I can’t remember a time where I used a question as a title. I chose this title because I don’t know what kind of arc the end of this chapter sets up. It certainly looks like it’s going to be a Great Big War, but they could totally subvert that and do an Invasion arc. I mean; Shikamaru still has @#$%^&*()$ on his back. Who thought I just cursed? I’ll get into it in the analysis section, so look forward to that. In the meantime; Boruto- Naruto Next Generations Chapter 72: “Smaller And More Useful.” PAUSE.
REVIEW
We begin the chapter in Amado’s lab, where Shikamaru asks if Kawaki knew about his restored Karma mark. He tells him again that he had no idea why- and finds the reasoning irrelevant now that Amado is more than likely dead now. He even asks Shikamaru if he’s actually glad that Amado is out of the way. He’s really giving Shikamaru a hard time- and acting kind of disrespectful. I mean; in a a much meaner fashion than usual. The discussion is interrupted when they end up receiving a call…….. from Amado.
Shikamaru asks him what’s happen, to which Amado explains the events of chapter 71, and that they need to be ready to take in the siblings in around 3 or 4 days. He warns that Code’s limits have be redacted, but having Eida and especially Daemon on their side will make Code easier to deal with. He hangs up, and Eida asks who he’s calling “Game Pieces.” She threatens to kill him(and by that she of course means Daemon will kill him) if he doesn’t help her win Kawaki’s heart. While back at Konoha; Shikamaru sends a summon for the Naruto and Team 7(including Kawaki) to the Hokage’s office.
We cut over to Boruto getting ready to go to the meeting. As he’s about to head out; Hinata comes to see him off. She tries to keep her emotions in check, but she can’t help but tell him her worries- that she worries that he won’t come back one day. Boruto apologizes for making her worry like that, and makes a promise to her that he’ll “Always Come Home, No Matter What.” He walks out of the house, and is immediately confronted by Momoshiki.
His Unwanted visitor asks him why he made such an “irresponsible promise,” reminding him that his future holds nothing but “despair.” And adding to that; he says that it’ll be enough to make Boruto want to “run away” from this world. And when that happens- he will take over as “Boruto Uzumaki.” The real Boruto will just “cower in a corner” of their psyche. Boruto says “F*ck That Noise,” and vows to make sure Momoshiki never gets his way. Time starts moving again, and Boruto yells to the sky:
Sarada and Mitsuki show up to pick him up, and see his declaration unfold. He then leaps ahead of them with confidence. Back within the Uzumaki household; Himawari comes up to Hinata, having heard the previous exchange. She asks how Hinata would feel if she(Himawari) became a Ninja and supported Boruto…….
As Boruto keeps making his way towards the Hokage’s office; we cut over to Code in the Ohtsusuki world for the final part of the chapter. He’s brought Bug along through his clawmarks to where the Ten Tails is being kept. He walks up to the Ten Tails cage, and stares down at it. He says that Sasuke won’t be able to come here without his precious Rinnegan, but Boruto and Kawaki might one day master their Ohtsusuki powers and find this place. Bug does not care- he simply asks what Code plans to do now that he’s lost Eida and Daemon as allies. He admits it was surprising that Daemon was so strong, but he’s not gonna obsess over “The past.” Though he asks that Bug show a little sympathy for his broken heart.
Bug asks why he’s so “calm” now, to which Code replies that “everything’s fine.” He begins his plan by covering the 10 Tails in his clawmarks. A perk of having his limits taken off- he can now make the marks expand. Enough to where he’s covered the entire 10 Tailed Beast!!
…………………….. How do I put this? You know how- when your a kid- you get a piece of “Play Doh;” you squish it in your hands and it splits up into a bunch of other pieces? That’s what he’s doing to the 10 Tails. It is- by nature- a “large clump of chakra.” What he’s doing is using his clawmarks to squish it down to the point where that chakra separates into…………. creatures. It’s funny because it they kind of look like a mix between Jigen and Frieza from “Dragon Ball(see the review for the most recent chapter).” But these creatures are also covered with pieces of those clawmarks, which would allow Code to move around through them.
And as it turns out; they can also move through the clawmarks, as 1 demonstrates to get out of the 10 Tails cage. He puts his eye through one of the marks on his hand, and it appears on the face of the one that escaped. Code Now Has A Teleporting Army. Boruto- Naruto Next Generations Chapter 72 END!! An “Invasion” or a “War?” I mean, it feels kind of early for a war, but then- Edens Zero has 2 already. And with how short Manga are getting now; I guess they want to get to the “key arcs” sooner rather than later. Isshiki did the Invasion, so I guess Code will………………………
Analysis
I say that, but I’m still not even completely sure what’s gonna happen next. Like; this series has become “unpredictable-” but not in a “Good” fashion. It’s not like it’s “subverting our expectations” by delaying the fabled “Time Skip,” but it’s also not very clear where the story is going to go next. Like; is Code gonna drop into the Hokage’s office like Obito did at the 5 Kage summit and announce “War?” That might be a little “on the nose” for this series. Though I always thought that moment was cool. And with the way Code has been described by everyone; it’s not like I think he has this “intricate, elaborate, thought out” plan that’ll take years upon YEARS to unfold. Know what I mean?
Like; I don’t think he knows what exactly to do next. I don’t think that he should “go on the attack” immediately right now. His best move would probably be “train” these Mini 10 Tails(let’s call them that for a minute), and then maybe set up a few other things. Maybe have them attack some other village to get Konoha’s attention. And then send a few others else where to be his “portal” to places where he doesn’t have clawmarks? Something like that?
I don’t know, really; Code isn’t necessarily a “Villain” yet. Even without Daemon backing them; he honestly comes off as more of a “Dangerous Nuisance-” kind of a “Powerful-But-Incompetent Team Rocket,” yeah? He’s strong, but that’s all he’s got going for him; he doesn’t know what he’s doing. And while I think they could use that as a sort of “build up” of his character- something similar to what happened for Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia(before that series betrayed itself)- I also don’t think that there’s going to be enough time in the story for that same level of build up. We may be going to the time skip soon, so whatever development he’ll have to have needs to happen soon. And I don’t think that’ll work out as well as we hope……………..
Though something that I think is being set up is a sort of “Friendship” that Code has with Bug. He’s keeping him around for a REASON- even though we just established that he’s kind of a moron who would kill someone and not think about the consequences of doing so. It’s been a while since I worked on this review and- after seeing it again- I definitely feel as though he realizes that he needs an “ally-” someone to bounce ideas off of to make sure that he’s making the right choice. And really just someone to keep him from being “all alone.” And he knows this, as the dialogue in this chapter would indicate.
It’s something Toriyama- creator of Dragon Ball– found so effective about Character Pairings; seeing Code on his own would get boring quick. But having a Mouse-Of-A-Man like Bug paired up with someone as dumb and powerful as Code 1)Makes for some interesting and funny character interactions and 2)Facilitates discussion about what the next move is going to be. Bug does NOT want to be involved in this anymore- he didn’t want to be involved in the FIRST PLACE. But Code needs someone around, and……… this is what he got.
Other than the stuff with Code; this chapter also gives us a lot to talk about in regards to Boruto and particularly Kawaki. Boy’s getting quite the mouth now that he can whoop everyone’s @$$. No, really think about it for a minute: Kawaki now has Isshiki’s power back. And in addition to getting all that combat ability “downloaded” into his mind- his relationship and training with Boruto has taught him how to use it. Naruto and Sasuke have been severely nerfed, and Bortuo’s lagging behind him. Until Daemon comes around(or possibly even after)- He is THE Strongest Person In The Village. And he KNOWS THIS- there’s no way he DOESN’T. He may obey Naruto, but that seems to only go so far now- as he shows continuing to egg on Shikamaru, or during the initial fight with Code a while back!
And with that power seems to have come a bigger head; the way he talked down to Shikamaru was………………. a little warranted, all things considered, but MESSED UP. Shikamaru was IS suspicious of Kawaki, and the boy picks up on it. So he’s getting a little payback for that. But you also have to think about Shikamaru’s position as Naruto’s right hand man- who can’t do anything but “plan.” That “genius” of his has gotten him this far, but I don’t think it’s going to be able to take him too much further with someone like Kawaki about……………….
And then of course you have Momoshiki and Boruto. “Determinism vs Free Will.” Not even a hint as to what that future holds? Not even to shake him up a little bit? Can Momo actually see the future, or is he talking out of his @$$ trying to scare Boruto? I was never really clear. Because he hasn’t given us anything specific to latch onto. He’s only told us that Boruto will one day “lose everything.” But never told us what that is. You’d think he’d at least specifically tell him that “someone close to you will die,” or “the person closest to your heart will die by your hand” as hints to shake up Boruto. But he’s just saying more of the same sh!t. “Put Up Or Shut Up!”
Although I do find the line about Boruto wanting to “run away” from that reality pretty interesting. I think it’s going to happen; something so terrible that it’ll make Boruto break– that it’ll make him want to give control over to Momoshiki. But obviously: His friends and family are going to bring him out of it. I don’t know if it’ll be 1 MAJOR event, or several large scale things with the “one closest to his heart” falling and he’ll give into despair. You know what I mean? Though that gets into who the “person closest to his heart” is. In my mind, there’s only 4 candidates on who that could be. Not to say that the other’s aren’t ALSO important, but there are 4 people that i think Boruto would value the most:
- Naruto
- Kawaki
- Himawari
- Sarada
All things considered; I’d think these 4 would have the most effect on Boruto. My official prediction: 1 Will Be Killed In Front Of Him. And the other 3 will bring Boruto back to “reality.” Something To That Effect. Though that seems kind of obvious. I stopped writing cause I had to get ready for work- sh!t happened- and I forgot what I was going to say. Gimme A Break!!
Conclusion
……………….. This came out better than I expected it would. Really, it did! I’m glad I was able to talk about this chapter; it was pretty good. It was mostly a set up chapter, and didn’t have a fight in it, but…….. didn’t need one. I don’t know where next month is going pick up- between the happenings with Code and the Meeting Shikamaru has ordered- I think we’re in for something exciting. Let me know your own thoughts in the comments. And until the next post, all- Have A Magically Wonderful Day. By~~~~~e!!!
