Naruto

[Xno Kappa]

Bug guy is a Jounin too.

[Seanr]

iirc every Ninja kid (the 9 original) are all Chuunin exept Neji (jouunin) and Naruto (Genin)

there was 12 not 9

[Ratatapa]

Fuck kurenai!

ok fine forgot them

[toonces]

why it even matters ?

[Vajra]

Bug guy is a Jounin too.

No, he's Chunin. Maybe once he learns that move that Torune used on Madara to eat away his arm, then he can be Jonin .

[richardd]

just because naruto has powers of a sage doesnt mean he has the leadership of a jonin, imo lol

shika is on another lvl, he and naruto are the only ones to defeat akatsuki with no outside help, but shika doesnt rush his fights or tries to overwhelm his opponents forgetting that he has team mates to watch out for. naruto has little patience and his enemies know how to push his buttons and bait him out, already knowing his potential. since he usually ALWAYS takes it, even with a kage bushin

i cant see naruto commanding a squad compared to shika, or neji

[Seanr]

shika is on another lvl, he and naruto are the only ones to defeat akatsuki with no outside help

konohamaru don't count?

[Abandon]

konohamaru only defeated one form.. not really taking out an entire akatsuki member.

[Seanr]

Ehhh, I suppose, But everyone else was gettin their ass handed to them left and right lol...
then again.. he just got the easiest form maybe

[Ivaden]

just because naruto has powers of a sage doesnt mean he has the leadership of a jonin, imo lol

shika is on another lvl, he and naruto are the only ones to defeat akatsuki with no outside help, but shika doesnt rush his fights or tries to overwhelm his opponents forgetting that he has team mates to watch out for. naruto has little patience and his enemies know how to push his buttons and bait him out, already knowing his potential. since he usually ALWAYS takes it, even with a kage bushin

i cant see naruto commanding a squad compared to shika, or neji

Yeah it's just too bad Shikamaru is so damn lazy lol, he'd definitely be a lock for Hokage (if this manga wasn't focused on Naruto, anyway). Naruto has no leadership qualities to be able to take control of a fight and use strategy -- Shikamaru is an ace with strategy, but too lazy to lead.

Shikamaru is a boss.

[Vajra]

Fuck ya'll man, Naruto is a boss, he'll lead the Ninja Alliance to victory with his uber awesomeness and then give the Raikage a wet willy and make him cry TEEHEEHEE.

[Zeb]

Yeah it's just too bad Shikamaru is so damn lazy lol, he'd definitely be a lock for Hokage (if this manga wasn't focused on Naruto, anyway). Naruto has no leadership qualities to be able to take control of a fight and use strategy -- Shikamaru is an ace with strategy, but too lazy to lead.

Shikamaru is a boss.

Shikamaru will most likely take his dad's place as Jonin Commander. He'd never be Hokage due to his lesser abilities as a ninja, even if he wasn't lazy.

[Vajra]

Shikamaru will most likely take his dad's place as Jonin Commander. He'd never be Hokage due to his lesser abilities as a ninja, even if he wasn't lazy.

^This.

[Caiyuo]

This feels like way too much rationalizing and sense-making. I like to stick to my kid-oriented "Nalutoo is a boss and beats shit up and hangs out with cool old guys so he is obviously going to be the best there ever was despite any logical reasoning that would indicate otherwise. Also Shikamaru is chill as fuck so he can be the best too. Alsoalso Akamaru is cute and if anything ever happens to him I will cry like I did when I'd see Jiraiya's fight in the previous opener after he died from being constantly reminded of how badass he was."

[ronin sparthos]

just because naruto has powers of a sage doesnt mean he has the leadership of a jonin, imo lol

shika is on another lvl, he and naruto are the only ones to defeat akatsuki with no outside help, but shika doesnt rush his fights or tries to overwhelm his opponents forgetting that he has team mates to watch out for. naruto has little patience and his enemies know how to push his buttons and bait him out, already knowing his potential. since he usually ALWAYS takes it, even with a kage bushin

i cant see naruto commanding a squad compared to shika, or neji

They are honestly both two sides of the same coin.

Shikamaru has the smarts and talent to outsmart his opponent but lacks the motivation to achieve a specific goal. Naruto has the drive to accomplish goals he sets for himself but lacks the smarts to analyze situations and see the larger pictures.

Both of them are pretty incapable of leading anything atm though they both have the raw potential. Kakashi is pretty much the ideal cross of Naruto/Shika, being smart and powerful at once.

I wouldn't say that Naruto has no regard for his fellow teammates as his tailed transformations have largely been out of his control. The whole point of the training w/Bee is to get over that weak point.

On a completely random note, I miss Shikamaru's theme from part 1. lol

[Eaglestrike]

I think the most emotional part of Naruto for me thus far is the vary end of part 1 when daddy Shikamaru is giving his son the speech about being there for his team and Shikamaru going "I won't fail next time!" while crying his eyes out.

Not sure that has anything to do with the topic at hand but I had to mention it.

[Deadgye]

I concur with the thoughts about Shikamaru becoming the jounin leader like his father. Also, Naruto is becoming less and less retarded. After his elemental affinity training he stepped it up a bit, and then after he obtained sage mode he started going boss.

I feel Naruto should be a chunin. He, imo, has the ability to lead a team of genin on any mission they might do. But leading a team of chunin or jounin as a jounin is still outside of his reach. Maybe in a few years or a few more montages.. but that's my current stance.

[Ivaden]

Shikamaru will most likely take his dad's place as Jonin Commander. He'd never be Hokage due to his lesser abilities as a ninja, even if he wasn't lazy.

No doubt he'll never be Hokage, but I wouldn't really say he has any lesser abilities as a ninja. He's sort of a one-trick pony when it comes to jutsu, but he's the smartest in the village -- that has to be taken into consideration when it comes to the political or strategic areas of the Hokage. Not trying to discredit how much Naruto has developed at all, but I think if this was just a manga focused on the village or something not-Naruto, I think Naruto's biggest competition would be Shikamaru.

[NotGreyheim]

Clearly Shikamaru and Naruto will do the fusion dance, combining Shika's smarts with Naruto's spirit/motivation to become the ultimate fighting force. I can't believe no one else sees this coming.

[Deadgye]

I think Naruto's biggest competition would be Shikamaru.

I'd wager Neji actually. We really haven't seen shit from him in a while, but back in the past he was almost as cunning as Shikamaru and he had more power to boot. Chances are he's grown in both areas.