Databook "In 印(Seal)" Stats Clarification

by **Hiro Onoyuga** Sun May 09, 2010 12:57 am

DISCLAIMER: Please be considerate and keep the "lol, Databook" responses out of this thread.

After looking around lately, I found out that nobody knows for sure what the "Seal" stat in Kishimoto's Databooks stands for. Some say it's the Seal forming speed, some say it's the knowledge of Sealing techniques.

I believe both are wrong. The stat stands for "Chakra control".

There are two references I'd like to use to support my statement:
1. "Naruto Konoha Senki", a GBA title. While some skeptics might say that games aren't canon, this game is acknowledged by Kishimoto himself (they even had him as a secret character!). In the game, characters with high "In (Seal)" stats form chakra by using less stamina; in other words, they have better chakra efficiency, better control.
2. You may find this one much more credible. It is from the canon manga itself, from Ebisu-sensei's (remember him?) words.
http://www.onemanga.com/Naruto/90/04/
http://www.onemanga.com/Naruto/90/06/
http://www.onemanga.com/Naruto/90/07/
See that ”印” character there in the graph of chakra release? The efficient usage of chakra to perform Ninjutsu? "In". Chakra control.

In other words, the Seal stat has been confirmed as the chakra control ability since very early in the manga.

Now let's see the respective characters' status. We can see that "In" is intended to be "Chakra control" in the following list of high Seal stats I gathered:
Seal stats 5 (Perfect):
Hiashi Hyuuga
Hizashi Hyuuga
Orochimaru
Kakashi
Itachi
Shizune
Kabuto
Hiruzen
Seal stats 4.5 (Excellent):
Chiyo
Ebisu
Jiraiya
Kurenai
Seal stats 4 (Very Good):
Baki (Sand Jounin)
Gaara
Haku
Dan (Tsunade's lover)
Kankurou
Sasori
Kidoumaru
Zabuza
Sai
Sakon
Ukon
Rin (Kakashi's medic teammate)
Tsunade
Sakura
Tayuya
Sasuke
Iruka (lol)

Without surprise, all medics and puppeteers made it to the list. Shizune and Kabuto was listed as "Perfect", and Tsunade, Sakura, Rin was "Very Good". Chiyo herself, who was both medic and puppeteer, was "Excellent".

Itachi and Kakashi had honorable mention here. Now you know why with such infamous "low chakra reserve", they were able to spam high level jutsus... They had very accurate chakra control.

We should notice that ones proficient in Genjutsu usually have high Seal stats as well: Itachi, Kakashi, Kurenai, Sasuke... Remember that Genjutsu require precisely controlling others' chakra by disrupting them with yours. Again, chakra control.

And do I need to explain elite Hyuugas? No, I suppose.