The Real Reason Guy-Sensei Didn't Use Much Ninjutsu In Naruto

In a magical world like that of "Naruto," you'd think the power of being "just some guy" wouldn't mean very much. However, you'd be wrong. Despite the fact that every other shinobi under the sun can summon giant frogs, or has a primordial chakra-beat sealed inside them, or has a funny eye that transports your mind to a psychological realm of pure torment, Might Guy still makes do with nothing but his own two hands.

As the sensei to Rock Lee, Guy is the foremost Taijustsu (martial arts) specialist of the Hidden Leaf Village. He is the eternal friendly rival of Kakashi (who owns one of those aforementioned funny eyes) and basically has an even win-loss record with him despite rarely ever using Ninjutsu (practical ninja magic) or Genjutsu (illusory ninja magic). On top of that, he was declared by Leaf Village co-founder and "God of Shinobi" Madara Uchiha to be the most powerful Taijutsu user ever during their fight. In fact, Guy was one of the only people in the world capable of even being a threat to Madara.

Unlike his protege, however, Guy doesn't need to only rely on Taijutsu. He's fully capable of both Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, which he shows off in his very first appearance in "Naruto" Episode 21. This fact is often accepted at face value, but in reality, it makes one wonder why a talented ninja like Guy would ever limit himself. However, there are important reasons for Guy's particular love for Taijutsu.

It's no secret that Guy is an eager beaver. The man works so hard to help his students become the best they can be that you can't help but appreciate his optimistic demeanor. And while Guy loves all three of his students (Neji, Lee, and Tenten), it's also no secret that Lee is his personal favorite.

As previously mentioned, Lee is incapable of using anything but Taijutsu. During his time in the Academy, other students endlessly mocked Lee for his disability. Seeing this, Guy's heart melted for the youth and he swiftly took the boy under his wing. As an article from CBR observes, Guy could be intentionally neglecting his ninjutsu skills to show Lee that Taijutsu is still a valid path forward.

It honestly doesn't take much mental gymnastics to see this. Lee's goal was always to become a great ninja using only Taijutsu. Knowing how dedicated he is to his students, especially Lee, it wouldn't be out of character for Guy to stop using other forms of jutsu altogether. That being said, there are other likely reasons.

It took a long time for fans to learn anything about Might Guy's backstory, but in the midst of Kakashi's origins relating to Obito Uchiha and the death of Rin, Guy suffered through his own tragedies. As a young ninja he also struggled with Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, and the fact that his dad was considered a bit of a loser didn't help. Guy's father, Might Duy (pronounced "die," and yes that is prophetic), was also a Taijutsu specialist. However, he wasn't nearly as successful as his son would be, and earned the name "The Eternal Genin" for his inability to climb the ninja ranks or even finish basic missions. Still, he trained tirelessly and taught Guy everything he could.

In "Naruto: Shippuden" Episode 418, we see Duy finally become useful after a childhood Guy gets cornered by the legendary Seven Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist. Knowing that he would die anyway, Duy rescued his son by activating all Eight Gates, briefly becoming a Taijutsu beast in order to give Guy some much-needed escape time.

From this, we learn that Taijutsu isn't just a passion for Guy, it's his family legacy. Like Duy, Guy would also put his life on the line by opening the Eight Gates during his fight with Madara. And while he actually survived the ordeal, his willingness to live and die by Taijutsu for the sake of the next generation shows just how much that legacy meant to him.