Sep 21, 2024
As neither a super-fan of Naruto/Boruto nor a hater of the franchise, I believe that I'm capable of writing a short and unbiased (unlike most other reviews for this manga) review.
Plot: Above Average, coming off of the heels of the first three installments of the Naruto franchise (Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations), Boruto: Two Blue Vortex improves upon a lot of aspects present in the original 3 series. There's a ton of new lore and information that's intriguing to those who're interested in the general worldview (good world-building), there are a ton of well timed and decently executed flashbacks. Learning about
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what happened during the three year gap is very interesting and it's great that it's done earlier than in Naruto Shippuden. Though starting chapters off in a flashback is a bit of a turn off. Kashin Koji's Ten Directions Shinjutsu ability was a nice twist and is excellent buildup for the inevitable Flashforward sequence. Also, I like this series' usage of characters not seen too often (Sakura, Ibiki, Two Elders, etc).
Characters: This section will be broken down into shorter segments.
Boruto: Nice outfit, nice demeanor, nice jutsu. Sure, it might seem that he's edgy for the sake of being edgy but that's very much not the case. The juxtaposition of Boruto at the end of Part 3 to the start of Part 4 is really intriguing (especially since you know how Boruto ended up how he did via Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and flashbacks in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex). His relationship with Kawaki is complicated but realistic, in the world they live in, brothers are bound to face impossible odds. (A theme carried over from Naruto) Overall pretty good.
Sarada: I'm not a fan, though there've only been 14 chapters released at the time of writing this, Sarads hasn't improved much from Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Her outfit and jutsu are an improvement though.
Kawaki: My feelings on Kawaki (like his relationship with his brother) are complicated. I'd like to say that he's an improvement but I can't definitely do that yet. He unfortunately doesn't have enough showings. Though his care for the village and his sister is definitely nice to see, his treatment in fights isn't. (Hopefully for a good reason.) Good outfit.
Mitsuki: Standout character of this series, the first bit of development he's gotten since the story started. (Kinda, for the manga at least.) He went from loving Boruto to hating him to loving him again. (Oversimplified but still.) The love being unconditional now (in a way) is a plus and their Moon/Sun dynamic is definitely an excellent addition to the series. Good outfit and fight scenes.
Himawari: I'll keep this brief, not a fan of Kurama being brought back. (Though Bijuu revival has always been a thing, Baryon Mode initially seemed to be an exception. And this kinda ruins that emotional moment in my opinion.) Am a fan of her getting more of a focus as the new Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, though I hope her Byakugan gets expanded upon. Outfit downgrade, not a fan of her design when using Kurama's power.
Eida: She's alright, she's pretty stagnant right now (which is fine given her character) but I hope she gets more focus and motivation beyond what she's doing now. Functioning as an Anti-Hero like she was in the very end of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is better than acting as a tool.
Shikamaru: Him becoming 8th Hokage was refreshing but a bit boring, though I hope he'll be counted as an official Hokage unlike Danzo. Him trying to overcome Omnipotence is interesting to watch, and his character is definitely built upon from Naruto Shippuden. (Ino too.)
Code: Bland villain, bland motivation, sad losing streak. He honestly may be the worst part of the series. (And his creepy remarks are cringe also.) He's not bad but he's about as average as it gets, please do better.
Jura: Better than Code, he long with his allies are an entertaining bunch, definitely better than Kara. His self-discovery themes and design bring you back to the days of Classic Naruto (though he can't match their highs just yet), and his fight scenes are cool.
Art: Improvement to Boruto: Naruto Next Generations though it's still Ikemoto's style so it's different from Parts 1 and 2. Less speed lines, better designs and fight scenes, better proportions, coloring, full body shots, and covers.
Overall: 8/10 (Great Media, Good Animanga): It's for Boruto fans, that's the demographic. If you don't fit that description, you won't like this, if you do, you'll love this. Don't read it if you haven't experienced part 1-3 of this franchise as you'll be very confused. Ikemoto definitely improved and I hope this series improves further with him.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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