Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 282

Sasuke’s Story: Infiltration

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 282 begins the Sasuke’s Story arc. Sasuke’s Story is a spin-off manga that only began serialization in October of 2022. You may also know it as Sasuke Retsuden. And, while Sasuke is the titular character of the arc, it also prominently features Sakura.

Something else important to note about this arc is that it doesn’t take place in the present. The episode starts off in the present with Sasuke and his new hawk heading to the Land of Redaku. This is where he’s going after he and Boruto split up and Boruto found himself in Ouga’s maze.

But, we then shift into a flashback for the main content of the arc. It’s about the first time Sasuke visited the Land of Redaku when he went in search of a treatment for Naruto. According to legend, this is where the Sage of Six Paths went for treatment.

As it turns out, there are 2 independent investigations going on in the Land of Redaku. First, Kakashi was sent there to see if he could gain access to the nation’s library. To do this, he became the prince’s tutor. But this is a quick way to get the information the Leaf wants.

And so, Sasuke decides to take matters into his own hands. He travels to the Land of Redaku and infiltrates a prison camp at an observatory. The observatory is where the country holds a number of important historical documents.

Before I wrap up this section, I want to bring up the fact that this arc takes place in the past once again. I may have missed it, but I don’t think we know exactly when this arc takes place. If it’s after the Isshiki fight, then Sasuke doesn’t have his Rinnegan.

Welcome to Jurassic Prison

The most notable feature of the observatory prison camp is the dinosaur that guards it. That’s right, there’s a literal dinosaur that kills anyone who tries to escape. Well, they call it a “dragon beast,” but we all know it’s a dinosaur.

Upon seeing the dinosaur, named Meno, Sasuke even comments that they should be extinct. So, he’s well aware of what he’s looking at. But, he then needs to start rationalizing what he’s seeing. If this really is a dinosaur, how did it come to be here? The most likely answer is that it’s a summon animal of some kind.

However, he also mentions that something still doesn’t add up if Meno is a summon. Whoever summoned him would have to have an immense amount of chakra to keep him around 24/7. Usually, summons don’t stick around for too long because of this limitation.

During his fight against Meno, Sasuke inflicts some pretty server wounds. For example, he cuts the fingers off one of Meno’s hands. But, when he sees Meno the next day, the wounds are gone. So, what’s going on here? Even if Meno was a summon, his wounds shouldn’t disappear.

My theory is that Meno isn’t a summon animal at all. Instead, what we’re seeing is something out of Jurassic Park. Look at what the prisoners are doing out in the “yard.” They’re digging with pick-axes. And we even see one using a brush to clean off rocks. It looks like an archaeological dig.

It wouldn’t surprise me if we find out Zansul is somehow reviving dinosaurs from fossils. At the end of the episode, we learn that he has some robotic body parts. So, it’s not impossible that he has some other futuristic technologies, as well.

Zansul the Outer?

Alright, let’s talk about Zansul, the obvious antagonist of the arc. He’s the warden of the prison. And, as we learn, he has robotic eyes. This detail is important for two reasons. First, it means he’s immune to Sasuke’s Sharingan genjutsu.

And second, it means he has access to advanced technology. Who has the most advanced technology around? Kara. Delta, Code, and Boro were all cyborgs. And Koji Kashin was a clone of Jiraiya. But, Kara’s technology use extends beyond the Inners. Even Outers like Ao benefited from their advancements.

To me, it seems very likely that Zansul has some sort of connection to Kara. But, I don’t think he’s another secret Inner like Ouga. One secret Inner is enough. Introducing another in the very next arc would be lame. So, my assumption is that Zansul is an Outer.

Really, Zansul’s technology is the only reason I think he’s an Outer. There’s no other information pointing to that being the case. And it’s unclear how he would be benefitting Kara in his current position. The other Outers were sent out on missions for Kara. Because of his position at the prison, they can’t use Zansul this way.

So, what if he’s not associated with Kara in any way? Well, then I guess Zansul is the one creating this technology on his own. There’s also still the question of “why?” Why does he have robotic eyes? And why does he use a dinosaur to guard the prison?

It also seems that Zansul knows who Sasuke is. He knows Sasuke can use genjutsu with his eyes. And you’d have to imagine he recognizes the Sharingan considering how famous it is. But if this is the case, why doesn’t he seem concerned that Sasuke is there?

Conclusion

What do you think of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 282? Have you read any of the Sasuke Retsuden manga? How do you think Meno the dinosaur came to be? And, do you think Zansul is a member of Kara? Let me know in the comments.

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My review of Episode 283 is available now.