The Chunin Exams was one of the first arcs in Naruto and arguably the best plot of the original series. In addition to establishing the world, it set up Team Seven in ways that had a profound impact on the rest of the series.
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It introduced people and concepts that would remain relevant and discussed through the Forth Shinobi War, which illustrates the tremendous groundwork that was carefully crafted from the start. By identifying the ways that the Chunin Exams changed the series, it becomes easier to gauge whether its importance is overestimated.
10 The Chunin Exams Introduced Orochimaru
Orochimaru made his stunning debut in the arc when confronting Team Seven. Despite the synergy the group developed in the Land Of Waves, he was clearly beyond their league and illustrated how far they had yet to come. The Sannin's introduction had many connotations for the series as a whole.
For example, it illuminated more of the Leaf's history and that not everyone from Konoha's borders was a hero. To the contrary, most of the Leaf's worst enemies were also former members scorned by bad policy.
9 The Konoha 11 Came Together
The Konoha 11 are a group of shinobi taught by Guy, Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai. Although vaguely suggested in Naruto's genin days, they only meaningfully formed during the Chunin Exams. Many members bonded over the rigors of the trials.
For example, Shikamaru attempted to assist Sakura against Team Dosu. These connections proved invaluable later down the line, as it meant that they could better harmonize with each other as Konoha shinobi. It was especially useful for justifying the Sasuke Retrieval arc, as most of the ninja were at least partially committed to Sasuke by the time he fled the village.
8 Hiruzen Sarutobi Died To Protect The Leaf
Hiruzen's death had several connotations for the series. Not only did it mean that the village was temporarily undefended, it showcased the "will of fire" for the very first time and illustrated how genuinely evil Orochimaru was.
Further, it provided a baseline for how powerful a Hokage should be and what their responsibilities might look like. Curiously, there was also foreshadowing about Hiruzen's darker side since he was willing to use a forbidden jutsu in order to take his opponent out. In this regard, it made the Uchiha genocide look far less out of character under his administration.
7 Sasuke Received His Curse Mark
Orochimaru inflicted Sasuke with a curse mark during their first encounter. Though the ninja could choose not to use it, it gave him the option of tremendous power. The only catch was that the further he harnessed it, the more control Orochimaru gained over him.
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The curse mark remained an important aspect of the series up until Sasuke's fight with Itachi. Since Itachi knew what Orochimaru planned, he had the foresight to remove it before his brother could no longer resist the villain's pernicious influence.
6 The Sand Village Made Its First Appearance
Although the Land Of Waves arc hinted at the Five Nations, it was difficult to conceptualize how powerful they really were until the Chunin Exams. A full invasion of enemy shinobi illustrated that the Sand and Leaf were formidable rivals and that Konoha wasn't the only superpower producing shinobi.
Fortunately, the Sand Village had a much greater role than simple adversaries for Naruto and his friends. After defeating Gaara, he rehabilitated him as an ally. Now that Gaara has become Kazekage, the Sand's total allegiance has been procured.
5 The Edo Tensei Was First Summoned Against Hiruzen
The Edo Tensei was a forbidden jutsu that could raise the dead as the caster's immortal minions. It was first used by Orochimaru in his bid to overpower Hiruzen on Konoha's rooftops. Even at the time, the Edo Tensei was a valuable insight to the abilities of the first and second kage.
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It played an even more significant role in the Forth Shinobi War, where the bulk of the antagonistic forces were personally raised by Kabuto. The conflict felt less contrived now that the Five Nations joined forces and there weren't any other major threats to tackle.
4 The Concept Of Other Jinchuriki Was Better Established In The Arc
At first, Naruto seemed like something of an anomaly. Although there were allegedly eight other Jinchuriki, none had been introduced in the story up until the Chunin Exams. It was beginning to seem as if that aspect of the story had been overlooked.
In addition to becoming an excellent ally, Gaara provided a nice foil for Naruto and reference for how strong a Tailed Beast should be. Additionally, Shukaku brilliantly demonstrated what would happen if Naruto embraced Kurama's bloodlust and gave himself completely to a hatred for humans.
3 Orochimaru Could No Longer Attack Konoha After Losing His Arms
One of the greatest consequences of the Chunin Exams is that it weakened Orochimaru considerably. With his arms taken by the Reaper Death Seal, waging war against Konoha become realistically impossible.
It made for an excellent segue into the Tsunade arc, where Orochimaru and Jiraiya vied for her allegiance. The former wanted her to heal him with her medical jutsu, whereas the latter hoped that she could replace Hiruzen as the next Hokage. The sannins' reunion and battle made for a compelling conclusion to the original series.
2 The Chunin Exams Established The Sasuke Retrieval Arc
The Chunin Exams established the Sasuke Retrieval arc in a dozen creative and subtle ways. Notably, the same shinobi powering Orochimaru's barrier became the main antagonists that Shikamaru's team fought against.
Similarly, Sasuke was intoxicated by the strength Orochimaru displayed when confronting the Leaf's finest by himself. Worse yet, he felt a growing sense of insecurity and dread since Naruto had recently been outperforming him, especially with Jiraiya as his mentor. Sasuke's betrayal of the Leaf would have felt stunted and uncharacteristic if not for the interactions beforehand.
1 Sasuke Learned The Chidori
The chidori is a lightning based technique initially used by Kakashi Hatake. He based it on Jiraiya's rasengan, adding his own personal touch based on what he could perceive with his copying ability. When Sasuke approached Kakashi in need of instruction, he agreed to teach him what would become his most iconic jutsu.
Though still inexperienced in using it, Sasuke's chidori proved a formidable match against Gaara's sand shell, making him one of the few characters able to breach it. Perhaps the chidori's greatest trait is that Sasuke does not need to rely on his sharingan in order to use it optimally.
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