This article contains spoilers from the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex manga.
Naruto Uzumaki is one of the greatest anime characters of all time, but that did not stop the Boruto series from sealing him away. In his absence, Boruto Uzumaki and the next generation of ninja have been making a mark in the shinobi world with their individual fights and power-ups. Still, fans are more than excited to welcome Naruto back to the narrative as soon as possible.
It’s been 30 chapters of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, yet there’s still no sign of Naruto making his return. At this point, it’s safe to assume that he won't be coming back anytime soon despite the escalating threats to Konoha. However, Naruto’s return is clearly being saved for a much later and more impactful moment in the story. It wouldn’t be a surprise if fans see Naruto appear in the final arc of Boruto.
It's Time To Welcome Boruto's New Legendary Ninja Even Stronger Than Naruto Uzumaki
Naruto is strong, but this ninja from Boruto has already surpassed him.
Naruto’s Absence Continues in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex
Naruto Uzumaki’s Sealing Happened in Boruto Chapter 77
The long wait for Naruto Uzumaki’s return to Boruto continues, as he remains sealed with his wife in the Daikokuten Dimension to this day. As much as fans want to pull him out of the dimension and back into action, the Boruto series deliberately delays his comeback to give more love and attention to Boruto and the next generation of ninja. True enough, they are more relevant than ever to the story without relying on Naruto.
Naruto’s sealing happened in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Chapter 77, and since that moment, there’s been no concrete update about his return. His name has been mentioned a few times in the story, yet none of this has brought him any closer to rejoining Boruto and the next generation in Konoha. The interim Hokage, Shikamaru, is carrying out Naruto’s responsibilities as head of the village, but even his capable leadership can’t fill the void left by the Seventh Hokage’s absence.
The same is true for Naruto’s rival, Sasuke Uchiha, who has been reduced to nothing but a background character. Just like Naruto, Sasuke waits for rescue, sidelined while the next generation deals with enemies that demand the full force of Konoha’s strongest shinobi. Worse, Naruto and Sasuke are not as powerful as they were, stripped of their full strength and forced to rely on circumstances that are beyond their control.
Kawaki Refuses to Release Naruto Uzumaki
Protecting Naruto Is Kawaki’s Top Priority
As fans know, Kawaki Uzumaki is the one responsible for Naruto Uzumaki’s sealing in Boruto Chapter 77. With the powers of the kokugan, Kawaki successfully sent Naruto and Hinata into the Daikokuten Dimension before they could even react. Instead of risking their lives in Konoha, he chose to protect them by keeping them frozen in time, much like NPC characters inside a game.
Unfortunately, Kawaki has no intention of releasing Naruto and Hinata as of writing. As long as Kawaki deems the shinobi world dangerous for Naruto, he will keep him sealed. No one, not even Boruto, who’s now a complete Otsutsuki, could change his mind. And with Jura targeting Naruto, Kawaki’s decision to keep his adoptive father protected becomes even more crucial.
If you don’t like the hand that fate’s dealt you with, fight for a new one.—Naruto Uzumaki
With this in mind, some fans believe that Naruto should stay sealed for now. It’s in his best interest to remain out of harm's way, considering he lost Kurama and his power level has significantly decreased. In addition, there’s no way for Naruto to gain a massive power-up anytime soon, making it far too risky to release him.
Naruto Uzumaki Could Make His Comeback in Boruto’s Final Arc
The Shinobi World Must Be Safe for Naruto
At the beginning of the series, Kawaki told Boruto that he would send him to the same place as the Seventh Hokage. This moment has yet to happen, but there are obvious signs that this event is part of the setup for Boruto’s final arc. After all, Konoha was in ruins while Boruto was getting ready to face Kawaki in what seemed like a showdown reminiscent of the ultimate fight between Naruto and Sasuke in Naruto Shippuden.
If so, this means that fans won’t be seeing Naruto Uzumaki for a long time. He is expected to return after all the threats to Konoha have been dealt with, including Jura and the Shinju Clones, Code, and the Otsutsuki Clan. It’s also best to expect him to appear after Kawaki and Boruto’s fight, as this battle won’t even happen in Naruto’s presence. For now, fans will need to exercise more patience and wait for the Seventh Hokage’s long-awaited comeback in the final arc.
- Release Date
- April 5, 2017
- Network
- TV Tokyo
