What does the term "Kage" in "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu" actually refer to? Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (影分身の術) literally translates into Shadow Clone Technique.


Is the word "kage" used to suggest that this technique was developed by a Ho-kage? Or does the jutsu have an actual connection to shadow?
The word "Kage" means "shadow".  

That's why they call it the "Shadow Clone Technique" in the English dub (or at least the early ones).

The suffix "kage" in "Hokage" also means "shadow" ("Hokage" = "Fire Shadow", I believe).