Chapter 64 draws the second phase of the Chunin Exams to a close as Team Kakashi finally break the seals on the two scrolls they carried through the Forest of Death. Instead of a reward, a familiar teacher appears with a lesson, while village leadership weighs whether the tournament can safely go forward.
Summary
Having survived the forest, the members of Team Kakashi unfurl both the heaven and earth scrolls they had fought to keep. Rather than a prize, the seals conjure their old academy instructor, Iruka Umino, who steps out to greet them. He explains that the entire ordeal was engineered to measure whether the young genin could carry out assignments responsibly rather than merely fight their way through. To close the point, he passes along the guiding creed of the chunin as set down by the Hokage himself.
Key Events
Iruka is summoned by the paired scrolls and reveals the true purpose behind the survival trial. He recites the chunin motto authored by the village leader, framing the exam as a test of judgment and duty. Despite the unsettling presence of Orochimaru lurking nearby, the Hokage rules that the exam should advance into its third and final stage.
Notes
This installment falls within the Chunin Exams arc and appears in the eighth collected volume. The Viz translation renders the title as Lord Hokage's Message. It marks the transition point between the perilous forest survival test and the tournament bracket that follows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main message in Naruto in this chapter?
In "The Hokage's Message...!!", Iruka delivers the Hokage's guiding creed for chunin, framing the entire Forest of Death ordeal as a test of the genin's judgment and sense of duty rather than just their fighting ability.
Why does Iruka appear in this chapter?
Iruka is summoned once Team Kakashi unfurls both the heaven and earth scrolls they fought to keep, and he reveals that the survival trial was designed to test whether the genin could carry out assignments responsibly.
Does the Hokage let the Chunin Exams continue in this chapter?
Yes, despite the unsettling presence of Orochimaru lurking nearby, the Hokage rules that the exam should advance into its third and final stage.
What was the true purpose of the Forest of Death survival trial?
The trial was engineered to measure whether the young genin could carry out assignments responsibly rather than merely fight their way through, not to hand out a reward for completing it.
What volume and arc is 'The Hokage's Message…!!' part of?
This chapter is part of the Chūnin Exams arc and is collected in the eighth volume of the manga.
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- Created byMasashi Kishimoto
- Published byShueisha
- Animated byStudio Pierrot
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