Naruto's first major story arc, The Land of Waves arc, is often overlooked compared to the others, but it contains important moments of character development. This arc is essential and should not be overlooked, especially since the Naruto anime is currently the most popular series for children worldwide.
The show entertains and teaches valuable life lessons to millions of fans, making it a story worth enjoying from the get-go.
Author Masashi Kishimoto has created a beloved world filled with colorful ninjas and fascinating abilities. While the series features incredible battles, it's the bonds between the characters that make it so impactful. Skipping the first part means missing out on the main character's profound transformation and important settings that change the way the world views ninjas.
The character building in Naruto's opening arc is better than some fans realize, especially thanks to the great introduction of Team 7 Naruto and their iconic bell test. However, the most impactful groundwork is laid during Naruto and Sasuke's first major mission to the Land of Waves.
From Despised Outcast to Proven Ninja in the Wave Country Arc
For the first twelve years of Naruto's life, everyone around him despised and resented him, and he didn't understand why. Throughout the series, readers are reminded that such loneliness can easily make a child angry and dangerous, but Naruto defies this expectation.
Despite not receiving love, he developed a sense of humor and a loud personality to attract attention. That all changed when the young ninja received his first dangerous mission.
Naruto eventually gains the admiration of Iruka-sensei, forming his first real bond with someone who cares about him. Soon after, he joins the team with Kakashi-sensei, Sakura, and Sasuke.
Naruto didn't realize it at the time, but they would become one of his most important relationships. The characters didn't effectively bond until the Land of Waves mission, which took place shortly after Naruto's Team 7 left Konoha for the first time.
Naruto's loud and childish behavior doesn't win him many fans for his selfish and mean antics. His first real test exposes him and the audience to the dangers of the ninja world. Team 7's mission to protect the bridge builder Tazuna quickly turns dangerous when two assassins ambush the group.
Sasuke and Kakashi's quick thinking and clever tactics easily dealt with the attackers, but the experience left Naruto shaken, causing Sasuke to tease him, “Are you okay, coward?” This marked the beginning of Naruto's and the series' drastic change in the transformation arc.
Team 7's Development in the Land of Waves: Zabuza and Haku's Impact on Naruto and Sasuke
Soon after the initial ambush, Team 7 faced a more serious threat. Zabuza, a former high-ranking shinobi of the Hidden Mist, attacked, forcing Naruto and Sasuke to put aside their differences and work as a team for the first time. The experience taught the inexperienced pair how high-ranking ninja operate and helped establish Naruto's persistent need to never give up.
When Naruto and Team 7 returned to Konoha from the Land of Waves, they were different than when they left. Zabuza and Haku played a big role in this change. The challenges they faced forced Naruto and Sasuke to become stronger as shinobi and as a team, forming a bond that would become iconic. To ignore this part of the story would take away the impact of how far these two characters had come.
Zabuza and Haku represent what most people think a ninja should be: stealthy, precise, and deadly fighters who have no problem killing or using others as tools. Like Naruto, Haku was an orphan with no one to care for him until he met Zabuza, who made him feel useful.
They have worked together for years, and it is not until the words of the young shinobi of Konoha that they realize that they are more than just killing machines.
The Land of Waves Arc: Naruto Redefines the Ninja Code and Its Impact on the Live-Action Adaptation
The Land of Waves arc changes many preconceived notions of ninja and, through Naruto, redefines the term for the series. After seeing how much Haku values his usefulness to Zabuza, Naruto refuses to accept their relationship as too simple.
Naruto's goal of being recognized as the greatest shinobi in his village is in danger if he becomes a ruthless tool. Zabuza and Haku show him that he needs to find a better way.
With a live-action Naruto movie in the works, many fans are eager to see how this beloved story will be adapted. While the Land of Waves arc isn't the most lavish of the series, it would be a shame if future adaptations skipped over it, as it's packed with rich character moments that make for satisfying payoffs within the overarching plot.
In the first part, Naruto matured from an annoying prankster into a young ninja who would eventually change the world in his own way: never running away or going back on his word.
