Boruto's Code Arc may have redeemed the anime

The Code arc of the Boruto anime, which began earlier this year with episode 287, was highly anticipated as it had been more than a year since the anime had adapted any manga content. Moreover, the arc showcased a fresh set of enemies, including the seemingly invincible cyborg siblings.

Most importantly, recent events in the manga indicate that the time skip is very close, set to feature most likely after the end of the arc, which is a cause of considerable excitement for anime viewers as well.

The series has always received a lot of flak in the past from viewers for a number of reasons, but it appears that with the beginning of this new arc, the anime has redeemed itself to some extent. While there is still more work to be done, fans are quite pleased with how the series is progressing.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from several anime series and reflects the author's thoughts, which may be subjective.

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Boruto’s Code arc has continued to improve the anime with better visuals and content

Eida's ocular power is beautifully rendered in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The majority of the Boruto series is made up of filler episodes and spin-off arcs, thus the adaption of the Code arc comes as a breath of fresh air.

The first thing about the Code arc that caught the attention of even the most skeptical viewers was the updated character design of the new main antagonist Code. He now has darker hair, green eyes, and a black studded belt. Likewise, Sumire, who made an appearance in episode 289, was dressed in manga-appropriate attire.

In recent episodes, Code's new ally Eida has been shown to have a rare ability that allows her to see everything, from her birth to the present, as if she were sitting and watching all of the world's security cameras. The visuals of her exercising her ocular power have been spectacular.

The animation team was also able to convey the elusive quality of her power to captivate everyone. Fans were equally thrilled to see Daemon make his debut in the most recent episode, and not only did he appear, but he also demonstrated his unique ability to reflect back the opponent's intent to kill him in the form of a fatal attack.

Shibai as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The anime has also sparked renewed interest in the Otutsuki God Shibai, who was depicted in a room that was initially assumed to be stocked with jougans, an ocular power belonging to the Otsutsuki that the filler episodes had conferred to Boruto.

Now that things have become complicated as fans no longer know whether jougans will ever become canon, they are keen to find out if the young Uzumaki ends up unlocking the byakugan, or if he receives a completely new ocular power.

Fans have also been ecstatic about the extra Himawari scenes included in the Boruto anime. The manga had not paid much attention to her until recently, when it was revealed that she possesses powers comparable to Daemon. As for the anime, even in the latest episode, fans saw Himawari training. This may contradict the manga's premise that she is not a fighter, yet many fans consider her scenes to be one of the best things about the series.

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Final thoughts

Nishi as seen in Boruto episode 290 preview (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Poor animation quality, albeit largely done away with, is one criticism of the Boruto series that has persisted. Even in episodes from the Code arc, viewers witnessed strange facial expressions and oddly proportioned bodies. Given how successful Studio Pierrot is, they can easily afford to produce higher-quality animations, and therefore, as per fans, deserve to be criticized for not doing so.

However, the preview for episode 290 promised better quality animation as well as the appearance of one of the series' fan favorites, Nishi. Twitter was flooded with memes about him, with users referring to him as the G.O.A.T. Hence, with the Code arc, Boruto fans have received some good quality content that was long overdue. Hopefully, the series will improve in the future and deliver to fans what they deserve.