Recaps

Naruto and Sasuke’s school lives continued as Tobirama discovered Izuna inside Sasuke and sent Itachi to investigate. After Naruto celebrated his birthday with his friends, the story ended with a chaotic mount race in which Kushina took the lead.

• Naruto defeated Sasuke in their sparring match after Sasuke revealed his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and exhausted himself attacking Naruto’s Wood Golem.
• Neji agreed to train with Rock Lee and Might Guy, and Naruto and Hinata followed him before Naruto sparred with Guy until Sarutobi stopped the escalating fight.
• Tobirama discovered Izuna on the crow television and concluded that Izuna was inside Sasuke, then instructed Itachi to investigate.
• Tenzo brought Sasuke to Root, where Izuna took control of Sasuke’s body and confronted Tenzo before Tobirama and Itachi revealed themselves.
• Tobirama and Izuna discussed their missions and the possibility that their rewards might include resurrection, while Tobirama warned Izuna not to lead Sasuke astray.
• Naruto’s friends and family surprised him with a birthday party, and Hinata gave him the fluffy gloves she had knitted.
• Sasuke returned home, trained with Fugaku, and later invited Naruto to dinner, where Mikoto shared stories about Naruto’s parents.
• Kurama, Hashirama, Minato, Kushina, and Naruto raced on their assigned mounts, and Kushina moved into the lead after Kurama’s and Hashirama’s attacks damaged their vehicles.

Naruto graduated, joined Sasuke, Hinata, and Karin on Kakashi’s team, and passed Kakashi’s teamwork test. Team 7 set out on its first mission, a supposedly dangerous D-rank assignment called Garden Defender.

• Naruto won the machine race with his golden Tailed Beast Cloak, and the graduation ceremony began.
• Neji graduated and chose to train under Might Guy, with Hiashi, Hizashi, and Hiruzen supporting his decision.
• Naruto visited Sarutobi and asked to be teamed with Sasuke and Hinata, then celebrated his dream of becoming Hokage with Konohamaru.
• Naruto passed his graduation exams, received his Forehead Protector, and became a Genin alongside his classmates.
• Kakashi became the leader of Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Karin, then tested them for three bells at Training Ground No. 4.
• The four youngsters coordinated their attacks until Kakashi declared that they had passed, and he officially established Team 7.
• Kakashi took Team 7 to Ichiraku Ramen and then led them to the Hokage Building for their first mission.
• Kakashi chose the D-rank mission Garden Defender, and Sarutobi warned that it was unusually dangerous.

Team 7’s first C-rank mission took them to the Land of Waves, where they defeated Zabuza and Haku’s first attack and helped Tazuna’s family stand against Gato. The arc left Naruto ready to defend the bridge as another enemy assault approached.

• Kakashi led the young ninja to Hikoneko’s garden, where Sasuke’s attempt to burn a hornet nest triggered a dangerous surge in his Sharingan that Kakashi and Naruto had to contain.
• Tobirama investigated the malfunction that forced Izuna’s ocular power into Sasuke, then began training Sasuke and Izuna while Sasuke resolved to bring Itachi home.
• Naruto and Sasuke completed a cat-retrieval mission, then persuaded Kakashi to take them on a C-rank escort mission to the Land of Waves with bridge builder Tazuna.
• Team 7 defeated the Demon-Man Brothers on the road, learned Tazuna had concealed the mission’s danger, and chose to continue escorting him despite his inability to pay more.
• Zabuza and Haku attacked the team, but Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke, and Karin fought them off, allowing Tazuna to reach the Land of Waves and resume building the bridge.
• Naruto encouraged Inari to honor Kaiza’s courage, and Kakashi assigned the team to protect Tazuna’s family and the bridge from Gato’s threats.
• As mist gathered near the bridge, Naruto woke Tazuna and the workers, then activated his golden Tailed Beast Cloak and prepared for the approaching attack.

Naruto defeated Zabuza, brought him and Haku back to Konoha, and helped secure the Land of Waves. As the joint Chunin Exams began, Naruto's team faced Gaara and entered the Forest of Death, where their training camp took an unusual turn.

• Naruto used Wood Release to defeat Zabuza, and Kakashi helped secure Zabuza and Haku's safety in Konoha after Minato confirmed Naruto's promise.
• Naruto and Team 7 celebrated the completed bridge in the Land of Waves, and Zabuza entrusted Kubikiribōchō to Naruto.
• Naruto brought Zabuza and Haku to Konoha, where Hiruzen arranged for Might Guy to look after them and Hiashi considered asking Zabuza for help recovering the Hyuga's stolen Byakugan.
• Kakashi told Team 7 that Konoha and Sunagakure would jointly host the Chunin Exams, and Naruto, Sasuke, Karin, and Hinata agreed to train together.
• Naruto confronted Kankuro and Gaara after Kankuro tossed Konohamaru aside, and Gaara recognized Naruto as a fellow Jinchūriki and vowed to kill him.
• Naruto and the others passed Ibiki's written exam, with Hinata helping Naruto answer the questions, and Anko led the surviving candidates to the Forest of Death.
• Anko gave Naruto's four-person team two pairs of scrolls and a location that would be shared daily, and the team set up camp in an old wooden house.
• Naruto built a Ferris wheel and later trapped Karin and Sasuke in its rapidly spinning cabin, while his team ended the night with cards and a shared sleeping room.