Warning: SPOILERS for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex chapter #7Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is fixing many of the flaws of Boruto part 1, including giving all the characters from Naruto at least one moment of relevance. This includes one of the most low-key characters in the entire franchise, Ino Yamanaka, who is revealed to have a big role in the new Konoha under the guidance of Hokage Shikamaru.
In chapter #7 of Boruto: Two Bluie Vortex, Ino acts as Shikamaru’s number two, and she proves to be in a position of responsibility. On the one hand, by providing access to past mission logs, she’s been instrumental in helping Shikamaru realize he’s under the effect of Omnipotence and that Boruto – not Kawaki – is Naruto’s true son.
On the other hand, after Shikamaru’s epiphany, Ino has facilitated closed encrypted communications between Shikamaru and Boruto without either Eida’s clairvoyance abilities or Konoha’s vaunted Sensory Unit being able to listen in on their conversation.
Ino Is a Quiet Character Who Plays a Key Background Role in Boruto
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex by Masashi Kishimoto and Mikio Ikemoto, chapter #7, “The Whereabouts of the Sun”
One of the most interesting elements of the Naruto–Boruto continuum is the deep diversity of its cast of characters. From fire-breathing shinobi to dimension-jumping tyrants, the land of the Five Hidden Villages is home to a wide range of individuals, all with interesting backgrounds that fans can spend years exploring. However, with such a vast cast, it often happened that a character fell through the tracks, not getting enough spotlight.
As fans of Naruto will recall, Ino was a classmate of Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura back in the day. There was a time when Ino and Sakura were both competing for Sasuke’s affection, which led to a falling out between the two good friends that was resolved only after their fight during the final test of the Chunin Exams. Currently, as the leader of the Yamanaka Clan, she is one of just a few female clan leaders. The Yamanaka are known for their sensory perception and mental control abilities. As a result of her skills in these areas, Ino is widely known as the best sensory ninja in Konoha, leading the village’s first line of defense – the Barrier Team.
Ino Finds Herself at the Center of a Major Plot
But most relevant to her role in Boruto is Ino’s telepathy. To be sure, Ino’s prowess at reading the minds of others, communicating without speaking, and her ability to mentally influence or manipulate the thoughts, emotions, or actions of others is almost the perfect ability in an environment where life exists under the ever-watchful eye of Eida and where the Sensory Unit is constantly monitoring the citizenry for threats counter to Kawaki’s desires. Indeed, as Konoha seems to have turned almost into a police state during the time skip, Ino’s role and skills may prove essential soon.
It’s also great for fans to see that Ino has taken a bigger role as the Hokage’s assistant. As former Team 10 partners, they understand each other perfectly. Shikamaru knows that Ino’s ability to communicate secretly will be essential to successfully coordinating any help and support they can give to Boruto in his effort to disrupt Kawaki’s plan. This, however, requires both Shikamaru and Ino to retain their knowledge of Omnipotence, something that is seemingly impossible at the moment. It’s been a while since Ino Yamanaka has been relevant, but it’s great to see that Boruto: Two Blue Vortex knows how to use its vast cast of characters.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is available from Viz Media and MANGA Plus.
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