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Boruto has made a lot of waves in recent months thanks to the Blue Vortex time skip and the protagonist's new character design. Several fans online have praised how Naruto's son now has a more defined and unique identity than his father. However, the latest design hasn't come without controversies.
One of the earliest and most notorious images of Boruto with his new look was in a pose that many One Piece fans have compared to one of Roronoa Zoro. While this resulted in some discussions between the two fandoms, it is worth pointing out that this pose isn't unique, and there is no confirmation that Zoro inspired it.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Boruto and One Piece series. Any opinion expressed belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.
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Explaining if the Boruto pose was inspired by One Piece's Roronoa Zoro
Boruto's new character design and attitude in Blue Vortex made a strong impression. Now, there is a discussion online regarding whether that pose holding his sword in one of the earlier images was inspired by One Piece's Roronoa Zoro. There have been several instances in Eiichiro Oda's manga where Zoro sat with the sword resting on his left shoulder. So, many people have wondered if that was the inspiration for this image.
There is no confirmation that Zoro inspired Boruto's pose in Blue Vortex, and it is only mere speculation. After all, a swordsman holding his weapon in that pose is fairly common in manga and anime. Kenshin Himura, the protagonist and wandering swordsman of the Rurouni Kenshin series, also does the said pose on several occasions across that manga.
It is a relatively common pose to make with a swordsman in anime and manga. While there have been times that Masashi Kishimoto and Eiichiro Oda have praised each other's work, there is no confirmation that Zoro was the inspiration for Boruto's pose. There are no signs that could be the case beyond perhaps the fact that both Zoro and the protagonist of Blue Vortex have a wounded eye.
The changes in Boruto's character
One of the most interesting things about Boruto's new character design and attitude was that it added to the recent tone of the series. There is no denying that this manga has had a lot of ups and downs over the years. Still, most readers agree that this is arguably the best period of the series thus far, mostly due to the protagonist's characterization.
Naruto's son was always living in his father's shadow, not only within the story but also outside of it, and the recent events of the manga have added to his characterization, making him more of his own person. This is a far cry from who Naruto was in the original series, and that is something many fans have praised because it has given the series's protagonist what he needed - his unique identity.
Furthermore, he has become stronger and more proactive, going after Code and the Clones while trying to save Sasuke, Naruto, and Hinata.
Final thoughts
There is no confirmation that One Piece's Roronoa Zoro inspired Blue Vortex's protagonist's now-iconic pose with his sword. While Masashi Kishimoto and Eiichiro Oda have been friends for a long time and have praised each other's work, one influencing the other is not far-fetched. However, there is no confirmation that was the case here.
