Minato’s Kunai used in “Naruto”

Kunai (クナイ), like shuriken, are one of the most common tools used by shinobi. It is a black dagger — about the length of one’s hand — with a handle wrapped in bandages and a ring-like pommel. While usually kept in a shinobi’s weapon pouch, they can also be kept on spring-loaded wires up the user’s sleeve.

Kunai generally are designed for thrusting and stabbing, but can be thrown as a projectile as well. Using it as ranged weapon, shinobi can attach an explosive tag to the blade, causing it to detonate when it reaches near its target. This use of the weapon is known as an explosive kunai (起爆クナイ, kibaku kunai). Kunai can also be empowered with chakra, allowing them to be capable of cutting through solid wood and stone.

Minato had his own special brand of kunai for combat; triple-prong kunai for better offensive potential. He would throw them at opponents or wield them as melee tools, even in his mouth. Their main use was for the Flying Thunder God seals they were marked with, allowing him to teleport to wherever one of the kunai were. He carried a large number of kunai in the field that he would scatter across a wide area so that he could move around with more options. Although his normal tactics with kunai did not require precision, Minato nevertheless had excellent aim and could coordinate his throws’ timing and placement to allow him to perform complex manoeuvres.