Many Naruto enthusiasts hold the belief that Team 7 was appropriately paired with their respective Sannin mentors, yet an alternative perspective suggests that different pairings might have propelled their growth even further. The current setup sees Naruto trained by Jiraiya, Sasuke under Orochimaru, and Sakura with Tsunade, but these matches appear to overlook the unique strengths and weaknesses of each student.
Had Team 7 members trained under the Sannin better suited to their individual characteristics, they might have effectively fortified their weaknesses and emerged even more powerful.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author.
Rethinking Team 7’s Mentor Pairings
According to YouTuber NCHammer23, the commonly accepted mentor-student pairings of Team 7 fail to consider the inherent abilities of the students. For instance, Jiraiya trained Naruto primarily because he had previously mentored Minato, Naruto’s father. Likewise, Sasuke’s bond with Orochimaru stemmed from the Curse Mark, while Tsunade ended up training Sakura simply as one of the last remaining Sannin.
While it’s a common belief that Sakura was ideally suited to Tsunade, she may have actually been the one who benefited the least from this pairing. Although her exceptional chakra control indicated potential for a skilled Medical Ninja, limiting her training to this specialization could have hindered her overall development.
If Sakura had trained under Orochimaru, she could have potentially mastered the Snake Sage Mode far beyond Kabuto’s capabilities. An important point to remember is that Orochimaru’s biggest regret was failing to attain this form due to his body limitations. In contrast, Sakura’s strong physique might have enabled her to succeed where he could not. Additionally, training under Orochimaru would have allowed her to acquire medical techniques from Kabuto, enhancing her already formidable skills.
Should she have never achieved Sage Mode, Orochimaru could have granted her a Curse Mark, providing her access to greater chakra reserves.
Regarding Naruto, while his connection with Jiraiya was deepened by their ties to Minato, Jiraiya tailored few new teachings for him. It was actually Minato who innovated various jutsu and shared them with Jiraiya. While Jiraiya’s influence led to Naruto learning the Rasengan, it fell short of expanding his combat arsenal.
Notably, Naruto possessed immense chakra reserves but struggled with chakra control. Had Tsunade been his mentor, he might have developed superior control over his chakra earlier on. This improvement could have reduced his reliance on Kurama’s chakra in the initial phases, allowing him to achieve Kurama Chakra Mode more swiftly. Instead of solely focusing on recovery techniques, Tsunade could have guided Naruto in utilizing his healing capabilities for others, like Karin Uzumaki. Mastering the Strength of a Hundred Seal might have rendered Naruto nearly invulnerable, as well as granting him the ability to summon more of Lady Katsuyu.
As for Sasuke, the logical choice for his training would have been Jiraiya, the very figure whom his brother Itachi Uchiha feared. However, it’s clear that Sasuke wasn’t perfectly suited for training with any of the Sannin. Among them, Jiraiya had substantial experience with dojutsu users, having trained Nagato in the past.
While the exact impact of Jiraiya’s mentorship on Sasuke’s Sharingan development is uncertain, he could have taught him Toad Sage Mode to enhance his sensory skills and chakra reserves. Although mastering the Sage Mode may have posed a challenge, it would have allowed Sasuke to maintain his dojutsu activation for extended periods. Furthermore, given Jiraiya’s expertise in Fire ninjutsu, his guidance could have sharpened Sasuke’s abilities in Fire release techniques and the use of Amaterasu.
In conclusion, although each Sannin undeniably contributed to the evolution of their respective students and played pivotal roles in the overarching narrative, it is important to recognize the potential advantages that alternative mentor pairings could have brought to Team 7. Though such shifts in mentorship may be purely hypothetical, reimagining these relationships presents an intriguing “what if”scenario that could have enriched the overall growth and performance of these iconic characters.