Naruto: ‘Boruto’s Mitsuki Arc Is a Major Fail

The latest synopses for Boruto: Naruto Next Generations have revealed that the current “Mitsuki Disappearance Arc” is finally coming to an end. As the series’ longest-running story arc, the ending for Mitsuki’s tale of self-discovery is a welcome one – but even if the proposed finale for this story arc plays out in the most action-packed and exciting way possible, it will be too little, too late. The “Mitsuki Disappearance Arc” is total FAIL for Boruto – hopefully not a fatal one, for a lot of Naruto fans that have stuck with the series.

Too Long – First of all, this arc has been too damn long. The initial mystery of Mitsuki’s disappearance, and the dark forces making it happen, were tantalizing mysteries that had fans buzzing. The repeated foreshadows and teases that the Mitsuki / Boruto bromance could end in tragedy kept fans emotionally invested – but even that strong emotional core couldn’t burn bright forever. At nineteen episodes long (episodes 72 – 91), fans have been drained of any and all motivation they had for being invested in this arc, and the makers of Boruto really only have themselves to blame for that.

All Over The Place – The “Mitsuki Disappearance Arc” might’ve been okay if it made the most of its time – no matter how long of a time that was. Instead, this lengthy chapter of the anime become a convoluted quest with several big phase shifts, and by the time we’re getting to this finale, it’s hard to imagine what the value of the earlier stages of the journey were even about. The initial mystery of what happened to Mitsuki was great, and events like Boruto meeting Orochimaru for the first time was the type of Naruto milestone that longtime fans love to see in the new era of Boruto. However, by the time that the anime took detours to Ryuchi Cave and it’s White Snake Sage; or on the road to Hidden Stone in a chase between Boruto and his allies, and Onoki’s Formations; or into Hidden Stone’s Training Grounds for Boruto to spend an episode on introspective reflection in order to grow as a ninja… Fans were rightly beginning to wonder, “What’s the point of all this?”

Where’s Mitsuki? – Speaking of the point: the main point of this “Mitsuki Disappearance Arc” was to help Mitsuki come to some kind self realization as an independent being (as opposed to a clone), and to help Boruto come to terms with the reality of who his friend is, as well as his own lack of understanding about the world and its darker realities. And yet, as the story arc dragged on, it seemed that we got less and less actual screen time from Mitsuki, who has basically been meandering around Hidden Stone while his friends are battling the threat of Lord Ku and his formations. It’s probably the strangest thing about this arc: it’s left fans feeling more distant from Mitsuki, rather than being close to him. As for Boruto: watching these small steps in his evolution, after something as major as the “Versus Momoshiki Arc”, just seems redundant.

Limp Twist – Finally, this “Mitsuki Arc” has tried to throw in some big twists to the Naruto saga, but most (if not all of them) have landed as unsatisfying reveals compared to the longer, slower, storyline they are mired in. Onoki being a villain; the identity of Lord Ku and Mitsuki’s captors (The Formations); the invasion of Hidden Stone; a connection between the Formations and the Otsutsuki Clan; and a few other surprises and/or betrayals probably sounded good on paper, but at best they’ve been only momentary uplifts for the storyline – at worst, they’ve been changes that fans hate.

Bottom line: If this “Mitsuki Disappearance Arc” is what results when Boruto tries to stray away form the Naruto manga series, then the anime needs to just stick to the road map the manga is drawing. ‘Nuff Said.

How do you feel about Boruto’s latest arc? Let us know in the comments.

Catch new episodes of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations streaming weekly on Hulu, Crunchyroll and Funimation.