'Boruto' Just Dropped A Big 'Naruto' Throwback For Fans

It isn't unusual for Naruto fans to experience a bit of deja vu when they watch Boruto. The on-going sequel may be carving a name for itself in the shonen genre, but Boruto isn't afraid to lean on its predecessor for neat throwbacks now and again. So, no one should've been surprised to see the show's most recent callback now that the Chunin Exams are in full swing.

If you are caught up with Boruto, then you should know the sequel is moving through its long-awaited 'Chunin Exam' arc. Its most recent episode kicked off the tournament's second stage where Team 5 found itself pitted against the genin of the Sand Village. And, to everyone's great satisfaction, the sequel remade a fan-favorite fight from Naruto's second event way back when.

As you can see above, Boruto went all out in creating its fight between Shinki of the Sand and Metal Lee of the Leaf. The two ninja went against one another while their teams were occupied, and the one-on-one fight made audiences think back to when their fathers fought. After all, it isn't like fans can just forget the first time Gaara and Rock Lee dueled.

If you will recall, the big battle between Gaara and Rock Lee took place during the second event of the Chunin Exam. The brutal fight was a terrifying one as it gave audiences their first-look at Gaara and his blood thirst. Despite being a genin, the Sand ninja was ready to cripple Rock Lee beyond all recognition, and his lack of mercy made fans around the world flinch. It was only thanks to Tsunade that Rock Lee was able to get back to being a ninja, so there was understandable fear floating around when Gaara's son challenged Metal Lee.

Luckily, the fight wasn't nearly as traumatizing for Metal or for fans.

As it turns out, Shinki did win the battle, but he did not resort to brutality to take the lead. The Sand ninja used his Iron Sand and quiet strategy to overtake a riled-up Metal Lee, and the Leaf ninja left the battle having learned something important from his new acquaintance.

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 ready to see Shinki fight Boruto one-on-one next? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!