Recaps

Sakura Haruno used her knowledge of the future and her unusual Water Release talent to grow into a powerful ninja, guiding Team 7 through the Land of Waves and the Chunin Exams. After defeating Naruto in the finals, she was caught in the Konoha Crush and left fighting giant snakes as Jiraiya came to help.

• Sakura Haruno, formerly Ye Ying, defended Naruto from bullies, entered the Ninja Academy, and developed a Chakra-controlled Water Release fighting style before impressing Sasuke and Itachi with her skill.
• Sakura trained with the Third Hokage, created powerful Water Release techniques, and joined Team 7, where she helped Naruto and Sasuke pass Kakashi’s survival test.
• On the Land of Waves mission, Sakura fought Zabuza and Haku, helped defeat Zabuza, and brought the surviving Haku back to Konoha.
• Sakura advanced her Wind and Ice Release, defeated Orochimaru’s Sound subordinates in the Forest of Death, and beat Neji in the Chunin Exam preliminaries.
• Sakura trained Naruto in the Rasengan and challenged Jiraiya with her Azure Water Release, while Haku returned and helped her improve her Ice Release.
• Sakura defeated Naruto in the Chunin Exam finals after he released the Nine-Tails’ chakra, then watched Sasuke begin his match against Gaara as the Konoha Crush started.
• Sakura fought Sound Ninja, helped track Sasuke, and stayed behind to defeat pursuing attackers before returning to Konoha to destroy giant snakes.
• Sakura’s stamina failed as another giant snake attacked her, and Jiraiya arrived on Gamabunta to pin it and greet her.

Sakura helped Tsunade defeat Orochimaru, pursued Sasuke after he defected, and later joined the Anbu while surviving a deadly fight with Kakuzu and Hidan. After recovering, she trained with Team 7 and left with them to protect Tazuna in the Land of Waves.

• After the Third Hokage’s funeral, Sakura joined Jiraiya and Naruto on the search for Tsunade and helped fight Itachi and Kisame.
• Sakura confronted Orochimaru in Tanzaku Town, helped persuade Tsunade to become Hokage, and began training under her after Tsunade healed Sasuke and Kakashi.
• Sakura completed Lee’s operation, then pursued Sasuke with Haku and Naruto after he left Konoha, defeating members of the Sound Four along the way.
• Sakura found Naruto at the Valley of the End after Sasuke escaped, then promised to help Naruto bring him back before Naruto left with Jiraiya for three years of training.
• Sakura studied Medical Ninjutsu and developed her Sakura Style techniques, then passed the Anbu assessment and began taking missions as Saigyouji Yuu.
• Sakura tracked down Kurogarasu and fought Kakuzu and Hidan, surviving Hidan’s ritual by using water-natured Chakra to restart her heart before escaping for treatment.
• After recovering, Sakura rejected Tsunade’s suggestion that she stop fighting and shared information about Kakuzu and Hidan with Konoha’s intelligence team.
• Kakashi tested Team 7’s teamwork and passed Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke, then trained them in ninjutsu, taijutsu, and Chakra control as they handled low-level missions.
• The Hokage assigned Team 7 to protect Tazuna, and Sakura left with Naruto and Sasuke to prepare for their mission in the Land of Waves.

Sakura helped Team 7 survive Zabuza’s attack in the Land of Waves, developed her Water and Ice Release, and returned to Konoha with Haku. During the Chunin Ninja Exams, she faced Orochimaru in the Forest of Death and then formed an alliance with Ino’s team.

• Team 7 escorted Tazuna to the Land of Waves, where Sakura helped drive off Zabuza and his allies and trained to combine Water and Wind Release.
• Sakura defended Tazuna’s family from missing-nin, then joined the battle at the bridge, where Zabuza killed Gato and died beside the revived Haku.
• Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, and Haku left the Land of Waves after the bridge was completed, and Sakura resolved to seek evidence of Orochimaru’s plans during the Chunin Ninja Exams.
• Sakura helped Naruto pass Ibiki’s written exam and entered the Forest of Death with Team 7, where she confronted Orochimaru after defeating a Rain Ninja team.
• Sakura fought Orochimaru with her Water and Ice techniques, but he escaped after defeating Naruto and Sasuke and warning that Sasuke would seek his power.
• Sakura defeated Rain Ninja and drove off Sound Ninja while protecting Team 7’s scroll, then escaped Shikamaru’s Shadow Possession and persuaded Ino to join her side.

Sakura defeated Neji in the preliminaries, then trained with Naruto and Haku while Konoha prepared for Orochimaru’s possible attack. Tsunade returned after Naruto mastered the Summoning Technique, and Sakura’s first final-round match against Naruto continued with both of them using their new skills.

• Sakura defeated Neji by using Ultra-Pure Water to protect herself from his Gentle Fist, then Naruto defeated Kiba and all three members of Team 7 advanced.
• Sakura told Kakashi that Orochimaru planned to attack Konoha, and the Third Hokage began preparations as Jiraiya assessed the threat and went to find Tsunade.
• Neji let go of his hatred of the Hyuga clan, while Hinata showed her new fighting style and Sakura joined Hinata and Ino in visiting the injured finalists.
• Sakura stood up to Gaara when he threatened Lee, then trained with Naruto and confronted Jiraiya about his theories on Water and Wind Release.
• Sakura reunited with Haku, trained against his Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals, and considered how to adapt the technique before the final matches.
• Jiraiya persuaded Tsunade to wager her return to Konoha against Naruto’s attempt to master the Summoning Technique, and Naruto summoned a giant toad despite suffering severe injuries.
• At the selection matches, Sakura and Naruto began their fight with clones and Substitution techniques, then Sakura flooded the arena with a gigantic Water Dragon Bullet.
• Naruto countered Sakura’s Nintaijutsu with a prepared Wind Release technique and sent Shadow Clones at her from underwater as he gathered Chakra beneath the flooded battlefield.