The Puppet Technique is the foundation of the puppeteers' combat style, created by Monzaemon Chikamatsu of Sunagakure and perfected by shinobi of the Village Hidden in the Sand. The user emits threads of chakra from their fingers and connects them to a puppet, controlling every movement, mechanism, and hidden weapon. A novice uses all ten fingers for a single puppet, while an experienced master needs only one finger per puppet and can simultaneously control up to ten combat units — one for each finger. Regardless of the number of threads, the puppeteer's will plays a key role, and a brief time gap between the user's command and the puppet's response is inevitable.
Chakra threads are a flexible tool. They can be made nearly invisible by using a minimal amount of chakra, allowing them to be secretly attached to opponents and turn them into living puppets. If the threads are connected to weapons such as kunai, the puppeteer can throw projectiles in a volley and simultaneously attach threads to distant targets. The threads can also be used to remotely pull desired objects toward the user.
A puppeteer is extremely vulnerable while controlling a puppet and is ineffective in close combat, so they try to keep their distance, hide, or disguise the puppet as themselves. Some, like Sasori, control the puppet from within, using it as armor. The main drawback of the technique is the visible chakra threads, which can be cut, instantly disabling the puppet. Therefore, preserving the mechanisms and keeping their construction secret is the puppeteer's top priority.
