Nov 3, 2023
This is the fabled time-skip of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. So far, I think it's done a good job carrying the momentum of part 1's ending. This review won't contain a lot of spoilers, but it will contain a couple of plot points established from part 1 and the first 3 chapters of part 2.
Plot (8.5/10): As of right now Boruto is the most interesting it ever been. The writer does a really good job at establishing mysteries and making you ask questions. For example, as of right now we're left in the dark on what Boruto did throughout the time-skip however there are
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several clues that point to what may have happened to him, such as his change in demeanor. By the end of part 1 Boruto was very positive and optimistic, however in the beginning of part 2 he's very stoic and doesn't even crack a smile. It's implied that he knows information that we don't know, and the absence of Sasuke adds a layer of mystery that makes the plot more interesting. You're reading this manga for these answers. It also doesn't repeat its mistakes from part 1 and starts off the first chapter with a bang, as we lead into Code's invasion and Boruto's sudden appearance.
Characters(8/10): The writer does a great job making Boruto look like a cool character. He's stronger than ever, has a bigger presence, and is very calm and collected. It's day and night between his character in part 1 and part 2. There's an air of mystery about him that makes him very interesting. Kawaki is the deuteragonist and is also one of the leading antagonists of part 2. His character isn't all that different however omnipotence has granted him new dynamics with different characters. Mitsuki is a ride or die for Kawaki now, Himawari sees Kawaki as her big brother, and he seems to have a more professional relationship with Shikamaru.
As for the other side characters, there are a couple of characters who haven't made an appearance yet like Sasuke and Amado however I will say that in the last 3 chapters, TBV has done a better job intertwining its side cast into the main plot. Sarada and Sumire are given a bigger narrative importance in the narrative due to being immune to omnipotence, Himawari and Team 10 are more involved in the core plot as Himawari now as her own subplot and team 10 are more than likely to support her. Mitsuki has his own side plot where he wants to kill Boruto and is questioning if Kawaki is truly his sun. While we're still in the early stages of their arcs, it took about 80+ chapters to finally see team 10 fighting on the battlefield, which honestly sounds ridiculous but now we're here. Additionally, Code is pretty interesting as he's being built up for something big.
Art (7/10): The art leaves more to be desired, as Ikemoto still suffers from inconsistency. However, ch3 of TBV seems to look like one of Ikemoto's best drawn chapters as the choreography is more interesting and fluid, the background looks more detailed, the paneling is a bit bolder with a better use of perspective shots, and the character expressions are a bit more expressive. There's still a lot of room for improvement but if Ikemoto takes what he did in chapter 3 and build on it then we'll see improvement. So far, the color pages look really nice. As for the character designs themselves it does fit the aesthetic that the Boruto series has been aiming for. The kids are given their own unique identities rather than looking like the carbon copies of their parents.
Pacing (8/10): Chapter 1 does suffer from an unnecessary recap however aside from that there isn't a lot of issues with the pacing aside from the dialogue being a little repetitive in the later chapters. Aside from that there is a sense of progression. Code invades, the character fight claw grimes, and then Boruto fights Code. The chapters are also action heavy; they don't drag on like it did in part 1 for example Boruto vs Code is 1 chapter as opposed to Naruto vs Delta which was 3 chapters for no good reason other than padding. Readers may feel frustrated with how the manga constantly put out more questions than answers but that's how they pull you in, because you want those answers. None of the chapters feel like a waste.
So far TBV seems like it will be an entertaining read. I do recommend giving it a try.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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