Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Episode 161

The gang comes one step closer to obtaining the highly sought-after Hashirama Cell in an eventful episode of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. After Konohamaru (who's still disguised as Kirisaki) cures the Hashirama Cell-afflicted old man with Mitsuki's antibodies, the enigmatic senior guides him and Boruto (who's posing as Kirisaki's assistant/porter) to the home of his employer: Sakuya, one of the Land of Silence's oldest and wealthiest residents. In an effort to undo the ravages of time, Sakuya wants Kirisaki to perform youth restoration surgery on her using the Hashirama Cell. According to her faithful butler, she purchased the cell from a member of Anato's research team and was convinced of its powers after seeing the effect it had on a child—presumably the girl Yubina has been treating with Mitsuki's antibodies. (However, since the girl turned into an out-of-control beast, it's unclear why Sakuya thought the cell would restore her youth.)

Shortly after arriving at Sakuya's mansion, Boruto slips away to locate the Hashirama Cell, only to discover that three of the quadruplets from the hostess club have already killed Sakuya and claimed it for themselves. Soon after, the butler arrives on the scene and, before meeting the same fate as his employer, informs the estate's security force that Leaf ninja have murdered Sakuya. In order to buy themselves more time to escape, the remaining quadruplets spread word throughout the village that a handsome reward will be paid to whoever brings Sakuya's killers to justice, leaving Boruto and Konohamaru in a perilous situation.

Another lively installment in a reasonably solid arc, episode 161 delivers steady doses of action and intrigue while leaving the audience primed for more. Despite being dispatched fairly quickly, Sakuya and her butler make for fun guest characters, and the shadowy pierrot-like figure Victor is seen plotting with would suggest the emergence of yet another new antagonist in the near future. Boruto and Konohamaru continue to make a great team, and their penchant for thinking on their feet and rolling with the various complications that present themselves is as entertaining as ever. However, it's disappointing that the mansion itself—with its massive size, smattering of traps, and sizable security force—doesn't prove to be more of an obstacle for our heroes, but that's liable to change by next week.

High points aside, there are a few minor quibbles the episode may have benefited from addressing. For example, one of the purple-haired quadruplets died while attempting to breach the barrier surrounding Sakuya's mansion, yet it's never made clear how the remaining three managed to sneak in afterward. Furthermore, even though “Kirisaki” was using Boruto as a porter to avoid damaging his hands, he personally carries the doctor's case all the way from the bridge to Sakuya's mansion. Had the butler addressed this fact when he later ensnared Boruto in a trap, this inconsistency would have at least served a purpose, but as things stand, it's hard to see this as anything but a goof on the part of the creators. Also, when the remaining quadruplets are running through the village proclaiming that Hidden Leaf shinobi have stolen Sakuya's treasure, it's a bit strange that one of them is openly carrying the actual treasure while shouting this lie. To be fair, the majority of the Land of Silence's residents may be unaware of what the Hashirama Cell looks like, but since a fair number of them appear to be aware of its existence, this seems incredibly reckless. (Granted, this may be more of a character flaw than a narrative one.)

After several weeks of buildup, the various pieces of the puzzles are gradually starting to fall into place. With Boruto and company seemingly up against the entire populace of the Land of Silence and Victor's mysterious confidante heading into the fray, we hopefully have a lot of action to look forward to in the coming weeks.

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Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Amy is an author who has loved anime for over two decades.