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The time travel in “BORUTO'' received a variety of reactions, with some feeling nostalgic and others feeling strange. This arc bridged the generation gap, but the power scaling and writing decisions were questionable. With Urashiki's defeat to the genin, Otsutsuki's status diminished and he lost his potential as an attractive adversary.
The Naruto series has always teetered on the mystical side of things, and this theme is fitting for a story driven by ninjas and ninjutsu. However, BORUTO: NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS surprised fans by introducing the concept of time travel, which is synonymous with science fiction itself. As part of the 20th anniversary of the Naruto manga, a time slip arc was introduced to Boruto to celebrate the success of the first part, bringing the original cast back to the screen.
This arc received mixed reactions, with some welcoming the nostalgic episode featuring their favorite title character, while others criticized the execution of such a complex setting. Time travel is a pretty risky endeavor, and incorporating such a theme always creates a sense of discomfort. However, disrupting the space-time continuum is the least of the arc's problems, as these episodes had many obvious problems.
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Purpose of the time slip edition
episode number
128 – 136
On-air date
October 13, 2019 – December 15, 2019
The Time Slip arc may have been a celebration of the original manga's anniversary, but its premise also had some influence on Boruto and his characterization. By traveling back in time and witnessing Naruto's struggle, the disconnect between Boruto and his father is resolved.
Throughout this escapade, Boruto was able to understand Naruto's past and why he became Hokage. Boruto's interactions with Konoha 11 and Jiraiya were also quite healthy, bridging the gap between Boruto and his previous generation. That being said, his Time Slip arc resulted in some questionable scripting decisions that diluted the weight of those episodes.
Arc problems
While it may be gimmicky, time travel can lead to compelling stories, and in the case of Boruto, this was achieved to some extent. But several critical moments don't exempt this arc from its inconsistencies, chief among them being the series' blatant disregard for the scale of power.
Aside from the shady fight scene with Urashiki, going back in time opens up the possibility of a butterfly effect, which the series never properly addressed. Fans were also dissatisfied with Urashiki's role in the whole ordeal, with him sometimes being used as just a plot device.
The two genin were able to rival Otsutsuki.
The main problem with the Time Slip arc has to do with the series' power scaling, as Urashiki was defeated by two genin, even with Jiraiya's help. Being an Otsutsuki, a class of characters considered to be god-like characters, Urashiki was easily defeated, making him seem like nothing more than a disposable villain.
Their strategy was very cunning, but when two 12-year-old Genin and one Sannin defeated Otsutsuki, the entire Naruto series' expansion was ruined. Furthermore, Sasuke is also kicked out due to his low chakra. In such an absurd scenario, the entire arc seems like just filler content.
Time travel opens up the possibility of time paradoxes
The whole concept of time travel was so casual that Sasuke and Boruto ignored Karasuki's warnings about interacting with people from this era. Instead of avoiding interaction, Boruto became friends with the entire Konoha 11, combining an entire episode of training with Naruto and Jiraiya. Their interactions felt inconsequential as their memories were eventually erased.
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Sasuke may have erased everyone's memory of the incident, but an incident this prominent must have caused some ripples in the timeline. This is evidenced by Kaminarimon coming up with the idea to create Thunder Train after hearing Boruto's voice in an alley, implying that their visit to the past left some debris behind. . Additionally, Urashiki's vast chakra concentration should have naturally alerted the likes of Zetsu and Obito, but neither of these possibilities were considered.
Urashiki was treated as a disposable villain.
Even as an anime-only Otsutsuki, Urashiki is probably the most interesting character of these nomadic aliens. However, his role throughout the arc was nothing more than a plot device, as his sole purpose was to bring Boruto closer to Naruto. His Otsutsuki status was completely tarnished as he displayed substandard strength, and his only chakra-extracting power was nullified by Jiraiya's sealing technique.
In the end, Urashiki was defeated at the hands of Naruto and Boruto, who had the Kyuubi and Karma respectively, but were still no match for the god-like Otsutsuki. Urashiki has had rivalries with both Kages in the past, but even they have had a hard time matching the crafty Otsutsuki's prowess. It's certainly disappointing to see such an essential villain used as the basis for such a filler-like arc. Even though Urashiki had the potential to serve the Boruto series as a compelling antagonist, he was relegated to just a plot device. A lot of episodes that don't matter.
BORUTO is available to stream on Prime Video.
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