'Naruto': 'Boruto' Fans are Disappointed With Karin's Big Nerf

Part of the allure of Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto is seeing how the older characters in the series are much stronger than they seem at first. The series placed the utmost importance on how the past had an effect on later generations, so it often made time to demonstrate that the older ninjas in the village were a lot more skilled than they lead their pupils to believe. It was part of why fans wanted to watch Naruto and his friends grow up, to see if they had that same power in the future.

But Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has been demonstrating the opposite as the more war-torn ninja of the past have only gotten weaker with age. In an attempt to emphasize how strong Sarada is becoming in the latest episode, the series actually numbs down much of Karin's strength. This obviously was not received well by fans.

In Episode 102 of the series, the climax of the current Jugo focused arc has brought the other members of Taka into the fray. Seeing as how their interactions with Boruto and Sarada in the past, fans wanted to see just how strong Suigetsu and Karin became since the original series. But unfortunately, it's the opposite as now Karin can't even defeat two children. Admittedly they have been boosted by curse mark technology, but it's a far cry from the kind of opponents Karin used to face.

In the episode, Karin and Sarada team up to fight a girl pumped up with Jugo's curse mark powers. Though Karin's never been particularly strong, he skills were incredibly useful in the original series. She displays them here as well with her Mind's Eye of the Kagura tracking the foe's chakra, and using her ability to heal Sarada of her injuries. But the biggest point of debate is the use of her Adamantine Sealing Chains.

Although it could be argued that the technique weakened over time, Karin was struggling to keep the foe tied in the chains for too long. This is the same technique Karin once used to take down and break apart "Tobi's" Wood Release: Several Hundred Hans summon in the original series. But here, she uses the chains to hold the foe just long enough to heal Sarada and have her deal the final blow.

This has been a stinging point for fans of the original series as other characters like Konohamaru have been nerfed in the series as well. Compare this to strong showings of former Kage like Sarutobi, and Boruto seems like a much different series. Then again, as its title implies, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is all about the next generation of ninja. Though fans just aren't happy it's coming at the expense of fan-favorites like Karin.

Originally created by Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump for 700 chapters. The story follows 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 features the children of many of its key characters such as Naruto and Hinata.

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