While Boruto is symbolic of new generations and traditions, it does bring back the old. From Shino to Tenten, the series brought back the original characters from Kishimoto’s series. Undoubtedly, the original series was unparalleled in terms of its popularity and fights.
But this also holds for some of the menacing characters including villains. While the sequel reintroduced some of the iconic characters from Naruto, it could truly bring back yet another classic villain.
Not Haku or Zabuza, but this character from the original series deserved his due recognition. By killing him off in the early stages, Kishimoto highlighted the wasted potential of the character. Not only that, it also underlines the mangaka’s knack for underutilizing his side characters.
An OG Naruto character deserves his comeback in Boruto
Boruto redefines the shinobi world in more ways than one. More often than not, these changes don’t sit well with fans, especially the cloning bits. The series enmeshes old generations with new advancements which can prove to be a stretch.
From technology to modified jutsu, the series is a breakaway from old power systems. And while this seems to be a major criticism, there is an upside to this. This is also reminiscent of the original series with its reintroduction of characters.
The series features some of the old Naruto characters including Tenten, Shino, and Anko. Despite its move to create its own identity, the series somehow has a dependency on the old nostalgia. It is reflected in jutsus but mostly the reintroduction of old characters from the original series.
This is also reflected in the ever-present conflict to bring back the old. Be it Kashin Koji or Konoha Elders, the series has been criticized thoroughly. Especially when it comes to the series’ reintroduction of unnecessary characters. There is, however, one character that deserves his comeback.
Most fans, including Redditors, will agree Kimimaro truly deserved better. Here’s what most of them had to say.
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Safe to say, that Kimimaro is criminally underrated in every possible way. From his kekkei genkai to his backstory, Kishimoto lost every opportunity to charter his life.
Leaving several possibilities unexplored, the mangaka proved his knack for plotholes. This majorly applies to his underdeveloped and underutilized characters including Kimimaro.
Masashi Kishimoto and his knack for underdeveloped characters
Masashi Kishimoto is often praised for his exceptional art style and brilliant writing. Through his manga, he gave us some of the iconic villains as well as layered characters. This included Kimimaro Kaguya who was, sadly, killed off during the Sasuke Retrieval Arc.
As a member of the notorious Kaguya clan, Kimimaro possessed a unique kekkei-genkai. This kekkei-genkai allowed him to wield and manipulate his bone structure. As a formidable clan with a lethal jutsu, the Kaguya clan carved their demise. Their pursuits left Kimimaro as the sole survivor of this clan.
Not only that, Kimimaro was left desolate to wander around the forests on his own. What makes his life truly tragic is that he was reduced to a pawn. With so much potential, Kishimoto could have mapped his backstory further.
Through his illness, he was reduced to a nerf by the end of the arc. With his revival in the Fourth Shinobi War, the character proved to be a great asset to the ninjas. This, however, doesn’t negate Kishimoto’s underplaying and disservice toward the character.
By killing off the character, the mangaka lost an opportunity to explore possibilities. His clan origins and his backstory are a treasure trove of potential that deserves to be explored in the sequel.
Boruto and Naruto are available for streaming on Crunchyroll. Both manga are available for reading on Viz Media.
