'Boruto' Gets Emotional With Nostalgic 'Naruto' Nod

Boruto stands as the next chapter for the Naruto franchise, and it hasn't shied away from its past in any way. Over its run, the sequel has referenced Naruto dozens of times, but the manga got readers tearing up big time with its most recent nod.

So, if you cry easily over anything regarding Naruto, take a moment to grab a tissue. Uh, believe it?

Recently, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations put out its latest chapter, and the update was a long one. The chapter began with the Seventh Hokage giving his son an impromptu training lesson while Kawaki kept to the side, but it moved into a nostalgia bomb when Naruto spoke with his guest one on one.

Feeling put out, Kawaki asked Naruto whether the Kage Bunshin jutsu was easy to learn as he wanted to master it. For the boy, he felt the technique would help him manage his anger since he could beat up clones of himself, but Naruto got serious when he dissuaded Kawaki from such an idea.

"Even if you do that, it'll be pointless. It won't improve your mood at all," Naruto admits before revealing he tried out that idea before.

"I did, a long time ago. I'm living proof of it."

Continuing, Naruto said it was pointless for Kawaki to fight others to ease his anger when he could fight his friends and lean on them. In fact, the Seventh Hokage is a big fan of having a rival, and Naruto gently referenced his past with Sasuke Uchiha when he told Kawaki why such bonds were so important.

"When it comes to fighting, you're better off doing it with an actual opponent. There is value in having a rival. With friends, your world will change."

Of course, fans of Naruto know the hero is right. When the boy was a kid, Naruto's attachment to Sasuke and his classmates is what kept him from losing touch with reality and following the dark path Gaara fell to. As for the Uchiha, it took the heir years to realize it, but his rivalry with Naruto gave him an outlet to better himself and eventually find a family of his own. Now, the Seventh Hokage is determined to make Kawaki realize that future for himself, and he doesn't mind if he makes readers weepy while doing so.

Did you expect this touching throwback to hit you so hard? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

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.