Wait, Did You Catch This Kakashi Easter Egg In 'Boruto'?

Boruto isn't afraid to dish out Naruto easter eggs from time to time, but some of them are hard to spot. The sequel directly continues the story Masashi Kishimoto made decades ago, and its focus on a new generation allows fans to learn about Naruto's all-star ninjas through the eyes of others. Even today, the series is teaching audiences about the iterations of Team 7, and Boruto made sure to reference one of its heroines with an easter egg.

Did you manage to catch it? That is, underneath all the tears you inevitably shed over the nod?

Over on Reddit, one sharp fan shared the easter egg, and the anime fandom is buzzing about the long-missed moment. Awhile back, Boruto saw its titular hero and his friends make their move to graduate from the Ninja Academy. The examination was a tough one, but Boruto was spurred on by a friendly reporter named Sukea before it all went down. However, the hero found out the photographer was really Kakashi in disguise, and that is where the easter egg lies.

Kakashi keeps memories of rin alive by using the same stickers on his face. from r/Naruto

As you can see above, Sukea bears one striking similarity to Rin Nohara, a member from Kakashi's genin team. The girl may have passed away long before Naruto began, but she held a lot of influence over its story. Rin's ties to Kakashi and Obito inadvertently prompted the Uchiha to embrace the teachings of Madara, and her memory is what helped the two men settle their grudge during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Rin's death was a tragic one, and Kakashi never got over her memory as he grew older. So, it isn't surprising to see how Sukea mirrors Rin with his facial markings.

Much like Rin's cheek paint, Kakashi brought his friend's purple accessories to his Sukea disguise. The Sixth Hokage uses purple stickers under his eyes like like Rin used for her face, and the subtle connection is blowing fans' minds right now online.

If you're not familiar with Naruto, here is a brief rundown: The series follows its titular hero named Uzumaki Naruto as the ninja strives to become his village's most powerful fighter. After being orphaned at birth, the hero became his hometown's pariah as a powerful demon was sealed into him. Naruto is determined to prove he isn't a dead-last, so he decides he will become the Hokage of the Leaf Village to make others acknowledge him. However, the boy's dream is not an easy one to reach as political corruption, extremist organizations, and supernatural plots threaten the entire ninja world.

Did you catch this subtle throwback to Kakashi's genin team? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!