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In Naruto, there is a recurring theme of the next generation surpassing the previous one, with the younger students learning and ultimately exceeding their teachers. This is true for Team 7 and the three legendary San-nin.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura have all been under the tutelage of Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade, respectively, learning their techniques and improving upon them in their own ways.
Note: This article contains spoilers for Naruto and anime and reflects the writer's personal views. Some of the embeds contain depictions of canon-typical violence. Discretion is advised.
Eight instances of Naruto's Team 7 leaving San-nin behind
8) Mastering the Rasengan
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Control the flow, control the swirling chakra, and contain the power. The Rasengan is one of Naruto’s signature Jutsu.
What's more remarkable was that he learned it over several days. By contrast, Jiraiya, the man who taught it to him, took a long time to perfect it.
When Naruto first mastered the use of the Rasengan at the young age of 12 by using his shadow clone to help control the swirling chakra, it marked the first time the protagonist managed to surpass his mentor.
7) Yin Seal
At first, the small gem on Tsunade's forehead might appear to be simple jewelry, but it contains stored chakra. By keeping charka for years inside the Yin seal, which seems to be a jewel on her forehead, Tsunade can deliver devastating blows that shatter the landscape.
She can amp it up even further with Hundred Year Seal Release. However, this comes at a price, as it relies on her life force, so using it shaves off her lifespan bit by bit.
Sakura, however, managed to do the same, even using the Hundred Seal Release Jutsu, without any negative drawbacks.
6) Sakura saved dying Naruto
The love life of Tsunade is fraught with peril and heartbreak, as every man she's fallen in love with has died. Even her best attempts had failed, but when it came time for Sakura to shine, she pulled it off.
While no romantic love exists between them, Naruto is an important figure in Sakura's life.
When his heart stops beating during the Ninja War arc after a battle with Marada, Sakura manages to pull Naruto away from the brink of death by using all of her medical ninjutsu and some help from Minato, doing the impossible in the process.
5) Defeating Pain
Pain is a member of the Ninja terrorist organization, the Akatsuki, and their leader. Also known as Nagato or the Pain of Six Paths, he is ultimately responsible for Jiraiya's death in Shippuden.
Despite putting up an admirable fight, Jiraiya is ultimately overwhelmed by Nagato when his arm gets cut off from a surprise attack, and he is unable to continue.
When he engages Pain, Naruto manages to hold his own much better than Jiraiya did, and even after losing his sage mode, he comes out on top.
Granted, Jiraiya did manage to eliminate members of the six Pains before Naruto engaged them. Still, he managed to do what Jiraiya couldn't and convinced Nagato himself to cease his vendetta against the Hidden Leaf.
4) Sasuke defeats Itachi
While there are few milestones to compare Orochimaru and Sasuke, there is one undeniable fact. Sasuke's older brother, Itachi, was one of the few ninjas that left Orochimaru fearing for his life, and Sasuke emerged as the victor when the two brothers dueled to the death.
Itachi may have been holding back for his little brother’s sake, but Sasuke managed to do what Orochimaru couldn’t and defeated Itachi.
3) Sasuke and Danzo
Sasuke has always been known as a prodigy among his classmates, mastering several difficult jutsu at a young age. But his crowning achievement is mastering the Susanoo.
A flaming, skeletal creation named after the Japanese god of rain, it is something he puts to good use when fighting Danzo, who, at this point in the series, has been portrayed as a despicable character.
He has ties to many of the problems that plagued the cast. To give an example, he has the eyes of the Uchiha grafted to his right arm.
When Sasuke managed to unlock his V3 Sausanoo, a feat that Itachi struggled with, he finally managed to best Danzo in a protracted duel.
2) Mastering Sage Mode
Sage Mode is the name given to those who can master senjutsu or natural energy. To acquire it, a person must sit still for over 24 hours, or else they will turn into stone.
Humans are naturally active creatures, and on Mount Myoboku, there are many statues of failed students. Jiraiya could not master it and had to settle for an "imperfect" mode that allowed him some of its power.
Naruto, however, managed to achieve the mode fully, without any drawbacks, and even came up with a way to gather more senjutsu by leaving shadow clones to collect them in his place.
1) They all made it
The Three Legendary San-nin were ninjas of great power and respect, and in their youth, each one was a close friend. But they also separated, with Orochimaru being an antagonist in the series and Jiraiya getting killed.
Team 7, despite mirroring the path early on with Sasuke leaving the Hidden Leaf Village, managed to reconcile and remain close friends through the series.
In fact, they managed to do what the previous generation couldn't and find happiness, even having kids for the next generation to continue the cycle.
Note: This article reflects the author's views.
