Naruto Shippuuden Episode 84

[Yukimura]

Way back in the chuunin finals (see chapter 113 or episode 66-67) Kakashi remarked that the reason he'd trained Sasuke was because he was "the same type as me". He says this at the same time Sasuke revealed that he'd learned Chidori. Then later it's Kakashi who explains what chakra elements are to Naruto and mentions that he's got a lightning affinity. One might draw from these two events that Sasuke's natural affinity is also lightning. If that is the case it could be part of the reason for Sasuke's initial difficulties with learning the Fireball Technique since learning to manipulate your natural element is supposed to be the easiest.

From what Yamato said most of the Uchiha were Fire types but if Sasuke wasn't then it makes sense that he would have had a harder time learning Fire jutsu than other Uchiha members.

But it's also possible that Kishi just makes everything up with absolutely no thoughts given to plot consistency in which case Sasuke's elemental affinity must be fire because he used fire techniques first and because if someone says most x's are y then it really means that all x's are y.

@Abdula: Where are you getting lightning > fire from? The 'circle' of strengths and weaknesses doesn't seem to have any meaning for non adjacent elements. According to the chart Fire should be neutral compared to Lightning and Earth and Lightning neutral compared to Fire and Water.

[Abdula]

initial difficulties with learning the Fireball Technique

Initial difficulties? He learned to use the fireball technique by himself in a few days after only haven been taught the seals by his father when he was what, seven. Thats nothing like Kakashi teaching him to use chidori over the course of a month.

But it's also possible that Kishi just makes everything up with absolutely no thoughts given to plot consistency

Thats true enough. Lol, I just got it. Anyway as far as Kakashi and Sasuke goes, Kakashi also mentioned that Sasuke was a genius and managed to acquire a second element a lot earlier than most people do, which is around Jonin level.

@Abdula: Where are you getting lightning > fire from?

Nowhere its just my opinion, and I wasn't referring to relationship between the elements based on the chart. I was just suggesting that as far as the damage each element does Wind seems to be the greatest, followed by lightning, fire, earth and water.

[Yukimura]

From the way his father reacted it seemed that he was expecting Sasuke to do much better than he did on his first try. And was it ever explicitly stated how much time it took Sasuke to get a handle on Chidori before he switched to training for super speed?

[Kraco]

Yeah. If I remember anything at all from those episodes, it seems to have left me with an impression Sasuke wasn't progressing particularly fast. But then again, it might have been only because he was compared to his genius brother.

[Abdula]

Okay, to be fair his father was comparing him to Itachi. A broken freak of nature who managed to kill his entire clan, including his father, at age 13. Anyway he was undoubtedly impressed when Sasuke managed to do it, and I went and checked, a day later.

As far as how long it took Sasuke to get a handle on lightning, one translation I read had it at 2 weeks, the translation at Onemanga says "Quite a large number of days"

Oh and since we're talking about the anime, DB's translation was " When I taught chidori to Sasuke, a true genius, it took him several long days to get lightning element down."

[Sam98034]

I'm sure the third could use 3+ elements. They did call him the professor correct? And he knew many techniques. I'm pretty sure you could possibly learn all 5 if you were very very good. The different elements might represent something like different learning styles. Some people need to see it, some people prefer reading the manual. It could be something like being a pro football player/CEO of your own company/Mathematics PhD /Psychology PhD/MD. It's not really impossible, but see if you can do it. And having any two of those would be really rare.

[Buffalobiian]

I'm sure the third could use 3+ elements. They did call him the professor correct? And he knew many techniques.

He was called the professor because he "knew every single technique in Konoha." Whether that means he can perform them all to the same proficiency is another matter, We barely got any information on him though, so exactly what he could do is pretty unclear.

As for whether he could use 3+ elements, I remember him using fire and earth during the Hokage battle. I doubt Kishi had element affinities in mind back then

[ASSpirine]

I'm actually quite dissappointed in the fact they introduced element affinities...

[DarthEnderX]

Darth I have no idea what makes you think people would simply be able to learn other elements. One it would be incredibly stupid and two it would completely defeat the purpose of having elemental affinities and the whole element wheel in the first place.

Kishi added in this little wrinkle to make his rock-paper-scissors system a bit more interesting. What your suggesting is a complete contradiction to what we've seen thus far.

Except that...its not. Kakashi comes right out and says most jounin know two elements. One of those isn't their affinity element. I don't understand how you can even argue this when its so plainly stated. Ninja can learn elements that aren't their affinity. Why would they have to stop at one extra? That makes no sense and is, as you say, "a complete contradiction" to what has been stated thus far.

If a ninja spends years learning his affinity element, then spends several more years learning a second element, what exactly is keeping them, once they know two, from working towards a third?

There's been no "barrier" from a third element stated. It doesn't exist as far as any information we've been presented is concerned.

Your entire argument basically boils down to "This building has more than one floor, therefor it must have exactly two floors."

[Abdula]

Um actually. The only reason I'm disagreeing is exactly because there actually seems to be some barrier. Based on whats been stated one would think that its possible for people to simply learn other elements but for some reason it hasn't happened. The only person I've seen that even has 3 is Kakashi and I already said why I don't count earth with him.

My argument is basically, if it was possible we would have seen it already.

[DarthEnderX]

Okay, I find that reasoning specious, but alright.

After all, Kakashi says most jounin know two elements, but how many have we seen that have used two elements? Two? But we've seen a hell of a lot more than two jounin.

On the flip side of that, is that there's only a few characters in the show who I would say have lived long enough to learn more than 2 elements. The 3rd, the Sannin, and various Akatsuki members.

[Abdula]

Okay, I find that reasoning specious, but alright.

Specious. Lol.

After all, Kakashi says most jounin know two elements, but how many have we seen that have used two elements? Two? But we've seen a hell of a lot more than two jounin.

On the flip side of that, is that there's only a few characters in the show who I would say have lived long enough to learn more than 2 elements. The 3rd, the Sannin, and various Akatsuki members.

True, after it was mentioned I fully expected to see people busting out multiple elements but the closest thing I've seen to that is Kakuzu and we know why he can use more than two.

[DarthEnderX]

Well, it kinda did. Since in pretty much the next fight in the series after Kakashi mentioned it, Asuma who we know is a Wind type, buts out that fire jutsu.