Naruto: Shippuuden Episode 1-2

[Kraco]

Sound never had the chance to 'graduate' chuunins officially, since they were a new village. Unless you can become a Chuunin some other way apart from the exams... I mean... how many entered last one? and how many were 'graduated'? Just One.

Those ranks would be of limited use for anything but internal use anyway. Even if a select number of places have standardized their ranking system by using the common exam. In that sense even knowing somebody's rank in battle has only suggestive value, if even that. To put in simply, like you said, they are convenient when dealing out missions and perhaps deciding troop compositions during wars. But they are useless when facing an unknown enemy.

In fact, Naruto himself demonstrated this perfectly: Simply because he hasn't been in the common shinobi pool for a couple of years, he has had absolutely no use for a rank. Now that he's back, it does pose a problem for him (because he has always wanted the hardest missions available, but the rank of a genin wouldn't theoretically allow that).

[Munsu]

I changed the thread title to reflect the first two episodes as many sources seem to agree that there were indeed two episodes last week. Next thread created should reflect episode 3.

[RyougaZell]

Exactly my point Kraco.
Ranks are quite useless on battle. They are a nice way to determine who leads who, who can teach, what missions you get and if you can teach.
We just need to remember how Shikamaru got to be a chuunin before Neji and Gaara. Now, three years later Shikamaru is still chuunin, Neji is a jounin and Gaara is Kazekage, although it is unknown what rank he had before becoming a Kage.

[darkshadow]

First of all, it's been stated officially in one of the databooks that the sound 4 were all chuunins and Kimimaru was a jounin.

Second, Jounin are higher than ANBU. Most anbu are chuunin.

This is not what we were debating, it's known that they were chuunin in their non curse seal state
It doesn't matter how strong a ninja gets that still has a chuunin rank in overall strength, they wouldn't be able to defeat Genma and Raidou if they didn't attain jounin rank strength after the CS transformation.

Also most ANBU are chuunin = false.
Chuunin do NOT deal with s-rank criminals, EVER, at max they do A-rank missions.
ANBU however do deal with s-rank's, meaning most are jounin, with the occasional chuunin in the team. Like kakashi said: "Chuunin are team leaders."

I'm also quite sure that the ANBU in the white robe at the Sandaime-Oro fight, was an elite jounin.

[DarthEnderX]

I don't think you actually HAVE to pass the chuunin exam to become a chuunin. And in fact lots of countries don't even participate in the exame. There were no Stone or Cloud or Mist ninjas in the chuunin exam and those are the other 3 major villages.

The "Chuunin exam" is only used by Konoha and it's allies to promote ninjas, and then only as a form of advertisement for the villages. But if the sound village wants to promote 4 of it's ninjas to chuunin, you can't really stop them.

Just like if Tsunade goes, "I'm just gonna promote Naruto because I feel like it" she can do that if she wants. She's hokage.


As far as the ANBU, they're just special forces. The ANBU can have both Chuunins and Jounins in them. Because as has been stated, ANBU is not a rank, it's just a special team designed for a special task. But those who aren't at leasts Chuunin probably won't become ANBU because there's a minimum amount of skill needed to be assigned to a special forces team like that.

[darkshadow]

I never said it was a rank, i said ANBU deal with s-rank missions/criminals.
Chuunin never do, a chuunin in a team of ANBU would be more of a strategist then an actual fighter, i however did not say its not possible for Chuunin to be in ANBU, this is why i said: "most ANBU are chuunin = false."

[Assassin]

i have to agree with DS. there seems to be alot of confusion about this, so let me clear this up.

ANBU IS NOT A RANK. THE ONLY RANKS ARE GENIN/CHUUNIN/JOUNIN. ANBU IS A SEPERATE DIVISION. (SANIN IS ALSO NOT A RANK)

Now, considering the type of missions the anbu squad does (ie: assasinations, black ops, search and destroy etc) its highly likely that one is required to be a jounin. However it has never been stated specifically, so its open discussions. Regardless, you're everyday chuunin is not qualified to be an anbu member, cuz that defeats the point of having a seperate anbu squad. whats so special about them if they're only as good as any old chuunin? Its entirely possible for highlevel chuunins to be part of the anbu squad, as long as they can handle thier own and are an asset to the team. Its just seems that most people who would be qualified to be part of anbu would already have passed the jounin exam.

[DB_Hunter]

What jounin exam?

[Narasho]

I don't think you actually HAVE to pass the chuunin exam to become a chuunin. And in fact lots of countries don't even participate in the exame. There were no Stone or Cloud or Mist ninjas in the chuunin exam and those are the other 3 major villages.

I would say that those villages may run their own chuunin exam for whatever reason. Maybe they aren't allied with Konoha. (though that seems unlikely) It's also possible that they don't send ninjas to the chuunin exam every time (I think they mentioned that it was run 4 times a year) due to being smaller villages and not having ninjas who are ready to take it. If I remember correctly, the only Sand village ninja who took the chuunin exam the time Naruto took it were Gaara, Temari and Kankuro. So it's a possibility at least.

As far as not having to pass the chuunin exam to become a chuunin, that's speculation and as far as I know there isn't any evidence to support that.

[JaySee]

I don't think the Hokage could just promote someone. There are elders to consider as well.

[dragonrage]

I would say that those villages may run their own chuunin exam for whatever reason. Maybe they aren't allied with Konoha. (though that seems unlikely) It's also possible that they don't send ninjas to the chuunin exam every time (I think they mentioned that it was run 4 times a year) due to being smaller villages and not having ninjas who are ready to take it. If I remember correctly, the only Sand village ninja who took the chuunin exam the time Naruto took it were Gaara, Temari and Kankuro. So it's a possibility at least.

As far as not having to pass the chuunin exam to become a chuunin, that's speculation and as far as I know there isn't any evidence to support that.

i think you should re watch the chunin exam episodes, all villages were represented ALL.

Possible reasons for only gara, temari and Kankuro, being the only sand ninjas that participated:

They were an essential part of the attack plan on Konoha.

The sand had to make higher quality ninjas since they were pratically crippled by the last war and the lords were cutting the resourses to the hidden village.

They didn't want to lose anymore ninjas to gara; remember he basically killed anyone that he faced, both back in his village and during the exam.

Maybe they need all the help they could spare since they were attacking Konoha; the more powerful of the five.

But the fact remains that all the villages were represented. I believe that there was an episode where this was explained and the "true" purpose of the chuunin exam was revealed, Both by Orichimaru's right hand man " whats his face" and the 3rd also explained it as well.

As for becoming a chuunin you don't have to be the last man standing to become one, this was also explained. All of the finalist could have become chuunin or non. It all depended on the higher ups.

Example: look at the case the situation now, neji is a jornin termari and kankuro as well. Poor naruto, still a genin, even though he knows jornin level techniques, also it is kinda fitting since he is "THE NUMBER ONE DROPOUT" (reffer back to one of the earlier episodes).

It's been a while since i watched those episodes(2 years possibly) but my memory is good.

Edit: Yes, i watched the first episode of the non filler with friends, it was a special moment *tear*. But I am still gonna wait a while until i watch the rest.

And it is two times a year that the chunnin exams are held.

man thinking about all these things reminds me exactly how much i use to actually like this anime.

[Narasho]

i think you should re watch the chunin exam episodes, all villages were represented ALL.

I wasn't the one who said that some villages weren't represented. I was responding to someone else a few posts up who said this.

They didn't want to lose anymore ninjas to gara; remember he basically killed anyone that he faced, both back in his village and during the exam.

That's a good point, I hadn't thought of that.

[Assertn]

so many inaccuracies....

1) Konoha is most definitely not allied with all the other villages. The ones that didn't participate in the chuunin exams are either neutral or enemies of Konoha. Why do you think Kakashi was in Zabuza's bingo book if Mist was allied with Konoha?

2) There were certainly more than just Gaara's team representing the sand. Rewatch the scene were Kabuto busts out his cards for the konoha kids. The ONLY village that had a single team participating was the sound village.

3) Chuunin exams only take place twice a year, not 4 times.

[dragonrage]

yep you were right there were more sand ninjas that took part, I apologies about that, but like i said before ALL hidden villages participated. you can see evidences of this in episode 23 9 minutes 15 seconds or so.

[Yukimura]

Maybe there should be a separate thread for this...it has very little to do with the episode and more to do with the state of the Naruto world.

[Idealistic]

Maybe there should be a separate thread for this...it has very little to do with the episode and more to do with the state of the Naruto world.

lol yeah no kidding... this episode had nothing to do with these discussions.

[Deadfire]

lol yeah no kidding... this episode had nothing to do with these discussions.

It's a classic case of "People are starved for naruto discussion"

Besides this thread be deserted as soon as the next ep comes out anyways. At that time if discussion continues on the matter then spliting it will happen (and possibly before that)

Besides all that Continue

[Assertn]

yep you were right there were more sand ninjas that took part, I apologies about that, but like i said before ALL hidden villages participated. you can see evidences of this in episode 23 9 minutes 15 seconds or so.

Dude...there's like, at least 20 hidden villages in the Naruto world.

Edit: Also, lols....the subtitles in the snapshot you put up contradicted your message within the SAME post

[dragonrage]

yeah i chose that one for a specific reason.


No, I stand firm that there are only 5 hidden villages. Even in the fillers it was mentioned.

Reason being is that the other countries don't have hidden villages that is why they hire ninjas from the 5 hidden villages.

It was explained early in the series that there were 5 hidden villages, the sound village was a newly formed hidden village that was under orichimaru control.

I also have a bone to pick with your statement about Zabuza and kakashi, but another time.

[darkshadow]

No, the 5 main villages are the ones that are the strongest, they are also the only 5 countries with a kage.

Edit:
"Of the countries scattered about the Naruto world, five are considered to be the most powerful and influential of them all. These are the Land of Earth, the Land of Fire, Land of Lightning, the Land of Water, and the Land of Wind. Each represents one of the five elements (earth, fire, lightning, water, and wind, respectively) and each is ruled by a Kage."

"Land of Fire, Land of Water, Land of Sound, Land of Earth, Land of Rain, Land of Grass, Land of the Waterfall, Land of Lightning, and the Land of Wind"

These 9 are mapped on the naruto map, and then we have the bazillion villages the filler introduced.

2nd edit: 25 countries, 14 villages.