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Understanding why Kawaki and Boruto’s dynamics cannot surpass the dynamics shared between Naruto and Sasuke
Naruto and Sasuke happen to be one of the most iconic duos in all of anime. They have their flaws, and they might not be the best objectively, but their popularity cannot be ignored.
When it comes to anime sequels, there is always a comparison drawn between the current and previous generation characters. This is bound to happen for many reasons. In this case, Kawaki and Boruto’s dynamic has been compared to the dynamics shared between Naruto and Sasuke.
Naturally, this comparison was bound to happen for two reasons. The first reason is the role that both Boruto and Kawaki play. The second reason is that the Boruto manga is the direct successor of the Naruto series.
The concept of comparing characters is quite normal in the anime and manga spheres. Therefore, one can understand why these four characters and their dynamics have been compared.
However, it is important to note that it isn’t particularly a valid comparison. For starters, the character writing is quite different when we analyze the character. Furthermore, the manga progression has shown a clear divergence in the path that the original series took.
Let’s take a closer look at the characters and understand why this comparison isn’t completely valid.
Naruto and Sasuke’s Goals
Naruto was the protagonist of the series and Sasuke was the deuteragonist. These were their roles on a surface level. When Naruto was young, he viewed Sasuke as a rival. However, Sasuke didn’t reciprocate this during his days in the academy. That slowly changed when Naruto exhibited immense growth as the series progressed.
Their goals played an important role in their growth. Two extremely different events fuelled their goals. Sasuke watched his brother kill his entire clan. Rage consumed him, and he decided to avenge his parents. The theme of revenge showed one character’s approach to progressing in the series.
Meanwhile, Naruto wanted to become the Hokage. The village didn’t treat him well because he was a Jinchuriki. He wanted to prove to everyone that he would become the strongest and most reliable shinobi out there. Their goals were concrete and set in motion quite early in the series.
However, Kawaki and Boruto’s goals weren’t as clearly defined. Boruto wanted to create his own path and not be associated with Naruto. Meanwhile, Isshiki forced Kawaki to train in order to become his vessel. Their goals were rather ambiguous, which also played a role in how they progressed in the manga series.
Naruto vs Boruto: Emotional Content
Sasuke was a prodigy in the Naruto series. However, he had plenty of struggles in his life. Naruto on the other hand was a diamond in the rough who was ostracized. The animanga series portrayed their struggles in a way that emphasized their emotions. The emotional content was always present when their struggles were on display.
Furthermore, Naruto always compared himself to Sasuke and his frustration would never cease. He was deeply saddened by the fact that he could never meet his parents. Kishimoto did a phenomenal job of amplifying the emotional content.
Whereas the Boruto series lacks the necessary punch in this department. Viewers find it hard to connect with the characters since their struggles aren’t portrayed effectively. Kawaki had plenty of opportunity, but the manga and the anime adaptation failed to convey his pain in the way that the successor did.
Teamwork on Display
Both Naruto and Sasuke had plenty of opportunities to showcase their teamwork in the animanga series. We can see this quite early in the series. During their academy days, Sasuke and Naruto were paired on various missions.
One of the earliest missions involved Zabuza and Haku. This mission included some incredible fight sequences and more importantly, it laid a great deal of emphasis on their teamwork. We could see that Sasuke and Naruto were thrust into the cut-throat shinobi world as the two nearly died.
Additionally, their teamwork was vital in keeping the other alive. Therefore, the two characters who once hated each other started to develop a sense of respect for each other. They were the main focus and involved in most missions.
However, the same cannot be said for Boruto and Kawaki. They were on plenty of missions together in the Boruto series. But the frequency was far too low. The likes of Mitsuki and Sarada received a decent amount of screen time, which took away the spotlight from Kawaki.
As the series progressed, Kawaki became more powerful and influenced the plot to a considerable degree. However, he was out for Boruto’s life, and he continues to plot the protagonist’s death in the Two Blue Vortex manga.
Sasuke vs Kawaki: Differences That Change the Complexion of Their Relationship With the Protagonists
The biggest reason why the dynamics cannot be compared between these duos is due to the differences in the deuteragonists. Sasuke and Naruto had their own goals which didn’t involve the other. However, Sasuke went down a darker path and Naruto attempted to help Sasuke out.
There were times when Sasuke intended to kill Naruto. But this was only because Naruto was getting in Sasuke’s way. He wanted to kill his elder brother for wiping out the Uchiha Clan. He resorted to extreme measures and even aided Orochimaru after becoming a fugitive.
On the other hand, Kawaki fully intends on killing Boruto because that’s his goal. Kawaki wishes to safeguard Naruto and the village by getting rid of the protagonist. At the time of writing, the protagonist happens to be a full-fledged Otsutsuki.
This is why Kawaki is quite literally plotting to kill Boruto. Furthermore, Sasuke had a moment of realization and decided to side with the protagonist during the Fourth Great Ninja War. This is completely different from how things are progressing in the Two Blue Vortex manga.
Conclusion
Kawaki and Sasuke play different roles in the respective series, and this changes the dynamics they share with their respective protagonists. Given how each series progressed, each event had a cascading effect that completely changed the deuteragonists’ relationships with the protagonists.
Sasuke and Naruto’s dynamics were far better simply because of how Kishimoto wrote the series. There was plenty of emotional weight in the series which strengthened their bonds. This is where the Boruto series falls short.
Furthermore, Kawaki plays a role that differs from what Sasuke played in the Naruto series. Therefore, it’s almost impossible to draw parallels between these partners. That being said, the Naruto-Sasuke dynamics were far more enjoyable to watch on screen.
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