The story of NARUTO stars none other than twelve year old Uzumaki Naruto, a young boy who is burdened by the power sealed within him by the Yondaime Hokage - the power of a demon who once terroized the village. An orphan since that day, Naruto struggled to acertain his worth among those who shunned him and tried to do so through pranks and mischief. However, it's within Umino Iruka that he finds a bond he so desperatly tried to find. Iruka took the role as a father-figure towards Naruto, despite the knowledge that Naruto keeps within him the demon that killed his parents twelve years prior. However this did not deter him from befriending the boy, as he could empathize with Naruto's suffering and lonliness; Iruka was the first person to believe in Naruto and for that reason, impacted the blonde's life completely.

Naruto dreamt of becoming the next Hokage in order to finally be accepted into the society that had forsaken him and struggled throughout his academy years, failing each graduation exam that had come and pass. Iruka and the Sandaime Hokage (Who came out retiring after Yondaime passed) were the only postive influences on his life, yet he was used by Toji Mizuki, the assistant to Iruka, to steal a scroll that contained forbidden techniques and learn one technique to pass. When Sandaime learned of this, he gathered the villagers and as they heatedly searched, it was Iruka who found him. A battle insued between Iruka and Mizuki, and the startled Naruto learns of Iruka's devotion to him. This is the first time Naruto uses his signature move, Kage Bushin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu) and attacks Mizuki, threatening his life if he ever harmed his sensei ever again. After a bloody Mizuki is left to the Konoha police for misleading Naruto, Iruka gives him the headband proving his new status as a Genin.

The formation of a Genin forced new students to be paired into three men cells with a Jonin leading them and because the villagers within Konoha had cast him aside with little reasoning, being on a team would prove tough for Naruto. Determined, he decides to accept this as a stepping stone towards his dream and is partnered with the three people he least expected!

Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura - two top ranked students in his class are paired together with him and as shocked as Naruto was from this, he was even more shocked as to who his Jonin was! Enter Hatake Kakashi, a man known as a 'copy ninja' and for his strong dedication to teamwork. The first step was to test the three and see if they were worth training and bringing on low level missions; if they fail, they must return to the academy. Determined to outwit and outlast his potential team, Naruto pulls everything he knows out yet he finds himself tied to a log. Sasuke tries to battle Kakashi and finds himself four feet under, his head pertruding from the ground. Sakura is set on staying closely to Sasuke, her crush, and after a horrifying desplay of genjutsu, passes out. The older man is left disgusted that none of them ever decided on teamwork, and decides that before he send them back to the academy to give them one more chance. Sasuke and Sakura are allowed to eat lunch, however - Naruto gets nothing due to his earlier actions.

Certain he can go without food, Naruto's stomach betrays his words and the two offer their lunches for Naruto. They have to work as a team to pass, and if they have to disobey the rules, so be it. Kakashi reappears as quickly as he left, and is willing to fail them on the spot if they can give him a good reason why they forbeyed his rules. All three agree that teamwork is more important that their individual skills alone and that they will work together to pass even if it means throwing away the rules. The answer is the one Kakashi wanted and allows the three to pass and join him in missions.

Thus begins the story of Naruto's path as the greatest shinobi, but who could have guessed that so many obstacles testing his strength, courage and heart would stand in the way?