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Manga illustrator Mikio Ikemoto has finally given readers a sneak peek into Boruto and Kawaki's character design post-timeskip. Fans have been waiting to see the new character design for six years and are more than hyped with what Ikemoto delivered.
Chapter 77 of Boruto has hinted that the manga is entering its concluding stages, making fans even more excited with this character design reveal from the illustrator. With Kawaki's unexpected betrayal in chapter 77, the manga is finally stepping up the pacing and moving swiftly towards the much-anticipated timeskip that was shown at the beginning of the series.
Ikemoto's new art gives us a sneak peek into Boruto Timeskip
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The first scene in the manga featured a fight between Boruto Uzumaki and Kawaki. They were shown battling it out on the ruins of Hokage Rock, with the entire Konoha seemingly destroyed. The blond protagonist is seen fashioning a cloak, a scratched headband, and a scarred eye, with Kawaki also having an interesting design.
However, Ikemoto has released a new character design artwork where both these characters are drawn in their post-timeskip version, with some select changes being made to their design. For one, the drawing looks much more polished compared to the version from 2016, and both characters reflect the passage of time well. The new design shows Kawaki with slightly longer hair, while Boruto sports shorter hair and a more prominent scar on his right eye.
The colored version of the artwork lets fans feel how much Ikemoto has improved as an artist in the past few years, with his experience being evident in this character design. The sneak peek also made fans hopeful for the timeskip to take place soon in the manga.
Released on January 19, 2023, Boruto chapter 77 saw Kawaki trapping both Hinata and Naruto in the Daikokuten dimension using a Kama Rift. This was a shock to readers as it brought out the Kawaki they saw at the beginning of the series, with the events of the flash-forward becoming even more evident.
In chapter 77, Kawaki also realized that the only way to save Naruto's life was by eradicating all Otutusuki clan members, including Boruto. This decision shifted his position from an ally to an antagonist. If Code plans to launch a full assault on Konoha upon Kawaki's decision, the story pieces will fit together perfectly, leading readers to the events of the flash forward.
Boruto fans take to Twitter to gush over the new illustrations by Ikemoto
The series has accelerated the pace of the story quite a bit, with the focus shifting entirely within a single chapter. With that in mind, the new character design sneak peek from Ikemoto strongly suggests that a timeskip is going to happen soon. No wonder fans are hyped about the quality of the characters' designs and have expressed their excitement for the future of the series on Twitter.
It will be interesting to see what Kishimoto has in store for fans in the future and what interesting fight scenes and character development he will write moving forward. Kawaki is an interesting character with a lot to offer after the timeskip, and fans hope he gets his moment to shine soon.
The above tweets show the hype that fans have for the future of the series and how much they love the artstyle. Moreover, many fans commented that the little changes that Ikemoto made to the characters have made the illustrations look more refined than before. It will be interesting to see what other timeskip hints Boruto chapter 78 would drop and how well it will balance the conflict and pacing.
