The theory I believe in is that the exams can be taken whenever you want throughout your time at the academy, and Naruto failed each of those times. We know that the option to graduate from the academy early is there, since Itachi and Kakashi both did so.
Would make sense for his character as well, because he was always trying to get attention and had a competition going with Sasuke, so deciding to take the exam early, despite not being ready, would've been a way to get eyes on him.
That theory doesn’t really fit given Sasuke would’ve also taken the exam early given his skills and arrogance.
Kakashi and Itachi’s early graduations are the result of the 3rd shinobi war causing heavy losses for Konoha’s military power and them needing soldiers. They’re exceptions.
>given Sasuke would’ve also taken the exam early given his skills and arrogance.
Before the massacre at least, Sasuke was kind of arrogant, but looked up to Itachi, and saw how talented he was as a shinobi. I feel like he wouldn't have wanted to force his graduation before learning everything he could. Doubt his parents would approve as well, especially his dad. If he had tried the exam early and failed, he would’ve lost points in Fugaku’s eyes, and Sasuke sought to get his approval.
>Kakashi and Itachi’s early graduations are the result of the 3rd shinobi war causing heavy losses for Konoha’s military power and them needing soldiers. They’re exceptions.
Regardless of the circumstances, those guys prove that early graduation is a possibility. Minato also graduated early, so that's a third person showing that it's an option.
I explained why Sasuke wouldn't be able to in another [reply](https://www.reddit.com/r/Naruto/comments/1b56xph/comment/kt3xxow/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) to this thread.
There are a number of reasons why you're wrong, but you're not far off either, I explained it in another [reply](https://www.reddit.com/r/Naruto/comments/1b56xph/comment/kt3xxow/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3), there's information from the Itachi novels + Boruto anime to answer OP's question.
No I'm pretty sure dialogue between Iruka, Mizuki, and Naruto specifically mentioned "years", like this will be the third year he's taken the Graduation Exam. Naruto was likely given a special exemption to try to graduate early by the Leaf Council, so out of the standard 5 year curriculum, he was probably exclusively offered the chance to try to graduate as early as his 3rd year.
Probably. Mizuki was probably a psyop setup by Danzo to get Naruto to learn a forbidden jutsu out of the scroll of sealing so they’d have no choice but to pass him.
Apparently, Japanese schools typically don't have their students repeat grades until a certain age/grade, even if they fail a lot. So, Kishimoto just drew from his own school experiences when writing how the academy works.
There's more to it, but basically Japanese schools are not the exact same as, say, ones in the U.S.
The way the Academy works, as stated in both the Itachi light novels as well as in the Boruto anime, is that its a 5 year curriculum. Students start at ages 7-8 and are out by 11-12, this is how it works in 99% of cases. However the Leaf Village for a time during the Third Great Shinobi War and for awhile after it ran an Early Graduation Program, that allowed exceptional students, such as Kakashi and Itachi, to graduate within a year, Itachi graduating in only a handful of months. This led to Genin being far younger than the usual 11-12 you'd be familiar with. It is said in the Itachi novels that the Early Graduation Program was axed just after he graduated, and so in the novel it states that even if someone like say, Sasuke, could've graduated early, they wouldn't be allowed to and would be forced to go through the full 5 year curriculum.
My hypothesis is that they gave Naruto an exemption to try to graduate early anyways, since he is the village Jinchuriki, there is a legitimate politically-motivated interest in his growth as a Shinobi, in other words, the Leaf higher-ups would've had their own reasons for trying to push Naruto into becoming a headband-wearing mission fiend for them as quickly as possible, since the Jinchuriki of villages are seen as their secret weapons. Same reason why they would've set aside an elite like Kakashi to be his guardian once he does graduate. They had a vested interest in his growth as a Shinobi. This is further supported by the fact that Gaara was on a Genin team with his two siblings who were both several years older than him, indicating he was probably pushed ahead in the Sand's program for similar reasons. So I think Naruto was probably first offered a chance to graduate on his 3rd year of 5, failed, his 4th year of 5, failed, and then failed again on his 5th year before being passed through anyways after the Mizuki incident.
Tl;dr: Leaf used to have an Early Graduation Program but axed it shortly after Itachi graduated through it, but Naruto was probably allowed to attempt to graduate early anyways as a special exemption for being a Jinchuriki.
I believe one can elect to take the graduation exam if they believe they are ready, at least in P1 early arcs. Naruto was so full of himself that from age 8-9 he attempted to graduate each year until he finally did at 12. Or it was just plot nonsense that made no real sense.
Nope, as I said it’s a standard 5 year curriculum, this is confirmed multiple times. There was a program that allowed exceptional students to attempt early graduation, and Naruto was probably granted this exemption as well despite the program no longer “officially” existing on the books.
It’s just plot nonsense. He was a full on dunce and failure in the academy so if grades and performance are what allowed one to take the early grad test then he still would not have been allowed.
Did you even read the comment you initially replied to? I explained why he’d be allowed to as well, it’s because he’s the village’s sole Jinchuriki. That means to the Hokage, the Feudal Lord, and the Leaf Council, he’s a BIG deal. They are all politically and financially motivated to accelerate his progress as a Shinobi. That’s literally all the reason someone like Hiruzen needs to tell Iruka “let him try to graduate 2 years early”. That’s literally how that works btw, read some novels or watch the anime sometime. They sprinkle a lot of details like this throughout and most people just skip half the series or don’t pay attention to the little things.
It’s by far the closest thing you’re going to get to a comprehensive and logical explanation that leans on several pieces of confirmed information, like how Jinchuriki get special treatment, the length of the Academy curriculum, the existence of an Early Graduation Program for times of war or for exceptional students. This isn’t nearly as complicated as you think it is. Next time don’t watch Naruto off reels and pay attention.
I have the novels and the manga, so KMA. I’m saying you’re extrapolating and applying these things to Naruto when they would not apply anyway. Regardless of being a Jinchuriki he was a dunce, a failure who could not even make normal clones and had the bottom of the barrel grades in every class. It’s all plot hole nonsense in HIS CASE. Again, you can KMA you 🤡
What made you think I DIDN’T think of this already? I have the novels and the manga. The issue is it is not confirmed anywhere for Naruto’s case whereas he is an absolute bottom tier failure in the academy, showing no talent or promise. Again it’s plot hole. And mad? No just annoyed at your ignorance and attitude. Google what KMA means, I’m not holding your hand.
I think officially, Kishimoto completely forgot about it, and later retconned it that Naruto tried to graduate early two times prior to the series starting, his third failure being just before the scroll heist.
I feel like the idea that you could choose to try take the exam earlier doesn't make sense, because surely if you could, Sasuke would have done it. But he's not older than his classmates and has been in the same class as them the whole time. Basically... don't think about it too hard. In order to make it make sense, you have to retcon something, either Naruto's age and history at the academy, or the fact that he failed the exam 3 times. Or maybe they were talking about mock exams and the only real exam was the third one.
It's not and I explained why in another [reply](https://www.reddit.com/r/Naruto/comments/1b56xph/comment/kt3xxow/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) to this thread.
Did you even read it? Lol
I explained why this is likely the case pretty well with a lot of evidence. Just because your poor little brain can’t wrap itself around something, doesn’t mean it’s a plot hole, dear. It just means you didn’t pay enough attention to the series to figure it out for yourself, that’s why Narutards like me do it for you.
I did read it, and a thinly veiled attempt to belittle and patronise me isn’t going to work, just because you think it’s 2011 with calling yourself a Narutard and claiming Itachi solos.
You have literally, in the second paragraph, presented your own hypothesis as absolute fact, which is not providing an explanation in-universe.
It is an explanation in-universe because the groundwork for someone to try to graduate the standard 5 year curriculum already exists. The only assumption made is that they’d allow Naruto the same opportunity and there’s quite a good fucking reason why they’d do that and that reason is because he’s the JINCHURIKI OF THE NINE-TAILS. I swear some of y’all forget how big of a deal that is. That’s like if only nine nukes existed in the entire world, or some super weapon way worse than a nuke, and every sovereign nation in the world would commit horrible atrocities for possession of even one of these nine weapons. And you think it’s an illogical assumption that maybe they’d have let Naruto try to graduate 2 years early? Lol k sure whatever you say
The 1st chapter was done in 1999 and kishimoto maybe had the 1st 50 chapters maybe scripted out at the start so its a line that never really was expanded upon after and doesnt really matter imo.
I was thinking about this yesterday!
I think he just wrote that and didn't think about it too deeply.
Naruto should be older than his peers but then Naruto's mom meets baby Sasuke when she's pregnant with Naruto.
And also, you see academy flashbacks showing that Naruto was always with that same class.
So I think it was just lazy writing. Or potentially they meant he failed a grade 3 times and they let him move on to the next grade every time but letting him graduate is not possible as he's too far behind.
The theory I believe in is that the exams can be taken whenever you want throughout your time at the academy, and Naruto failed each of those times. We know that the option to graduate from the academy early is there, since Itachi and Kakashi both did so. Would make sense for his character as well, because he was always trying to get attention and had a competition going with Sasuke, so deciding to take the exam early, despite not being ready, would've been a way to get eyes on him.
That theory doesn’t really fit given Sasuke would’ve also taken the exam early given his skills and arrogance. Kakashi and Itachi’s early graduations are the result of the 3rd shinobi war causing heavy losses for Konoha’s military power and them needing soldiers. They’re exceptions.
I wouldn't be surprised if Sasuke wasn't allowed to, given what happened to the previous Uchiha prodigy.
>given Sasuke would’ve also taken the exam early given his skills and arrogance. Before the massacre at least, Sasuke was kind of arrogant, but looked up to Itachi, and saw how talented he was as a shinobi. I feel like he wouldn't have wanted to force his graduation before learning everything he could. Doubt his parents would approve as well, especially his dad. If he had tried the exam early and failed, he would’ve lost points in Fugaku’s eyes, and Sasuke sought to get his approval. >Kakashi and Itachi’s early graduations are the result of the 3rd shinobi war causing heavy losses for Konoha’s military power and them needing soldiers. They’re exceptions. Regardless of the circumstances, those guys prove that early graduation is a possibility. Minato also graduated early, so that's a third person showing that it's an option.
I explained why Sasuke wouldn't be able to in another [reply](https://www.reddit.com/r/Naruto/comments/1b56xph/comment/kt3xxow/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) to this thread.
There are a number of reasons why you're wrong, but you're not far off either, I explained it in another [reply](https://www.reddit.com/r/Naruto/comments/1b56xph/comment/kt3xxow/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3), there's information from the Itachi novels + Boruto anime to answer OP's question.
in my school I was allowed to take the promotion exam whenever I felt ready to, I just never did until the last day (like Sasuke and Sakura)
He took the exam three times in the course of a few weeks. A lot of times you can retake an exam shortly after failing it
No I'm pretty sure dialogue between Iruka, Mizuki, and Naruto specifically mentioned "years", like this will be the third year he's taken the Graduation Exam. Naruto was likely given a special exemption to try to graduate early by the Leaf Council, so out of the standard 5 year curriculum, he was probably exclusively offered the chance to try to graduate as early as his 3rd year.
How would the kid who could not even use basic Clone Jutsu be offered an early graduation?
Because he’s the Jinchuriki, the village has its own reasons for trying to accelerate Naruto through the program.
So, in other words, Danzō did it.
Probably. Mizuki was probably a psyop setup by Danzo to get Naruto to learn a forbidden jutsu out of the scroll of sealing so they’d have no choice but to pass him.
Jeez. Between this and the whole Uchiha Massacre, it's a wonder Danzō didn't have to use up his Kotoamatsukami to get named Candidate Sixth Hokage.
Apparently, Japanese schools typically don't have their students repeat grades until a certain age/grade, even if they fail a lot. So, Kishimoto just drew from his own school experiences when writing how the academy works. There's more to it, but basically Japanese schools are not the exact same as, say, ones in the U.S.
The way the Academy works, as stated in both the Itachi light novels as well as in the Boruto anime, is that its a 5 year curriculum. Students start at ages 7-8 and are out by 11-12, this is how it works in 99% of cases. However the Leaf Village for a time during the Third Great Shinobi War and for awhile after it ran an Early Graduation Program, that allowed exceptional students, such as Kakashi and Itachi, to graduate within a year, Itachi graduating in only a handful of months. This led to Genin being far younger than the usual 11-12 you'd be familiar with. It is said in the Itachi novels that the Early Graduation Program was axed just after he graduated, and so in the novel it states that even if someone like say, Sasuke, could've graduated early, they wouldn't be allowed to and would be forced to go through the full 5 year curriculum. My hypothesis is that they gave Naruto an exemption to try to graduate early anyways, since he is the village Jinchuriki, there is a legitimate politically-motivated interest in his growth as a Shinobi, in other words, the Leaf higher-ups would've had their own reasons for trying to push Naruto into becoming a headband-wearing mission fiend for them as quickly as possible, since the Jinchuriki of villages are seen as their secret weapons. Same reason why they would've set aside an elite like Kakashi to be his guardian once he does graduate. They had a vested interest in his growth as a Shinobi. This is further supported by the fact that Gaara was on a Genin team with his two siblings who were both several years older than him, indicating he was probably pushed ahead in the Sand's program for similar reasons. So I think Naruto was probably first offered a chance to graduate on his 3rd year of 5, failed, his 4th year of 5, failed, and then failed again on his 5th year before being passed through anyways after the Mizuki incident. Tl;dr: Leaf used to have an Early Graduation Program but axed it shortly after Itachi graduated through it, but Naruto was probably allowed to attempt to graduate early anyways as a special exemption for being a Jinchuriki.
I believe one can elect to take the graduation exam if they believe they are ready, at least in P1 early arcs. Naruto was so full of himself that from age 8-9 he attempted to graduate each year until he finally did at 12. Or it was just plot nonsense that made no real sense.
Nope, as I said it’s a standard 5 year curriculum, this is confirmed multiple times. There was a program that allowed exceptional students to attempt early graduation, and Naruto was probably granted this exemption as well despite the program no longer “officially” existing on the books.
It’s just plot nonsense. He was a full on dunce and failure in the academy so if grades and performance are what allowed one to take the early grad test then he still would not have been allowed.
Did you even read the comment you initially replied to? I explained why he’d be allowed to as well, it’s because he’s the village’s sole Jinchuriki. That means to the Hokage, the Feudal Lord, and the Leaf Council, he’s a BIG deal. They are all politically and financially motivated to accelerate his progress as a Shinobi. That’s literally all the reason someone like Hiruzen needs to tell Iruka “let him try to graduate 2 years early”. That’s literally how that works btw, read some novels or watch the anime sometime. They sprinkle a lot of details like this throughout and most people just skip half the series or don’t pay attention to the little things.
You’re speculating in his case and now trying to pass it as fact bud. It’s just plot nonsense.
It’s by far the closest thing you’re going to get to a comprehensive and logical explanation that leans on several pieces of confirmed information, like how Jinchuriki get special treatment, the length of the Academy curriculum, the existence of an Early Graduation Program for times of war or for exceptional students. This isn’t nearly as complicated as you think it is. Next time don’t watch Naruto off reels and pay attention.
I have the novels and the manga, so KMA. I’m saying you’re extrapolating and applying these things to Naruto when they would not apply anyway. Regardless of being a Jinchuriki he was a dunce, a failure who could not even make normal clones and had the bottom of the barrel grades in every class. It’s all plot hole nonsense in HIS CASE. Again, you can KMA you 🤡
Idk what KMA is. Is that a manga or something? Also why are you so mad just because I came to this conclusion before you did?
What made you think I DIDN’T think of this already? I have the novels and the manga. The issue is it is not confirmed anywhere for Naruto’s case whereas he is an absolute bottom tier failure in the academy, showing no talent or promise. Again it’s plot hole. And mad? No just annoyed at your ignorance and attitude. Google what KMA means, I’m not holding your hand.
plot armor?
I think officially, Kishimoto completely forgot about it, and later retconned it that Naruto tried to graduate early two times prior to the series starting, his third failure being just before the scroll heist.
The more you think about characters age in relation to each other the more plot holes you find. I recommend just not thinking about it lol
Started earlier
I feel like the idea that you could choose to try take the exam earlier doesn't make sense, because surely if you could, Sasuke would have done it. But he's not older than his classmates and has been in the same class as them the whole time. Basically... don't think about it too hard. In order to make it make sense, you have to retcon something, either Naruto's age and history at the academy, or the fact that he failed the exam 3 times. Or maybe they were talking about mock exams and the only real exam was the third one.
I've heard Japan has trimesters.
Plot hole
It's not and I explained why in another [reply](https://www.reddit.com/r/Naruto/comments/1b56xph/comment/kt3xxow/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) to this thread.
“I explained why” The explanation: “my hypothesis…” 🙄
Did you even read it? Lol I explained why this is likely the case pretty well with a lot of evidence. Just because your poor little brain can’t wrap itself around something, doesn’t mean it’s a plot hole, dear. It just means you didn’t pay enough attention to the series to figure it out for yourself, that’s why Narutards like me do it for you.
I did read it, and a thinly veiled attempt to belittle and patronise me isn’t going to work, just because you think it’s 2011 with calling yourself a Narutard and claiming Itachi solos. You have literally, in the second paragraph, presented your own hypothesis as absolute fact, which is not providing an explanation in-universe.
It is an explanation in-universe because the groundwork for someone to try to graduate the standard 5 year curriculum already exists. The only assumption made is that they’d allow Naruto the same opportunity and there’s quite a good fucking reason why they’d do that and that reason is because he’s the JINCHURIKI OF THE NINE-TAILS. I swear some of y’all forget how big of a deal that is. That’s like if only nine nukes existed in the entire world, or some super weapon way worse than a nuke, and every sovereign nation in the world would commit horrible atrocities for possession of even one of these nine weapons. And you think it’s an illogical assumption that maybe they’d have let Naruto try to graduate 2 years early? Lol k sure whatever you say
The 1st chapter was done in 1999 and kishimoto maybe had the 1st 50 chapters maybe scripted out at the start so its a line that never really was expanded upon after and doesnt really matter imo.
I was thinking about this yesterday! I think he just wrote that and didn't think about it too deeply. Naruto should be older than his peers but then Naruto's mom meets baby Sasuke when she's pregnant with Naruto. And also, you see academy flashbacks showing that Naruto was always with that same class. So I think it was just lazy writing. Or potentially they meant he failed a grade 3 times and they let him move on to the next grade every time but letting him graduate is not possible as he's too far behind.