Cover of the first Naruto "2nd Stage volume released by Sony Pictures Entertainment on January 1, 2004.
The second season from the anime series Naruto is directed by Hayato Date and produced by Studio Pierrot and TV Tokyo. It is based on the manga with the same name by Masashi Kishimoto. The season follows the final parts from the Chunnin Exams in which ninjas from several villages take tests in order updgrade their ranks within the village of Konoha. During the last test, a criminal known as Orochimaru orchestrates an invasion to Konohagakure alongside his allies from the villages Sunagakure and Otogakure. Following the invasion, two other criminals working for a mysterious organization go to Konohagakure to kidnap the ninja Naruto Uzumaki.
The season aired in Japan between June 2003 and May 2004 on TV Tokyo. In North America, these episodes aired between June 2006 and April 2007 in both Cartoon Network's Toonami and YTV's Bionix programming blocks. Sony Pictures Entertainment collected the episodes in a total of twelve DVD volumes under the name of "2nd Stage", between January 1, 2004 and December 1, 2004. Episodes from this season were released on by Viz Media between the ninth and twenty-first DVD volumes from the series, while several uncut DVD boxes have also been released.
Nine pieces of theme music are used for the episodes; three opening themes and three closing themes in the Japanese episodes and two opening themes and an ending theme in the English ones. The first opening theme is "Haruka Kanata" (遥か彼方? lit. Far Away) by Asian Kung-Fu Generation, which is used until episode 53 where it is replaced by Little By Little's "Kanashimi o Yasashisa ni" (悲しみをやさしさに? lit. Sadness into Kindness), used for the first twenty-four episodes, and "Go!!!" by Flow for the remaining episodes. The three closing themes are "Harmonia" by Rythem, which is used until episode 51, "Viva Rock" by Orange Range, used for the first thirteen episodes, Raico's "Alive" for the next thirteen episodes, "Ima Made Nando mo" (今まで何度も? lit. Many Times Before) by The Mass Missile in the for the rest of the episodes. The opening and ending theme for the English airing is "Rise" by Jeremy Sweet and Ian Nickus, with an instrumental version played as the closing theme. "Haruka Kanata" replaces "Rise" in episode 52, and is then replaced by "Go" in the same way as the Japanese version.
Episode list
| No. | Title | Original airdate | English airdate | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | "Clone vs. Clone: Mine are Better than Yours!" "Bunshin taiketsu! Ore ga shuyaku dattebayo!" (分身対決!オレが主役だってばよ!) |
June 4, 2003 | June 3, 2006 August 4, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| The team realizes they are in another genjutsu. In order to draw out the assailants, Naruto disguises several of his shadow clones as his teammates and fights the enemy clones all night. When the Rain Genin believe that Team 7 exhausted from combat, Sasuke, Sakura and Kabuto corner them. After a brief struggle, Naruto knocks out the enemies and takes their scroll, at which point they head to the tower and meet with Kabuto's team. Unknown to Team 7, Kabuto submits all of the data he gathered on them to Orochimaru. | ||||||
| 37 | "Surviving the Cut! The Rookie Nine Together Again!" "Daini shiken toppa! Seizoroi rūkī nain!" (第二試験突破!勢ぞろいルーキーナイン!) |
June 11, 2003 | June 10, 2006 August 11, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| Team 7 opens its scrolls inside the tower, summoning Iruka to inform them that they made it in time. He observes their growth, then allows them to enter the main room, where they meet with the other passing teams: Team 10, Team 8, Team Guy, the Sand Siblings, Kabuto's team, and Team Dosu. Hiruzen briefly speaks about what the exams are all about before entrusting Hayate Gekko to oversee the matches. | ||||||
| 38 | "Narrowing the Field: Sudden Death Elimination!" "Gōkakusha nibun ni ichi!? Ikinari shiai dattebayo!!" (合格者二分の一!?イキナリ試合だってばよ!!) |
June 18, 2003 | June 17, 2006 August 18, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| Hayate reveals that an unusually large number of Genin got through the second stage of the exam. A series of one-on-one preliminary matches will be held to reduce the number of people meaning that there will be a tournament for the next exam eliminating the loser and promoting the victor. Kabuto drops out immediately upon the notice, blaming his withdrawal on an injury sustained from an earlier part of the test. The preliminary matches are randomized with a machine and the dials end at Sasuke vs Yoroi. Beginning with Sasuke Uchiha versus Yoroi Akado. But before Sasuke heads into battle, Sakura tries to stop him saying that he will lose and get hurt severely if he doesn't use any chakra because it will surely awaken the cursed seal's power. | ||||||
| 39 | "Bushy Brow's Jealousy: Lions Barrage Unleashed!" "Geji mayu jerashī! "Shishi Rendan" Tanjō" (ゲジまゆジェラシー!「獅子連弾」誕生!) |
July 2, 2003 | June 24, 2006 August 25, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| Sasuke fights Yoroi, but is handicapped by his inability to use chakra due to the danger of activating the cursed seal. Yoroi's ability to absorb chakra gives him an advantage, but Sasuke in the heat of battle, invents a new signature jutsu on the spot that can only be used by him, and uses a new taijutsu technique, The Lion's Barrage. A jutsu that consists of Sasuke launching his opponent in to the air usually with a kick on the neck, Sasuke tricks his opponent with a pretend attack and does a real one. Sasuke instructs three more blows with lion rage and then kicks his opponent down, and for the finishing blow, he does a frontflip kick down to the ground. Sasuke, after using the barrage, he even still manages to suppress his cursed seal in the process. And Sasuke wins his exam match. Kakashi takes him to an isolated location to hinder the cursed seal, only to be confronted by Orochimaru as he finishes. Back at the tower, Shino Aburame and Zaku Abumi begin the next match. | ||||||
| 40 | "Kakashi and Orochimaru: Face-to-Face!" "Isshoku sokuhatsu!! Kakashi vāsasu Orochimaru" (一触即発!!カカシVS大蛇丸) |
July 9, 2003 | July 1, 2006 September 8, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| Kakashi threatens to kill Orochimaru, a threat that Orochimaru takes lightly. Despite this, Orochimaru leaves, with Kakashi terrified at his foolishness. Meanwhile, Shino and Zaku Abumi continue their match, with Shino ultimately winning his match through the use of his destruction bugs, leaving Kankuro and Misumi Tsurugi to fight next. | ||||||
| 41 | "Kunoichi Rumble: The Rivals Get Serious!" "Raibaru gekitotsu! Otomegokoro wa honki mōdo" (ライバル激突!オトメ心は本気モード) |
July 16, 2003 | July 8, 2006 September 15, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| Kankuro easily wins his battle against Misumi by tricking him into attacking Karasu, Kankuro's puppet. In retaliation, Karasu snaps Misumi's neck, though he survives due to his ability to contort himself. The fourth match is between Sakura Haruno vs Ino Yamanaka. After the two exchange insults, they have flash backs from when they were kids. They then decide to take the battle seriously. | ||||||
| 42 | "The Ultimate Battle: Cha!" "Besuto batoru wa shānnarō!!" (ベストバトルはしゃーんなろー!!) |
July 23, 2003 | July 15, 2006 September 22, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| Sakura and Ino are evenly matched. They both use illusion clone jutsu, chakra string jutsu and others. Finally, Ino tries a desperate move, her Mind Body Switch Technique. She succeeds and takes control over Sakura's body. As she prepares to force Sakura to forfeit, Naruto, believing in Sakura as her teammate, and cheers Sakura on and like a voice of reason or a spiritual hand, Naruto's cheering voice awakens Sakura and inadvertently awakens her Inner Sakura, who forces Ino out of her body in a brutal and physical force. Both drained of their chakra, Ino and Sakura decide to end the battle with a giant final Cha Blow. They dash towards each other with all they're power inserted into One fist each. The rivals both at the same with a punch on their both of their faces each and knock each other out, resulting in a double knockout tie, and eliminating both from the finals. | ||||||
| 43 | "Killer Kunoichi and a Shaky Shikamaru" "Shikamaru tajitaji!? Kunoichi-tachi no atsuki tatakai" (シカマルタジタジ!?くの一達の熱き戦い) |
July 30, 2003 | July 15, 2006 September 29, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| The next match is between Temari and Tenten. Tenten's weapon summonings are negated by Temari's wind-based attacks, and she is defeated. Shikamaru Nara and Kin Tsuchi are chosen for the next match. Although Kin ensnares Shikamaru in a genjutsu, he captures her in his Shadow Imitation Technique. He forces her to knock herself unconscious. The next combatants are randomized putting everyone into awaiting excitements and in the end are revealed to be Naruto and Kiba Inuzuka. | ||||||
| 44 | "Akamaru Unleashed! Who's Top Dog Now?" "Akamaru sansen! Makeinu wa docchi da?" (赤丸参戦!!負け犬はどっちだ?) |
August 6, 2003 | July 22, 2006 October 6, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| Kiba quickly embarrasses Naruto by sending him tumbling to the ground with one intense blow but he soon discovers that Naruto will not be taken down so easily. Kiba and his dog continue to prove too much for Naruto. He uses his superior strength and speed to dominate the match. Consuming special military pills that enhance their chakra, Kiba and Akamaru use a combination of their speed and special signature jutsu to overwhelm Naruto. | ||||||
| 45 | "Surprise Attack! Naruto's Secret Weapon!" "Hinata sekimen! Kankyaku anguri, Naruto no oku no te" (ヒナタ赤面! 観客あんぐり, ナルトの奥の手) |
August 13, 2003 | July 29, 2006 October 13, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| As the battle continues, Naruto manages to trick Kiba into knocking Akamaru out. Despite this, Naruto is still at a disadvantage due to Kiba's pill-enhanced chakra as well as his superior strength and speed. Kiba proves to be too fast for Naruto to the point that Naruto doesn't even have time to perform any jutsu. Using his speed to get behind Naruto, Kiba is about to land a finishing blow. Before he can make contact, however, Naruto unintentionally stops Kiba in his tracks by farting in his face. Due to Kiba's special clan abilities, his sense of smell is 1000 times greater than that of a normal person, making the fart 1000 times worse. Taking advantaged of a disabled Kiba, Naruto then attacks and defeats Kiba with a lethal combination attack of his Shadow Clones. | ||||||
| 46 | "Byakugan Battle: Hinata Grows Bold!" "Byakugan kaigen!! Uchiki na Hinata no daitan ketsui!" (白眼開眼!!内気なヒナタの大胆決意!) |
August 20, 2003 | August 8, 2006 October 20, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| The next match is Hinata Hyuga against Neji Hyuga, her brother from the branch house of the Hyuga clan. Neji intimidates and berates his cousin, and she seems ready to forfeit. Tired of his taunts, Naruto cheers Hinata on, giving her the strength to fight back. Hinata and Neji fight each other using Gentle Fist style, which uses bursts of chakra to damage the opponent's internal organs. | ||||||
| 47 | "A Failure Stands Tall!" "Akogare no hito no me no mae de!!" (憧れの人の目の前で!!) |
August 27, 2003 | August 12, 2006 October 27, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| Neji reveals that he had been toying with Hinata, and he disables her ability to use chakra with the Gentle Fist style. Hinata, inspired by Naruto, refuses to give up. She tells Neji that she believes that he is suffering more from fighting his destiny. Angered, Neji attempts a fatal blow, but four observing Jonin halt him. Hinata collapses into cardiac arrest shortly after, and Naruto vows to avenge her. | ||||||
| 48 | "Gaara vs. Rock Lee: The Power of Youth Explodes!" "Gaara funsai!! Wakasa da! Pawā da! Bakuhatsu da!" (我愛羅粉砕!!若さだ!パワーだ!爆発だ!) |
September 3, 2003 | August 19, 2006 November 3, 2013 (Uncut) | |||
| The next set of matchups is Rock Lee against Gaara. At first, Lee's Strong Fist taijutsu is ineffective against Gaara's wall of sand that automatically rises to protect him. Lee then removes the heavy leg weights he was wearing, drastically increasing his speed and allowing him to bypass Gaara's defense. Lee then uses his Primary Lotus, but only succeeds in destroying a clone made of sand. | ||||||