'Boruto' Introduces A Surprising 'Naruto' Hero

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is forging a legacy of its own, but the series cannot escape the story that came before it. Fans are always looking for original Naruto heroes when new episodes air, and they spotted one earlier today.

After all, Konohamaru's most inconspicuous teammates made an appearance, and he was hit by puberty hard.

Yes, that's right! Udon made his debut in Boruto with the anime's 44th episode. The character was introduced for a rather unpleasant reason though. Udon was brought in to scold Metal and Iwabe after the duo got in trouble during a mission.

The new class of Genin were tasked with helping the Leaf Village's police track down a dangerous gang. The fresh ninjas had orders to report back if they saw any gang activity, but Iwabe could not help himself. The newbie tried to apprehend the gang on his own despite orders, but his plan backfired. Metal was injured trying to protect Denki from the gang when they all escaped, and Udon was quick to scold Iwabe for his actions.

As you can see, Udon has come a long way from his old dopey self. His goggles have been replaced by his village headband, and his circular glasses have been traded in for sleek rectangular ones. Udon has also gotten rid of that pesky nose drip of his, and his slicked-back hair makes him an eligible ninja any lady would fall for.

Of course, fans were shown Moegi in Boruto awhile back. The heroine actually showed up in episode 12 when Shino was trying to place teams for his soon-to-be Genin. Moegi said she was had her eye on Iwabe and Boruto to Konohamaru's chagrin.

For those unfamiliar with Boruto's predecessor Naruto, it has quite a storied history. Originally created by Masashi Kishimoto, the series ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump for 700 chapters. The story follows Naruto, a young ninja with a sealed demon within him that wishes to become the leader of his home village. The sequel, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is set several years after the events of the original Naruto story and featuring the children of many of its key characters such as Naruto and Hinata.

Are you surprised by Udon's glow-up? Hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to let me know and talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!