ADVANCED REVIEW: ‘Boruto: Naruto Next Generations,’ Volume 10

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Volume 10, which is published by VIZ Media, is written by Ukyō Kodachi, illustrated by Mikio Ikemoto, and translated into English by Mari Morimoto, with touch-up art and lettering by Snir Aharon. In Volume 10, Kawaki tries to adjust to his new life in Konoha. Being Naruto’s pupil, Kawaki aims to leave his association with Kara in the past. However, things take a turn for the worse when Jigen infiltrates the village and goes after him. Naruto is willing to do everything to protect his student and his son, but something about Jigen worries him. Without any hesitation, Naruto, with Sasuke’s help, charges to battle against Jigen, who seems to be harboring a dangerous secret.

Having just watched Naruto fight in the previous volume, I was excited to see him take on Jigen in Volume 10. Though I’m sure that Boruto and the rest of his classmates will have bigger fights as the series goes on, seeing more fast-paced battles is something that I’ve gotten used to. Ikemoto’s art style was a big component in making this fight look incredible. The constant high quality all throughout the fight kept me on the edge of my seat. The art style also helped the fight flow really well and made the emotions of the fight much more impactful. Naruto’s sense of desperation and fighting for the people he wants to protect is a tangible feeling. It will make readers root for him, even when the situation seems dangerous.

One of the most anticipated aspects of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Volume 10 was seeing Kawaki get more integrated into Konoha. From the first few pages of Volume 1, it was clear that Kawaki no longer had any real attachment to the Hidden Leaf Village. With him being Naruto’s pupil, it was exciting to think that Kawaki would eventually be proud to be a citizen of Konoha. However, this was interrupted by Jigen’s invasion. Had Kawaki been given the chance to explore the village and learn more about its history, his fallout with the village in the future would have had a bigger impact on the story overall. It’s understandable that the series wouldn’t want to waste time on these sorts of things, but it could serve as an added layer to explain why Kawaki eventually destroys the village in his fight against Boruto.

With Boruto: Naruto Next Generations currently on its 10th volume, it’s safe to say that readers have gotten acclimated with the story and characters. However, it’s clear that there is a major issue with the pacing of the series and how much is being added into every chapter. In chapters that are mostly dedicated to fights, it makes sense to make them longer. However, with chapters that are very dialogue-heavy or include important information, 30-40 pages seems like a lot for a manga series to dedicate to this. There would be times where it was necessary to go back and re-read chapters to make sure that certain information made sense. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Volume 10 has variation in chapter lengths, which is an improvement, but there could have been more done to fix the pacing.

Even with pacing issues and Kawaki’s time in Konoha being interrupted, I enjoyed reading Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Volume 10. Seeing Naruto take on the leader of such a dangerous organization was great. The artwork elevated the fight to a higher level that will get fans really excited to read. Volume 11 looks to be very promising, especially with how hard nostalgia will hit long-time fans of the Naruto series.

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Volume 10 is set to be released on February 2nd wherever manga are sold.