Unveiling Boruto's Prequel: Exploring the Significance of "Chapter Zero"

Only a few episodes of the Boruto anime, which may seem like filler, actually continued a story line written by Naruto mangaka Masashi Kishimoto in the official prequel chapter of Boruto manga. It took years for the manga to reference a key point from Kishimoto's one-shot called Naruto Gaiden: The Road Illuminated by the Full Moon. This connection was finally made in the Two Blue Vortex chapter 7 after the end of the first series, Naruto Next Generations.

Readers who first encountered The Road Illuminated by the Full Moon in 2016 may have been puzzled for a long time. The Boruto manga did not delve into Mitsuki's character or Orochimaru, despite the one-shot story focusing on their relationship. It also explored Mitsuki's struggle with his identity and concluded with Orochimaru's enigmatic words about Mitsuki finding someone to guide him.

Orochimaru in Naruto Gaiden: The Road Illuminated by the Full Moon looking at a newspaper. - Unfortunately, unless they watched the anime, these readers wouldn't get anything until midway through 2023, when Mitsuki finally spoke of a "sun" in Two Blue Vortex chapter 1

The Boruto Anime Flows More Naturally Than the Manga

Unfortunately, for readers who did not watch the anime, the significance of Mitsuki mentioning a "sun" in Two Blue Vortex chapter 1 would not be clear until midway through 2023. Those who started reading Boruto during Naruto Next Generations chapter 1 may have seen this as random foreshadowing, waiting for further explanation in later chapters. However, viewers of the anime were able to grasp the truth immediately.

Based on the manga by creator/supervisor Masashi Kishimoto, artist Mikio Ikemoto, and scriptwriter Ukyo Kodachi; produced by Pierrot

Boruto vs Mitsuki in the Naruto Next Generations anime - Based on the manga by creator/supervisor Masashi Kishimoto, artist Mikio Ikemoto, and scriptwriter Ukyo Kodachi; produced by Pierrot - The Boruto Anime Flows More Naturally Than the Manga

In the anime, the mystery surrounding Mitsuki and Orochimaru was explored right from the start. It built up for weeks until the iconic 34th episode, which finally adapted Naruto Gaiden: The Road Illuminated by the Full Moon. But the anime didn't stop there. Mitsuki soon identified Boruto as his sun and revealed what that meant to him. Essentially, the one-shot served as a flash-forward event, similar to the infamous fight between Boruto and Kawaki in the future. This event led up to and continued in the anime.

Looking at the manga from Kishimoto's exclusive perspective, the one-shot could be seen as an apparent isolated event that later reveals itself to be a type of foreshadowing for Two Blue Vortex, reminiscent of One Piece. Here, mystery reigns supreme, sometimes overshadowing other effective types of writing. Unfortunately, this focus on mystery comes at the expense of the incredible implications provided by the Boruto anime. For example, when Mitsuki and Boruto fight in Two Blue Vortex, Boruto's message to Mitsuki to find his sun essentially means to follow the journey they have already experienced in the anime.

Boruto and Mitsuki together against a yellow background in Two Blue Vortex. - This is but the latest of many examples proving that the many critiques about the Boruto anime are false, since the supposed filler in Boruto is actually essential

This latest example shows that the criticisms of the Boruto anime being filled with filler episodes are unfounded. Surprisingly, the so-called filler episodes are actually important to the story. While manga is usually seen as the main source of story information, in Boruto, the anime plays a significant role.

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is streaming on Crunchyroll and can be read on the Shonen Jump website or MANGA Plus

WATCH ON CRUNCHYROLL

Editor's P/S:

The article highlights the unexpected importance of the Boruto anime, which has often been criticized for its excessive filler content. The author argues that these so-called filler episodes are actually crucial to the story, as they expand upon and continue plotlines established in Masashi Kishimoto's original Naruto Gaiden: The Road Illuminated by the Full Moon one-shot chapter. While the manga may have left readers puzzled about certain key points, the anime provides immediate clarity and context.

This observation challenges the traditional perception of manga as the primary source of story information. In the case of Boruto, the anime plays an equally significant role by filling in gaps, developing characters, and exploring plot points that are only hinted at in the manga. This revelation underscores the importance of considering both the anime and manga as complementary sources of narrative in order to fully appreciate the richness and depth of the Boruto story.