Naruto is surprised to hear that Kurenai wants them to take the Chunin Exams, but she clarifies that it is their choice. She tells them that their chances of passing are low, but that it would be optimal for them to take it in their village (which is an interesting concept, and explains why the vast majority of the entrants are from the Leaf Village), and that their chances on the second attempt would drastically increase. Kurenai tells them that the other rookie teachers are participating, and she expects her genin to make a good showing against them.
Yet another cat rescuing mission occurs; it’s getting to the point at which it’s a Running Gag. Kurenai is impressed by her students’ determination to pass on their first try, even as she realizes how unlikely it is. Kurenai wonders what her colleagues would bet against Naruto, and feels a bit of guilt over being glad that Iruka can’t veto her team's participation. Kurenai decides to break the news to him herself, though.
Kurenai tells her students to not engage in unsupervised training until the exams, since she doesn’t want them hurting themselves or showing their techniques to a competitor spying on them, even if they will reveal their techniques during the exam. This is an interesting touch, one that touches on Tenten’s reluctance to use the Rising Twin Dragons in the anime, Temari and Kin trying to use what they learned about Shikamaru’s Shadow Possession Jutsu against him, and Kankuro dropping out to keep Crow’s secret weapon a secret.
Shino invites his teammates to dinner, and after some consideration, Naruto and Hinata accept. Kurenai refuses, saying she has a meeting, and knowing that even if she asked to step out, her presence would prevent the Aburames from seeing Naruto and Hinata’s true characters.
Hinata is unsure how to dress for the event, and Naruto, having never been invited over to someone’s house before, is even less sure. Hinata “would sooner take poison” than embarrass Naruto by dressing up while he looks shabby (while this is hyperbole, I do sometimes have to wonder considering that the angsty and self-loathing Hinata says this). Eventually, they decide to show up in their “uniforms”, which is a bit of a misnomer for the clothes they wear to missions- a uniform is not only something you wear every day, but it’s the same as everyone else, at least of your gender and position. For everything else, Naruto plans on watching Hinata.
Naruto and Hinata walk up to the door of a house in a neighborhood called “The Hive”, which seems to be segregated from the rest of Konoha in a manner that hasn’t been implied in canon for everyone except the Uchiha Clan (and some people disagree that the Uchiha were mistreated, whether because they don’t believe it’s supported or because they don’t believe the person who said it]). Hinata greets Shibi as “[[LastNameBasis Aburame-sama”, and he suggests that they call him “Shibi” instead; the former seems overly formal.
It is pointed out that Shibi, like Shino, wears sunglasses indoors. Misato, however, looks and acts very little like Shibi or Shino, and it’s revealed that she met her husband when he was an envoy to the Hidden Mist village. She’s fairly cheerful, and is glad to have Shino’s friends over, making her a fairly interesting character.
The dinner is surprisingly normal fare, apart from the roasted termites. Misato has a good sense of humor, and is quite amused by some of the things Naruto and Hinata tell them about their training. Hinata realizes how enjoyable life is when she doesn’t spend it around her clan, albeit being ashamed while doing so. Misato plans on training Shino with her weapons to keep him on par with Naruto and Hinata, and because Shino was technically born in the Hidden Mist Village.
Shibi alludes to a breeding plan, which will continue even after Bataru steps down. Hinata grows embarrassed as Naruto boasts about her performance, while describing his performance in only the most general terms. Hinata notices Shibi resembles her father, but without the anger toward her that is often present in Hiashi’s eyes.
The meal ends and Hinata thanks the Aburames, who tell her and Naruto that they’re welcome in their home any time, and tell Naruto that his help is vital for Shino’s continued survival. Shibi apologizes to Naruto for acting on hearsay, and thanks Naruto for keeping the Nine-Tailed Fox prisoner.
Naruto’s quite touched by someone accepting him, fully realizing the implications of the Aburames doing so. A game of tag begins between Naruto and Hinata, one that leads them to where Gaara of the Desert is waiting. With barely any prelude, Gaara introduces himself, notices Naruto’s status as the Leaf Village’s “weapon” (when in canon, Naruto had to imply that he was a Jinchuuriki for Gaara to follow suit). Fortunately, Naruto and Hinata manage to take their leave without any trouble from Gaara.
Kurenai hears Naruto and Hinata’s account, and warns them not to wander around after dark. Hinata notices gold-colored chakra around Gaara, and wonders if he’s like Naruto. Naruto and his team compare him with Gaara, noticing that Gaara is far more violent and unstable, and Naruto believes that if no one accepted him, he would hate them right back, an interesting reference to his attitude with the battle with Gaara, although he does feel a sense of despair in his belief that Gaara is stronger than he is if he survived so long by himself. She restates her desire that they not go around at night, before leaving to report to the Hokage.
Naruto and the others wonder where and how they’ll train before the exams, while Kurenai ponders the problem of the Sand Village entering its Jinchuuriki.
On the day of the exam, Guy speaks to Team 8, with Naruto realizing that he’s essentially helping them beat his own team. Showing a sense of seriousness that effectively reminds us that Guy isn’t all bluster, Guy reminds them that the exam can be dangerous and many of the participants will be trying to kill them. He also asks them to look out for their fellow ninjas, although it is pointed out that even ninja from the same village will be competing with each other; Team 8 traps a Leaf Village team in the manga, getting the scroll they need in the process.
Naruto reflects on his preparations before he and his team head for the exam. They encounter the disguised Izumo and Kotetsu, guarding the door as in canon. Sasuke almost immediately points out the illusion (but without the Pet the Dog moment in which he suggests that Sakura probably noticed it first), and the scene plays out like in canon, before Naruto Chakra Pulses away the genjutsu.
Lee is about to challenge Sasuke to a fight, before Naruto pulls him aside, telling him not to fight with a fellow Leaf ninja (he should be mentioning that the rules forbid fighting outside of official matches), and asking why he wants to fight Sasuke. Lee mentions that Neji is no longer his rival, since he doesn’t burn with the fires of youth, but in canon, his list of rivals includes Neji (the genius of his team and the strongest Leaf Genin), Sasuke (strongest genin of his class), Gaara (possibly strongest overall entrant in the Chunin Exams), and eventually, Naruto (who earns his respect).
Naruto deduces that Lee’s rivalry with Sasuke is in part because has feelings for Sakura. Interestingly enough, while Lee’s crush on Sakura is present to some degree even into Part II, it doesn’t seem to be at all part of his rivalry with Sasuke, or with Naruto- and apparently, isn’t even a factor in Naruto’s own series-spanning friendship/rivalry with Sasuke. I find the latter strange to some degree, but also possible proof that Naruto’s feelings for Sakura come a distant fourth behind becoming Hokage, redeeming Sasuke, and defeating the Akatsuki and his other enemies.
But here, Naruto’s feelings for Sakura are no longer a priority of his, much less an important one, as he warns Lee that Sakura isn’t nice to anyone but the person she likes, an unusually harsh description that hits home for Sakura.
A brief word about bashing- it works in many different ways, and in one regard, there are two major types of approaches.
The first- which is also the simplest, as well as the one most people take- is to leave the characters as unsympathetic individuals who are the butts of everyone’s jokes, until the story ends or they die sufficiently painful and humiliating deaths.
The second, and subtler, variant, involves three stages: 1)Characters are repeatedly abused and victimized- essentially the step that those who use the other type never go past. 2)The characters apologize for everything they’ve done to the victims, usually without getting any apology of any sort for anything they've suffered. 3)The characters are rebuilt into something desirable that bears little resemblance to their old selves. I call it the Revenge, Repent, Rebuild cycle, after each of the steps. This is different from honest Character Development on a disliked character in that the characters in question regret all their flaws, are shown little sympathy by others or the narrative, and have little of their personality left afterward.
Sakura seems to be undergoing the latter process, and is on Step 2. From all indications, the rest of Team 7 might follow suit, which is a bit disturbing.
Naruto and Lee rejoin Kurenai and Guy, the former of whom isn’t happy that they’re late, and reminds them that they can only enter as a team. This was less of an issue than in canon, when Sakura was seriously considering not entering. Oddly enough, Hinata, who would have the most trouble, as Neji canonically claims that she entered so that Shino and Kiba wouldn’t get excluded (she doesn’t deny it, but believes it’s necessary to change herself), shows no such doubts here.
Kurenai warns Naruto and the others about Gaara, pointing out that political reasons make barring him from the exams impossible. Their concern is understandable, but he seems to loom unusually large on their proverbial radar compared to this point in canon.
Naruto sees many unfriendly eyes watching them, and notices the other rookies. Apparently, Sakura and Ino aren’t arguing, but their conversation seems “subdued.” Shino points out that the older genin don’t like them, and Kiba points out that they’re jealous that they get to take the exam earlier, ignoring the possibility of them, like Kabuto, having taken it many times.
Speaking of Kabuto, he arrives and introduces himself, mentioning that it’s his seventh time on the exam, and repeats the introductory talk and “ninja info cards” talk. Naruto becomes suspicious of how helpful Kabuto is, and realizes that not even in Konoha do many people help just for the goodness of their hearts. Kabuto shows some of the specific cards, and Naruto wonders if he should mention Gaara; this was the point at which Naruto started learning just how dangerous Gaara was.
Naruto is undeterred, though, prompting the Sound Genin to attack Kabuto. Unlike in canon, the Leaf ninja intercede to stop them, well before Ibiki arrives, at the end of the chapter.
The author mentions that the title is a pun to a not very famous movie that was released over 25 years ago, as of the time the chapter was released, (over 30 years ago, as of this writing).
Then there’s an omake, by Wolfgang Beulen, featuring a conversation between Kiba and his mother, in the wake of the Land of Waves arc. He finds that Sasuke’s acting like a cold-blooded jerk to distract from his feelings about the mission’s outcome, and that Sakura feels as though she was useless. Kiba hears of the outcome of the border mission, and finds himself wondering how much Naruto changed in the process.
There’s a second placer by Alle, which also involves Kiba telling Tsume about his mission, and being asked why he didn’t abandon it as soon as he found out Tazuna had lied. After some thought, Kiba comes to the conclusion that he, not unlike Naruto, protects his “pack.”
The author says the winner was chosen because it matches the tone of Team 8 best; I believe the winner did a better job of doing Team 7 than the author himself, and the second-placer was superior.
What I liked
- Misato is a fairly interesting and lively character.
- The omakes.
What I didn’t like
- Naruto’s Chakra Pulse is turning out to be somewhat overpowered as far as an anti-genjutsu measure goes.
- Taking out some of Sasuke’s more sympathetic moments, and having Naruto bitterly denounce Sakura.
- Forcing Sakura to repent and rebuild herself as a character.
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