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The following article contains spoilers for Naruto and Boruto.
Narutois a series with rich world-building, and its cohesive and creative universe is impressive. One thing that captures most fans' interest is the eye-relatedkekkei genkai(genetic anomalies that allow their wielders to use amanzing jutsu), such as the Sharingan and Byakugan.
While the Sharingan has been extensively explored inNaruto, the Byakugan has not gotten the same spotlight so far. Bothkekkei genkaihad a lot of potential in the beginning, but many fans feel that the original story did not do the Byakugan justice. Could thisdoujutsube further explored in the future?
What Is The Byakugan In Naruto?
Similar to the Sharingan, theByakugan is adoujutsu kekkei genkaiintroduced early in the series — the Otsutsuki clan was the first clan known to wield the Byakugan, and the Hyuga clan inherited it from them. However, unlike the Sharingan, which requires a traumatic experience to activate,the Byakugan is present at birth.
Nonetheless, according to the anime,being born with the Byakugan doesn’t mean being able to use its powers from an early age— users need to train, and not necessarily everyone will be able to access its powers. This is not explicitly established in the manga, but it could be considered part of the franchise’s overall canon. In any case, the Byakugan enhances users' vision, allowing them to see in 360 degrees, except for a small blind spot. Furthermore, users can see through walls, underground, and even inside a person’s body as if they had X-ray vision. However, some things, like smoke, can obstruct their vision.
Most of thepowers of the Byakugan are related to enhanced (and overpowered) vision abilities: users are able to see chakra and its pathways (to a greater extent than the Sharingan); they can distinguish jutsu-generated clones from their users and see if a shinobi is using genjutsu; they can also perceive fast movements. The anime adds even more abilities to the Byakugan; some Otsutsuki can even read minds and see people’s fates with it.
All of this demonstrates the Byakugan’s potential as akekkei genkai. As the manga progressed, new abilities were introduced, making it seem as if the more a user trains, the more abilities they can unlock. This is slightly different from the Sharingan, which requires traumatic experiences for a few enhancements. However, perhaps due to the need for training,the Byakugan has been underutilized in the series.
There Is No Evolution for the Byakugan
Except for the Tenseigan, introduced in the movieNaruto: The Last, there is no evolution for the Byakugan, while the Sharingan can evolve into 2-Tomoe Sharingan, 1-Tomoe Sharingan, Mangekyo Sharingan, Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, and the Rinnegan. Furthermore, the Tenseigan can only be acquired by an Otsutsuki (so far): it happens when an Otsutsuki implants the Byakugan of a Hyuga into their eyes, combining the chakra of both clans — it takes a few days for the Tenseigan to be complete.
I’m Uzumaki Himawari. Nice to meet you… Kurama.
— Himawari in Boruto TBV
Some fans claim that the Byakugan does not need to evolve because users can unlock more powerful techniques as they train with thisdoujutsu. While that is true, theByakugan seems to be no match for the evolved forms of the Sharingan, such as the Mangekyo Sharingan and the Rinnegan. This makes the Sharingan seem muchmore interesting than the Byakugan. It doesn’t help that the Sharingan has more screen time, especially with Sasuke and Itachi. Additionally, the series could be more creative when establishing new abilities for those who have mastered the Byakugan.
Boruto Can Still Explore The Byakugan
While the Byakugan is under-explored inNaruto, it can still be explored inBoruto: Two Blue Vortex. Himawari Uzumaki, who is nowthejinchurikiof the Nine Tails, has the potential to unlock many new powers with her Byakugan. Furthermore, if an Otsutsuki can evolve the Byakugan into the Tenseigan by implanting a Hyuga’s Byakugan, what would happenif a Hyuga implanted an Otsutsuki’s Byakuganinto their eyes? This would combine the chakra of both clans, creating an opportunity to evolve the Byakugan and unlock its full potential, giving its users unimaginable powers.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortexisavailable to read on MANGA Plus, in English and many other languages.
Naruto
A popular shonen anime based on Masashi Kishimoto’s manga, Naruto follows its eponymous shinobi’s journey as he goes from his town’s outsider to its hero.
