Boruto: Naruto Next Generations 1×275 Review – “Into the Sky Again”

Boruto anime Episode 275, ‘Into the Sky Again’, offered a nice little conclusion regarding Tsuzura’s relationship with his mother Mozu. It also introduced viewers to a new mini-arc… and a particular scene had me shooketh!

‘Into the Sky Again’ gave us more details about Mozu and why she’s so into capturing and selling rare animals. We got a flashback featuring a young Mozu living a very boring life. No one paid her any attention. People didn’t even realize her absence when she got lost in a forest. Trying to find her way home and survive, Mozu encountered a very helpful marten. She eventually found her way back and everyone paid her the attention she craved because it turned out that the marten she found was very rare. 

As far as Mozu’s concerned, her life changed for the better due to rare animals and that’s what led her to run her current business. I really liked the scene where Tsuzura asked Mozu about what happened to the marten that helped her and she casually replied that because she wanted to keep the fate-changing marten close to her, she ended up making it into the scarf that we have seen her always wear.  

Mozu’s a very different villain compared to what our protagonists have encountered before. I liked seeing how Talk-No Jutsu didn’t work on her. Even when Tsuzura tried to make his mother not sell Yuki off to a buyer (who was interested in taxidermy), Mozu didn’t listen. She wants to continue selling rare animals and forcing her son to change his animal-loving ways.

Seeing her order the head of security to let his vicious wolf chase after her own son, and even bite her son’s leg if necessary, was hardcore. Mozu’s not playing! I really enjoy seeing villains that are so set in their ways that no amount of reasoning from the good guys sways them.

Due to Sasuke not being able to end Mozu’s reign without causing problems for Konoha, I liked how he handled the situation in terms she understood. He offered a deal she couldn’t refuse. Sasuke’s Senri hawk in exchange for Mozu releasing Tsuzura and Yuki!

I have to tell you all that seeing Sasuke give away his new hawk in such a manner really surprised me. Not only that but seeing the hawk collapse due to stress inside the cage had me shooketh! I really thought that the writers were going for a dark vibe to teach Boruto a lesson about sacrifice.

However, fortunately, it was revealed that Sasuke had put the Senri hawk under Genjutsu. Having the hawk collapse only to get back up and wreak havoc inside Mozu’s place of business was all part of Sasuke’s plan. Mozu couldn’t arrest a hawk. So, Sasuke used the hawk to activate the defense systems and have those weapons break the cages of the captured animals.

Even after losing all her animals and getting injured in the process, Mozu still didn’t see the error in her ways. According to Sasuke, she was going to find a way to come after him and that’s why he wasn’t going to lead her back to Konoha. Boruto would need to make the journey home by himself. The scene where the head of security finally recognized Sasuke Uchiha as an iconic ninja and realized he wasn’t to be messed with was nice.

The final interaction between Sasuke and Boruto confirmed that Sasuke was going to try and track down Code. Why he didn’t do so sooner? Well, let’s chalk it down to… plot!

As for Boruto asking if Salad knew about Sasuke going away on a long journey… in my opinion, that entire scene could have been handled better. Sasuke simply stating that Salad and Sakura were capable of understanding why he’s unable to return made him come across as someone who took his loving family for granted. Seeing Boruto idolize such a version of Sasuke doesn’t sit well with me.

I think the anime writers could have had Sasuke tell Boruto he had already sent his new Senri hawk to Konoha to let his family know.

Backing up a bit, an earlier interaction had Sasuke tell Boruto he was against implementing his own sense of justice to help Tsuzura. Sasuke didn’t go into details about his past, but the audience’s aware that Sasuke’s come a long way from the revenge-hungry young ninja he used to be.

Sasuke was also able to relate to the struggle being experienced by Tsuzura and Boruto. Sasuke was right when he said that lots of children inhibit their true desires because they are expected to follow the path their parents had already set for them.

As for Tsuzura’s future, now that he’s free, I liked how Sasuke and Boruto decided to leave him with Maruta as his assistant. Tsuzura will finally be able to experience the world without his mother breathing down his neck. While I’m happy for him, in a sense, Maruta lived near Rakuen. So, what’s stopping Mozu from barging into Maruta’s home and taking Tsuzura away? I guess, the anime wants us to assume that Tsuzura will be okay.

The ending moments of ‘Into the Sky Again’ did an awesome job of setting the next arc. With Boruto sleeping on the train back to Konoha, it mysteriously changed tracks and headed into a tunnel. Boruto and the rest of the passengers then woke up inside some kind of medical-looking facility. From the look of things, the upcoming episodes are going to be intense. Boruto will need to face a whole lot of trouble without being able to rely on Team 7.

It’s clear that the next arc is basically going to be Boruto participating in the Squid Game and I’m here for it!

You know Boruto will try and make friends and have everyone work together. However, he will be forced to make tough choices to ensure his survival and not everyone will be interested in working as a team. It’s going to be fun!

My fan theory is that Sasuke did send a Senri hawk to Konoha and with Boruto not being back when he was supposed to, Salad and Mitsuki will grow worried and set out to search for him. But let’s see what happens.

What did you think of ‘Into the Sky Again’?

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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