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When Masashi Kishimoto’s franchise transitioned fromNarutotoBoruto, fans were excited to see the various characters from the prequel series become adults and deal with a new ninja world. However, these expectations were quickly destroyed asBorutocould not live up to the standards ofNarutoand ultimately got criticized by fans.

Boruto Before Time Skip

Kishimoto had the chance to showcase the talents of the old characters and their powerful techniques, but he dropped the bags as he completely ignored any kind of nostalgic aspect. Fans were hopeful that they might once again get to see their favorite jutsus, and although some techniques fromNarutowere included, one of the most prominent ones was left out.

This technique was none other than the Eight Inner Gates, which is considered to be the pinnacle of taijutsu. This technique was mastered by Might Guy inNarutoand Rock Lee inBoruto, but he never got a chance to show it, much less use it in a battle.

“Family is everything”: Masashi Kishimoto Confirms the Real Life Incident That Inspired Boruto’s Troubled Relationship With Naruto

The Importance of The Eight Gates Technique inNaruto

One of the reasons that fans were so impressed by the taijutsu inNarutowas the eight inner gates that they first got to see during the Chunin exams arc. It was during the legendary fight between Rock Lee and Gaara that fans learned about the eight chakra points and the terrifying power that is released when these points are removed.

“Family is everything”: Masashi Kishimoto Confirms the Real Life Incident That Inspired Boruto’s Troubled Relationship With Naruto

From here on, the Eight Inner Gates technique was deemed the strongest Taijutsu technique, and Kishimoto did a great job utilizing it through Might Guy and Rock Lee, especially during the Fourth Shinobi World War. When Might Guyused it against Madara Uchiha, he was so baffled by the taijutsu technique that he gave Guy the title of the strongest taijutsu user in history.

It was one of the biggest moments of the Fourth Great Shinobi War. It made fans understand the value of taijutsu, which was considered by many as the weakest form of jutsu and brought it to the levels of genjutsu and ninjutsu.

Might Guy vs Madara Uchiha

Metal Lee Could Not Live Upto His Father And Might Guy’s Legacy

WhenBorutostarted, many fans believed that Rock Lee and his son Metal Lee would take this legacy forward. Considering the importance of taijutsu and the Eight Inner Gates technique inNaruto, fans hoped thatBorutowould introduce it in a new setting through Metal Lee.

However, Metal Lee not only disappointed the fans but also the legacy of his father and his mentor. He was eventaught about the Eight Gates techniqueby Rock Lee after a lot of humiliation.

Metal Lee

Metal Lee is the most useless character in fiction, I’m not even joking.pic.twitter.com/wZoRbNgAmB

But as of yet, Metal Lee was able to open only one gate, and that too subconsciously. Even his taijutsu is subpar and cannot be compared to otherBorutocharacters.

“It’s not even close”: One Naruto Fight Singlehandedly Shows Why Boruto Might Never be Able to Live Up to Masashi Kishimoto’s Legacy

“It’s not even close”: One Naruto Fight Singlehandedly Shows Why Boruto Might Never be Able to Live Up to Masashi Kishimoto’s Legacy

Masashi Kishimotoreally dropped a ball on taijutsu and its strongest technique. InNaruto, he gave Rock Lee a lot of importance, but inBoruto,Metal Lee is not even considered as one of the major characters. Nevertheless, there is still a decent amount of plot left forBoruto, and fans can only hope that Kishimoto brings out the terrifyingly famous Eight Inner Gates and uses them in the best way possible.

NarutoandBorutoare available to watch on Hulu.

Tarun Kohli

Senior Writer

Articles Published :2959

Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.

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BorutoMasashi KishimotoNaruto