Evaluating Areas for Improvement in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex: From Writing to Better Characters

Masashi Kishimoto provided us with one of the best shōnen series of all time with Naruto, which was full of epic fights and incredible storylines for our main character, Naruto Uzumaki. The eventful and emotional journey of Gutsy Ninja continued through the titular character's son, Boruto, who got his own series, and it seems that he is finally getting love from the fans that he strived for in recent years. Despite the improvement of the series through the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex manga series, Kishimoto still falls into the same 'traps' that don't let the series' be elevated to its full potential.

Better Characterization of the Villains

Looking back to Naruto, Kishimoto provided us with some amazing villains, especially in the early stages of the series. From the tragic story of Zabuza and Haku to the incredible twist of Itachi and the rest of the Akatsuki group, Naruto thrived during those days of the series. Of course, for every Zabuza and Haku, there is Kaguya, who seemed very overpowered and 'undercooked' as the character. Unfortunately, that is the case for some characters in the Boruto series, mostly villains who we barely meet before the epic showdown.

In Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, we saw many uninspiring villains who had the potential to be incredible in Boruto's story—for example, the likes of Delta and other members of the Kara organization that were at one point main villains of the series. In Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, we have shinju, the humanoids of the Divine God Tree, who are still new to the series, and hopefully we learn more about them before Boruto puts them in their place—first, make the fans care for them before putting them in epic battles.

More Focus on Side Characters

Naruto Uzumaki was the driving force of his own series, but side characters were major reasons why people liked Naruto that much. Rock Lee, Itachi, Kakashi, and Jiraiya were amazing because we knew them to their core. They were good enough characters to carry the plot in Naruto's absence, which was an important aspect of this big universe. However, Boruto simply failed in that aspect because Kishimoto and Ikemoto decided to focus on two main characters that will drive the main plot, Boruto and Kawaki. Characters who were supposed to be important in Boruto's story, like Sarada, Konohamaru, Mitsuki, and others, are simply just there. They serve as 'tools' for more Boruto character feats, and that makes them unimportant in the eyes of the fans and the story itself.

Side characters need more love from Kishimoto, and hopefully that changes in the long run.

Improved Representation of Character's Powers

With the previous point, this one also needs improvement, specifically for some side characters who at times only work as spectators to Boruto and Kawaki's story. Sarada Uchiha is probably one of the biggest disappointments of the Boruto series because her whole purpose lies in being Boruto's supporter, but mainly as a love interest and not an equal as a kunoichi. She's the heir of the Uchiha Clan and a daughter of legendary parents in Sasuke and Sakura, who simply waits for Boruto or others to save her, which is an absolute crime. This problem can be attributed to the likes of Konohamaru, who was supposed to be Naruto's pupil, and other kids from Boruto's generation, like Sumire and others. Maybe recent involvement of these mentioned characters in the potential epic battle will change something, but this part of the writing should be improved by a lot.

Less 'Insane' Power Tiers

The power tier problem started in Naruto Shippuden, and with the arrival of the Fourth Shinobi World War arc, that fundamentally changed the Naruto universe forever. The otherworldly power that Sasuke and Naruto possess, and consequently the Ōtsutsuki, continued to Boruto, which puts the series in disbalance from the get-go. Boruto and Kawaki already have the potential to be even more powerful than their mentors in Sasuke and Naruto, and that also puts other characters in peril since they automatically become passengers in Boruto's story.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex does make some changes in this regard of the story, limiting the power scales of the main duo in Boruto and Kawaki, but still, it needs to extend to the villains as well.

More Layered Female Characters

Ah, Masashi Kishimoto's inability to create strong female characters is still going on in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex. Besides the main culprit, Sarada Uchiha, other women of the Boruto universe simply suffer, and it unfortunately affected some older OG characters, Hinata and Sakura, who are simply lowered to being nurses and housekeepers. They were very capable kunoichi in the Naruto series, and seeing them helpless and simply not used properly in the Boruto storyline is another 'crime' of Masashi Kishimoto, who should finally learn how to integrate these women in his own story. Boruto needs good female characters that will support the main character in more aspects than one and finally become a fan-loving feature of Kishimoto's work.

For more Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, check out Viz Media.