5 Point Discussions – Boruto: Naruto Next Generations 78: “Everyone’s Motives”

Konoha has learned who’s behind the multiple attacks on their village. But can Naruto do anything about it? Remember, if you like this article and 5 Point Discussions, please share it on Facebook or Twitter! It really helps. And if you’ve got any comments or questions, please hit me up @SageShinigami.

1. After several episodes, the unconscious chuunin who was attacked to start this arc off has awakened. Though Ino attempted to peer into his memories from before he was knocked out, the ninja himself has much more helpful intel. He reveals to the team it’s actually the Land of Earth who was responsible for the attack. We also revisit what happened with Yurito, the chuunin who’d been mind-controlled. Since he freaking exploded, in a normal universe it’d be reasonable to assume he was dead. But this is anime–at best he’ll end up with a cool scar and a tragic backstory, leading to him learning better jutsu.
Meanwhile, elsewhere our heroes are forced to split their forces again, with Shikadai sending Chocho and Inojin back to the Hidden Leaf to inform them of what’s going on. They’re a bit late, but the necessity is still there, given at any moment Naruto and the others could put an end to their field trip.

2. Despite being in a universe with a very active rail system, Mitsuki and his new allies have had to go to the Village of the Hidden Stone on foot. It’s a long run, but during the trip we get to learn a bit about the people who kidnapped him. Apparently, they’re a group of artificial beings, just like Mitsuki–though they’re not nearly as advanced. The youngest of them, Sekiei, admits they don’t live very long either. We even see a less evolved version of them–mindless, doll-looking sand golems known as Akuta which apparently last even less time than the group bringing Mitsuki to the Land of the Hidden Stone.
Elsewhere, we get to see the other half of this organization–a young girl named Kirara, an unnamed partner, and the group’s boss, Lord Ku. The identity of Lord Ku is still in the dark, but he’s working with a scientist that’s clearly aware of Orochimaru’s work on Mitsuki. It’s seeming more and more like Mitsuki’s running into a trap, and he’s going to wind up as a guinea pig. Or at least, he WOULD be if we didn’t know he wasn’t going to explode if anyone examines him too closely, thanks to the designs of Snek Dad.

3. It’s pointed out later in universe, but man Konoha’s security is absolute garbage. In the middle of the episode, we get a scene between Mirai and Konohamaru where Mirai brings up how she’s figured out Mitsuki is Orochimaru’s son. She starts to ask Konohamaru how he feels, since they’re both descendants of the Third Hokage, and we even get a little flashback with exactly what happened between Orochmiaru and the Third. This is really good for people who either didn’t watch enough of Naruto to know what happened or who’ve only ever watched Boruto (somehow), as it loops everyone in so we have some context for why either of them might even want to be angry. It’s one thing to say “you killed my grandfather”, it’s another thing to show how it happened. It reminds us before this series Orochimaru very much wasn’t a good person, and all the complaints characters have about him are justified.
But what I’m really wondering here is how Mirai even found out in the first place? It seems like this should all still be a matter of utmost security, especially given what happened with Yurito, but somehow everyone’s getting into the act.

4. Remember how I complained Naruto in another universe could be something like a dictator? I was being facetious, but I take back even that. Naruto’s far too much of a trusting moron to be a dictator. After realizing the people who attacked their village and turned one of their own into a spy was a member of the Hidden Stone, Naruto just…calls up the Tsuchikage. I suppose it’s admirable there’s still so much of the idealistic young boy within a much older man who now leads a village, at least. He asks if it would be alright if he could send some ninja to investigate, and gets turned down because…of course he would, he’s basically asking to conduct an act of invasion.
Instead he’s forced to rely on Tsuchikage to catch Mitsuki, whoever took him, and Boruto and Sarada and hope they all come back safely. She rightfully brings up this seems to be happening a lot lately, which makes sense because they’ve got all the security of someone who’s internet password is always “password”. Now, there’s a 80 percent change Tsuchikage already knows who this is, but will she be decent about it and work with Naruto, or get tied up in politics? Better question: Why’d Naruto ask at all when he could’ve sent Sai and some forces to investigate instead?

5. This fight’s about to get stupid: Well, I guess part of answering why he didn’t send some other forces is because a good number of Konoha’s ninja are trash. We see a number of their generic jonin and chuunin get wrecked by some of the sand golems created by Lord Ku and his personal mad scientist. It’s such a trash look, because they go down with all the effort of a red shirt in Star Trek. But thanks to them attempting to slow Mitsuki and company down, Boruto and the others get to catch up…to half of them, as Kokuyou sends Sekiei and Mitsuki ahead while he handles the trackers with the help of his sand golem.
The end of the episode sees Boruto, Sarada, and Shikadai confront them, and hopefully their superior techniques will be able to do more damage than the other ninja did.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is available for streaming on Crunchyroll.