Boruto: Naruto Next Generations 1×227 Review – “Team 7’s Last Mission?!”

Boruto anime Episode 227, titled ‘Team 7’s Last Mission?!’, gave the main cast some closure as Salad replaced Konohamaru as team captain after being promoted to Chunin.

I do feel that the narrative needed an episode like ‘Team 7’s Last Mission?!’ as things changed for Boruto, Salad, and Mitsuki as a team. While the action wasn’t bombastic, the character-centric moments more than made up for it. Team 7’s been operating with Konohamaru as their captain for a while now. So, it made sense for such a change in the team’s dynamic to cause our young cast and Konohamaru to feel emotional.

‘Team 7’s Last Mission?!’ opened with Salad being happy about becoming a Chunin but also sad that her team won’t need Konohamaru anymore. I liked how Sakura tried to cheer her daughter up. But Salad still needed to properly address her feelings. Team 7 wanted to spend time with Konohamaru before things officially changed, but they couldn’t because he was out on a mission with Mirai.

With Sakura noticing that something was wrong with Salad, I loved how she signaled to Sasuke to talk to her because he was Salad’s father as well as her teacher. I think the writers did a good job when it came to the explanation they had Sasuke deliver. He understood what Salad was going through. But it was important for his daughter to realize that the bond she shared with Konohamaru could never be broken. Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto had gone through the same ordeal as they grew and became powerful ninjas. Even though Kakashi stopped being their team captain a long time ago, they were still bonded to him.

The title of this episode, ‘Team 7’s Last Mission?!’, was about the older version of Team 7 getting to participate in their last mission with Konohamaru before Salad took over as team captain. Turns out, the mission Konohamaru and Mirai were assigned had turned dangerous- and it fell on Salad, Boruto, and Mitsuki’s shoulders to go and save Konohamaru because they knew him best.

The episode did make it a point to mention that the mission shouldn’t have been difficult for someone like Konohamaru and Mirai. I liked how Konohamaru’s reasoning to stay behind and send a poisoned Mirai to alert the Hidden Leaf Village was presented. He could have easily taken down someone like Hyogo (a criminal with an extensive network in the underworld), but Konohamru was biding his time so he could also save the villagers that Hyogo’s gang was beating into submission.

Due to Team 7 being familiar with Konohamaru’s thought process, the young ninjas figured out his plan on their own and helped him execute it with ease. As I’ve already mentioned, the action wasn’t the best, but I did enjoy the interactions between Team 7 and Konohamaru. Like any other teacher, he just wanted them to continue succeeding even if he wasn’t going to be part of their journeys anymore.

Team 7 posing with Konohamru for one last picture before things changed between them made for a cute little moment near the end of the episode.

Other thoughts and questions:

• Shikamaru and Naruto really felt for Team 7 and the importance of closure because those two lost their teachers. Naruto didn’t even get to say goodbye.
• I really liked Sakura giving a thumbs up after helping Mirai recover from being poisoned.
• Sakura and Sasuke don’t have to talk to communicate with each other as a married couple. They can understand what needs to be done through eye contact. I love that for them.
• Sakura and Salad were the first ones to become Chunin in their versions of Team 7. I’m looking forward to seeing how Salad continues to perform as team captain.

What did you think of ‘Team 7’s Last Mission?!’

Let us know.

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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