The upcoming chapter 81 of the Boruto manga, set to release in August 2023, has a lot of fans excited. The series has drawn a lot of criticism and trolling in general, especially for tarnishing the legacy of Naruto. It was exacerbated by Studio Pierrot's anime adaptation's poor quality.
However, a series of unexpected events in the manga's most recent chapters have increased interest in the post-timeskip storyline. It is expected to culminate in an epic showdown between Boruto and Kawaki, while Konoha will lay in ruins.
The post-timeskip period in Boruto will mirror the time jump that occurred between Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden. Now an exile, the young Uzumaki will devote his time to training, aiming to recover what he lost to Kawaki thanks to Eida's power. Kawaki, on the other hand, will most likely be on a mission to eliminate the Otsutsuki, who are a threat to Naruto.
Meanwhile, post-timeskip designs for some of the main characters have recently been released, offering interesting clues about the future of the series.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers.
Boruto character designs reveal the future trajectory of the manga
Boruto's post-timeskip design
Boruto's post-timeskip appearance has been revealed to readers in the manga's opening pages. He appears to be in his teenage years, wearing an outfit reminiscent of Sasuke's cape and wielding what appeared to be Sasuke's katana.
There have been speculations about whether this implies that Sasuke is going to sacrifice himself to protect Boruto, with the cape and sword serving as a farewell gift from mentor to student. Their bond extends beyond a typical teacher-student relationship, as the young Uzumaki saw Sasuke as a father figure in the absence of Naruto.
There could be another explanation that does not have such a tragic fate. While training under Sasuke, the young Uzumaki could just start imitating him and learn to use the sword, similar to how Sasuke while training under Orochimaru, picked up the sword.
Kawaki's post-timeskip design
Besides the flash-forward sequence at the beginning of the series featuring Boruto and Kawaki, mangaka Kishimoto released a couple of sketches depicting the post-timeskip designs of the two main characters. Not much, however, can be deduced from Kawaki's design. The only noticeable change seems to be that he has grown up and has slightly longer hair.
Sarada's post-timeskip design
Sarada's new post-timeskip character design has recently been revealed, showcasing a complete makeover for the character. She now has short hair and wears a different set of glasses. She also sports a choker with the Haruno clan's symbol and earrings that represent the Uchiha clan.
More importantly, she is shown wearing a black top and a high-collar cloak that resembles the Akatsuki. The Akatsuki was created with the purpose of making the world a better place, but it quickly became a threat to the Shinobi world under Nagato's leadership.
It will be interesting to see if the group has reformed or if Sarada decides to join it, given that Sasuke was a part of the organization in the past. After all, Eida's powers didn't affect her, and she knows the truth about Kawaki.