When Does Naruto Learn Rasengan?

Naruto's Rasengan is the first major ability he learns in the series, sans the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu. While the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu is Naruto's go-to technique and a forbidden jutsu, its strength depends on the user. Naruto, being an ultimate genius during a battle, manages to make full use of his Shadow Clones in various ways. Not to mention the monstrous chakra reserves he possesses, which give him the ability to create hundreds, nay thousands of clones at once.

However, the Rasengan is the first attack move that our favorite unpredictable ninja learns, unique to him. As we're all aware, the Rasengan is a technique created by Naruto's father, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze. Smart as he was, Minato could never perfect the method since he passed away before he got the chance to figure it out. However, leave it to the Leaf Village's hero Uzumaki Naruto to not only carry on his late father's legacy but also better it.

The Rasengan was the perfect technique for Naruto before he gained all the other powerups from his trusty nine-tailed friend Kurama since no chakra nature elements are applied. The Rasengan is the pure chakra that Naruto creates in the palm of his hand, with the help of his shadow clones, and has massive destructive energy.

To learn this technique, Naruto goes through an intensive training regimen with Jiraiya, who teaches him the technique using three steps: First, he spins his chakra fast enough to pop a water balloon. Then, he builds his power sufficient to pop a rubber ball. Finally, he must combine the power and speed with enough control to create the spinning air motion inside a balloon without popping it.

Read on to find out when Naruto learned his number one attack move.

What Episode Does Naruto Learn Rasengan? When Does He Learn it in the Manga?

Naruto first learns about the Rasengan in episode 86 of Naruto, titled "A New Training Begins: I Will Be Strong," and Chapter 150 of the manga, titled "Start of the training." During the events of the episode, Naruto and Jiraiya are off looking for Tsunade before she becomes the fifth Hokage of Konoha. After a brief altercation with some ex-Chunin Ninjas, Jiraiya teaches Naruto the Rasengan. Here, the Toad Sage explains the basics of the technique to Naruto, telling him that he must pop a water-filled balloon held in the palm of his hand by spinning the water with his chakra.

Naruto perfects the Rasengan jutsu in episode 96 of Naruto, titled "Attack! Fury of the Rasengan," and Chapter 167 of the manga, titled "The Arrangement." While Naruto learns about the technique in episode 86, keep in mind that the Rasengan was originally incomplete. As mentioned above, the Fourth Hokage could never complete this jutsu due to his untimely death. After undergoing intensive training for another eight episodes, Naruto masters the technique, finally completing it.

In the episode, Naruto witnesses a battle between the legendary Sannin, namely, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade. At the time, Kabuto, Orochimaru's disciple, fights Tsunade while Jiraiya and Orochimaru end up in a brawl. Tsunade, who is worn out from her fight, is protected by Naruto and Shizune, who take on Kabuto for her. However, he makes quick work of the two and turns his attention to Tsunade once again.

It is here that our number one unpredictable ninja uses his shadow clone for assistance in creating the Rasengan, thus perfecting it amid a battle. Before Kabuto can harm Tsunade, Naruto gets in the way to save her and traps him with one hand. Naruto delivers a perfect Rasengan to Kabuto's stomach, defeating him.

Since perfecting the Rasengan, Naruto has created several original variations of the technique like Big Ball Rasengan, Giant Rasengan, Wind Style: Rasenshuriken, etc. In the fight against Kaguya, Naruto, having the powers of all the tailed beasts, creates nine different types of Rasen shuriken, all with different elements.

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