Chakra Control

Shape Transformation is an advanced form of chakra control and a technique that is pivotal for the manipulating of chakra and the creation of new jutsu. It involves changing the shape and movement of chakra, determining the size, range, and purpose of a jutsu.
The Best Example of this is Rasengan, a technique which fuses chakra into a moving sphere of pure energy. By allowing Chakra to be molded, many different techinques can be done.

Nature Transformation is an advanced form of chakra control and a technique that is pivotal for the manipulation of chakra and the creation of new jutsu. While Shape Transformation changes the shape and movement of chakra, elemental nature transformation changes the actual nature of the chakra, altering its properties and characteristics. It is notable that few shinobi can use both shape manipulation and nature manipulation.

These five types are also called elements and are not only the origin of the names of the Five Great Shinobi Countries, but also the foundation of all elemental ninjutsu. The five basic natures are all connected to each other in a circle, each being weaker than one and stronger than another.

These elements allow for elemental ninjutsu to be performed:

* Fire (火, Hi) natured chakra allows for Fire Release (火遁, Katon), which is strong against Wind but weak against Water.
* Wind (風, Kaze) natured chakra allows for Wind Release (風遁, Fūton), which is strong against Lightning but weak against Fire.
* Lightning (雷, Kaminari) natured chakra allows for Lightning Release (雷遁, Raiton), which is strong against Earth but weak against Wind.
* Earth (土, Tsuchi) natured chakra allows for Earth Release (土遁, Doton), which is strong against Water but weak against Lightning.
* Water (水, Mizu) natured chakra allows for Water Release (水遁, Suiton), which is strong against Fire but weak against Earth.

Basically, this means that if an elemental jutsu is put against an elemental jutsu of the same level, but of a stronger nature, then the jutsu with the superior nature will prevail. However, a jutsu with a weaker nature can overpower a jutsu with a stronger nature if the former is of a higher level.

Everyone Affinity for Nature. When training, if one knows which kind of nature they have, their training varys.
In order to find out ones Affinity, Chakra paper is used to determine which nature a personhas. the paper reacts differently based on the affinity.
The Chakra Paper reactions are as follows:

* Fire: the Paper will ignite and turn to ash.
* Wind: the Paper will split in two.
* Lightning: the Paper will wrinkle.
* Earth: the Paper will turn to dirt and crumble away.
* Water: the Paper will become wet/damp.

This affinity makes it easier to learn how to create and control the nature in question, although even with an affinity this process will usually take any number of years. Shinobi are not limited to the nature they have an affinity to, though. By the time they reach the rank of Jōnin, most shinobi have mastered two natures. However, because of the difficulty of mastering a nature and the time required to learn it, it is almost impossible to master all five natures in a normal way.