Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 287

What it Means to Be an Ōtsutsuki

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 287 was a very good episode. Not only are we getting back to the main story of the series. But, we also got some pretty nice art and animation at times.

Right at the start of the episode, though, we see our old friend Isshiki Ōtsutsuki. His spirit appears before Code and directs code on what he should do next. And what I found most interesting about this is that Isshiki doesn’t stand to gain anything. It’s not about reviving himself, it’s about the will of the Ōtsutsuki clan.

At this point, Isshiki can’t revive. He doesn’t have a Karma implanted in anyone. But, gives Code some advice on how to become effectively his replacement. And the first step is for Code to implant a Karma of his own into someone else.

Specifically, Isshiki tells Code to implant his Karma on either Boruto or Kawaki. Why these two? Is it for revenge? To an extent, maybe. But, the real reason is that he knows both Boruto and Kawaki are compatible with Karma. So, the idea is that Code can revive using one of their bodies and become a true Ōtsutsuki.

Then, once he’s done that, Isshiki tasks him with creating a Chakra Tree and sucking the planet dry. After that, he’s to go to other planets and do the same thing until he becomes an ultimate being. This is what being an Ōtsutsuki is all about.

Also, I’d like to point out that Isshiki’s advice solves a major issue. In Episode 1, Kawaki has a Karma. In the present, he does not. So, how do we get back to him having a Karma? Well, it looks like Code is going to implant it in him.

Code’s Claw Marks

I don’t remember if this was mentioned before. But, Code is, apparently, stronger than Jigen. That might have come up in the anime earlier. Or, that could be something I got spoiled on at some point. Either way, Kawaki said it in Episode 287, so I can talk about it.

Personally, I don’t like that Code (and Eida) are stronger than Isshiki. But, I understand why that’s the case. The next “big bad” always has to be bigger and badder. Still, it’s kind of lame for some of the cyborgs created by Amado to be stronger than Isshiki Ōtsutsuki.

For now, though, Code isn’t stronger than Isshiki. Amado put a limiter on his abilities to keep him in check — at Code’s own request. But, Code is now looking for a way to release his limiter. That could involve kidnapping Amado. Or, he could use Eida’s help to do it.

But, what do we know about Code’s abilities right now? Well, we know he has claws. Code can transform his hands into claws. However, what makes these claws special are the marks they leave behind. Code can instantly travel to any person, place, or thing that he’s marked.

Also, as far as we know, there’s no way to remove Code’s claw marks. So, even though the Hidden Leaf found some near the village, they can’t do anything about them. This means, at any time, Code could attack the Leaf Village from any one of a number of claw marks he’s set up.

Once Code removes his limiter, he’s going to be a pretty formidable opponent. I don’t know what other abilities that might unlock. But, considering he can already teleport, any additional buff is going to be strong. I’m not expecting anything crazy like dōjutsu, though.

Relationship Ended with Delta; Now Eida Is My Girlfriend

We’ve been seeing her in the latest OP, and she’s finally here. Eida is the new best girl of the series. It doesn’t matter that we barely know anything about her. All that matters is how she looks (and acts).

I’ve been a fan of girlboss Delta for a long time now. And from the brief interaction we got between Eida and Code, she seems like a girlboss too. But, what makes Eida better than Delta is her design. I like pretty much everything about Eida’s design more than Delta’s.

What do we know about Eida, though? Well, like Code, she’s one of the cyborgs Amado created that was stronger than Isshiki. So, already, we know Eida isn’t someone we should take lightly. However, I’m not sure that she’s actually a combatant like Code. We’re told that Eida knows everything — could that be her strength instead?

Even if Eida couldn’t physically defeat Isshiki, she may have been too smart. Her knowledge may have been what threatened Isshiki. And if that’s the case, I’m looking forward to seeing how she uses that knowledge going forward. She seems way more interesting than Code.

Something else to keep in mind is that Boro was supposed to destroy Eida at Isshiki’s instruction. We don’t know what Boro was planning by doing this, but he disobeyed Isshiki and preserved her, instead. I’m bringing this up because Kawaki mentioned that there were multiple cyborgs destroyed.

If Boro didn’t destroy Eida, then what about the others? Based on the OP, I’m going to assume there’s at least one other that survived. In the OP, we see a young boy(?) with green hair alongside Code and Eida. And he also looks like he might have some kind of dōjutsu.

Conclusion

What do you think about Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 287? Were you surprised Isshiki cared about the future of the Ōtsutsuki clan even if he can’t be part of it? Do you like Code’s claw mark ability? And does Eida have your favorite female character design of the series? Let me know in the comments.

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My review of Episode 288 is available now.