Ep 120. Ep 120 - A New Chapter Begins: The Chunin Exam

In Naruto season 1 episode 120, titled "A New Chapter Begins: The Chunin Exam," the story advances to a new chapter as the main characters begin their training for the Chunin Exam. The Chunin Exam is a competitive exam held every year to test the abilities of young ninja in the village of Hidden Leaf.

The episode opens with Naruto and his friends Sasuke and Sakura excitedly preparing for the exam. They meet up with their sensei, Kakashi, who warns them about the difficulty level of the exam, and advises them to prepare well in order to pass. Meanwhile, their rival ninja team, headed by the arrogant but powerful Neji, are also getting ready for the exam.

The first stage of the Chunin Exam begins with a written test, which turns out to be unexpectedly difficult. The ninja must answer questions about various plants and animals found in the village, as well as other trivia pertaining to their training. Naruto, who is not known for his book smarts, struggles with the exam, while Sasuke and Sakura find it to be relatively easy.

As the ninja wait for the grading of their exams, they are divided into different rooms. Naruto, who is placed in a room with two other young ninja he has never met before, strikes up a conversation with them. The two ninja reveal that they are from a different village and express surprise at Naruto’s willingness to befriend them, despite being from different teams.

Soon enough, the exam results are announced, and Naruto and his friends are among the ninja who make it to the next stage of the Chunin Exam. The next stage is a survival exercise in the forest, where the ninja have to reach a designated spot while avoiding being found by their opponents. The ninja are paired up, and Sasuke is paired with Naruto’s new friends from the other village.

The exercise quickly proves to be more challenging than expected, as the ninja encounter traps and obstacles along the way. Sasuke uses his intelligence and quick thinking to help his team navigate through the obstacles, while Naruto shows his physical strength and endurance by taking on various enemies head-on. However, the biggest challenge comes in the form of a powerful ninja from a rival team, who battles Sasuke in a climactic showdown.

The episode culminates in a dramatic battle between Sasuke and the rival ninja, with the winner getting to advance to the next stage of the Chunin Exam. Sasuke’s sheer determination, combined with his ninja skills and intelligence, helps him prevail in the battle, and he is able to move on along with Naruto and Sakura.

Overall, "A New Chapter Begins: The Chunin Exam" is an exciting episode that marks a significant turning point in the show. The stakes are higher than ever as the ninja begin their journey towards becoming Chunin, and the episode sets the tone for an action-packed season ahead. Fans of the show will not be disappointed by the thrilling battles and well-crafted storyline of this episode.