Summary
- World-altering goal: Both Kara and Akatsuki aimed to achieve the Infinite Tsukuyomi, a grand and cataclysmic objective.
- Deception within ranks: Members of both organizations were kept in the dark about their true goals and leaders.
- Traitor revealed: Unexpected traitors existed in both groups, with Itachi in Akatsuki and Amado in Kara.
As a sequel to the Naruto series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generation takes on a lot of its predecessor’s themes and tropes. One such element is the introduction of the antagonistic organization known as Kara, a group that later becomes the precursor to the eventual antagonists of the Boruto series. While the two organizations bear entirely different goals and offer a unique set of characters, Kara and the Akatsuki bear many similarities and parallels that show clear signs that the former may have been based on the latter.
While it’s worth noting that both organizations have many differences, the peculiar parallels between these two organizations are still interesting to consider. Whether it’s the author’s lack of creativity or an intentional nod to the Akatsuki, these parallels showcase that the Naruto and Boruto series may have a lot more in common than viewers might think.
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A World-Altering Objective
Both Organizations Had a Cataclysmic Goal
Kara and the Akatsuki have many parallels, yet the primary one pertains to their end goal. As the overarching antagonistic group in both series, it is only natural for their end goal objective to be on an extremely grand scale, and in this case, both organizations share an uncannily similar goal. The Akatsuki’s initial goal was to capture all the tailed beasts and use their power to revive the God Tree.
During Nagato’s time as the leader of the Akatsuki, the goal was initially confined to using this power to maintain peace through a monopoly on power. However, the organization’s true goal was revealed after Nagato’s demise, with Obito revealing that his eventual objective was to revive Madara Uchiha and trap the entire world in the infinite Tsukuyomi. While the events did not go as planned, especially with Black Zetsu’s betrayal and Kaguya Otsutsuki’s revival, the goal, to an extent, was still achieved by the organization.
Kara also bears a similar goal, with the infinite Tsukuyomi being part of it. With the Ten-Tails already in Jigen’s possession, Kara only needed a vessel to be fed to the beast to revive the God Tree, which in turn would have cast the infinite Tsukuyomi. While Isshiki had other plans after the Infinite Tsukuyomi would have been achieved, the fact remains that both organizations had the eventual goal of casting the Infinite Tsukuyomi over the entire world, albeit with slightly altered end goals.
The Organizations’ Members Were Kept In the Dark
Kara and the Akatsuki Deceived Their Members
While both Kara and the Akatsuki had members that were loyal to the organization till the very end, it’s interesting to note that the leaders of both organizations lied to the members about their true goals. In the case of the Akatsuki, none of the members were aware of the true objective of capturing the Tailed Beasts. They were only informed that its power would be used to bring peace to the world by brute force, and that it was pertinent to capture every single Tailed Beast for this goal to come to fruition.
Even Nagato, who was the puppet leader of the Akatsuki, was unaware of the true objective that Obito had for the organization. Only after Nagato’s death was it revealed that Obito had intended to use the Tailed Beasts to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, a goal that none of the members of the Akatsuki would have actually fought for. Kara’s members are in a similar boat, as none of them were truly aware of the actual objective of the organization. They were promised that their wishes would be granted once Kawaki is completed as a vessel and fed to the Ten-Tails. However, they were never truly aware of Isshiki’s true plan for reviving the God Tree.
Isshiki decided to pass on being reborn through Jigen and began preparing a new vessel.
The True Leader Of The Organizations Hid in the Shadows
Both Organizations Had a Puppet Leader
While the members of both Kara and the Akatsuki were already kept in the dark about the true objective of their respective organizations, they were also lied to in another aspect. The members of both organizations remained unaware of the true identity of their leaders, with some never even learning the truth about how the supposed leaders of their organizations were being manipulated from the shadows.
In the case of the Akatsuki, none were aware that Nagato was actually being controlled by Obito from the shadows, at least until his demise. While it was initially revealed that capturing the Tailed Beasts and using their power to revive the Gedo Statue was Nagato’s idea, it was actually Obito who furthered this plan, albeit with an ulterior motive. Kara’s leadership is rather similar, as the members of the organization viewed Jigen to be the true leader of the organization.
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However, they remained blissfully unaware that the true person posing as Jigen was actually Isshiki Otsutsuki, who had used Sukunahikona to shrink himself and live inside Jigen’s brain, manipulating his actions from inside. It was only after every single member’s defeat that Isshiki Otsutsuki revealed himself to Code, who remained a devout follower of the Otsutsuki till the very end. While it can be argued that Jigen was never exactly himself, and it was Isshiki all along, it’s still worth noting that the members of the organization viewed Jigen as a separate entity, which puts the organization in a similar situation to the Akatsuki.
That’s Jigen’s true identity, though it would be more correct to say his real form.
A Traitor Within the Ranks
Both Organizations Had an Unknown Traitor
Another theme that both organizations seem to follow is the concept of having a traitor among their ranks, and one that viewers could never have guessed till the end. In the case of the Akatsuki, Itachi Uchiha played the role of a secret spy who kept tabs on the Akatsuki’s actions, all while working to preserve Konoha’s safety from within. However, the only difference lies in the fact that Itachi was never caught or suspected of being a spy for Konoha, as he remained a trusted member of the organization till his last breath.
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Kara also bore a traitor among its ranks, though this issue was more pronounced for the organization. Right from the very beginning of Kara’s introduction, Jigen had already stated that a traitor lied among the ranks of Kara. The initial screentime of the organization was mostly tied to finding out who the traitor is, a task that Amado took on. Interestingly, Amado himself was a traitor, along with Koji Kashin, both of whom worked together to try to take down Jigen and defect to Konoha.
Possession Of Advanced Knowledge
Kara and the Akatsuki Had Access to Classified Information From the Get-Go
It’s common for anime series to feature antagonistic groups that are one step ahead, and initially far superior to the protagonists, though this was exacerbated in the case of both the Akatsuki and Kara. Both organizations had access to classified information that none of the Five Great Nations ever had access to, whether it’s the Tailed Beasts in the case of Akatsuki, or advanced scientific ninja tools in the case of Kara. It was never exactly revealed how both organizations had access to such advanced knowledge in the first place, though it certainly set the stage for an intriguing plotline.
For the Akatsuki, it can be argued that Obito provided in-depth knowledge of the Tailed Beasts and their workings, though it was never exactly revealed how Amado became such a proficient genius at constructing scientific ninja tools and even modifying the bodies of living humans. His genius far exceeded the likes of anything seen before in both Boruto and Naruto, as he was able to construct cyborgs that even possessed the strength of the Otsutsuki.
Boruto is available to read via Viz Media.
