Naruto Uzumaki

Also see the original: Naruto Uzumaki Naruto Uzumaki is a Shinobi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He is a Genin on Team Kakashi, along with Sakura Haruno and Matt Warren.

Background
At an undisclosed point before the start of the series, Naruto and the members of Team Kakashi encountered the Demon Brothers. The two teams fought, and it is implied that Naruto was injured. He has also participated in the Chunin Selection Exams alongside his teammate Sakura. Naruto participated in a mission to prevent Sasuke Uchiha from defecting the Hidden Leaf. Naruto fought Sasuke personally but failed the mission, nearly dying in the process.

Appearance
Naruto is a young Shinobi of small stature. He has spiky, yellow-blond hair, and he wears an orange jacket with a white collar and blue shoulders. He has orange pants with this, and he wears his Headband around his forehead.

Personality
Naruto is an easygoing and cheerful individual. He merrily welcomed Matt as the new member of Team Kakashi and wasted no time in striking up conversation with him. Naruto displays fierce determination regarding his former teammate Sasuke Uchiha, pushing his teammates to continue forward when trying to find him, as he did not want Sasuke to slip away. Upon suggestion by Kakashi that the team split up to search, Naruto was adamant that he would go where Sasuke was last seen. He was silently disappointed when Team Kakashi was unable to find Sasuke. In spite of his deep desire to find Sasuke, Naruto seems to have some resentful feelings towards him, stating that Sasuke felt he was better than everyone and sought out the likes of Orochimaru to prove it.

Naruto is a confident fighter, approaching a battle with the Demon Brothers with gusto. He also shows concern towards others on his team, such as when Matt was grievously wounded and poisoned. Naruto has been somewhat exasperated by Matt's introverted demeanor since he arrived in the Hidden Leaf. He discussed with Sakura about Matt seemingly having no friends after having two months in the Village, and his closed-off personality not making things easier. After talking with Sakura and Kakashi about Matt not having the upbringing of a Shinobi, Naruto seems to become a bit more sympathetic towards Matt's reluctance to engage in the life of a Shinobi. He assures Matt that he is not under any pressure to participate in the Chunin Selection Exams. When Matt announces that he does want to participate, however, Naruto is elated. He is happy that Matt has decided to participate and makes a deal with him that they both do their best.

Naruto has since been vested in Matt's development, both in mentality and in fighting ability. When Matt fought Masuta Tatsumaki, Naruto elected to let him battle alone, stating it would be good for him. He was even willing to risk losing their scroll, which they needed to proceed in the Exams. Following their confrontation with Team Masuta when Matt unintentionally killed Masuta Tatsumaki and wanted to leave the Shinobi World, Naruto worked to stop him. The two got into a verbal altercation. Naruto became firm and hard with him, telling him that Masuta's death was an accident and that Matt should not let it eat at him.

Naruto is fairly simple-minded, allowing him to see solutions to problems that others may overlook due to sheer simplicity. Thus, he was the one to decode the intel during the Season One Chunin Selection Exams after both Sakura and Matt failed. However, he has great passion and heart, and he feels that Shinobi share a mutual trust with one another that should not be breached. Naruto is very confident and tenacious in battle, remaining headstrong in his fights and refusing to back down no matter how much damage he takes.

Abilities
Naruto's battle technique revolves around close-range combat. His signature technique is the Shadow Clone Jutsu, with which he can create physical copies of himself to aid him in combat. These Clones can serve a variety of purposes, such as coordinated attack or distraction. Naruto can also perform a large-scale version of the technique to conjure dozens of Clones in the place of a few; this allows for overwhelming odds against his enemies, as well as coordinated attacks from many directions at once. Naruto's strongest technique is the Rasengan, which he can use to deal a significant amount of concussive damage to a target.

Season One
Naruto is first seen in Tsunade's office as Kakashi brings Matt in. Kakashi introduces Matt to Naruto and Sakura Haruno as the newest member of Team Kakashi. Naruto and Sakura warmly greet and welcome him. Tsunade then assigns the team its first mission together: to travel to the allied Villages of the Hidden Leaf and retrieve the participant count for the upcoming Chunin Selection Exams. As Team Kakashi prepares to depart, they are stopped by Shizune, who tells them that Sasuke Uchiha has been spotted. Team Kakashi's mission changes to go to the Village Hidden in the Waterfall to track down Sasuke. Team Kakashi departs, and Naruto protests to stopping for rest and eating. Kakashi reminds him that Sasuke left the Hidden Leaf of his own will, and that fighting him will likely involve a fight.

After a full day of traveling, Naruto begrudgingly agrees to stop for food and rest. The next day, Team Kakashi sets off again. They enter the Land of Waterfalls, and they eventually come to the entrance of the Hidden Waterfall Village. They take the entrance to the Hidden Waterfall, and travel through the Village to meet with its leader Shibuki. Shibuki tells them Sasuke was last spotted at the Great Tree. Kakashi deliberates with Naruto about splitting up, but Naruto argues, stating that he will find Sasuke no matter what. Kakashi eventually concedes, and Team Kakashi moves as a singular unit, searching the Great Tree before moving to the Village and the territory beyond. They are unable to locate Sasuke, but Shibuki is satisfied in that if Sasuke is not present, then he is no longer a threat. Team Kakashi then resumes its original mission, collecting files for the Hidden Waterfall's participants in the Chunin Exams.

The team then exits the Hidden Waterfall, traveling throughout the Shinobi World to the Hidden Leaf's allies. They enter the Village Hidden in the Stone, meeting with the Tsuchikage Onoki. Afterwards, they travel to the Village Hidden in the Grass and the Village Hidden in the Rain. They then arrive in the Village Hidden in the Sand, where they are met by Gaara. Naruto and Gaara are happy to see each other, and Gaara provides his Village's participants. As Team Kakashi departs from the Hidden Sand, Kakashi explains that Gaara was once used as a weapon by the Hidden Sand in a plot to bring down the Hidden Leaf. This caused the Leaf to want to vet the candidates for the Exams, hence the mission that they are on. Team Kakashi travels back through the Land of Fire to the coast, taking a boat to the Land of Water.

The team travels to the Village Hidden in the Mist and meets with the Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi. After providing them with her Village's participants, she invites them to stay. Kakashi declines, seemingly offending Mei, but she says nothing as they leave her Village. As they leave the Hidden Mist, they are attacked by the Demon Brothers. Meizu and Gozu attack Kakashi while clones of each of them attack Naruto, Matt, and Sakura. All members of Team Kakashi begin fighting, and Naruto is able to defeat the Water Clones with relative ease, and intervenes when another pair of Clones is about to deal a fatal blow to Matt. Naruto and Sakura arrive at Matt's side, who is incapacitated by poison from the Demon Brothers' weapons. Neither are able to help him.

Kakashi defeats the original Meizu and Gozu, and as he rejoins his team, he orders Sakura to go back to the Hidden Mist to locate a hospital. Naruto and Kakashi work together to drag Matt to the Hidden Mist, where he is submitted to medical service. The other members of Team Kakashi wait, and Mei Terumi arrives after hearing what has happened. Naruto expresses concern over Matt's wellbeing. Later on, Matt finally wakes up, and Naruto, Kakashi, and Sakura go to visit him. Matt laments delaying their mission, but the rest of Team Kakashi is relieved to see that he is recovering. Mei returns, apologizing to the team as a whole for intentionally setting them up to be ambushed. Team Kakashi leaves the Hidden Mist, travelling by sea to the Land of Lightning and arriving at the Village Hidden in the Clouds.

They meet with the Raikage A Yotsuki, who begrudges having to give them his Village's participant files. With their final destination having been reached, Team Kakashi returns to the Hidden Leaf. Happy to be home, the team splits off in their own directions. Later on, Naruto and Sakura are together, discussing Matt. Sakura asks him what he thinks of the new teammate, and Naruto comments that he isn't easy to talk to and complains a lot. Sakura agrees, and they both point out that he has not been seen with any friends despite having been in the Village for two months. Sakura states that Matt reminds her of Sasuke, but Naruto disagrees, citing a lack of superiority complex on Matt's part. Sakura suggests that invite him out in an effort to get him to open up.

Kakashi arrives, having overheard the conversation and agreeing with Sakura's idea. He reminds them both that while Matt's reluctance towards the life of a Shinobi can be irksome, he did not spend his life growing up in the Shinobi World, and therefore his hesitance is understandable. Kakashi asks them to take Matt out and introduce him to his peers, stating that having people his own age to interact with will be beneficial to him. Naruto and Sakura agree, and Kakashi then moves onto the Chunin Selection Exams. He informs them that exceptions have been made for their team, so Matt can choose to participate despite not being eligible, however if he should not want to, he can do so without affecting Naruto's and Sakura's eligibility. This pleases Naruto, and after Kakashi departs, they both agree to visit Matt.

They find him in his backyard, exhausted after hard training. Naruto asks Matt to spar, but Sakura intervenes, pointing out that Matt is clearly in no state to fight. She invites Matt out for food, and they all go out. Here, Matt announces to them that he wishes to participate in the upcoming Exams. Naruto is happy at this, and he and Matt make a vow to work together to do the best they can. A month later, they arrive at the Hidden Leaf's Shinobi Academy. They meet Iruka Umino, Naruto's and Sakura's former instructor at the Academy. Iruka greets them all enthusiastically and wishes to hear about the Exams after they finish. Team Kakashi arrives at the destination of the First Exam among many other participating teams. They are met by the Genin of Team Kurenai, and Kiba Inuzuka comments on the fact that they chose to participate despite of the trials of their previous Exam.

As Team Kurenai walks away, Ibiki Morino arrives with several other Shinobi and announces the start of the Exams. Ibiki explains to them that each team must locate several pieces of intel, the first of which is in the room, and decipher them to make it to a set location within the time limit in order to pass the Exam. Ibiki then departs, thus beginning the Exam. Team Kakashi eventually discovers the starting intel on the roof of the Academy, and they acquire the first piece. While they initially struggle to decode the intel, Naruto eventually figures it out. The team gathers all of the intel and arrives at a small café, where Ibiki is waiting to inform them that they have passed the First Exam. As Ibiki explains the purpose of the First Exam, Anko Mitarashi makes an entrance, severely damaging the café in the process.

Naruto and Anko banter with each other, Anko ultimately offending Naruto and Sakura having to hold him back from starting a fight and potentially disqualifying them. Anko explains that the Second Exam will be the same as the previous time that Naruto and Sakura took the Chunin Exams. Later on, Team Kakashi gathers at the Forest of Death along with all of the other teams that passed the First Exam. Anko explains that teams will be given one of two types of scrolls, and they must battle the other teams to acquire the other scroll and make it to the tower in the center of the forest to pass the Exam. The Second Exam begins, and Team Kakashi is almost immediately confronted by Team Todoki. Todoki Jikyogu declares battle despite both teams having the same scroll. Shikuri Hagemo attacks, and while Sakura fights her, Naruto and Matt face off with Todoki and Kento Gansha.

The two teams battle, and Todoki and Kento work together to repel Naruto's and Matt's attacks. Sakura is beaten back by Shikuri, leaving the three Leaf Genin cornered. Todoki threatens to kill them for their scroll if they don't surrender it. Naruto, Matt, and Sakura make a stand, and Matt's and Sakura's abilities cause Team Todoki to surrender their scroll and retreat. As this is the same scroll as what they already possess, this is hardly considered a win. A day later, they are confronted and surrounded by Team Masuta. The teams fight, and Naruto defeats Jisashi Tenoke. They watch as Matt battles Masuta Tatsumaki, and Sakura asks Naruto if they should help him. Naruto declines, stating that a fight will be good for him and not fearing the loss of their scroll. As Matt and Masuta fight, Matt unintentionally kills Masuta. The members of Teams Kakashi and Masuta are horrified at what has happened, and they watch as Sakura tries to heal him, but fails. Naruto and Sakura apologize to Masuta's teammates, and Jisashi gives them their Earth Scroll since they are now ineligible to pass the Exam.

Jisashi and Tagaki leave with Masuta's body to return to the Hidden Sand, and the members of Team Kakashi are left in the wake of what has transpired. Matt is overcome with panic and wants to leave the Shinobi World, and Naruto and Sakura try to calm him down. Naruto and Matt get into a verbal confrontation, with Naruto stating that Matt should not let his mistake eat him alive. Sakura eventually convinces Matt to take a night to rest and think everything over. The next day, Naruto and Sakura wake up to find that Matt has disappeared. Naruto regroups with them after Sakura has located Matt, and the three venture to the tower. They arrive and open the Heaven and Earth Scrolls, thus bringing forth Kakashi. Kakashi explains to them that they will participate in a Preliminary Exam that will determine who proceeds to the Third Exam. The eight teams who passed the Second Exam gather in an arena inside the tower.

As the Preliminaries begin, Naruto and the others observe each match. While watching each fight, Naruto laments his limited combat abilities. Sakura assures him that he is strong and has nothing to be ashamed of. After Sarura Kuharu kills Natsuhi Kamero, Naruto sides with Amachi against Sarura for his callous murder. In the seventh match of the Preliminaries, Naruto battles Temari. He utilizes his Shadow Clones as well as his Rasengan, but he is unable to get around her Wind Style and long-range techniques. Temari hits Naruto with Wind Style: Tornado Shock to deal massive damage to him and demolish a large portion of the arena.