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Writer's pictureAnil Karthik

Top 5 Student-Teacher Relationships In Naruto!

Happy teachers day everyone. Since it is teacher’s day I decided to write about top student and teacher relationships from my favourite anime, Naruto. I wish I had teachers like the characters from below. So let's check out the list.


5) Sakura Haruno and Tsunade Senju:


Teacher's Day Special: Sakura Haruno and Tsunade Senju

We haven’t seen Sakura doing anything productive throughout the show Until she joined as a student of Tsunade that is. Sakura realized how Naruto is getting stronger every day and doing everything he can to bring Sasuke back for that one promise he gave to her. She couldn’t stop Sasuke and the team that was sent to fetch Sasuke back returned with mortal wounds. She realizes that she’s of no help to anyone and always depending on Naruto to save her. She then requests Tsunade to teach her medical ninjutsu. For the rest of the show we see Sakura storing her chakra for years, we barely get to see her on missions. And when the fourth shinobi war started, we see her treating hundreds of shinobi each day. She played a major role in the war. She perfected hundred sealing Jutsu, revived Naruto, she not only played a doctor but also participated in the fight. She charged at Jinchuriki Madara, Heck she even punched Kaguya. And after all that, she still had chakra to treat Sasuke and Naruto after their final battle. Because of Tsunade, a kunoichi who was weaker than Kiba at the beginning of the show became one of the strongest shinobi to ever exist.


4) Shikamaru Nara and Asuma Sarutobi:


Teacher's Day Special: Shikamaru Nara and Asuma Sarutobi

A teacher’s primary duty is to recognize a student’s potential. No matter how strong or smart the student may be, without proper guidance, it is a wasted talent. Shikamaru Nara is one of the smartest characters in Naruto. He can come up with strategies in seconds no matter what. He always thinks 10 steps ahead even though he feels everything is a drag. He was the only one to pass the Chunin exams that year despite Orochimaru's assault on the village. At 12 he leads a team of genin to retrieve Sasuke, even though it was a failed mission he was pretty smart in coming up with strategies right from the village gate. He acted as a true leader without any prior experience. Throughout the show, we saw Shikamaru coming up with strategies that rarely failed. Asuma sensei realized his potential on day 1 and made him understand what a shinobi's life is. He made him play shogi to even make him smarter than he already is. It was a short-lived relationship as Asuma was killed in battle with Hidan, but he did manage to make him smart enough to take on the Akatsuki member one on one, who is immortal and eventually become an advisor to Kakashi and Naruto. He was lowkey a Hokage level shinobi when it comes to brains but he wouldn’t take it because we know he feels “It’s a drag”.


3) Sasuke Uchiha and Orochimaru:


Teacher's Day Special: Sasuke Uchiha and Orochimaru

Indeed, Orochimaru's intentions weren’t in the right place when he took Sasuke as his student. Sasuke needed power, he wanted to become stronger than Naruto and strong enough to kill Itachi. He would do anything to achieve that kind of power even if it means he will have to leave his own village and only the person he considers a friend. Orochimaru did try to make use of this desire and take over Sasuke’s body. However, he did keep his promise by giving Sasuke that power. He made him way stronger than Hidden leaf teachers could have. He went from being weaker than sound 4 to seal away Orochimaru inside of him. Even at that weakened state Orochimaru was still powerful and can take out genins and Chunins with ease. Even though initially it was all just power to Sasuke and his body to Orochimaru, eventually that did change. After Orochimaru was revived, he decided he wouldn’t try to take Sasuke’s body and would love to see what his student will do in future. He wanted to see what decisions Sasuke will make to make a difference. He even reanimated previous Hokages to answer Sasuke’s questions. He made peace with Hidden leaf even if it is decided that he will stay in the outskirts and will be watched 24*7. Sasuke also eventually considered Orochimaru as his mentor and would see him as a teacher figure. He would go visit him if he had any unanswered questions or if he needed any information. Good or Bad, Orochimaru was his teacher and made him one of the most powerful shinobi. In a way, they both changed each other.


2) Naruto Uzumaki and Jiraiya:


Teacher's Day Special: Naruto Uzumaki and Jiraiya

Up until Jiraiya came back to Hidden leaf it was decided that Naruto's Kurama chakra will be suppressed and sealed. It was Jiraiya's idea that Naruto should be allowed to use Kurama's chakra. He told people that it was sealed inside Naruto by their parents so that he can use it to become strong. He said that it will protect him and even took the job to teach him how to use it. There started a legendary student-teacher relationship. He took him as a student at the beginning but treated as his grandson eventually. Throughout the show, Jiraiya taught many powerful shinobi, like Pain, Konan, Naruto, Minato etc. He taught Naruto how to use the summoning technique, how to control chakra, how to use Rasengan which became basics of massive attacks that he eventually learnt. He made Naruto a lot stronger. He introduced Naruto to frogs of mount Myoboku who eventually taught him sage mode. Jiraiya bought him new clothes on his journey, he took care of Naruto. He taught his ideals to Naruto and made him the Student of prophecy. Naruto loves Jiraiya so much because he was one of the few people who didn’t judge him for carrying nine tails inside him. He cherishes their relationship so much. He believed in Jiraiya's ideals even if the former student Nagato didn’t. He stopped the cycle of hate for Jiraiya's sake even if the person who killed Jiraiya is right in front of him. Jiraiya's core values which are inscribed into Naruto deeply, helped him overcome hate and win the fight against pain and convince Nagato. Naruto visits his grave very often to pay his respects. Even though his relationship with Jiraiya officially began after he came back to the village, their relationship was decided a long before that. It began when Minato and Kushina decided to name Naruto after Jiraiya's protagonist in his novel.


1) Rock Lee and Might Guy:


Teacher's Day Special: Rock Lee and Might Guy

This is no surprise. I think you all guessed it by now. Rock Lee and Might guy share the deepest student-teacher bond. Might guy is a father figure to Rock lee. When they first met, Might Guy didn’t just notice Rock lee's inability to use ninjutsu and Genjutsu, he noticed that he was a lot like him. He instantly accepted him as his pupil and vowed to him that he will make lee powerful. Powerful enough to beat Neji. Their Mantra was very simple. Hard work. At a very younger age, Guy taught Rock lee that hard work beats talent. He didn’t play favourites with Neji because he was stronger instead he made Lee his favourite student and concentrated more on lee. It is hilarious whenever they appear on screen together, but deep down we all route for this duo. Might Guy gave lee his dressing style, his hairstyle and eyebrows. For people who see the show for the first time, it is easily convincible that they are father and son. Even if they are not, they do share a similar bond. Be it when Guy cried for lee when it was told that lee cannot be a shinobi anymore, or when lee cried when Guy used his 8th inner gate and almost died. To lee whatever Guy says is a quote and he follows it to the detail. It is a very heartwarming relationship and feast to eyes whenever they appear on the screen. I love the way how they look dumb in a battle but end up kicking the ass of whomever they are fighting. Guy was an exceptional teacher who any student would be lucky to have. He taught lee in such a way that Lee kicked Sasuke's ass in front of the only friends he got, and then kicked Gaara's ass in front of everyone, note that Gaara by this point has already killed Jonin level shinobi and was feared by everyone there. Even when lee failed to beat Gaara, Guy was very impressed with his student and cried after seeing lee’s commitment to the fight. Even though he was called crazy, I feel Guy had a point to prove to people and he succeeded by teaching lee. Lee became one of the strongest Jonins of the Hidden leaf village even without the ability to use ninjutsu and we know whom we can credit for that.


These the top 5 student-teacher relationships from Naruto according to me. Please let us know your favourite top 5 student-teacher relationships. For more updates and theories related to anime and manga, stay tuned on otakuintown.com.

 

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