Kishimoto Might Have Introduced The Next Danzo

Naruto’s continuation in the form of Boruto and its sequel, Two Blue Vortex, has led to all sorts of new developments and character growth, albeit not in a way that viewers could have ever expected. The latest chapters of Two Blue Vortex have led to an old character archetype resurfacing once more in the series, one that had viewers divided throughout Naruto.

The original Naruto series featured a morally ambiguous leader in the form of Danzo, a character that viewers either loved or hated due to his actions. While Boruto lacked such a character, the latest chapters have reintroduced the same archetype. While it may not be to the same extent as Danzo’s heinous nature, the character still symbolizes the same elements as the previous divisive advisor to the Hokage.

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Danzo’s Role in the Naruto Series

Danzo Offset Several Major Events in Naruto

The Naruto series has an impressive villain gallery, with several villains going down in anime history as the most compelling and iconic characters ever. However, among these villains is a peculiar name, Danzo Shimura, as his morally grey persona had viewers divided throughout Naruto. Serving as an advisor and the founder of the Root Anbu organization, Danzo remained an integral character that became the precursor to many events in Naruto. From ordering the Uchiha Massacre to influencing the formation of the Akatsuki, Danzo has offset many important events in the series.

However, the most intriguing aspect of his character was his cunning and dark persona, as he wasn’t shy about taking action that would be for the benefit of the village, despite the questionable consequences. While many viewed Danzo as a scumbag and nothing more than a heinous character, his role in the series showcased the darker side of leadership that many tend to overlook. Danzo eventually met a grisly fate in Shippuden, and his archetype faded from the series with his demise. However, the Boruto series has reintroduced the same characterization in a new character, throwing viewers for a loop.

The New Danzo in Boruto

Shikamaru Has Taken a Path Similar to Danzo

The Boruto series has brought back this character archetype in the form of the current Hokage, Shikamaru Nara. Known as one of the smartest characters in the entire Naruto franchise, Shikamaru showcased considerable potential from the very beginning of i, and his intelligence led to him being deemed the second most important character in Konoha’s leadership. In the Boruto Two Blue Vortex, however, Shikamaru took on a darker role, one that contrasts Naruto’s style of leadership.

Naruto has always favored justice, kindness, and hospitality, yet Shikamaru’s ideas of leadership tend to be on the opposite side of the spectrum. This was first witnessed when Kawaki was brought to the Konoha. Naruto’s selflessness led to him adopting Kawaki as his own child and giving him the same love as Boruto. Naruto gave him shelter, food, and safety, and vowed to protect him from Kara’s encroaching threat.

However, Shikamaru was of the opinion of kicking Kawaki out of the Hidden Leaf Village. It was only after Naruto stood his ground that Shikamaru had to bow down. From this event, it became obvious that Shikamaru had the potential to take on a more grim role down the line, which finally became evident in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex. With Naruto now in a state of limbo, and Konoha’s leadership in the hands of Shikamaru, he has now shown his true character, one that resembles Danzo’s role in the Naruto series.

Shikamaru’s Divisive Decisions

Shikamaru Continues to Make Morally Gray Decisions For the Sake Of Konoha

While Shikamaru’s aversion to giving Kawaki refuge in the Hidden Leaf was already quite apparent, his actual twisted nature was still rather subtle and covert. However, Two Blue Vortex has revealed the true extent of his darkness. With the introduction of the Shinju, Konoha now faces an entirely new threat, one that is impossible to mitigate without Naruto. The Shinju clones are derivative of the Ten Tails, albeit based on shinobi who were bitten by Claw Grimes.

Shikamaru states that the Shinju Clones are akin to wild animals who merely follow their primal instincts. His plan to deal with this threat is to befriend the Shinju instead of taking them head-on, as he realizes that Konoha’s capabilities are far too low to deal with the threat at hand. Instead, he suggests that the God Tree Clones should be befriended, and when their guard is low, Konoha can slaughter them one by one. Shikamaru himself notes that this plan is something that Naruto would never approve of, as it goes against his principles of kindness and mercy.

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However, in his absence, Shikamaru has full control over the Hidden Leaf Village, meaning he holds the ultimate authority. His decision and method of dealing with the threat is reminiscent of Danzo Shimura, a character who was willing to go to any lengths, no matter how despicable, to protect the Hidden Leaf Village. While Shikamaru’s plan is nowhere near the extent of Danzo’s heinous actions, it still goes to show the potential that he has to take on the same archetype of a morally gray character who is willing to go to any lengths, no matter how grisly the solution may be.

Shikamaru’s Path Towards Becoming the Next Danzo

Shikamaru Could Potentially Take On a Much Darker Role

It’s certainly odd to see Shikamaru take on the role of such a character, considering he never exactly displayed such potential in the Naruto series. Even in the beginning of Boruto, Shikamaru still aligned with Naruto’s beliefs of kindness and justice, as he rarely displayed such internal darkness. Given his intelligence and reliance on wits and logic, it’s only logical for his character to take on such a role in the series. Moreover, a similar character archetype was necessary for the series based on the recent events in Two Blue Vortex, and Kishimoto was forced to reintroduce it. It’s pertinent to note that Ikemoto is the actual writer behind Boruto, though Kishimoto still supervises the entire series, meaning he has also played a role in Shikamaru’s character taking such a drastic turn.

However, Shikamaru’s progression to taking on such a role isn’t exactly sudden. It subtly became apparent that Shikamaru’s political beliefs began to differ from Naruto. While Naruto’s beliefs were rooted in idealism, Shikamaru took on a more logical and realistic route, and had ideals that were more practical. This pins him in the same category as Danzo, though not to the same extent. Shikamaru’s decision to deal with the Shinju is quite divisive for the fandom. On one hand, his decision is logical, considering Konoha can’t stand a chance against these new antagonists.

On the other hand, the plan goes against everything that Naruto stands for, as he would never be on board with betraying creatures who display such infantile behavior. Instead, his proposal would likely be to reason with them and bring them towards the light. However, it’s worth noting that without defeating the Shinju and retrieving their bulb, the characters who have been engulfed by them can never be brought back, meaning it is necessary to kill them. With the manga’s current progression, Shikamaru might delve even deeper into this morally gray role, cementing himself as the next Danzo Shimura.

Boruto is available to read via Viz Media.

Main Genre

Animation

Creator

Masashi Kishimoto

Network

TV Tokyo