With the currentBorutoanime gearing up towards the surprising premise of theTwo Blue Vortextimeskip, fans of theNarutosequel might be wondering just how the anime would even begin adapting the jaw-dropping final chapters of theBorutomanga. WhileTwo Blue Vortexstill doesn’t have a lot of chapters to backread and perhaps cover with a newBorutoanime, fans of the franchise might want to rewatch theBorutoseries to get a refresher on just how Boruto starts to mature into a shinobi while moving away from the shadow of his father.
Although theBorutoanime is slated to adapt all chapters of its manga counterpart, the revelation that all episodes in the anime are canon can still be a factor of contention for fans. After all, not only are some of the anime arcs exclusive to the adaptation, but their stories tend to be standalone enough that they’re never referenced again in future storylines. With this element in mind, fans and newcomers who wish to watch theBorutoanime may not miss a lot should they miss certain anime storylines.
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Why Skip This Arc?
Considering theBorutofilm already begins with the Chunin Exams, the Academy Entrance doesn’t offer anything except an introduction to the cast. Episode 50 of the anime also recaps previous arcs.
While theAcademy Entrance Arctechnically adapts threeBorutonovels, this beginning saga of theBorutoanime introduces Boruto Uzumaki and the Next Generation of ninjas in an era of peace after the Fourth Great Ninja War. The arc in itself exploresBoruto’s early days in the Ninja Academy, wherein it’s revealed that scars of the Great War still affect the relatives and even parents of some of his classmates.
Much of the Academy Entrance Arc is framed as a slice-of-life version of theNarutoseries, and is a great way of looking into the basis of Boruto’s initial youngster angst towards his father.
Highlights of the arc include Mitsuki making an entrance as a mysterious transfer, the next Ino-Shika-Cho having their own unique dynamic, school representative Sumire Kakei being more than she seems, and anime exclusives Iwabe Yuino and Denki Kaminarimon being standouts due to their motivations. Unfortunately, the existence ofBoruto: Naruto the Movierenders much of the events of this introduction arc moot, as fans can simply watch this film or skip to the recap (Episode 50) and the Versus Momoshiki Arc to get straight into the most manga-relevant parts of the story.
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Despite its decent execution, there’s not much in the Byakuya Gang Arc that adds to the more intense Versus Momoshiki Arc that happens afterwards.
When a gang ofnoble thieves known as the Byakuya Gangbegin stealing from the rich to give to the poor, the more disenfranchised in Hidden Villages begin mounting support for the group. As detailed in theByakuya Gang Arc, Boruto Uzumaki’s Team 7 and Shikadai Nara’s Team 10 collaborate to find and apprehend the suspects. Throughout the arc, Shikadai is befriended by a shogi player named Ryogi - who is eventually revealed to be a part of the Byakuya Gang all along.
Compared to otherBorutoanime arcs, the Byakuya Gang Arc is among the more decent storylines despite having a self-contained story. Shikadai applying shogi strategies in real life is reminiscent of Shikamaru’s tactical acumen, while more of Konoha’s more advanced infrastructure such as security systems, police officials, and even Scientific Ninja Tools are explored. However, while casual fans may enjoy Byakuya Gang Arc in their viewing, the storyline doesn’t add to the overallBorutoplot. This lack of plot development is crucial to the future of the story, as the pivotal Versus Momoshiki Arc is just a few episodes away after this storyline.
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Chocho Arc, while helpful in developing Chocho’s character, becomes an awkward break between the Versus Momoshiki Arc and Mitsuki’s Disappearance
It makes sense forup-and-coming ninja such as Chocho Akimichiand Boruto Uzumaki to only be assigned mundane missions, as the Hidden Villages are still in an era of peace despite the recent attack by Momoshiki Otsutsuki. TheChocho Arcelaborates on this reality, with Chocho’s Team 10 and Boruto’s Team 7 being assigned a joint mission to protect the cast of the soap opera “Rome and Jule” from a suspected assassin. This arc focuses on Chocho being dependent on her clan’s Butterfly Mode to look and feel different, particularly having a slimmer frame in order for the leading actor Tomaru to get attracted to her.
The arc eventually exposes Chocho’s true appearance and will have her reconcile with her true self instead of pretending to be someone else. This in itself is a decent lesson in accepting that one cannot be defined by their body image alone. However, the arc fails to establish itself as a must-watch due to two things. First, Chocho’s casual usage of the Butterfly Mode seemed a step down from Choji’s usage of the form in his life-or-death fight against the Sound Four back inNarutoPart 1. Secondly, this self-contained slice-of-life-esque story arc becomes an awkward transition from the high-stakes Versus Momoshiki Arc and the more emotional Mitsuki’s Disappearance Arc.
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Konohamaru and Boruto get much-needed bonding time, but the execution and impact of the story remain lacking.
It’s not all the time thatKonohamaru Sarutobi takes the stage in aNarutostory, but he gets much-deserved screen time inKonohamaru’s Love Arc. The storyline begins when Boruto Uzumaki asks Konohamaru about romantic films, as Sarada Uchiha and Chocho Akimichi were annoyed at the former for not appreciating romance in plots. While Konohamaru says romance only gets in the way of being Hokage, the sight of a woman named Remon and saving her from unknown assailants implied Boruto’s teacher fell in love at first sight.
As the Arc progresses, it’s revealed that Remon hails from a village dedicated to stopping an evil spirit named Soma. Konohamaru and Remon eventually team up to destroy the evil spirit, with Konohamaru summoning the monkey Enra displaying his same affinity to primates as his grandfather, the Third Hokage. While the Arc is overall decent especially for Konohamaru fans, it suffers from being a predictable approach to the “forbidden romance” plotline: Konohamaru is a distinguished gentleman who chooses duty over love, and even doesn’t disturb Remon’s role in protecting her village, even if it’s obvious the both of them had feelings for each other.
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As Kid Naruto doesn’t remember this meeting at all in the original series, it means the entire arc will become forgotten at some point in the ending. Boruto already has had an idea of what his father went through in the Versus Momoshiki Arc, rendering this arc more of a nostalgia trip.
When efforts to locate and fight Urashiki Otsutsuki leave Sasuke Uchiha and Boruto Uzumaki interacting with the mysterious Karasuki Artifact, all three of them suddenly get sent in the past. This event officially begins theTime Slip Arc, where Sasuke and Boruto try to disguise themselves as tourists in Konoha back when a younger Sasuke had recently defected. TheTime Slip Arc allowed Boruto to see and hear firsthand the sentiments of Konoha 11regarding the events that began shaping the destinies of his father and mentor, all the while interacting with younger versions of his uncles and aunts. Boruto and Kid Naruto form a kinship, while Jiraiya’s intellect is revealed when it’s implied he knew something was amiss about their new tourist friends.
The Time Slip Arc feeling like a nostalgia trip seemed intentional, as this was part of Masashi Kishimoto’s 20th Anniversary Project for theNarutofranchise. While casual viewers and hardcoreNarutofans may want to go through the arc for some delightful moments, it does little to cement the plot. For one thing, the OG Naruto not remembering any of the Time Slip means some temporal correction will happen to their memories. Moreover, Boruto already had a more impactful way of getting to learn about Naruto’s past during the Versus Momoshiki Arc.
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A much-needed showcase of the Next Generation that misses the mark, especially in terms of slowly preparing for more serious arcs.
The Chunin Exams signified relevant transition points in theNarutostoryline:Narutohas Sasuke Uchiha fully realizing his pursuit of power to kill his brother Itachi, whileBorutoexperiences a near-lethal interruption by the powerful Momoshiki Otsutsuki. In turn, it makes sense for theChunin Re-Examination Arcto reintroduceBoruto’s the Next Generation in the test that is positioned to also prepare them for one of the biggest moments in theBorutomanhwa: a showdown with the more lethal Kara led by Isshin Otsutsuki.
The nine-episode arc isboth a remake and a homage to the OG Chunin Exams: the first part is an exam where teams are encouraged to cheat but not get caught, the next part is a team mission in the Forest of Death, and the final part is a tournament. While the lack of major incidents allow viewers to see a traditional version of the Chunin Exams, the arc just emphasized the lack of storylines about characters that aren’t children of majorNarutocharacters. It didn’t help that the arc itself seemed too short for the impact it wanted to showcase, with ability showcases being too powerful compared to the previous generation.
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Arc had a lot of potential but suffered from an overextended storyline, repetitive plot points, and a lackluster ending.
Production-wise,The Great Sea Battle of Kirigakure ArcgaveBorutofans a much-needed change of pace: it finally took place in a location outside Konohagakure (Kirigakure), fan-favorite characters make a return (Kagura), and it featured a compelling villain group (Funato Clan). The story revolves around the pirating Funato Clan and their eventual aggressionagainst Kirigakure, with events building up to an all-out sea war near the Hidden Mist Village.
When evaluated in terms of what its story wanted to achieve, The Great Sea Battle was among the bestBorutohad to offer during its release. Unfortunately, its year-long production and releases that revolved around repetitive plot points resulted in the failed follow-through of decent build-ups they created. One character’s demise became a point of contention among fans, while its lackluster ending made the arc a total disappointment. While it has a worthwhile message in that the Cycle of Hate is bad, the arc would’ve delivered it better with a shorter, more condensed storyline.
