Warning: Spoilers for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #17

It’s no secret that references to Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, like Dio’s iconic walk in chapter #38 and in its posing and cover coloring. However, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex' latest chapter confirms it also draws inspiration from the legendary manga by Yoshihiro Togashi, Hunter x Hunter.

Masashi Kishimoto has previously stated his iration and the influence of Togashi’s works in Naruto, revealing that the Shadow Clone technique is inspired by Suzaku's ability in Yu Yu Hakusho. Also, Naruto resembles Hunter X Hunter in some characters, like Sasuke and Kurapika’s similar background and motivation. Because of this, it isn’t strange that Boruto has also drawn inspiration from the best arc of Hunter x Hunter when shaping the new series' antagonists, the Divine Trees.

Boruto’s Divine Trees Clones Are Similar to the Chimera Ants From Hunter X Hunter

Jura Resembles Meruem in His Interest in Learning

There are many similarities between the Divine Trees, the new antagonists in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, and the Chimera Ants from Hunter x Hunter, as they are both specimens based on biological organisms combined with human genes, have physical strength and potential superior to that of humans, and still seem to retain the memory and part of the personality of the person consumed.

The resemblance between both series becomes more apparent in Boruto TBV chapter #17, as Shikamaru describes the Divine Trees as cubs of wild beasts, who aren’t inherently bad but are still a danger to humans. This is similar to how Netero referred to Meruem as a newborn, since he only lived for 40 days. Also, how the Chimera Ants represented a threat to humankind for their immeasurable power despite having shown that it was possible to reason and negotiate with them.

Boruto in a two blue vortex image against a blood red background
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Also, due to the clear difference between Shinki's and Ryu's ways of speaking, with the new Divine Tree being more casual and friendly, it can be seen how they can have their own personality, just like the Chimera Ants, who were born as self-aware creatures, with only a few of them retaining their past self, like Koala, Weflin, or Gyro. Additionally, Boruto’s latest chapter showcases how Jura is hungry for knowledge by going to the library instead of hunting for his target, similar to how Meruem was intellectual and sought to learn many things, dominating board games with ease.

The Divine Trees Are Sentient Beings, Which Can Set Up a Storyline About Their Humanity and Malice

Hunter x Hunter’s Influence on Boruto Pave The Way for Complex Villains

The Chimera Ant is considered the best shōnen arc of all time, not only for its narrative but for its depiction of the evil nature of humans represented in Gon and Netero, who highlight losing humanity because of hatred and society's potential for destruction. Likewise, the revelation in Boruto TBV #17 that the Divine Trees aren’t natural-born-killers, opens the door to them evolving and developing their own sense of morality, just like the Chimera ants did.

This way, Boruto has the possibility of exploring the Divine Tree’s humanity, which makes it possible that one of these clones could ally with the ninjas, like the Chimera Ants, Ikalgo and Meleoron, helped the hunters during the Palace Invasion and later lived peacefully among humans in Hunter x Hunter. This creates a different type of villain in the series, because the Divine Tree doesn’t have tragic backstories or morally ambiguous motivations born after being wronged by the ninja system, which was Ikemoto’s intention, as he stated in an interview that Boruto’s villains are different from the ones in Naruto.

I tried not to duplicate what was done in Naruto. That’s why there are more pure evil villains in Boruto. Real Villains. - Mikio Ikemoto.

Even though the similarities between shōnen mangas are common, Hunter X Hunter's influence is noticeable in Boruto. While Boruto does feature malicious villains like Momoshiki, Isshiki, or Jigen, building up the Divine Tree as morally grey creatures like the Chimera Ants, with the potential to reach an understanding with humans, instead of one-dimensional characters designed for evilness, is a more interesting approach. Nevertheless, Togashi’s complex villains serve as a great source of inspiration for Ikemoto to convey his vision of the Divine Tree’s role in the story, which could lead Boruto TBV to become one of thebest modern shōnen manga.

Boruto Two Blue Vortex Volume 1 Cover

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Boruto: Two Blue Vortex
Writer
Masashi Kishimoto
Writers
Masashi Kishimoto
Penciler(s)
Mikio Ikemoto
Inker(s)
Mikio Ikemoto
Colorist(s)
Mikio Ikemoto
Publisher(s)
Viz Media

Years after fleeing his village with Sasuke, Boruto returns to confront the dark changes that have occurred. With memories altered and Kawaki now seen as the hero, Boruto faces a world where he is the outcast. The two rivals must settle their differences as their Otsutsuki powers grow more dangerous.

Artist
Mikio Ikemoto