When one mentions the Naruto series, the younger days of the Team 7 trio come to mind. Most fans may remember the Chunin Exams as being one of the most intense arcs in the series.
However, before the life-or-death battles that were visually stunning and filled with thrills and action, there was another section of the exams that is usually forgotten- the written test designed to measure the intelligence of young ninjas.
For many fans, the real shock wasn’t that the exam was so difficult that the ‘cool’ and ‘elite’ characters like Sasuke and Neji had to cheat to qualify for the examination. It was that Sakura Haruno didn’t even need to look up from her exam sheet.
Sakura got into the “privileged” Academy class
Unlike her battle-hungry and knuckle-headed peers at the Academy, Sakura had always prioritized her academics and knowledge. This made her the perfect candidate to excel in the exam. Sakura worked very hard to keep up with the elite upbringing of the major clans’ scions.
She could not have the resources or the special physiques or training that the clans’ children got, but she did have the grit and determination to learn and surpass them. Even at the beginning, Sakura is seen as knowing many things that even Sasuke had no clue about.
How did Sakura know the answers to the chunin exams test ? when geniuses like Neji, Sasuke and Shikamaru had to cheat to get the answers?
byu/Roids-in-my-vains inNaruto
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byu/Roids-in-my-vains from discussion
inNaruto
It isn’t a surprise at all that, being the bookworm and determined student that she is, Sakura was able to answer all of the questions in the Chunin exams without a pause.
There is a reason she managed to get into the privileged class that is filled with the children of the elites in Konoha.
Sakura didn’t need to cheat because she knew all the answers
While Sasuke and Neji were geniuses in combat, their intelligence was that of combat adaptability and comprehension of battle techniques; it couldn’t translate into the patience required to sit and go through many books and scrolls for the Chunin exam.
This is why they weren’t known for their academic achievements. The ninja world does value combat capabilities more than academic ones, but this meant the popular and cool kids relied on their talent and instinct rather than book smarts. This meant that a written exam was a hurdle they couldn’t pass by themselves, leading them to have to cheat.
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byu/Roids-in-my-vains from discussion
inNaruto
Shikamaru, who is known for being a genius, never studied or put in efforts for academics. He had a carefree and lethargic attitude towards things, but this meant as the genius was slacking off, the normal talent that was Sakura was burning the midnight oil and putting in the hours.
This is what made Sakura unique and stand out – she was the only one who consistently performed well in class, not because she was gifted with clan techniques or natural abilities, but because of her dedication and willingness to learn.
Naruto manga is available to read on Viz Media, and the anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
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