English Dub Review: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations “The Dream’s Revelation”

So, I guess ninjas have movie theaters now?

Overview (Spoilers Below)

Boruto and his friends to see an action movie called “The Dream’s Revelation”, and it gets them talking about what they’re going to do to be big damn heroes and stop the chakra spirit problem that’s been infecting their friends. They discuss the matter in depth, and Boruto tries to figure out why he’s the only one who can see the chakra spirits.

Inspired by his recent viewing of “The Dream’s Revelation”, he figures he must be developing the ability to use the Byakugan, since he carries Hyuga blood from his mother, Hinata. After a strange dream where he meets a curious sage-like bringer of darkness, Boruto wakes up and sees his strange black and blue eye that he’s developed. He’s immediately over the moon at the idea and tells his parents that he’s developed the eye-based powers of the Hyuga clan.

Naruto isn’t convinced, but at Boruto’s insistence, they decide to go see Boruto’s grandfather, who should be able to tell if Boruto has the Byakugan. When they get there, his grandpa confirms what Naruto has already suspected, that without the proper training, Boruto can’t possibly have the Byakugan. But, his grandpa decides to test him out the old fashioned way, in a duel, to see what Boruto can really do.

Our Take:

Man, I don’t even know where to begin with this episode in terms of setting. I’ve made my complaints known before about the generic “Japan with magic” setting that the once rich world of “Naruto” has become, but this is just ridiculous. The whole setup to this episode surpasses “Annoying” and has moved on to “Just stupid.” Ninja movies, ninja convenience stores, ninja hamburger joints; everything has become as generic as can be. To compare, I’d like to point out how “Avatar: Legend of Korra” modernized its setting in a world where bending (IE magic) was real. They took the time to make the setting, the city, feel like a real place with all the nuances of a world with magic in it. Boruto doesn’t even try to do that, its completely content to just sit on its ass and expect you to go along with this awkward, boring world that they’ve created.

The plot plays out like little more than an animated “Naruto” fanfiction. Boruto has no strong character of his own and is basically just a copy of Naruto, but instead of being a troubled orphan searching for family, he’s a spoiled brat who doesn’t like that his dad has to do paperwork. I’m not letting this go, I’m never letting this go, but this is a fundamental part of Boruto’s character and the whole point of this episode. After seeing a ninja movie about an really cool ninja, Boruto decides to take matters into his own hands and try to stop the chakra shadows without having to ask for anyone’s help. Of course, this just makes him look like a complete bonehead. As per usual, Boruto’s problems are self-created, so its hard for me to find empathy for his annoying, childish sensibilities.

As for the plot, things move at a slobbish pace. Boruto is caught up in his own problems that lack tension or intensity or any of the fun things that make a show worth watching. A majority of the time you’re just watching a couple people talk about things without really doing anything. And this isn’t a problem exclusive to this episode. The whole series feels small and unimportant; the show has completely failed to draw me into the story in any capacity. I find it hard to imagine people actively interested in what’s going on as anything more than just wanting to see their favorite characters all grown up. And that’s the fanfic-y foundation this show is built on. Without putting in the time to build up its own characters, Boruto can barely function.