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「ポルトとサラダ」 (Boruto to Sarada)
“Boruto and Sarada”
With Sarada Gaiden over, and the Uchiha Family arriving at a happy resolution, I fully expected a steady downhill until the Chuunin Exam Arc. Turns out that the anime production team went to Chapter 700 of Naruto, and decided to really shake things up with some creative liberties! Kage Summit, Ino-Shika-Cho training, Boruto’s pranks… did you really think that was all a coincidence?!? Many people, myself included, can criticise Studio Pierrot all they want. But it’s undeniable that the folks over there are doing a fine job of padding things out. A special mention, but I particularly enjoyed the strongest Kage debate between Iwabe and Metal, as it reminded me so much of the best character arguments one can expect from the anime fandom. We might be at each other’s throats fairly often, like squabbling siblings, but there are times where we’re all in unison.
I wanna be the Hokage
We get a glimpse of Sarada’s renewed determination. No longer content to dismiss the shinobi, or play along with Boruto’s childish pranks, she has set her sights on becoming Hokage. As we all know, being Hokage is no mean feat. Seeing a more serious person carry out the aspiration was quite a refreshing change from the usual pranksters attracted to the role (Sasuke wanting to be Hokage after all the crimes he committed had me in complete stitches). However, the girl has a long way to go before she can even get to Naruto’s level of enthusiasm and determination. Otherwise, I’ll be cheering for her to get there throughout the series!
Konohamaru calling Sarada his rival was a nice throwback to thee similar moment he had with Naruto a long time ago. But I do think his assumptions about Boruto are slightly off the mark. Though it’s true Boruto wants to be acknowledged as being more than just the Hokage’s son, he genuinely holds a resentment against Naruto for not having enough time for Hinata and Himawari. To top it off, I don’t think the boy has Hokage aspirations. He comes across being more like Konohamaru’s uncle, Asuma. Anyway, knowing Boruto for the rascal he is, I completely saw that fakeout on Sarada coming. Might have been underhanded, but he’s right. Any ninja could do with having a cheap trick or two up their sleeves. Only Boruto will have to deal with the repercussions. Why would anyone want to make Sarada mad?
Concluding Thoughts
This episode did a brilliant job of balancing out moments with the older and newer generations. Neither dominate the screentime, and it’s truly fascinating to see how they interact. Behind the tough love, there is an agenda, specifically a need for the baton to pass down into competent hands for fear of a future threat. To that end, the conference does raise a relevant issue. Metaphorically, are the blades of the shinobi becoming dull from lack of usage? I would disagree. Sure, apart from Sage of the Six Paths, Naruto and Sasuke might be the most powerful ninja in all of history. But history exists to be surpassed and overwritten, so I’m hoping that there will be a day where Boruto: Naruto Next Generations goes beyond that realm.
Preview
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https://randomc.net/image/Boruto%20Naruto%20Next%20Generations/Boruto%20Naruto%20Next%20Generations%20-%2024%20-%20Large%2018.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Boruto%20Naruto%20Next%20Generations/Boruto%20Naruto%20Next%20Generations%20-%2024%20-%20Large%2023.jpg
I actually disagree about history existing to be overwritten. Not in general, but it’s exhausting seeing the constant level-up scenarios in shounen stories. You don’t have to surpass your father to be a successful member of society. I think that’s actually a really unhealthy outlook. I’d like to see the kids come into their strengths and become impressive in their own right. Not necessarily take the mantle from their parents and be super-ninjas.
cough Dragonball cough.
Given the nature of the upcoming major threat, the comparisons with Dragon Ball are very appropriate.
Boruto feels like it’s throwing the question of a great generation vs their children into light. The Kages themselves mentioned how peace and prosperity may have an adverse effect on their kids by not fostering the sort of strength that adversity breeds.
Shounen series defnitely have a habit of falling victim to the power creep and one upsmanship. But I’m getting a feeling from that Episode 1 prologue that it may be a central theme in this Boruto.
Hope you are right. I do get weary of the endless power ups….Dragonball is a perfect example granted Goten and Gohan so far have not been able to get close to their seniors.
Every generation got diss by the last one. Isn’t it fine to walk your own path instead of merely meeting the expectation of the old?
https://randomc.net/image/Boruto%20Naruto%20Next%20Generations/Boruto%20Naruto%20Next%20Generations%20-%2024%20-%20Large%2028.jpg
It’s ironic that the Kages look down on the younger generations. Their words about the youngsters not knowing the hardships of old times and being unfit for the challenges of the world ring familiar in basically every age, including ours (did anyone mention millennials?).
For extra irony, their generation was looked down on too. Heck, even if Naruto and Sasuke are currently two of the most powerful ninjas in history, they started as a complete loser incapable of graduating in the academy and as a somewhat talented brooding kid who was nevertheless far inferior to his genius brother.
Well, with this episode the questions about the timeline and the 700 chapter’s place in it are solved. 15 years since the war, the kids in the academy are older than it seemed in the manga.
Truly, as you say, the studio is showing a lot of love for the series and the setting. While in the original series anime-only material was dreaded as filler, here it makes me look forward to it. As this episode and their use of “The Day Naruto Became Hokage” OVA prove, the Boruto series is stronger when the crew behind it are flexible with the material. They tried to stick closer to the manga in their adaptation of Naruto Gaiden and the result was mixed at best.
This was a perfect blend of n ostalgia for the older fans, world (re)building for the new ones and screentime for both the old and the new generation (but give me more Sumire, dammit XD).
Chapter 700!
Hmm…I have only dipped my toe into this animated series but so far hadn’t found a compelling reason to watch consistently as I thought it would be a rehash of Naruto stories for a new audience…This review has me rethinking that. Will watch the last ark and this ep and see what I have been missing (or not)….
I hope they continue the series. I think Chakra focus is making it difficult to build the new arc. They need to Harry Potter it all. Central Wizarding school with baddies attacking from all sides. Ministry of Ninjas taking all the Ninjas into even more hiding. Ninjas living among “muggles”.Boruto stashed with the “Dursleys” under the stairs. No ninjutsu in public ban like a curse-level seal. Ninjas have to resort to tools made of straight sticks aka “wands” to channel chakra. Chakra uses can lead to strange situation where one person can talk/listen to another person’s mind. Illusions, talking trees, talking animals, flying cars, etc. Its all there for the taking. Naruto / Boruto Chronicles a la Full-metal Panic ?Fumoffu.
Just kidding. I think they have plenty of material left over from the Naruto that a lot of which really isn’t explained or covered.