Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Kusanagi Sword (草薙剑) |
| Alias(es) | Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword 33 |
| Type | Divine sword; one of eleven Kusanagi Swords 33 |
| Creator | Kusanagi clan 33 |
| Wielder | Leiyin; his system identifies it as the sword used by Orochimaru 33 |
| Previous Custodian | Tanuki Sword Sage 33 |
| Role | Weapon for close combat, chakra-infused strikes, and Sword Qi techniques 40 65 277 |
| Status | Retained in Leiyin's inventory after his advancement to God Emperor 669 |
| First Appearance | Given to Leiyin and identified in Chapter 33 33 |
Background / History
Before acquiring the Kusanagi Sword, Leiyin used an ordinary Ninja Sword purchased from the Naruto Shop for 8,000 Belly. Although it resembled Sasuke Uchiha's Kusanagi Sword, the narration explicitly distinguished it as a much inferior weapon 22.
At Sacred Buddha Ridge, the Tanuki Sword Sage gave Leiyin a Kusanagi Sword after cutting his previous weapon in half. The Sage presented it both as compensation and as an introductory gift recognizing Leiyin as a disciple of the Tanuki Sage Clan. Leiyin recognized the weapon as Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword, and his system inventory confirmed that identification when he returned to the Pirate King world 33.
The sword remained part of Leiyin's equipment after his rebirth in the Naruto world and during his travels in the Gourmet World 391 454 598 669. Orochimaru also produces a Kusanagi Sword during his confrontation with Hiruzen; that scene does not establish a transfer of Leiyin's weapon 446.
Appearance
- Blade: Straight and finely crafted, emitting a faint blue glow 33.
- Scabbard: Gives off a faint blue aura when viewed closely 38.
- Carrying position: Usually worn on Leiyin's back and drawn from behind him 38 64 150.
- Recognizable quality: Its delicate appearance attracts an auction intermediary's attention and features in descriptions of Leiyin's bounty-hunter identity, Balamark 38 71.
Abilities & Skills
Weapon Quality and Defensive Use
The narration describes Kusanagi Swords as divine weapons far superior to ordinary Ninja Swords 33.
- Leiyin uses the blade to block Diamante's transforming rapier and Killer's high-speed rotating weapon 40 150.
- It withstands repeated clashes with Inuarashi's electrically charged sword 357.
- Against Diamante, blocking the initial attack does not prevent the enemy's blade from changing shape and forcing Leiyin to dodge 40.
Chakra Infusion
Leiyin channels elemental chakra into his sword attacks rather than relying solely on the blade's physical edge 169 247 277.
- Fire: Great Fire Dragon Slash attaches chakra from the Great Fireball Technique to the blade, producing a fiery strike 169.
- Wind and lightning: Both are added to his White Fang-derived technique to increase sharpness and power 247 277.
- Lightning blade: In the Gourmet World, Leiyin cuts an Ice Field Dragon in two, dismisses the enormous lightning blade with a thought, and sheathes the Kusanagi Sword 609.
Tanuki Clan Swordsmanship
The Tanuki Sword Sage teaches Leiyin secret sword techniques before gifting him the weapon 32 33.
- Tanuki Sword Wave: Releases blue Sword Qi resembling a swimming dragon 95.
- Kusanagi – Tanuki Sword Dance: Leiyin moves the sword with both hands while holding blue sword waves along its blade. The technique turns Momousagi's incoming pink slash waves into mist 65.
- Leiyin later uses Kusanagi – Tanuki Sword Dance against Rayleigh 155.
Silver Blade Flash
Silver Blade Flash is an S-rank technique developed from Leiyin's White Blade, which was inspired by Hatake Sakumo's White Fang. Its advancement belongs to Leiyin's technique, not to the sword itself 247.
- Attaching the technique to the Kusanagi Sword with wind and lightning chakra produces a dazzling, white-dragon-like Sword Qi slash 277.
- Silver Blade Flash – Soaring Sky releases an outward energy wave and a silver sword light shooting into the sky, defeating the surrounding Mink warriors 358.
- Against Kaido, Silver Blade Flash fails to inflict lasting damage because of his regeneration 306.
Coordination with Susanoo
Leiyin's Susanoo mirrors his sword movements during the fight against War God Qing 333 336.
- Drawing the Kusanagi Sword coincides with Susanoo drawing a separate, bright blue giant sword 333.
- Sheathing the Kusanagi Sword coincides with the giant sword disappearing, after which Leiyin switches to a Susanoo-enhanced Raikiri 336.
Extension and Retraction
Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword is described as extending and retracting at will through his secret techniques. The provided scenes do not show Leiyin using this property 33.
Notable Uses
| Event | Role of the Sword |
|---|---|
| Shark attack | Leiyin kills sharks with the Kusanagi Sword while defending the warship's crew 37. |
| Underground auction | Its appearance prompts an intermediary to propose auctioning it for a 5% commission. Leiyin later blocks Diamante's attack with it 38 40. |
| First duel with Momousagi | Clashes with Konpira and serves as the weapon for Tanuki Sword Dance against her Half-Moon attack 64 65. |
| Rescue of Verdan | Leiyin pierces the Demon White Dog with the sword before treating Verdan's injuries 75. |
| Teacher–student rematch | Leiyin performs a copied Half-Moon sword slash and follows with Tanuki Sword Wave 95. |
| Fight with the Donquixote Family | Blocks two simultaneous attacks; Leiyin subsequently uses the Kusanagi Sword and a separate Lightsaber against Dellinger and Lao G 159 160. |
| Fight with Jack | Releases a powerful Sword Qi attack, which Jack blocks with Armament Haki-coated scimitars 235. |
| Duel with Shanks | Used defensively before Leiyin prepares Kusanagi – Silver Blade Flash 277. |
| Battle against War God Qing | Coordinates with Susanoo's giant sword during their clash 333 336. |
| Conflict on Zou | Clashes with Inuarashi and channels Silver Blade Flash – Soaring Sky against the assembled Mink elite 357 358 359. |
| Ice Field Dragon encounter | Used in the lightning-blade attack that bisects the dragon 609. |
Related Kusanagi Swords
The novel treats “Kusanagi Sword” as a category containing eleven weapons, rather than the name of a single unique sword. Three examples are explicitly identified 33.
| Sword | Associated User | Distinguishing Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword | Orochimaru; identified as Leiyin's acquired weapon | Can extend and retract through Orochimaru's secret techniques 33. |
| Totsuka Blade | Itachi Uchiha | Used with Susanoo 33. |
| Sasuke's Kusanagi Sword | Sasuke Uchiha | Used with Lightning Style Chidori to make the blade exceptionally sharp 33. |
Trivia
- The auction intermediary considers the sword valuable enough to sell, but gives no appraisal price 38.
- Although the auction scene discusses the Twelve Supreme Grade, Twenty-One Great Grade, and Fifty Skillful Grade blades, it does not assign the Kusanagi Sword to any of those categories 38.
- Leiyin's summoned Lightsaber is a separate weapon created through Summoning – Lightning Sword Transformation, not another name for the Kusanagi Sword 163 170.