Sage mode

Sage Mode is the result of using natural energy along with a ninja's normal chakra to drastically empower all their abilities. Senjutsu (仙術; Literally meaning "Sage Techniques") refers to a specialised field of techniques that allows the user to sense and then gather the natural energy (自然エネルギー, shizen enerugī) around a person.

Senjutsu practitioners can then learn to draw the energy of nature inside of them blending it with their own chakra (created from spiritual and physical energy within the shinobi), adding a new dimension of power to the sage's chakra, resulting in the creation of "senjutsu chakra" (仙術チャクラ, senjutsu chakura). This chakra cannot be seen by anyone other than those who have been trained in senjutsu. This new chakra enables the user to enter an empowered state called Sage Mode, which can then drastically increase the strength of all ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu. A person who is able to use senjutsu is called a sage (仙人, sennin). Currently, there are two known ways to learn senjutsu. One of them is to study under toads from Mount Myōboku, as Shima, Fukasaku, Jiraiya and Naruto have done. Gamakichi and Gamabunta also seem to be familiar with it.
Another way is to study under snakes from the Ryūchi Cave where Orochimaru, and Kabuto Yakushi learned it. The cursed seals that Orochimaru has used in the series also use senjutsu chakra. A prerequisite to being able to use senjutsu is that the user must have a large reservoir of chakra themselves in order to manipulate the natural energy.

Toad Sage Mode

Advantages

There are numerous advantages while using toad Sage Mode. These include:

• The user's physical strength, speed, stamina, reflexes, and durability dramatically increase.
• The user's ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu become more powerful.
• The user can harness the natural energy surrounding them, turning it into an extension of their body, which increases the reach of their attacks.
• The user gains the ability to sense chakra around them.

Disadvantages 

There are a few disadvantages while using toad Sage Mode. These include:

• If the user draws in too much natural energy in the attempt to initiate Sage Mode, they run the risk of transforming into a toad, then into stone. If the transformation is completed, it cannot be reversed.
• In order to gather enough natural energy to initiate the transformation into Sage Mode, the user must remain perfectly still. Because of that, the user can be an easy target for an opponent.
• Because the user needs to move during combat, the senjutsu chakra cannot be replenished, which means the user can't stay within this state for extended periods of time.
  • The second and third weaknesses mentioned above can be bypassed through the Sage Art: Amphibian Technique, where one Sage gathers chakra for another or as in Naruto's case, shadow clones can be used for the same purpose.
• After Sage Mode has ended, the user appears to experience exhaustion. 

^{Imperfect sage mode:}

Jiraiya was not able to properly balance his own chakra with natural energy, resulting in him using an imperfect form of Sage Mode. As a result of the imbalance (and the imperfect nature of his transformation), Jiraiya took a number of toad-like traits when using Sage Mode. His appearance was altered: his nose grows bigger and gains warts, he gains excess hair (his goatee), and toad-like eyes. Further transformational attributes includes him taking on a toad-like stature and the lines on his face become much thicker, taking over each side of his face. Because of these traits, Jiraiya didn't like to use Sage Mode as it "displeases the ladies". He also showed the ability to transform his limbs (e.g. his hands and feet) into those of frogs so as to aid in manoeuvrability.
In order to get around the danger of remaining stationary during a battle to re-enter Sage Mode, Jiraiya would summon Shima and Fukasaku by drawing a blood contract on his face. The Two Great Sage Toads would fuse to Jiraiya's shoulders with the Sage Art: Amphibian Technique, gathering natural energy from their stationary positions on Jiraiya's shoulders for him to use.
 

Perfect Toad Sage Mode

 

Unlike Jiraiya, Naruto Uzumaki is able to perfectly balance the natural energy with his own chakra. This allows him to use Sage Mode in perfect balance, which allows him to retain all of his normal physical characteristics except for toad-like eyes: yellow irides, horizontal bar-like pupils, and reddish-orange pigmentation around the eyes; the mark of a true sage on each eye. A true sage would still suffer from the weaknesses of Sage Mode, requiring that they use Sage Art: Amphibian Technique in a battle situation. Because of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox sealed within Naruto, however, Fukasaku was rejected whenever he tried to fuse with him.
As a workaround, Naruto has some of his shadow clones gather natural energy elsewhere while he fights. Once he has run out of his own senjutsu chakra, he reverse summons the clone and has them disperse, giving him the clone's natural energy and allowing him to enter Sage Mode again. This method limits the maximum number of shad

Snake Sage Mode

Advantages

There are numerous advantages granted while using snake Sage Mode. These include:

• The user's perception abilities, reflexes, strength, speed, and stamina dramatically increase.
• The user's ninjutsu, genjutsu and taijutsu becomes more powerful.
• The user gains further access to snake anatomy, such as their brille, which can be used to lock out light as well as stop visual-based genjutsu from affecting them. They are also able to perform abilities that are characteristic of snakes, such as dislocating their jaw, although this is not exclusive to this mode.

Disadvantages 

Like Toad Sage Mode, Snake Sage Mode has similar flaws in that moving too much would disable the user from drawing in natural energy and that remaining still to gather the needed energy leaves the user open to attack. However, for his Sage Mode, Kabuto assimilated the DNA of Jūgo to replicate his clan's ability to passively absorb natural energy, thus allowing him to continuously collect the energy even while moving.

Forms

Kabuto in true snake Sage Mode.

While retaining most of his normal physical characteristics in Sage Mode, Kabuto Yakushi did display greater areas of darkened pigmentation of the markings around his eyes which tapered off rafter reaching his shoulder blades. More noticeably, he gained four horns growing out from the back of his head as well as darkened sclerae.