Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 285

Sakura’s Chakra Ring

In Boruto Episode 285, we learned something interesting about Sakura’s ring. In my review of Episode 283, I had some questions regarding how Sasuke came to be in possession of the ring. Where did he get the ruby from? And how did he make the ring?

Well, it seems like we now have the answers to those questions. It turns out that it’s made of chakra. During their romantic scene by the lake, Sasuke asks Sakura if she’d like a real ring — one not made of chakra.

So, why is this piece of information worth talking about? It seems like the ring is another example of Sasuke using Earth Release. He used Earth Release to manufacture a key to Zansul’s cellar in Episode 284. And in that review, I mentioned how we don’t see Sasuke use Earth Release very often.

But, if Sasuke made both the ruby and ring out of chakra, that would mean he used more Earth Release. He probably made the ring using the same method we saw him use to make the key. However, the ruby is a bit of a mystery.

You can use chakra to make crystals, like rubies. But, we’ve only seen one person who was able to do this before. That’s Guren, the Crystal Release user from Naruto: Shippūden Episode 89. Crystal Release is a kekkei genkai we assume is related to Earth Release. And as far as we know, Sasuke doesn’t have that kekkei genkai.

But, why am I assuming the ruby itself is fake? Couldn’t it just be the ring that he used jutsu to create? Think back to Episode 282 when Sasuke gambled the ruby against his cellmates. It was too convenient for it to be real.

Where the Sky Fell to Earth

In Episode 285, Sasuke and Sakura discover the location of the Ultra Particles. And, honestly, the location wasn’t much of a surprise. On the outskirts of the prison, there’s a crater filled with water. This fits the description of where the Ultra Particles should be in 2 ways.

First, there’s the fact that a meteor created the crater. A meteor crashing into the ground is like if the sky were to fall to Earth. Second, there’s the reflection of the sky in the lake created by the crater. It’s as if the sky is on Earth.

Despite how obvious that stuff is, I get why it took Sasuke and Sakura so long to figure it out. They didn’t know there was a crater nearby. If they did, they probably could have connected the dots sooner.

Finding the location of the Ultra Particles is only one half of the puzzle, though. They also needed to figure out how to actually get their hands on the Ultra Particles that had been sealed away. Luckily, while Sasuke found the location, Sakura found how to unseal the particles. Now that’s teamwork.

It turns out, you have to perform a specific set of hand seals while at the crater to unseal the particles. The 12 most common hand seals get their names from the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac. I went through them briefly in my review of Episode 269, if you need a refresher.

But, how do you know which hand signs to perform and in which order? The Star Lines card game has the answer. In Star Lines, there are six cards that make up the earth hand. Performing the hand signs associated with these six cards is the key.

Zansul’s Army of Dragon Beasts

In previous reviews from this arc, I’ve been using the term dinosaurs instead of dragon beasts. That’s because the only dragon beasts we knew of looked like Meno, who’s a dinosaur. But, that’s no longer the case. Not all dragon beasts are dinosaurs.

Here’s your biology fact for the day: Pterosaurs aren’t dinosaurs. Those are two, completely different categories of reptiles. So, from here on out, I’m going to use the term dragon beasts to refer to them all as a group.

With that said, I do still want to go over the various dinosaurs within the dragon beast group. We see some raptors, like Meno. There are also larger, carnivorous therapods (think T-Rex). And there’s a pachycephalosaurus that gets decked by Sakura. At the end of the episode, we see an absolutely massive sauropod emerge from the ground.

Now, how was Zansul able to revive these dragon beasts? First, he needed fossils excavated by the prisoners (as I predicted). Then, he fed apricots from the surrounding area to chickens. These apricots absorbed the Ultra Particles from the nearby crater. And finally, he relied on Jiji’s jutsu to activate these ultra particles.

It’s still a bit unclear how exactly this all works. In Episode 284, we clearly see a chicken transforming into a dragon beast. But, Sasuke likens how Zansul is reviving dragon beasts to the reanimation jutsu. The reanimation jutsu requires using a sacrifice as a vessel — not transformation.

Either way, there’s the question of whether Zansul’s actions are ethical. Sasuke believes that not only is it unethical, but it’s also illegal. However, I don’t see it the same way. Zansul isn’t sacrificing people. And I don’t think reviving an extinct animal is the same as bringing a dead person back.

Conclusion

What do you think of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 285? Does this episode confirm Sasuke has the Crystal Release kekkei genkai? Did you figure out the Ultra Particle riddle before Sasuke and Sakura? And, is reviving dragon beasts ethical? Let me know in the comments.

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My review of Episode 286 is available now.