Inversion of Naruto and Boruto's key themes proves Kishimoto's masterstroke

The Boruto saga thrives because of the work that Masashi Kishimoto put into Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. While Ikemoto carves out his own style in the entire Boruto Saga, from costuming to worldbuilding, Kishimoto's hand can still be felt in the series. One way Kishimoto's influence can be seen is through the storytelling.

The Boruto saga inverts almost every trope shown in Naruto. Where Naruto was an orphan, Boruto was born into a loving family. Boruto's world also feels different from its predecessor; in Naruto, viewers can feel the tension in the air, and this is due to the friction that exists between villages.

Wars between the great Shinobi villages were rampant, and at the end of Naruto, those wars were nonexistent due to all Shinobi reuniting to face a greater threat. The Shinobi world is now peaceful, and the current villain does not understand unity.

This seems intentional from Kishimoto, as he set the gears in motion right from the Allied War. The world is now filled with people who will die for each other, and inter-village marriages are proof of this.

Unity is an offshoot of love, and the world of Boruto is now full of it, a major contrast to Naruto's world, which was full of pain and war, thus inverting the circumstances of the stories. Here is how Kishimoto's use of trope inversion makes Boruto a masterpiece.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinion and may contain spoilers.

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How Kishimoto sets the stage for the Boruto Saga in Naruto

Madara is responsible for many tragedies in the Naruto (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Viewers who have come across the Boruto saga can tell everything has been planned and outlined. For example, Himawari receiving Kurama was not by chance. This plan was set in motion by the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, manifesting in the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex. The setting for Two Blue Vortex was also drawn from Naruto.

Kishimoto set the stage by awakening every human threat that has existed in the Naruto world. This was done by Kabuto using the Edo Tensei to summon the strongest ninja from the past. One by one, these ninjas were sealed, and some were even stripped of their power: the Golden Brothers are an example. The Edo Tensei also summoned Madara, who was the last significant threat to the human world.

When his body serves as a gateway for Kaguya's return, it signifies an end to a cycle of hate in the Narutoverse. Kaguya is also defeated, and the final battle between Naruto and Sasuke happens. This battle is an end to the Indra–Ashura hate that has occurred for centuries and is one of the biggest reasons for the tragedy in the Narutoverse.

Kaguya is the first of many Otsutsuki shown in the Narutoverse (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Now that the cycle of hate between humans is over in Naruto, Kishimoto introduces aliens to the universe. This was done with the introduction of Kaguya, who set the stage for the introduction of more Otsutsuki. Otsutsuki are parasitic by nature, in contrast to humans, who are communal by nature and gain more power by relying on one another.

In Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, the actions of a pseudo-Otsutsuki have resulted in the creation of an entirely new being, the Shinju. The Shinju are creatures born from Claw grime, feeding on Shinobi and transforming into clones of those Shinobi but with an instinct to consume the loved one of the bitten Shinobi. This makes the fight in this manga entirely different, as no one is fighting out of hate. It is all from and for love.

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What is Two Blue Vortex’s theme?

Jura is an enemy of love (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Naruto focused on the cycle of hatred, and it did this by shining the light on war and its consequences. The Nine Tails is an instrument of war, and he destroys human beings because of the trauma of being forced to fight. Even Sasuke is made an orphan by his brother to prevent a war between the Uchiha and the Hidden Leaf. Many actions taken in Naruto and Naruto Shippuden are to be more powerful than other human beings or to subjugate others. This is a huge contrast to the Boruto saga.

From the beginning, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has had its conflict arise from love. The ninjas want to protect what matters to them, and even when Kawaki, the antagonist of the series, makes his appearance, his actions stem from love. Even the Omnipotence, the most significant event in the entire saga, is a result of love.

In the current chapter of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, Jura talks about the irrationality of love and how it poses a problem even for the Shinju. Coincidentally, Matsuri loves Konohamaru and desires the same treatment that the Shinobi will give Moegi. Unfortunately, Konohamaru can't pretend to give her the same treatment.

Ryu is another Shinju locked in a battle with Yodo and Araya, teammates of Shinki, who he is a clone of. Araya loves Shinki as a friend, and Yodo loves Shinki romantically. This is why they can't bear to see Ryu existing.

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Final thoughts

While Matsuri is about to consume Konohamaru, there is a chance she won’t go through with her plans. This is the irrationality of love that Jura speaks about and this irrationality might also affect another Shinju—Hidari. Love is what Jura wants to understand and due to Jura not being born from a human is reason why he might never understand the emotion. This is also the reason why a civil war between the Shinju is inevitable as some already feel love.

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