Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 29 Review

If you've been dying for me to drink a slightly too-strong cocktail before doing a chapter review, this is your lucky night!

Cover

Look at this teenage fuckboy with his new 'fit!

Wait, let's actually look at him. Boruto's updated clothing predicts his fighting style in the chapter, a mix of his father and Sasuke that he's managed to make his own. Take a good look at his new jacket and pants combo, a black and pink combination with a flashy collar, not dissimilar to his father's time-skip design if it were zipped up. But the exposed chest, the white dress shirt, Sasuke's upgraded sword and scabbard? That's all his master. At the same time, Boruto keeps the pins that represent the things he holds close to his heart, symbols representing his own name, his sister, his brother, his village. Even his new jacket is emblazoned with a symbol that represents himself.

*Record scratch*

I just want to talk about Boruto's bolt symbol for a moment as well as another symbol, the Kara symbol that Kawaki still wears on his own clothing.

From a visual perspective, this is the first time it's occurring to me how similar Boruto's bolt and the Kara symbol look. Yes, Boruto's is geometric, representing a bold head with a washer beneath it while Kawaki's is rounded, but they're still fundamentally alike, a shape atop, a space in between, a sliver beneath. What's different about them is what they represent.

Boruto is asserting his identity, his name, the one his parents' gave him. Early in on the series, the bolt symbol seemed a rejection of his Uzumaki heritage, a declaration that Boruto was an individual who refused to stand in his father's shadow. After the Omnipotence switch, however, the same symbol feels like he's embracing his identity, his connection to himself, a constant reminder of who he was, who he still is, and the values he holds dear.

Unlike Boruto, Kawaki doesn't wear a symbol that represents his identity to himself. Like Jigen, the Kara symbol on his clothing marks him as a vessel, a person whose only purpose was to serve as a body for the reincarnation of an Otsutsuki god. Despite the organization's destruction three years ago, Kawaki still identifies himself not by who he thinks he is, but through what others wanted to use him for. He fundamentally views himself in the same light, a tool, a weapon, a person undeserving of personhood.

I think I might cry.

Let's talk about some previous covers!

I must admit, I was a bit of a skeptic of the too-many-Borutos approach to chapter covers, but I'm starting to see the vision. (Yes, I know he's the fucking mc, and he's going to appear a lot. Lay off.) We're presented with the evolution of Boruto in Two Blue Vortex, his development or his descent, depending on how you view the story's progress. We can track the addition of the pin representing Kawaki (either the word brother or a taiyaki treat) that appears after their alliance, we track the changes in his master's sword after Sumire's upgrade. In recent covers, he's shed his cape, the scar where his human heart once was exposed more and more.

The background is fascinating. The color of the backgrounds in previous colors as referencing his appearance, the yellow background flecked with blue representing his Uzumaki hair and eyes, the purple streaks matching his purple cape, the blue galactic supernova behind him during the Jura fight complementing his new blue dress shirt.

This cover is far different, a mottled, dried-blood red background behind Boruto, reclaiming his original pink and black color scheme. This isn't the Uchiha red, the color of Sarada's outfits. It's a rusty red, a color of violence that's visually at war with the rose pink accents on his new jacket.

There's many ways for us to interpret this shocking background. Is it meant to represent the battle ahead, upgraded Boruto and Kawaki laying waste to their enemies? Is it foretelling a dark future, one in which Shikamaru's secret op's team won't be able to complete their mission without paying a hefty toll? Or is it a harbinger of the future, the ultimate result with Boruto's deal-with-the-devil that he makes with Momoshiki?

Well, that was cheerful! Speaking of our boy Momo...

And Whatever Else You Want

The chapter opens with a flashback to the deal Boruto made with Momoshiki in exchange for access to his power and abilities. Much fandom speculation arose around the idea that Boruto must be hiding something, a trick or plan to ensure that he truly isn't planning on giving his body over to this homicidal alien; however, Momoshiki confirms that Boruto's thoughts are his thoughts and vice versa. They're unable to hide their true intentions from one another, ergo it seems as though Boruto's plan is to use Momo's power to defeat the Shinju threatening the planet, then allow Kawaki to slaughter him after Momoshiki has taken over.

Momoshiki's reaction to the idea that Kawaki will be able to kill him is essentially, "lol that fatherless bum?"

A little factoid that Boruto lets slip is that the Shinju are "enemies to us both," implying that there's some not-yet-revealed history between the Otsutsuki and the Shinju that Boruto is aware of, either though Koji's visions or Momoshiki's own thoughts.

Momo's declaration to Boruto to "Go out there and destroy our foes!" feels eerily like TBV's version of NNG's "Switch with me, boy." Momo recognizes Boruto as a worthy adversary to take on the Shinju threat. All he needs is some additional weapons in his already lethal arsenal.

The Ballad of the Suicide Boys

I used to be a dead guy
Now I'm a fucking Jedi
And I've got lots of news for you
And I've got a long list of things to do

-AJJ, The Gift of the Magi 2: Return of the Magi

Sorry about that.

I was thinking about how Boruto's plan is to use Momoshiki for power, then give Kawaki the gift of killing him, not fully aware that Kawaki is already trading his life for the power to kill the Shinji, Code, and Boruto. It got me thinking about the O'Henry story, The Gift of the Magi, which got me to thinking about the AJJ song The Gift of the Magi 2: Return of the Magi, so I pulled up the lyrics and, lo and behold, they're singing about Boruto.

I warned you that I had a cocktail, didn't I?

I keep thinking how similar Kawaki and Boruto's paths are in TBV, how both of them strike deals with their antagonists to grant wishes in exchange for power. Both brothers run the risk of losing their lives, Kawaki because his body is unable to take the stress of Amado's upgrades, Boruto because he's quite literally offering up his body to Momoshiki. If we take Boruto at his word, as Momoshiki does, their aims are similar: Kill the Shinju (and Code, for Kawaki), then end Boruto's life.

I'm not sure if this is actually Boruto's intent. At the end of NNG, he declared that he wouldn't let their conflict devolve into brother killing brother, and I don't think he plans to have his parents return to a world in which Kawaki has killed him, regardless of whether he's nothing but a flesh suit for Momoshiki. But the fact remains, both of them are making dangerous deals for power, taking them beyond the level of mere humans to keep the planet safe.

Ikemoto's Time to Shine

Ikemoto shines as a shonen mangaka in this chapter, depicting complex battles in stunning, dynamic panels. Though I lament this chapter being low on content, it's a visual feast for the eyes. As much as he's showcasing Boruto and Kawaki's abilities, he's showboating as an artist, giving this chapter all he has.

A few stunning panels from each of our boys:

I want to return to what I said earlier about Boruto's outfit, about the symbols Kawaki and Boruto use to represent themselves.

Wise writing advice that's often doled out like Smarties during Halloween states that in writing, fights (and sex!) should be a vehicle for storytelling. There's a counterpoint that we should just be allowed to enjoy fights because they're cool (and sex because it's sexy), but I find that Ikemoto is engaging in some high-level character exploration in this chapter.

When we see Boruto pulling out all the stops, even with Momo's boost, we see the story of his life told through his fighting style: His Flying Raijin technique, named after his grandfather's signature jutsu; his father's Rasengan; the sword he inherited from his master and the impeccable shuriken jutsu he was taught by Sasuke in the first arc; his mother's Byakugan, the very genetic composition that made him an ideal vessel for Momoshiki's karma. Boruto's bonds are written into his every slash and strike.

By comparison, Kawaki is relies on his scientific ninja enhancements, the techniques he learned when being brutally trained by Jigen, and Isshiki's Otsutsuki abilities. If we think back to Boruto and Kawaki's initial alliance in TBV, Boruto said it would have been ideal for him to release Naruto from daikokuten and be trained by him. I expect we would have seen a radically different fighting style had that taken place. Completely absent is any of the ninjutsu training he received in NNG, his fire-style techniques and shadow clone jutsu. He relies on sheer power rather than shinobi tactics.

We Gotta Talk about Mamushi's Leotard

I've been fascinated (or horrified) by Mamushi's one-piece/leotard ever since its full reveal last chapter. If you haven't seen gyn01d.bsky.social's fan art of him in a bikini, please do. It's mad genius.

But here's what's been bugging me about Mamushi's fashion situation: we know he wants Eida's superior genetics, we know he conceived of that thought while looking at pictures of scantily-clad women in bikinis in a girlie magazine. I've often read his behavior as icky patriarchy-coded, but is it also possible that he wants to be Eida?

There's something about the deliberate swimsuit-like fashion choice combined with the bikini picture that screams his true desire is to be beautiful, not the horrific Shinju creature he is or the sniveling, toothless alcoholic that Bug had been. Perhaps his desire for her genetics is the desire to upgrade himself into a form he finds desirable, represented already by the ill-fitting garment he's been hiding beneath his full-body fuzzy loincloth.

Team Konoha in Hot Water

During the battle, Shikamaru sits in his office, orchestrating tactics to most efficiently deploy the members of his op with the intel supplied by Inojin. But that's about to get a lot harder, thanks to the Daimyo's chief advisor, Kobu.

After Boruto and Kawaki dispatch of two infestations of Mamushi, the scene changes from the battle on the streets to the battle in the interrogation room, Kobu informing Mitsuki that he knows he was the one who freed Boruto despite being unaware of the code to unlock Amado's sealing jutsu cuffs. Konohamaru puts two and two together, realizing that the truth is going to come out sooner or later that Shikamaru is the one who ordered Mitsuki to assist his sun.

Bless Konohamaru, but he probably should have allowed the sneakiest member of Team 7 to handle Kobu. Instead, their genin sensei returns to the room and informs the interrogator that he forgot to set the code on the cuffs, leading to Boruto's escape... and he also forgot to tell Kobu that during his interview.

Kobu's response? "Nice lie, liar. Bring me the Hokage."

Sai is running his own investigation at the same time, keeping his suspicions close to his chest as he informs Shikamaru that the barrier team as reported sightings of Shinju individuals and the criminal Boruto. With a major I'm-not-impressed face, Sai informs the Hokage that he's deploying the police force to those locations as though they're any match for a hoard of Mamushi and Boruto. Shikamaru plays along, requesting that Sai tell Kobu to release Mitsuki because the village is under a state of emergency.

Everyone, Sai is totally on to you. The question remains: What is he going to do about it? Is Lord Ninth going to be a Yamanaka?

The Other Uzumaki and Team 10

Mamushi's lessened numbers increase his intelligence enough to come up with a strategy: gather in a high-traffic area and search for Eida. His chosen location is a cafe, perhaps the one where we saw Eida sipping an iced beverage when Mamushi first claimed her as his target. Unfortunately for our creepy Shinju, the Senrigan-wielding beauty is nowhere to be seen. What he does see however, is the sole of Himawari's sandal when she kicks him in the face.

I feel as though this chapter is very focused on the three Uzumaki siblings, giving us each a taste of their potential. And it's clear that even with Kurama's presence, Himawari is head and shoulders behind her brothers.

I'm not crapping on Hima here! Both boys are deploying Karma, allowing them to access centuries of Otsutsuki battle experience while she's just a genin who has been working with Team 10. Yes, she's powerful, but she lacks the skills, training, and buffs of the other two... which might spell disaster.

For now, she is safe, landing on the ground with Shikadai and ChoCho, who deploy a Team 10 coordinated attack of Casting Net Shadow Paralysis Justsu followed by ChoCho SMASH to finish off that particular swarm of Mamushi.

In Koji and Boruto's hideout, Inojin cheers on his team for their success. Behind him, Koji pensively stares ahead, wielding a "..." as deadly as Kabuto with a scalpel.

The ending text not included in the English version reads: "While the number of Mamushi is decreasing thanks to everyone’s relentless fighting, Kashin Koji does not seem pleased about it."

Excuse Me, Koji

What is displeasing Mr. Jiraiya-clone about the battle thus far?

• Is another death on the horizon? Perhaps Himawari's, as she was the last character the chapter focused on?
• Is Kobu going to disrupt Shikamaru, placing everyone in danger once he's no longer in charge of the pieces at play on the battlefield?
• Is the battle going too well, Mamushi's decreased numbers leading to increased intelligence and disaster?
• Will Boruto's pact with Momo ultimately lead to foreseen tragedy?
• Is he finally examining Inojin's haircut up close and thinking, "Kid, I would have asked the barber for my money back."?

Conclusions and Questions

As a story-and-word-driven reader, chapters like this are always a little difficult for me, especially when they leave me wanting so much more. Plot points like the Momoshiki situation and Kobu's investigation were advanced, but we didn't get much new information to keep me warm on the long, cold nights until the next chapter. I'm ever so thankful to the visual people in the fandom who have spent so much time pointing out all the cool shit in the panels. It really makes me appreciate the different kind of storytelling Ikemoto is engaged in, one that probably suits his sensibilities as a mangaka. It was a visually exciting chapter, even if I don't feel particularly stimulated by it.

It's also important for me (and all of you) to keep in mind that this is a volume-starting chapter, the beginning of a mini-arc within a larger arc, and Ikemoto is simply getting his narrative ducks in order before moving on—something that's important to do! I write chapters like that! I'm sure over the next few months, the seeds planted now will yield some fantastic-smelling hay.

Open questions and considerations for the next chapter.

• What is Sarada doing? Will we see her fight next?
• Will Kobu let Mitsuki go without a fight? Will we get some excellent OG Team 7 action coming up?
• Both Sumire and Amado were included on this little op. What role will they be playing? How about Delta?
• What's going on with Daemon and Eida? When are we going to get some back story, damn it?!
• What's Bug's deal with Eida?
• Koji??????
• We've seen both Boruto and Kawaki display additional strength, but beyond the Byakugan, they haven't done anything new. What additional abilities will result from their power ups, and will Kawaki pay a price for using his?
• Is Shikamaru going to be forced to leave the office? If so, who is going to be in charge of the battle?
• Is Sai going to notice that there's a coordinated group effort occurring to fight Mamushi?
• Who is going to teach Konohamaru to be a better liar?

I'm expecting great things from this arc. It's just going to take a while to prep all the ingredients, get them into the pot, and see what's cooking.