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Upon the announcement ofBoruto, the sequel series to one of the best manga I enjoyed in my childhood,Naruto, I was pleased, yet skeptical at first, and understandably so.Naruto, despite dragging near the end and introducing a surprisingfinal villain, Kaguya Otsutsuki, andBoruto: Naruto Next Generationswould expand further on the mysterious clan. While the sequel initially peeled away from the ninja series I knew and loved, part of me knew I would have to acceptBorutocouldn’t be the same, but I was wrong to believe it couldn’t be a quality story.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generationsfell short of excellence, especially with its bloated anime adaptation and underutilized shinobi concepts, but as it continued to lay the groundwork, a truly intriguing path forward was eventually created.When the series begins its time-skip, Konoha’snew generation of shinobi shines, with interesting twists on existing characters and a coherent, fascinating plot.Boruto: Two Blue Vortexsteadily fed readers with a full year of content, and while it was a slow burn at first, things started to click for me as a reader in its most recent chapters.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Will Never Be Naruto
It’s Okay to Accept and Move on
I remember having high hopes forBoruto: Two Blue Vortex, as the Omnipotence Arc ofNaruto Next Generationswas finally a compelling pivot for the series, creating a potent, lasting conflict between Boruto and Kawaki. Code became the last Inner remnant ofKara, one of the least compelling villain syndicates in theNarutofranchise. It fell short of memorable groups likethe Akatsuki with their fascinating ninja world history. Boruto even began to train more intensely under Sasuke, taking on his cold demeanor but with his father’s genes, even if Omnipotence convinced everyone that he was the enemy inTwo Blue Vortex.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortexwill never beNaruto, but with its exciting new developments in chapters #13 and #14, it doesn’t need to be.
The result was a tonally different return inBoruto: Two Blue VortexunlikeNaruto’sPart 2, orShippudenreunion of the main characters.Boruto returns as a fugitive, mixing Naruto’s child with Sasuke’s experiences from the original series.Shinobi continuously relied on ninjutsu again, with new and old characters showing impressive abilities and their use of scientific ninja tools being more understated, such as Koji Kashin’s spy toads.Boruto: Two Blue Vortexwill never beNaruto, but with its exciting new developments in chapters #13 and #14, it doesn’t need to be.
Part of this was an inevitable realization, as Masashi Kishimoto, creator ofNaruto, collaborates more than outright controls the narrative ofBoruto: Two Blue Vortex, with series artist Mikio Ikemoto revising and/or adding to any drafts as necessary.As Kishimoto puts it, he trusts Ikemoto implicitly, sees his drafts turned into nemu (thumbnail sketches) and consistently sees revisions, additions, and concepts improved. As stated inBoruto: Naruto Next Generationschapter #1, then reiterated in chapter #10,this is none other than Boruto’s story, and there’s a pretty clear reason.
The Story Begins to Hinge Less on Naruto Characters
They Function Best as Supporting Players Now
At the beginning ofBoruto: Two Blue Vortex, I was pleased to see several originalNarutocharacters thriving, with Naruto’s right-hand man, Shikamaru (my favorite character), taking over as Hokage. It made sense, as he already handled the administrative duties and is a gifted shinobi general. Still, even then, his role is secondary to Boruto’s, who returns to Konoha while Code attacks, setting the story’s next events in motion. Shikamaru, Ino, Sakura, and Konohamaru are incorporated inBoruto: Two Blue Vortexsimilarly to how the parents' generation inNarutofunctioned,as major characters but in a supporting role.
10 Best Boruto Quotes
Boruto is now into its post-timeskip era, meaning fans have plenty of great quotes with the same intellectual and emotional appeal for Naruto fans.
This, combined with Naruto’s continued imprisonment, joined now by Sasuke, is a way to draw in fans ofNarutowho want to see the fates of their favorite characters while also enjoying a new plot development inBoruto. The Otsutsuki clan isn’t even the obvious threat anymore, with their Ten-Tailed Beast passed down to Code, resulting insentient Divine Trees being born based on whom the Claw Grimes absorbed. New villains like Jura and other Divine Trees inBoruto: Two Blue Vortexrepresent the simplistic goals of the Otsutsuki, but their sentience makes them more interesting.
I realized something as I saw these developments, namely withBoruto: Two Blue Vortexchapter #13 introducing alternate timelinesand the fascinating Koji Kashin getting renewed plot relevance.I was craving appearances fromNarutomainstays less and less.I became compelled to see Boruto in action, excited by his Rasengan Uzuhiko and by Sarada Uchiha getting a fabulous amount of focus, along with Himawari being passed the torch as a Jinchūriki with Uzumaki and Hyuga blood, I could see what Ikemoto was cooking.
When Does Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Become Good?
A Classic Manga Reader Question
That old chestnut is inevitable for long-running series, including monthly ones likeBoruto: Two Blue Vortex.I can confidently say that, for me, it became terrific in chapter #10, when Himawari began awakening her Jinchūriki powers against Jura. In contrast, Sarada notices eerie connections between the Divine Trees and her father as their origins become increasingly clear. The action starts to take off through Ikemoto’s vision, with Prescience, dark futures, and Divine Tree variants pushing into neighboring shinobi villages.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations’plodding developments merely sow the seeds, only for Divine Trees to sprout in its sequel.
I’m typically against placing this marker on any series, but examples likeOne Piece’slength make such questions necessary for some folks.This is a strong benchmark for the series when it lives out its potential.Boruto: Naruto Next Generations’plodding developments merely sow the seeds, only for Divine Trees to sprout in its sequel.
Why It’s Good That Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Isn’t Exactly Like Naruto
Originality Can Still Have Familiarity
Boruto: Two Blue Vortexis toNaruto Next GenerationswhatShippudenor Part 2 was toNaruto, a notable shift in tone as the plot takes more serious tones and the major threats of the series begin to make their moves. However, outside of sharing the same world and virtually all the same characters, along with new ones created explicitly forBoruto, the series feels like an Ikemoto original, where his influences differ from Kishimoto’s. According to an interview withAnime News Network,Ikemoto draws from Akira Toriyama’sDragon Ballfor its depiction of action, which is a fascinating choice.
I still use the Dragon Ball volumes as a reference for action scenes. When I’m stuck, I just grab the books off the shelf and look at them. I check the Narutomangafor reference about the abilities and things like that. Dragon Ball is great at conveying speed and movement, so that’s why I use it. I use Dragon Ball and Naruto for different reasons.
-Mikio Ikemoto
As I’ve been experiencing an emotional renaissance re-exploring Akira Toriyama’s manga art inDragon Ballwhile covering themost exciting moments inDragon Ball DAIMA, this is a striking comparison. I have griped about the inconsistent animation quality inDragon Ball Z,but the posing and depiction of movement in the original artwork is a fantastic idea for a contemporary shonen battle series with similarly distinctive, chakra-based attacks. Ikemoto’s work usesNarutoas its basis, withDragon Ballas an occasional reference, makingBoruto: Two Blue Vortexa remix of two childhood classics, an easy sell for me.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex
Years after fleeing his village with Sasuke, Boruto returns to confront the dark changes that have occurred. With memories altered and Kawaki now seen as the hero, Boruto faces a world where he is the outcast. The two rivals must settle their differences as their Otsutsuki powers grow more dangerous.
