The Introduction arc is from Part I of the series, and spans from chapters 1 to 8 of the manga and episodes 1 to 5 of the Naruto anime. The main characters of the series are introduced during this arc.
Summary
Graduation
At the ninja academy, Naruto Uzumaki's reputation as a dropout and a troublemaker earns him infamy among the teachers and students. Iruka Umino, and to a lesser extent, the Third Hokage, are the only two positive influences on him. Despite this, Naruto continues to fail the graduation exam, which requires students to demonstrate how much they have learned by performing the Clone Technique. While Naruto is decently skilled in most of the basic jutsu taught at the academy, for some reason he is never able to perform this one correctly.
Mizuki, another Academy examiner, uses Naruto's depression after his most recent failure to trick Naruto into stealing the Scroll of Seals, a collection of forbidden techniques housed within the Hokage's study, claiming that Naruto would be automatically passed by simply learning a jutsu from the scroll. Not one to pass up such an opportunity, Naruto immediately does so, using his Sexy Technique to distract the Third Hokage long enough to escape. Once fleeing to the neighboring woods, Naruto begins his efforts in learning a technique from the scroll, the first of which happens to be the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, something he isn't happy about. As search parties are sent out to find Naruto and retrieve the scroll, Iruka gets to him first, finding him to have been training the entire time. Ignorant of what he had done, Naruto simply repeats to Iruka what Mizuki had told him earlier, causing Iruka to realize that Mizuki is trying to use Naruto to help him steal the scroll.
Just as Iruka realizes this, Mizuki shows up to attack them both. After he injures Iruka, who pushes Naruto out of the way, Mizuki tries to get Naruto to give him the scroll while Iruka tries to convince Naruto to do otherwise. Their argument leads Mizuki to tell Naruto about the truth everyone had been keeping from him: that he was the container of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Startled, Naruto runs off, leaving Iruka and Mizuki to fight amongst themselves. Naruto watches from a distance, eventually learning what Mizuki was after, as well as the true level of Iruka's devotion to him. Just before Mizuki can kill Iruka, Naruto attacks him, threatening to kill him should he ever touch his sensei again. Confident in his superiority, Mizuki claims he could beat Naruto with one attack, only for the exact opposite to happen; using his newly learned Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, Naruto beats Mizuki to a bloody pulp. Impressed that Naruto could master such a difficult technique, Iruka lets Naruto graduate, ironically fulfilling Mizuki's original promise.
Konohamaru
Upon graduating, Naruto is required to have his picture taken for identification purposes. Rather than have a standard picture, Naruto decides to paint his face and point at the camera in a menacing way. When the Third Hokage learns of this, he tells Naruto to retake the picture. To express his disagreement on this matter, Naruto uses his Sexy Technique in an attempt to convince the Third otherwise. Meanwhile, a young boy is watching the discussion, and uses the opportunity to attempt an attack upon the Hokage, only to fall flat upon his face. His sensei, Ebisu, pursues the boy into the room and catches a glimpse of Naruto, who he recognizes as the container of the demon fox. The boy accuses Naruto of setting a trap for him, and Naruto responds by grabbing hold of the boy. Ebisu orders Naruto to let the boy go, informing him that he is none other than the Third Hokage's grandson. The boy, certain that Naruto will do no harm to him, taunts Naruto, who whacks the boy in the head due to his indifference to the boy's relatives. Ebisu runs to the boy's side, informing him that if he someday wants to be Hokage then he should avoid people like Naruto.
Later on, Naruto finds the boy to be following him and at the same time doing a bad job at disguising himself. The boy, his cover blown, introduces himself as Konohamaru, and expresses his desire to be taught the Sexy Technique due to its prior success at "defeating" the Third Hokage in the hopes that using it will make him Hokage. Naruto agrees, and takes Konohamaru on as his disciple. To learn the technique, Naruto tries to improve Konohamaru's Transformation Technique by showing him naked women via pornographic magazines and taking him to women's bathhouses.
Eventually they arrive in the woods for refinement of the jutsu, where Konohamaru explains that the people of the village don't recognize him by his name, instead referring to him as the Hokage's grandson. Because of this, he hopes to become Hokage himself so that people will finally recognize him properly. Soon after, Ebisu arrives to take Konohamaru home, lecturing him all the while. At that moment Konohamaru performs a perfect Sexy Technique, which only causes Ebisu to lecture Konohamaru further. Perplexed by the jutsu's apparent failure, Naruto uses his Harem Technique, which succeeds in putting Ebisu out of commission. Konohamaru questions why he was unable to defeat Ebisu by himself, and Naruto replies that becoming Hokage requires a great deal of work for which there are no shortcuts. Konohamaru denounces their student-teacher relationship on the grounds that they are both rivals for the title of Hokage. Naruto makes the observation that, since he is an actual ninja, he will always be one step ahead of Konohamaru, but that he will look forward to the day that they meet in battle.
Formation of Team 7
In order to officially obtain the rank of Genin, Academy students must be organized into groups of three to undergo a field evaluation administered by a Jonin, who will be their squad leader should they pass. On the day of pairing Naruto makes sure to have a good breakfast, and heads off to the academy, where groups are to be decided. Upon arriving there Naruto shows off his headband to everyone, who thought he had failed. To Naruto's delight, Sakura Haruno starts to approach him. His glee is quickly stifled when Sakura pushes him out of the way so that she may sit next to Sasuke Uchiha, which angers all of the girls in the room. Naruto, jealous of Sakura's affection for Sasuke, leaps upon the desk at which they are sitting so that he can look Sasuke in the eye. To the disgust of Naruto, Sasuke, and every girl in the room, Naruto accidentally kisses Sasuke, earning him a beating from Sakura.
As Naruto recovers, Iruka arrives to announce the three-man teams and as he starts listing the members of Team 7, Naruto is pleased and Sakura is saddened to learn that the two will be on the same team. As the third member is revealed Sakura is pleased and Naruto is saddened to learn that Sasuke is that member, who happens to dislike being teamed with the both of them. As Iruka announces the remaining teams, Hinata Hyūga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame are revealed to be Team 8, and Shikamaru Nara, Chōji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka are revealed to be Team 10.
Later, Sakura goes off to look for Sasuke, ignoring Naruto who wants to have lunch with her. Angered that Sakura yet again picks Sasuke over himself, Naruto formulates a plan to be with Sakura. Upon finding Sasuke alone in a room, Naruto leaps inside where an unseen fight ensues. As things settle down, Sasuke is shown to be the only one leaving. Later on, Sasuke approaches Sakura, who expresses her feelings for him and her distaste for Naruto. As the two are about to kiss, Sasuke, who is revealed to be a transformed Naruto, suffers a violent stomachache and runs off to the nearest bathroom.
While Naruto deals with his mysterious case of diarrhea, the real Sasuke approaches Sakura. When she expresses her jealousy of Naruto for having no parents to tell him what to do, Sasuke states that those without parents grow up lonely, and that Sakura makes him sick. Sasuke leaves the crushed Sakura by herself, and she begins to consider treating Naruto better. As Naruto finally exits the bathroom he runs into Sasuke, and it seems as though revenge is imminent. Elsewhere, the Third Hokage takes Kakashi Hatake, Team 7's reluctant Jonin leader, on a tour of Naruto's home, and the latter notes that the milk Naruto seems to have had for breakfast is expired.
Evaluation
Soon after, Team 7, after a long wait, finally meets their Jōnin-sensei, who uses the meeting as an opportunity for the team to get to know one another. Kakashi goes first, and says he doesn't feel like telling them anything about himself. Naruto admits that he wants to become Hokage one day and that he loves ramen. Sakura implies that she loves Sasuke and states that she hates Naruto. Lastly, Sasuke says that he hates a lot of things, doesn't like anything, and that he will someday kill a certain man. Kakashi ends the meeting by telling the others to be at the training grounds the next day with their ninja gear, and advises them not to have breakfast.
The next day Kakashi arrives at the training grounds last and what is revealed to have been four hours later than planned. Kakashi then explains how the evaluation will work: it will be a survival battle in which the aim is to take one of two bells from Kakashi. Anyone who doesn't get a bell before noon will receive no lunch, which the others realize is why he said not to have breakfast. He then explains that because there are only two bells then at least one person will fail and return to the Academy. He does, however, allow the others to use shuriken if they would like, and that they will fail if they attempt this mission with anything less than an intent to kill him. Naruto laughs at this suggestion, saying that Kakashi has no talent. Kakashi rebuts this, stating that class clowns are often the weakest link and that they don't normally pose a threat, causing Naruto to attack Kakashi before the test officially begins. Kakashi easily counters this attack and notes that he's starting to like the team due to Naruto's attack having the intent to kill, and then sends off Team 7 to begin the test.
As the test gets underway, Sasuke and Sakura apply stealth methods, staying hidden from Kakashi. Naruto, however, decides that attacking Kakashi works just as well and calls him out. As Naruto charges at Kakashi, he pulls out a book, "Make Out Paradise", causing Naruto to hesitate slightly, though Kakashi assures him that the book won't prevent him for defending against Naruto. Naruto begins a series of attacks, each of which is dodged by Kakashi. Eventually, Kakashi ends up behind Naruto, and uses his One Thousand Years of Death to send Naruto into the nearby lake. Naruto recovers and attacks Kakashi with a number of shadow clones, which impresses Sasuke and Sakura. Kakashi evades all of the Narutos' attacks with Body Replacement Technique, leaving the Narutos to fight amongst themselves. Upon realizing this, Naruto dismisses his clones, and then notices a bell lying under a nearby tree. When he goes to pick it up, he is trapped in a snare set by Kakashi, leaving the young ninja dangling upside-down. Kakashi retrieves the bell and lectures Naruto about falling for obvious traps. At that moment, Sasuke, believing Kakashi to be distracted, attacks his sensei with a barrage of shuriken and kunai, apparently killing Kakashi.
This too is revealed to be a trap, as the attacked Kakashi turns into a log, the result of another replacement jutsu. Sasuke, his location revealed, goes off to find a new hiding spot, while Sakura goes looking for Sasuke. As she searches for him, she is tricked by Kakashi's Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique genjutsu, and as she recovers Sasuke falls prey to Kakashi's Earth Release: Inner Decapitation Technique. Naruto, using Kakashi's absence to his advantage, releases himself from the snare and attempts to eat the lunches Kakashi left behind. Kakashi catches him in the act and ties Naruto to a wooden post. Noon eventually rolls around, and all three have failed to get a bell.
After their failure, Kakashi berates all three for their lack of teamwork. He explains to them that the purpose of the exam is to work together, and not to act independently as they all had done. He gives them all a second chance and allows Sakura and Sasuke to have lunch; Naruto, because of his attempt to eat all of the food himself, is barred from eating at all, and anyone who gives him food will fail automatically. After he leaves, Sakura and Sasuke realize that they'll need Naruto in top-shape if they're to retrieve the bells, and decide to defy Kakashi by feeding him. Kakashi, who had been watching, appears before the Genin in a puff of smoke, a furious look upon his face. At this moment, the Third Hokage elsewhere reveals to Iruka that Kakashi has never passed a team of academy students, and that although the failure percentage is astounding the reasons why are perfectly just.
Back at the training grounds, Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke claim that they're a team, and as such if one of them fails then they all fail. Quickly changing his attitude, Kakashi informs them that they pass, reciting the exact message he was trying to get across as his reason why- "In the ninja world, those who don't follow the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum."
Episodes
| # | Episode Title | Japanese Airdate | English Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!" | 3 October 2002 | 10 September 2005 |
| 2 | "My Name is Konohamaru!" | 10 October 2002 | 10 September 2005 |
| 3 | "Sasuke and Sakura: Friends or Foes?" | 17 October 2002 | 17 September 2005 |
| 4 | "Pass or Fail: Survival Test" | 24 October 2002 | 24 September 2005 |
| 5 | "You Failed! Kakashi's Final Decision" | 31 October 2002 | 1 October 2005 |
| 6 | "A Dangerous Mission! Journey to the Land of Waves!" | 7 November 2002 | 8 October 2005 |
| 7 | "The Assassin of the Mist!" | 14 November 2002 | 15 October 2005 |
| 8 | "The Oath of Pain" | 21 November 2002 | 22 October 2005 |
| 9 | "Kakashi: Sharingan Warrior!" | 28 November 2002 | 29 October 2005 |
| 10 | "The Forest of Chakra" | 5 December 2002 | 5 November 2005 |
| 11 | "The Land Where a Hero Once Lived" | 12 December 2002 | 12 November 2005 |
| 12 | "Battle on the Bridge! Zabuza Returns!" | 19 December 2002 | 19 November 2005 |
| 13 | "Haku's Secret Jutsu: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals" | 26 December 2002 | 26 November 2005 |
| 14 | "The Number One Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja Joins the Fight!" | 9 January 2003 | 3 December 2005 |
| 15 | "Zero Visibility: The Sharingan Shatters" | 16 January 2003 | 10 December 2005 |
| 16 | "The Broken Seal" | 23 January 2003 | 17 December 2005 |
| 17 | "White Past: Hidden Ambition" | 30 January 2003 | 31 December 2005 |
| 18 | "The Weapons Known as Shinobi" | 6 February 2003 | 7 January 2006 |
| 19 | "The Demon in the Snow" | 13 February 2003 | 14 January 2006 |