Kunai

The kunai is one of the basic weapons that every shinobi carry.  It’s very useful and can be used to stab or be used as a throwing knife.  It’s extremely sharp, has a pointed narrow middle section and is generally wrapped with some kind of bandage or linen at the handle for a good grip.  At one end, it has a ring allowing quick access.  Kunai’s may be simple weapons but can be deadly when used correctly and are most certainly a weapon used throughout the whole Naruto world.

Shuriken

Shuriken’s are more commonly known as ‘ninja stars’ or ‘throwing stars’.  It is is another basic weapon that is carried by all shinobi.  It is also very commonly used and can be very deadly.

Shuriken’s come in three different types.  The smaller ones are easier to throw.  The large size, is used for fast and easy killing.  It is called the fuuma shuriken.  It is rather hard to wield, heavy, slower and you cannot keep many with you at a time but much more lethal. The fuuma shuriken is often preferred by older and more experience shinobi but some genin actually find it easier to use then regular sized shuriken’s.

These two shuriken’s are shaped like stars with sharp points and a hole in the centre to help with handling.

The third type of shuriken is the windmill shuriken.  It is the same as the fuuma shuriken but it has four very sharp blades which closes into one piece like a pocket knife.  When you use it to attack, you open it out so that the blades go into a windmill pattern.

Senbon Needles

Senbon needles are ideally used in assassinations, usually by members of ANBU or the hunter-nin’s.  They are trained so that they know every weak and strong point of the human body.  This allows them to know where exactly to throw or stab a Senbon needle.  Senbon needles can be used to paralyze your foe as well.  Some people choose to put poison on their Senbon needles to increase there lethalness.

Deadly and effective these weapons may be, they are not that popular is because it requires an extreme level of accuracy and speed and they are only effective if they hit the correct point of the body.  But for those who choose to master this amazing weapon, are extremely powerful.  If they have the right precision and timing, they can throw a Senbon needle, pretending to aim for a point, but missing it by a hair’s width.  This causes the ally to go into a trance, causing them to appear dead. 

Senbon needles are the most accurate weapon in the series and possibly the most deadly if you know what to do with them. 

Senbon needles are also used in Chinese acupuncture, a form of therapy, in which, the slide needles into particular points of your body to change the flow of your ki or life force into a healthy balance.

The only known shinobi to use Senbon needles is Haku. 

Explosion Notes

An explosion note appears only to be a simple piece of paper with some writing on it, usually pinned to the wall or a tree or something. These notes actually have a spell written on it, causing it to explode and destroy its immediate surroundings after a short period of time.These notes when placed into a pattern, creates a explosive field barrier. If anyone were to walk into it, after a short period of time the area would explode, killing the people in it.Sometimes they are tied to a kunai and thrown towards the enemy to blow them up. The explosion note is lit and when it burns up it blows up. Rather like a firecracker.

Swords

Swords are not used often in the Naruto world as the other weapons are more often preferred. 

The typical ‘ninja’ sword has a handle that is wrapped tightly in a twine of some colour and the blade is straight, slender and extremely sharp.

There are a few people who do use swords though, including Orochimaru, some ANBU members, Zabuza, Zouri and Waraji, the samurai bodyguards of the late billionare Gate and the late Gekkou Hayate.  Gekkou Hayate had custom-made one, Zabuza favoured a ginourmous sword and Zouri and Waraji used katana swords.  Gekkou Hayate’s custom sword allowed him to perform his own special move, Konoha-style Dance of the Crescent Moon.

Food/Soldier Pills

Food pills are not really a weapon but are very handy in battles, missions and in many other situations.  They double the user’s chakra, allowing the user to be faster and stronger for 3 days!  Some people choose to also feed animals with them to make them stronger temporarily, sometimes causing a chemical reaction.  This is usually done for assistance them in battle.

Makibishi/Tetsubishi

These are basically tiny spikes that are usually used to slow down enemies, as they are small and ideal for traps.  To slow down the enemy, you could leave them on the ground, and if the enemies were to step into them, the hook would penetrate the shoe sole and cause discomfort, etc. 

Some shinobi prefer to use it as a distraction for his/her main attack.

Animals

Though it may not seem fair and right, but animals are used in battles as extra weapons with minds of their own.  Some animals have chemical reactions when fed food pills.  Kiba of the Dog Clan’s dog, Akamaru turns red and grows in size and power when fed.  Shino of the Insect Clan have insects living in him.  They feed on his chakra and in return, he can use them in battle which is extremely useful.  He can use the insects to sap the chakra out of his enemies, sometimes preventing them to fight ever again! 

Some people however use animals in battle but do not have them as constant companions.  They use the summoning technique, kuchiyose no jutsu gama sennin.  Using this technique allows the user to summon large animals through the space-time continuum to fight.

There are eight people who can use this technique, Naruto, Tsunade - 5^th Hokage, Orchimaru, Jiraiya, Maito Gai, Hatake Kakshi, 4th Hokage and the Third Hokage. 

Naruto, the 4th Hokage and Jiraiya’s creature is a toad, Tsunade’s a slug, Orochimaru summons a snake, Gai calls upon a turtle, Kakashi summons many dogs and the Third Hokage, an ape. 

Naruto knows this technique because Jiraiya taught this to him, so he could protect himself.