Did the other rookie 9 fail the test few years in a row too??

[Kikiz]

There just something i don't really understand. You see, Uzumaki Naruto fail the academy exams two or three years in a row, so if that's the case, he should be OLDER than the other rookie ninjas.

I'd need some help on this one...

[Arhazivory]

I pondered the same question, and I came up with two reasons:

1) Huge plot hole by Kishimoto

2) He was doing the exams at a young age; which means it shouldn't matter if he failed right cause he was younger than everyone else.

[Mr.E]

Thats a VERY VERY good point actually.
I can't believe nobody noticed it before...
=O

[iron_maiden]

well i noticed it too. i just chose not to think much about it since it didn't really affect the plot.

[What Is My Name?]

i noticed this 2 but i just thought dat these werent the graduation tests but rather just regular tests
i mean u no how iruka just randomly gives them a pop quiz (on different jutsus: bunshin no jutsu, or maybe henge no jutsu) i think naruto repeatedly fails on these kinda tests not the main graduation test

[Kikiz]

No, the manga states 3 yearsin a row.

[Afro Thunda]

I noticed this also. The only thing i could come up with was that he was taking the exams at an earlier age than anyone else. Or they could have multiple graduation exams a year or something like that. Kinda like how they have 2 chunin exams a year.

[DECK]

Great observation!

What I think: The teachers in the academy selects boys with some potential (maybe not proven at all, maybe just for his family). Iruka applied academy exams to Naruto, thinking who was Naruto´s father. But Naruto failed. The case was different with Itachi and Kakashi (look at their fathers, the police and the white fang, they were geniuses), and the Uchiha and the Hatake were very young Jounin.

Other thing: Neji, Tenten and Rock Lee are supposed to be older than the rest of Naruto´s friends. Remember that Neji was the YEAR #1 ROOKIE.

Sasuke maybe wasnt promoted to genin of higher because his trauma, maybe the hokage thought that sasuke chan could get mad and kill of the students.

[Afro Thunda]

Neji, Tenten and Rocklee are a year older than everyone else. They graduated the year before Naruto and company.

As for Itachi and Kakashi, their skills were obviously beyond those of the rest of the academy students so the teachers (Or Hokage) probably recognized this and tested them early. That, or they entered the academy at really young ages.

[DECK]

Huh maybe Naruto entered to academy early as well. His father was the best ninja ever, so they (teachers, hokage) thought that the kyubi boy could show abilities like father like son. The story of Naruto in academy isnt necessary to know, all our knowledge is that Naruto was very lonely and sad, and that he failed a lot during that time.

Ok Kakashi and Itachi showed skills. That´s true. Thats why I said MAYBE the teachers applied the exams expecting that the UZUmaki would pass them...