Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 243

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 243

The Funato’s Secret Plan

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 243 was a pretty boring episode. This Funato pirates arc hasn’t been the most exciting, and Episode 243 is probably the worst episode of the arc so far. But, there’s still plenty to discuss.

First up, we have the Funato’s secret plan, which was written on a piece of paper and extremely simple to decipher. The paper was folded very deliberately to create creases in a diagonal pattern. Along those creases, individual words were written.

Common sense would tell you that the creases in the paper are a clue as to how to decipher the message. After first reading all the words and copying them down onto a separate paper, folding the original paper along the creases should be an obvious second step.

Kagura decoding the Funato message from the anime series Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 243
Kagura decoding the Funato message

For some reason, though, this was a bit too complex for Kagura and the Leaf Shinobi to figure out. It was only after Iwabe said the paper was probably just origami practice that Kagura thought to pay more attention to how the paper had been folded.

Anyway, once decoded, the message says that the naval war the Funato are waging against the Land of Water is actually just a distraction. While the Land of Water’s forces are concentrated on the battle at sea, an elite squad of the Funato will attack the Hidden Mist Village via an overland route.

We later learn that this elite squad is led by Seiren’s right-hand man, whose name we still don’t know. I guess that implies that Seiren was originally going to be the one leading this attack. And, that makes sense considering her black mist jutsu would help with a sneak attack.

Kagura’s Childhood

There’s a lone village on the path the Funato’s overland attack is going to take on its way to the Hidden Mist Village. This is where Kagura, Buntan, Kyouho, Hebiichigo, and the Leaf shinobi plan to hold out. If they can stop the Funato’s forces here, the Hidden Mist Village will be saved.

Kagura knew about the existence of this village because it’s actually where he grew up. As a child, Kagura was shunned by the people of the Hidden Mist Village because of his relation to Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage and jinchūriki of the Three-Tails.

It might be tempting to assume that the reason for Kagura’s hard childhood was the same as Naruto’s. But, that’s not really the case. Naruto was shunned by the people of the Hidden Leaf Village because they feared the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed inside him and blamed him for the destruction it caused.

Kagura's childhood village from the anime series Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 243
Kagura’s childhood village

The first difference here is that Kagura himself wasn’t the jinchūriki of a tailed beast. So he wasn’t feared in the same way Naruto was. Instead, Kagura was hated by the people of the Hidden Mist Village because the village was known as the Blood Mist Village under his grandfather.

Yagura was feared as the ruthless leader of the Blood Mist Village. And so, naturally, the people who remember that dark time in the village’s history have a hatred for anyone related to Yagura. But, Yagura’s bad reputation isn’t entirely his own fault.

Yes, he was the leader of the Blood Mist Village. However, he wasn’t the one who started it. He grew up within that environment himself. And later on, he was actually being controlled by Obito Uchiha.

Thanks to the friends Kagura made in this small village, he was able to begin moving past his connection to Yagura of the Blood Mist Village.

Freedom or Death

Two weeks ago, in Episode 241, Hebiichigo decided to betray and kill Kagura after learning that her sentence would only be reduced by 3 years upon the completion of her mission. Buntan and Kyouho were disappointed but opted not to join Hebiichigo’s plot.

As we know, Hebiichigo’s assassination attempt failed, but Kagura allowed her to stay as a member of the group. Now, Kagura’s requesting Buntan, Kyouho, and Hebiichigo to continue fighting on behalf of the Hidden Mist Village against the Funato. But, Buntan says that none of them will be helping without their deals being renegotiated first.

We don’t know how long these three were originally sentenced to prison. However, considering the fact that they think cutting their sentences down by 3 years isn’t worth their effort, it must be a considerable length of time. If they’re going to continue helping, Buntan demands that their sentences be commuted entirely.

Buntan of the New Seven Ninja Swordsmen from the anime series Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 243
Buntan of the New Seven Ninja Swordsmen

I could be wrong about who said this, but I believe it was Hebiichigo who said risking her life wasn’t worth anything less than a full commutation of her sentence. I don’t know about you, but that kind of seems like a death flag to me.

It should also be mentioned that we got scenes humanizing both Hebiichigo and Kyouho. Hebiichigo repaired Metal Lee’s torn clothing and talked about how she enjoys sewing. And Kyouho was accepted by members of Kagura’s village despite his appearance.

Buntan didn’t get a similar scene. But, based on the next episode preview, it may only be a matter of time. If any of these three are going to die in this arc, I hope it’s not Buntan. She’s really the only good member of the New Seven Ninja Swordsmen.

Conclusion

What do you think of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 243? Was the way to decipher the Funato’s secret message obvious? Do you think Kagura and the gang will be able to stop the Funato’s advance? And, do you expect any of the New Seven Ninja Swordsmen to die in this arc? Let me know in the comments.

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My review of Episode 244 is available now.

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