Naruto’s Most Hard-Working Ninja Got Done Dirty in the Sequel

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex as a series has made Boruto Uzumaki’s journey one that has become better than its predecessor in a number of ways. Now that the son of the Seventh Hokage has been placed between a rock and a hard place, we’re seeing some of the best Boruto stories told to date. Unfortunately, while the new generation is getting their time to shine in the sequel series, there are some members of the Hidden Leaf Village that have been lost in the shuffle. Specifically, a shining star in Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden needs to return to the spotlight.

Rock Lee hit the ground floor running with a fight that is still considered one of the biggest battles of the franchise years later. Introduced as a part of the “Chunin Exams,” the Konoha ninja didn’t have ninjutsu to rely on like Naruto and Sasuke but had trained his body to give him supernatural physical strength. While he wasn’t able to defeat Gaara and his sand powers, Rock Lee made an impression that would have anime fans dying to see him return again and again. While the tradition has continued with Rock Lee’s son named Metal Lee, there are a few ways that the Boruto series has let down the hard-hitting anime hero.

[RELATED: Naruto Fan Tests Out Rock Lee’s Leg Weights Training in Viral Video]

Where Boruto Stumbles With Rock Lee

Even though Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and Boruto: Two Blue Vortex focus on the next generation of Konoha’s ninjas, both series have utilized Rock Lee to a far lesser degree than most old-timers. Figures like Kakashi, Might Guy, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke, and more get the chance to fight for the ninja world alongside the latest kids on the block. Ironically enough, not only is Rock Lee mostly absent from the proceedings, but various important parts of his new backstory have yet to be revealed.

At present, Naruto fans still have no idea who the mother of Metal Lee is at this point, which is frustrating considering this fact isn’t a problem for most of the other ninjas we came to know in the first two series. With the likes of Naruto marrying Hinata and Sasuke marrying Sakura, this long-running mystery appears as though it won’t be answered any time soon. It’s a major instance of the series seemingly leaving Rock Lee behind and simply not focusing on a character that remains a fan-favorite amongst Masashi Kishomoto’s roster.

How Boruto Can Redeem Rock Lee

Considering Might Guy was the one who inspired Rock Lee, the latter following his mentor’s path earlier in the franchise would be the best way to go. Don’t forget Guy had a spectacular influence on the ending of Shippuden, giving us one of the best fights of the series as he attempted to take down Madara Uchiha. Rock Lee has yet to have any moments that come close to his teacher’s in the latest series and with Kishimoto back on writing duties, it would be a fantastic move to bring Lee back in a big way against the new threats.

In terms of the Hidden Leaf Village’s anime adaptation, things have been quiet for quite some time when it comes to Studio Pierrot. As the production house continues to work on Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, fans might learn more once the fourth and final cours arrives later this year. As the Two Blue Vortex has continued with new manga chapters, there are many big moments and battles that have yet to be animated.

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