Boruto Brings Kawaki’s Tough Past to the Screen

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has been neck-deep in the “Vessel Arc”, pitting Team 7 against the Hidden Mist Village ninja, Ao, who is currently in the employ of the Kara Organization, and the latest storyline hasn’t just introduced us to Kawaki, it’s added information to his back story that we haven’t witnessed in the manga. With Kawaki coming into conflict with Boruto and his friends, the tool of the Kara Organization will have a heavy future in the land of Konoha but anime fans are left wondering whether he will be friend or foe.

In episode 188 of Boruto, we witnessed just how Kawaki came into contact with Jigen, as the leader of the Kara Organization offers to buy the young ninja from his drunken father. While these events took place in the manga, the anime gave us more of a look into Kawaki as a young boy, battling against the Kara member Garou in order to prove himself to be a worthy recipient of Kara’s “gifts”. Managing to defeat the Kara ninja, Jigen discovers that Kawaki is worthy of becoming a “vessel” for Kara, meaning that his life will be forever tangled with the Kara Organization in some truly nefarious ways.

The concept of “filler” in anime can often be seen as a negative among fans, but there are instances wherein added material for a television series is able to expand on a character in ways that the manga’s source material hadn’t. In a truly ghastly display, Kawaki is able to blow off the lower jaw of his tormentor, Garou, while Kashin Koji and Amado look on, celebrating how the right vessel has been chosen.

Kawaki appears in front of Team 7, first coming into conflict with them but seemingly coming to their side as Garou appears in the present, following the defeat of Ao. Needless to say, it’s clear that Kawaki has been powerful since an early age, proving that he can be an asset to either Konoha or Kara, should he ultimately pick a side. Regardless, things are definitely continuing to heat up in the Hidden Leaf Village.

What did you think of the new footage added to the childhood of Kawaki? How do you see the Vessel Arc coming to a close? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Hidden Leaf Village.