Recaps

Naruto recruited Kisame, then led Team 7 through the first two stages of the Chunin Exams while confronting Orochimaru in the Forest of Death. Team 7 passed, and the arc ended as Naruto and Satsuki were selected to face each other in the preliminaries.

• Menma recruited Kisame into the Ember Organization after revealing the Nine-Tails to prove his identity, and Naruto assigned Kisame to Shisui Uchiha’s Anbu while letting him believe Naruto was the Fourth Hokage.
• Naruto prepared for the Chunin Exams, rescued Konohamaru from Kankuro, and learned that Gaara was the One-Tails’ jinchuriki.
• Naruto, Satsuki, and Sakura passed Ibiki’s written exam and entered the Forest of Death, where Naruto recognized Orochimaru among the examinees.
• Naruto fought Orochimaru in the forest, protected Satsuki and Sakura with the Nine-Tails’ chakra, and drove Orochimaru to escape after unleashing a Tailed Beast Ball.
• Hiruzen and Kakashi reached the devastated battlefield, warned Naruto to use Kurama’s power only in dire circumstances, and continued searching for Orochimaru while Team 7 resumed the exam.
• A Kirigakure ninja gave Naruto his team’s Earth Scroll, and Team 7 opened their scrolls at the tower to pass the second stage.
• Naruto shared lunch with Satsuki and Sakura as Gaara’s team and other examinees arrived at the tower, then sent Satsuki and Sakura home for the night.
• Hiruzen explained the village rivalry behind the exam, Hayate announced the preliminary rules, and the screen selected Naruto and Satsuki for the first match.

Naruto and Satsuki faced each other in the preliminaries before Naruto began training with Jiraiya, mastering powerful techniques and confronting the village’s hostility toward him. As threats from Otogakure and Sunagakure emerged, Jiraiya agreed to become the Fifth Hokage after the Chunin Exams.

• Naruto persuaded Satsuki to fight him seriously, then defeated her when she mistook his clone for him and admitted defeat.
• Gaara advanced after Kankuro forfeited, while Shino, Rock Lee, Neji, and Shikamaru won their matches and Sakura and Ino both collapsed without passing.
• Hiruzen announced the main tournament and its matchups, placing Naruto against Gaara in the first round.
• Orochimaru ordered Kabuto to manipulate Naruto and Satsuki, while Naruto asked Kakashi to teach Satsuki Lightning Cutter.
• Naruto met Jiraiya, learned the Rasengan with extraordinary speed, and signed the Mount Myōboku summoning contract before accidentally summoning the Great Toad Sage.
• Naruto trained with Jiraiya, Satsuki trained with Kakashi and Guy, and Naruto revealed that he had mastered Flying Thunder God.
• After Jiraiya saw how villagers treated Naruto, he spoke with Hiruzen about protecting him and accepted the position of Fifth Generation Hokage after the exams.

Naruto fought Gaara and then faced the invasion of Konoha, where Orochimaru resurrected former Hokage and Naruto discovered that Kushina was his mother. With help from Menma, Kurama, and Konoha’s defenders, Naruto battled Shukaku and entered Gaara’s mind, where Gaara awoke alone in a village that still feared him.

• Rock Lee defeated Neji after opening the Fifth Gate, and Menma later helped Neji accept his loss and keep moving forward.
• Shikamaru forfeited to Temari, Shino won by Dosu’s absence, and Naruto began his match against an unstable Gaara.
• Naruto used the Flying Thunder God Technique and Rasengan against Gaara, exposing the invasion plot as Orochimaru attacked the Third Hokage and summoned Hashirama and Tobirama.
• Naruto took Gaara to a forest clearing, where Shukaku emerged and Naruto fought him with elemental Rasengan while Orochimaru resurrected Rasa, Mito, and Kushina.
• Naruto recognized Kushina as his mother, sealed Rasa, and fought the transformed Kushina and Mito as Shukaku appeared inside Konoha under a masked figure’s control.
• Naruto’s clones defended Konoha’s villagers and ninja while Kakuzu fought the Sound Four, and Menma arrived to free Kushina from the corruption controlling her.
• Naruto and Shisui disrupted Obito’s control of Shukaku, and Naruto transformed with Kurama to drive Shukaku out of Konoha and shield the village from his attack.
• Naruto and Kurama defeated Shukaku and sent Chakra into Gaara to break the genjutsu, leaving Gaara awake in a strange village where a shopkeeper called him a monster.

Naruto saved Gaara and Konoha from Orochimaru, forming a bond with Gaara while uncovering the truth about his parents. Kushina escaped her seal and, after learning how Naruto had been treated, confronted Hiruzen and Jiraiya in the Hokage Office.

• Gaara saw Naruto’s childhood memories with Satsuki, while Naruto reinforced his seal and confined Shukaku in a simulated desert under Kurama’s supervision.
• Naruto healed Gaara, offered to protect him, and helped him reconcile with Temari and Kankuro as Menma stopped Orochimaru’s attack on Konoha.
• Orochimaru abducted Gaara, but Naruto rescued him, defeated Manda, sealed Orochimaru, and comforted Gaara by explaining that his Sand Shield came from his mother’s love.
• Gaara reunited with Temari and Kankuro, and Naruto’s bond with him reached absolute symbiosis as Zacian hatched from the Pokémon Egg.
• Hiruzen told Naruto that Minato and Kushina were his parents and explained why he had hidden Naruto’s origins, while Naruto said he would not turn against Konoha.
• Kushina escaped her seal, and Satsuki defended Naruto from villagers demanding his forgiveness for their past abuse.
• Kushina learned how Naruto had suffered after her and Minato died, then confronted Hiruzen and struck Jiraiya after hearing that he had left Konoha for years.