War, letting him defeat the hordes of reincarnated shinobi.

Naruto in Tailed Beast Mode.

Conquering Kurama is not the same as cooperating with it, and Naruto must still exercise caution when initially using Nine-Tails Chakra Mode. Having seen what Naruto has gone through during his life and the type of person he has become, Kurama decides to stop opposing Naruto and accepts Naruto's offers of friendship. Kurama freely gives Naruto as much of its chakra as it can, enabling him to enter Tailed Beast Mode. In Tailed Beast Mode, Naruto can focus Kurama's power into what is merely a more ornate Nine-Tails Chakra Mode or fully manifest Kurama's form, in doing so unleashing Kurama's full might, including Tailed Beast Balls.[71] His speed, strength, and durability also increase by impressive amounts. He could hold his own against three tailed beasts in battle and equal the combined power of the five with a single Tailed Beast Ball in a clash.[72][73] Naruto is even able to meld their chakra together so that he can pass it to others, giving them version 1-like cloaks that keep them safe and amplify their power. While originally only having the Yang essence of Kurama's chakra, effectively giving Naruto half of Kurama's full power, the reincarnated Minato, who sealed the Yin essence into himself, later transferred nearly all of of the Yin chakra into Naruto.