Biggest Naruto Plot hole

[Jiraiyathesannin]

Can we for a second address that naruto graduated on his "THIRD ATTEMPT". In context, its pretty clear the exams are yearly, but as I'll explain later, it doesn't matter. We know that Naruto and Sasuke and Sakura are the same age (as are the rest of the rookie 9).

So they all graduated at age 12. The only way that naruto could have been on his third attempt if either A) Naruto alone was allowed to attempt the graduation early and despite being a slacker, attempted to do so (even though he "really wanted to graduate this time" which would contradict this possibility) or... you are allowed to graduate early (if its yearly, that would mean 9 years old, even if it was bi-yearly or whatever, this would still mean that at a minimum, they would been able to take it at 10 and a half). Meaning that option B) is that they all ALSO failed 3 times since they're naruto's age (which is unlikely) or C) Everyone else didn't take the test until the third time it was offered except naruto.

Now i get it, there are retcons. things are changed. Kakashi was a ****ing chunin at age 6 (i think thats the current record in the manga). But this would have been changed by episode 3 when we meet everyone in his class and establish that they all know each other.

Anyway, what are your thoughts? just an oversight? did kishimoto change this 2 chapters after writing it? Thoughts?

 

[Nagi]

Ahh them good ole days when Naruto was truly the underdog.

 

[Deadmed]

I think his teacher was just being easy on him so he let him try more frequently cuz he was like a father to him.

 

[Darth AniCetuS]

Probably Iruka got tired of his pranks and decided to let him take the graduation exam as many times as needed for him to graduate.....XD

 

[Deadmed]

Probably Iruka got tired of his pranks and decided to let him take the graduation exam as many times as needed for him to graduate.....XD

This, it's like ms puff and spongebob.

 

[Bimbonium]

That's not even my problem with the scenario in the OP, my problem with it is that Neji and Co did not seem to see Naruto as their ex-classmate or even their senior.
As to the point in the OP, Naruto was an orphan so he probably entered the academy at a very early age, Hiruzen most likely thought it'd nice to have him hang around with other children so he enrolled him into the academy

 

[Itachi Edo]

That's not even my problem with the scenario in the OP, my problem with it is that Neji and Co did not seem to see Naruto as their ex-classmate or even their senior.
As to the point in the OP, Naruto was an orphan so he probably entered the academy at a very early age, Hiruzen most likely thought it'd nice to have him hang around with other children so he enrolled him into the academy

This is what I always thought

 

[Warlocks]

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[SumnNarutoRelated]

Yea I have no idea how Neji and them never knew of Naruto and them


Then again Neji Tenten and Lee are never in any childhood flashbacks just choji ino shika

 

[Amazeballs]

A lot of Part 1 stuff got retcon'd. Kishi didn't know where he wanted to go with his manga until well into Part 2. I don't think he came up with the Kaguya stuff until he was in the middle of the War Arc.

You can tell, based on how Kishi wrote Tobi's character, that he wasn't 100% set on making Tobi = Obito. None of the interactions between Tobi and Sasuke ever amounted to anything. Obito and Sasuke barely even reacted in the War Arc, and Sasuke had absolutely zero place in Obito's plans.

 

[Jiraiyathesannin]

That's not even my problem with the scenario in the OP, my problem with it is that Neji and Co did not seem to see Naruto as their ex-classmate or even their senior.
As to the point in the OP, Naruto was an orphan so he probably entered the academy at a very early age, Hiruzen most likely thought it'd nice to have him hang around with other children so he enrolled him into the academy

This is what I always thought

This doesn't at all address the problem. It matters not when naruto started the academy (naruto and sasuke however were both seen in the academy at around 6-7 years old together though so it makes no difference) as naruto and the rest are all the same age. the point is, why was naruto allowed to attempt graduation at 9 but nobody else was?

Also (as i'll point out in a comment to someone else who wonders why negi/lee/tenten dont recognie them) shinobi are in "classes" based on their age. its not one class. Its not like "ok, now the oldest of this class are allowed to attempt graduation". Remember, naruto's academy class was about 27 students, only 9 of whom passed their sensei's initial tests. So "he got to go early" makes no difference as he was in sasuke's class for several years.

 

[Jiraiyathesannin]

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Don't spam

 

[Jiraiyathesannin]

A lot of Part 1 stuff got retcon'd. Kishi didn't know where he wanted to go with his manga until well into Part 2. I don't think he came up with the Kaguya stuff until he was in the middle of the War Arc.

You can tell, based on how Kishi wrote Tobi's character, that he wasn't 100% set on making Tobi = Obito. None of the interactions between Tobi and Sasuke ever amounted to anything. Obito and Sasuke barely even reacted in the War Arc, and Sasuke had absolutely zero place in Obito's plans.

Yeah and don't forget, minato was originally the strongest hokage, then it was hiruzen, then it was hashirama. The whole "well the edo tensei's were only 10% strength at the time" was tacked on later. if you recall, hiruzen even says as he gets punched "still as strong as every lord first"

 

[Jiraiyathesannin]

That's not even my problem with the scenario in the OP, my problem with it is that Neji and Co did not seem to see Naruto as their ex-classmate or even their senior.
As to the point in the OP, Naruto was an orphan so he probably entered the academy at a very early age, Hiruzen most likely thought it'd nice to have him hang around with other children so he enrolled him into the academy

They weren't all in one giant class and then the oldest ones graduate (or alternatively, anyone can try to graduate and can leave once they do). They are in actual classes like in elementary school. You are with those ninjas for the duration of your training unless you're held back (which its implied that naruto was). Sure, his class had 27 ninjas (9 of who were able to become genin when they passed their sensei's first tests) however neji and tenten and lee would never have seen naruto

Unless of course you consider the inconsistency of naruto seemingly being older than the rest of his peers for some reason

 

[SenseiSama]

Hiruzen most likely made Naruto take the exams years before his age mates because he assumed he would have prodigious skills as Minato's son.

 

[Jiraiyathesannin]

Hiruzen most likely made Naruto take the exams years before his age mates because he assumed he would have prodigious skills as Minato's son.

No, that doesn't make sense as we KNOW that sasuke, shikamaru AND everyone else was in the academy as early as 6 year old or so. So if they were IN the academy, why is naruto the only one on his third graduation attempt? Also we know they're the same age so its not like he gold held back.

 

[SenseiSama]

No, that doesn't make sense as we KNOW that sasuke, shikamaru AND everyone else was in the academy as early as 6 year old or so. So if they were IN the academy, why is naruto the only one on his third graduation attempt? Also we know they're the same age so its not like he gold held back.

Because he was in the academy before them. It makes sense because prodigies can graduate years before their class mates like Kakashi and Itachi.

Hiruzen would have assumed because Naruto is Minato's son he would have the skill to start the exams before the required age.

 

[Jiraiyathesannin]

Because he was in the academy before them. It makes sense because prodigies can graduate years before their class mates like Kakashi and Itachi.

Hiruzen would have assumed because Naruto is Minato's son he would have the skill to start the exams before the required age.

They're in the same class. I've already said this. there isn't just one class room with people of separate grades. Its not like naruto was a 12th grader and the rest were 9th graders. There were in distinct grades. This is why neji/lee/tenten didn't know naruto despite only being a year older. if everyone was in one class and just graduated at their own pace, surely they would know naruto or have at least heard of him.

moreover, we know that you can be a chuunin as early as 6. so likely you can graduate as soon as you're physically able to pass the test. But were THAT the case, sasuke and sakura would have passed it years ago. sasuke could do fireball by age 7

 

[Bimbonium]

They weren't all in one giant class and then the oldest ones graduate (or alternatively, anyone can try to graduate and can leave once they do). They are in actual classes like in elementary school. You are with those ninjas for the duration of your training unless you're held back (which its implied that naruto was). Sure, his class had 27 ninjas (9 of who were able to become genin when they passed their sensei's first tests) however neji and tenten and lee would never have seen naruto

Unless of course you consider the inconsistency of naruto seemingly being older than the rest of his peers for some reason

I don't get it, if you repeat your class won't you join your juniors, the fact that Naruto failed three times implied that he repeated three times, meaning he was at one point in Neji's class (since failing thrice meant he entered before Neji, repeated once and joined Neji's class, repeated twice and joined Sasuke's class), the flashbacks were retconed...... Another weird thing is how did Lee pass the same exam Naruto failed when he could not use any ninjutsu?

 

[JENchuuriki]

That's not even my problem with the scenario in the OP, my problem with it is that Neji and Co did not seem to see Naruto as their ex-classmate or even their senior.
As to the point in the OP, Naruto was an orphan so he probably entered the academy at a very early age, Hiruzen most likely thought it'd nice to have him hang around with other children so he enrolled him into the academy

I go for this answer