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Over the years, training arcs have become an integral aspect of shonen anime, with almostevery other long-running animeshowcasing a training arc for their titular character. However,Naruto’straining arcs tend to stand out the most, largely due to their well-crafted nature. The series features a plethora of training arcs, both in its filler and canon episodes. While each one has something novel to offer, arguably the best training arcs in the series revolve around Naruto’s own evolution.
There isn’t a tried-and-tested pattern to creating the perfect training arc, yet each one ofNaruto’straining arcs has a few recurring elements that set them apart from the rest. With a mix of character development, nuanced storytelling, and worldbuilding, these arcs bring out the best inNaruto. Whether it’s Naruto’s training at Mount Myoboku or his inner battle to tame Kurama, each arc led to Naruto outgrowing his former self.
Training Arcs Are Never Standalone
Naruto’s Training Arcs Take Place Alongside Key Events
While training arcs are anessential element of shounen anime, they can become quite boring and difficult to digest for viewers. However,Narutohas never faced this issue, since Kishimoto cleverly placed training arcs alongside other key events in the narrative. This meant that while the training arc continued in the backdrop, the narrative progressed side by side, allowing viewers to easily digest the arc without seeming too repetitive and boring.
A prime example of this type of story writing can be witnessed in Naruto’s training to learn how to induce change in chakra nature, where he mastered nature release manipulation andhis iconic Rasenshuriken. Naruto was mastering Wind Release during the Akatsuki Suppression Mission arc, which foresaw Asuma’s death and Team 10’s revenge against Kakuzu and Hidan. The arc was quite monumental, especially since it concluded with the death of Asuma Sarutobi, an event that served as a key development for Shikamaru and the rest of Team 10’s characters.
During the battles, snippets of Naruto’s training with Yamato were shown to the viewers, acquainting the audience with his endeavors, without making it seem repetitive and boring. Other training arcs also used the same method of storytelling,with Naruto’s Sage Modetraining being another example of how key events took place in the background while Naruto trained at Mount Myoboku. While the Akatsuki planned their invasion on the Hidden Leaf and even executed much of their plan, Naruto was shown side by side meditating and training with the Toads. This allowed the narrative to progress without coming to a complete halt for the sake of Naruto’s training.
Character Growth Alongside New Powers
Naruto’s Training Arcs Offer Much More Than Just New Power-Ups
While training arcs are often thought to be for gaining new powers and growing in strength,Naruto’straining arcs serve another purpose — character development and growth. While not all anime capitalize on this aspect of training arcs, theNarutoseries has managed to use these brief arcs as a way of fleshing out its characters. One example of this can be seen in theform of Naruto and Sasuketraining for their respective techniques side-by-side. Their training arcs were much more than gaining the Rasengan or Chidori, as it reflected their rivalry and their desire to outgrow each other.
While not exactly a training arc in the traditional sense, Naruto’s attempt at taming Kurama also served as a moment of growth for him, as it was during his attempts that he was finally able to meet Kushina and Minato in the form of their chakra remains. Moreover, the entire ordeal allowed Naruto to empathize with Kurama even more, setting the stage for him to eventually befriendthe Tailed Beast inside of him.
His training on Mt. Myoboko also served a similar purpose, as the spiritual side of his training allowed him to reflect on his beliefs and ideals, along with processing the grief of losing Jiraiya. This growth led to Naruto being willing to forgive Nagato andend the cycle of hatred, despite the antagonistic group decimating his entire village and killing his master. These underrated training arcs are exactly what allowed Naruto to grow into such a person, one that is compassionate and enough to forgive even his greatest enemies.
Exploring New Concepts and Elevating the Power System
Naruto’s Arcs Add On to the Series’ Worldbuilding
Training arcs don’t only serve the purpose of adding new power-ups to the characters, as these are also opportunities for the anime to introduce more worldbuilding or explain the series' power system in depth. Almost all of Naruto’s training arcs have successfully achieved this feat, whether it’s Naruto’s training at Mt. Myoboku or his time with Jiraiyalearning the Rasengan. Naruto’s attempt at learning the Rasengan and chakra manipulation is arguably the very first major training arc in theNarutoseries. While Naruto mastered the Rasengan, the arc also explained the concept of chakra and how it can be used to form different types of techniques.
Another major training arc in Shippuden is Naruto’s attempt at mastering chakra transformation. This training also served a similar purpose, as it introduced the concept of different nature releases, something that had rarely been explored in theNarutoseries before. The arc finally cemented the concept of different types of nature releases and how they work together to form various jutsu. Lastly, Naruto’s Sage Mode training arguably added the most to Naruto’s worldbuilding, as it not only showcased an entirely new form of power,Senjutsu or Sage Mode, but it also added a new location to Naruto’s worldbuilding in the form of Mt. Myoboku, something that was previously unexplored.
An Exciting Payoff
Each Training Arc Results in a Dramatic Payoff
What sets Naruto’s training arcs apart from the rest of the shounen landscape is the eventual payoff that results in a scene of epic proportions. This execution is exactly what makes these training arcs perfect, as fans get to witness the training’s result in the form of a new unrivaled power. While almost every training arc inNarutohas an extremely hyped payoff, arguably the best ones are Naruto’s Wind Release training and Sage Mode training.
The scene of Naruto using his Wind Release Rasenshuriken on Kakuzu and ending his life in one blow left a lasting impression. Moreover, the technique was quicklybranded as a forbidden jutsudue to its destructive nature, as it is capable of severing chakra networks and even damaging the user himself. The power quickly became a staple in Naruto’s arsenal, with Naruto later forming derivative techniques of the base Rasenshuriken.
The new jutsu, Wind Style Rasenshuriken… forbid Naruto from ever using it again.
Naruto’s Sage Mode Training had a similar payoff, one that was witnessed in the form of Naruto’s grand entrance at the site of the Hidden Leaf’s remains. Whilethe Paths of Painwere decimating the Hidden Leaf Village, Naruto was training in Mt. Myoboku. The dire consequences and the high stakes made Naruto’s dramatic entrance all the more hyped. Sage Mode later became Naruto’s greatest asset, as it allowed him to rival even the strongest of enemies. His grand entrance, coupled with his newfound Sage Mode powers, deem this training arc one of the best in the entireNarutoseries.
