The Most Terrifying Seven Swordsman Blade In All Of Naruto
When it comes to weapons in "Naruto," we're used to seeing ninjas battle it out with shuriken, smoke bombs, and kunai. Often these weapons are set-up tools for the variety of powerful village-destroying jutsu the series unleashes, or they're sometimes ignored for a well-placed realistic Taijutsu technique. However, there are times throughout the series when a weapon doesn't just assist a character or collect dust in the shadows. Instead, they take center stage. In the Kirigakure Village, swords reign supreme, and that's because the village has produced some of the most legendary sword wielders.
Most notably, the village is known for its elite swordsmen group, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Fans of the series got introduced to this group early, thanks to Kakashi Hatake's battle against Zabuza Momochi during the "Land of Waves" arc. Zabuza is one of the seven legendary swordsmen, and while that particular time in the series is known by fans for providing a memorable, heartbreaking scene between Zabuza and Naruto, it probably also resonates thanks to Zabuza's skill with his dangerous Kubikiribōchō blade. With its giant butcher-knife appearance, Zabuza's blade stands out, and throughout the series, "Naruto" shows off more unique swords from the Seven Swordsmen. But there's one among them that easily takes the title for most terrifying.
The Samehada feeds off chakra
In "Naruto," the blades of the Seven Swordsmen are just as legendary as the wielders who use them. Given some of these swords' mystical abilities, it's easy to understand why they are given such a high reputation. With blades that wield lightning or produce explosions, these swords feel less like the weapon of a shinobi and more like literal game-changers in "Elden Ring." However, the "Naruto" manga highlights that the mere mention of the Samehada blade elicits a bit of fear. In the series' manga chapter 468 (via Viz), Chojuro, the Mizukage of Kirigakure, mentions that Samehada is the most terrible to deal with out of all the Seven Swordsmen blades, especially if its wielded by Akatsuki member Kisame Hoshigaki. This is because the blade has the potential to place Kisame's power at the level of a tailed beast.
And when we later see it in action, the blade in the hands of Kisame does live up to its nightmarish expectations. In the manga chapter 471, the blade appears in all its scaly glory. Kisame battles with Killer B, and during their bout, Samehada looks more like a shark monster than an actual sword. The end of the blade even has a giant mouth that later feeds on Killer B's tailed-beast chakra during the fight. The chakra buffet for Samehada increases its size significantly and enhances Kisame's abilities.
The Samehada is symbiotic
The Samehada's grotesque appearance is enough to give some unpleasant dreams. But its horrifying nature also goes beyond its monstrous form. The Samehada is a sentient blade capable of choosing and rejecting its wielders (via Narutopedia). In fact, the Samehada's relationship with its users, such as Kisame, actually parallels Eddie Brock's super pairing with his symbiote in "Venom." During the episode "The Tailed Beast vs. The Tailless Tailed Beast," Samehada shows that it is capable of fusion. In the episode, it merges with Kisame, who takes on more of a twisted sea creature appearance. Yet, as a result, Kisame gets a tremendous boost in power that appears to almost give Killer B quite a challenge. Later in the episode "Battle In Paradise," the Samehada shows that Kisame is capable of hiding within the blade.
Kisame is arguably the one character in the entire series who expertly shows off Samehada's most symbiotic qualities, even in death. At one point in the series, the blade even mourns the eventual passing of Kisame. However, Samehada goes back to its symbiotic shenanigans in "Boruto: Naruto Next Generation." In Episode 31, the living blade overtakes Kirigakure Academy teacher Shizuma Hoshigaki and sends him into a murderous frenzy. At this point, maybe someone should consider sheathing the weapon indefinitely.