“Boruto: Naruto Next Generations” Manga Issue 68 Review: Scar

Boruto manga chapter 68, titled ‘Scar’, had a bunch of unexpected developments. Due to how the chapter ended, the next installment is going to be awesome!

After the battle that occurred in Boruto manga issue 67, I thought ‘Scar’ was going to offer our heroes a bit of a rest. I really thought this month’s chapter was going to serve as a cool-down period before amping up the action in the upcoming installments. But I was wrong. A number of things happened and I think we should get ready for an all-out battle!

‘Scar’ opened with Boruto telling Amado, Sai, and Katasuke about how he was resurrected by Momoshiki. Even though the latest chapter was enjoyable, I have to say that the opening panels felt like filler. A bunch of pages gave us information that we already knew. We know that Momoshiki can’t resurrect himself anymore. We know that Boruto seems to have more control over the Karma Mark and is better suited to prevent Momoshiki from taking over his body. That’s why that specific conversation between the characters felt like a waste of manga panels to me.

With Boruto talking to Amado, Sai, and Katasuke, we cut to Shikamaru, Naruto, Sumire, and Ibiki looking at an unconscious Kawaki. Turns out, he expended a whole lot of chakra and was still unconscious. At least, his body was healing itself due to the nanobots in his bloodstream.

Shikamaru was understandably concerned about how to handle Kawaki when he woke up. The Hidden Leaf Village wasn’t powerful enough to contain Kawaki’s powers. Kawaki did say that he wouldn’t cause any trouble as long as Naruto stayed safe, but what did he actually mean by that? Kawaki didn’t hesitate to kill Boruto in front of Naruto and Shikamaru. And news about Kawaki’s Karma Mark, and his attitude, was also going to reach the other Kages soon enough.

I’m definitely looking forward to politics that will be involved with regard to Kawaki’s presence in Konoha. Naruto did say that he will have a serious conversation with Kawaki when he regained consciousness. Due to his nature, Naruto will be against anyone being killed by Kawaki just because they posed a threat to Naruto. Fans know that Naruto’s more of a Talk No-Jutsu kind of guy. He wants to resolve issues peacefully. Such an approach directly contradicted Kawaki’s motives of murdering anyone who even looked at Naruto wrong.

‘Scar’ also had Boruto talk to Salad and Mitsuki about what happened. Of course, his two friends were worried about him. Boruto was now a walking target for Code, who could pop up anytime to kidnap Boruto and feed him to the ten-tails.

A thing that I didn’t like during Boruto’s interaction with Salad and Mitsuki was Boruto following Shikamaru’s orders to not tell them that it was Kawaki who had killed him. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think Boruto should be keeping anything secret from his friends who also happen to be his teammates. I liked how Mitsuki seemed suspicious of Boruto’s lie about how it was Code who had killed him.

Speaking of secrets, Sasuke came back to Konoha and revealed a whole lot about Code’s hideout to Shikamaru. Sasuke even knew about Code’s associate named Bug and where the hideout was located. Wow. He’s been keeping busy!

As for Code, Eida, and Daemon (still present inside the hideout), I liked how Eida didn’t mince words when it came to what she thought of Code. As far as she’s concerned, Code was a tool she needed to use to get to Kawaki. If he failed to produce results or served as any kind of hindrance, she and Daemon won’t hesitate to dispose of him. Unlike how the Akatsuki operated during the Naruto era, Code, Daemon, and Eida weren’t an actual team. Such a dynamic can be used to introduce some interesting plot developments down the line for the good and the bad guys.

Eida’s not a fan of Code’s impatience and grandstanding. He really annoyed her during the previous battle and nearly got himself killed. He even decided to act rashly when Shikamaru went to confront Amado in ‘Scar’, much to Eida’s displeasure.

I think the entire fandom knew Code had placed a mark on Shikamaru, Kawaki, or Boruto after the last battle. That’s why the reveal that it was Shikamaru who had a Claw Mark on the back of his neck didn’t come across as much of a surprise. What did come as a surprise, however, was Shikamaru revealing that he knew about the Claw Mark and that he was actually counting on using it to lure Code during Shikmaru’s conversation with Amado.

According to Shikamaru’s plan, he knew that Code couldn’t resist teleporting to Konoha if Shikamaru went to meet Amado without any guards around. Code fell right into Shikamaru’s trap and got to encounter a reprogrammed Delta. Kudos to fans who had theorized that the mysterious cyborg Amado was working on to protect Konoha was Delta.

However, Shikamaru’s plan hit a bit of a rough spot when Code decide to teleport Eida from one of his Claw Marks. I loved the look of dread on Amado’s face when he set his eyes on Eida. I hope the upcoming chapter gave us more information about Eida’s backstory. She clearly hated Amado for turning her into a cyborg.

At this point, I don’t know how the upcoming fight will go. Delta said she couldn’t use her destructive eyebeams because they would harm the village. Naruto and Sasuke also couldn’t go out. I mean, our heroes have to try and take the fight outside the village, right? I think it could be done if they take Amado away and force Code and Eida to follow them.

However, Eida’s got the ability to make anyone who wasn’t an Otsutsuki fall in love with her and do her bidding. Can Naruto and Sasuke counter such an ability? I don’t know. My mind is trying to come up with possible battle strategies and that’s one of the things I love about the Naruto/Boruto franchise.

Other thoughts and questions:

• Yes, to Shikamaru confronting Amado over being shady and having a suspicious interest in Kawaki’s Karma Mark.
• Here’s hoping Salad and Mitsuki play some kind of role in the upcoming battle. The two young ninjas have been sidelined for way too long.
• Due to Eida’s Senrigan not being able to see conversations occurring in the spiritual plane, is it safe to assume she also can’t hear telepathic conversations the Konoha ninjas have due to Ino telepathically linking everyone? Such a weakness could prove useful when facing Eida.
• Doesn’t Amado have some kind of command he can use to turn off Code, Eida, and Daemon? He previously did it to Delta. Hmmm.

What did you think of ‘Scar’?

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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