Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
Episode 136
by Amy McNulty,
How would you rate episode 136 of
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations ?
Community score: 4.3
Boruto and Sasuke close out their trip to the past in the time travel arc's relaxed finale. With Urashiki vanquished and Naruto safe, Boruto and Sasuke use Karasuki (who was able to replenish his chakra thanks to the Nine Tails) to return their own time. To ensure that their actions don't have any impact on the future, Sasuke erases most of the key players' memories before heading out, and Jiraiya feeds Sakura a complex fib to explain the note Sasuke dropped. Upon returning home, Sasuke briefs Naruto on what transpired and vows to spend more time in the village now that every known Otsutsuki has been defeated. Shortly thereafter, Boruto visits Jiraiya's grave with Naruto and presents his old man with a gift given to him to by the younger Naruto: Ichiraku Ramen's super-rare special soy sauce flavor. The two then eat the time-displaced ramen on a park bench while debating the merits of richness vs. delicate flavor. As the episode ends, we see that the Uzumakis placed one package of their precious ramen beside Jiraiya's tombstone. Although none of the Hidden Leaf 12 (outside of Sasuke, of course) have any recollection of what transpired, Boruto's latest adventure is liable to have a number of lasting impacts on the show's bigger picture. For starters, Urashiki, who had served as the series' Big Bad until this point, has been vanquished, and a new villain will need to step in to fill his shoes. Furthermore, Boruto, who couldn't be in the same room with his father for more than a minute without blowing up, now has a brand new respect for Naruto and a firsthand understanding of his childhood struggles.
Similarly, Sasuke, whose presence in the Hidden Leaf had been extremely limited, has a renewed appreciation for his family and desire to spend more time at home. Having seen how distraught Naruto and Sakura were over his defection from the Leaf, he finally has a better perspective on how narrow-minded he was in leaving everything behind. Whether this means the elder Uchiha will be more of a regular presence remains to be seen, but if he's meant to serve as Boruto's Jiraiya, it would certainly be fitting. As evidenced by the latest arc, Sasuke has lightened up significantly and doesn't take himself nearly as seriously as he used to. Not only has he acted as a dutiful guardian to Boruto throughout the course of the story, he's also served as a vehicle for comedy on multiple occasions. (His pained reactions to the ridiculous story Jiraiya spun for Sakura are particularly amusing.)
Episode 136 serves as a fitting epilogue to one of Boruto's strongest story arcs yet. It probably won't be long before our favorite Hidden Leaf heroes face their next big challenge, but with Urashiki gone and the Uzumakis closer than ever before, Boruto and the gang have earned a bit of downtime. While the final battle against Urashiki taking place in the past initially seemed a little out-of-left-field, it ultimately paved the way for emotional development in the main characters, exciting action, and some of the most amusing comedy the show has given us.
Rating:
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Amy is an author who has loved anime for over two decades.
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