Anime #23 - (A huge one) NARUTO!

Introduction

Well, what can I say. It's one of my absolute favourite anime out there. Here's my intro.
Outside normal land, there are five countries, each representing a well known element (ex fire, water, lightning). And hidden in these countries are secret villages that train ninja, who carry out difficult, and often dangerous, missions. And ruling these five countries are special, highly advanced ninja called kage, or shadows. They are the leaders of the countries and govern the land. This series focuses on the village of Konohagakure, or just Konoha for short (Konoha means leaf). It follows the life of a twelve-year-old named Naruto. Now he isn't just any normal boy. He has the Kyuubi, or nine-tailed fox sealed inside him.

History of the Kyuubi
The Kyuubi was a dangerous fox that attacked the village of Konoha twelve years before the story takes place. It seemed unstoppable, until the Yondaime, or fourth Hokage, sealed the demon away inside a young boy. After which, the Yondaime died, and the story begins.

Chakra, Hand Signs and Technique Classes
The ninja energy, otherwise known as chakra, is the main way ninja can use techniques. They use hand signs to focus their chakra. Chakra can only be used so much so often, though. When a ninja uses up too much chakra, either by using a high level technique or using to many techniques, they go into what's called Chakra fatigue. They have trouble moving muscles in their body. There are four types of techniques ninja use.
Taijutsu
Bluntly translates into hand-to-hand combat. These moves mostly don't require chakra (there are a few moves which do, but that's a different story) and are undisguised.
Ninjutsu
Ninja techniques. These are the most widely used technique. They are pretty much every type of attack that requires chakra, such as kage bunshin or henge (transformation).
Genjutsu
Illusionary techniques. There aren't used as often as ninjutsu, but can serve highly effective when used. These types of techniques can modify landscapes or objects. These are often to wear down opponents before attacking and finishing them off.
Kinjutsu
The least common of the four types of techniques. These are forbidden techniques that often require something drastic, like a large amount of chakra or live sacrifices. One such person who utilises kinjutsu quite well is Orochimaru.

Ninja Ranks
Every ninja can't just become kage. They have to prove themselves to become a higher rank. Here is a rough chart to explain this.

Academy Student
V
V
Genin
V
V
Chunin
V
V
Jounin
V
V----->Sannin*
Kage

*explained later on

Uzumaki Naruto
Needs no introduction. He is, to be blunt, pretty stupid. When trained in the ninja academy, he failed his year-end ninja exams many times. But one year, he was tricked by another chunin, Mitsuki who helped his teacher, Iruka. He was tricked into stealing a forbidden scroll that Mitsuki really wanted for himself. From reading the scroll, Naruto was able to perform a jounin level technique: the kage bunshin no jutsu, or Shadow Clone technique. Upon defeating Mitsuki with his tajyuu kage bunshin (mass shadow clone), he was promoted to genin right on the spot. He later teams up with Uchiha Sasuke (whom he dislikes) and Haruno Sakura (whom he has a major crush on). Naruto, since he has to types of chakra (one from the Kyuubi)
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The rest, you'll find out in my new blog at http://narutoindepth.blogspot.com