Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
Episode 167
by Amy McNulty,
How would you rate episode 167 of
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations ?
Community score: 4.2
Thanks to its seemingly endless number of episodes, a long-running series like Boruto has sufficient time to really focus on the “abyss” part of the hero's journey, where the main character is at their lowest point after suffering a defeat. An entire episode devoted to Boruto and Sarada feeling the sting of defeat might not fly in a more condensed story, but it works well here. Neither dwells in despair for very long, and both have the strength of purpose to avoid wallowing in despair—or perhaps they serve as inspiration to one another. That being the case, their secretive behavior around friends and family is a bit odd—more like it's just for drama's sake that it seems like they're going to run off foolhardily—but perhaps they worry they'd be told to rest and wait before they dive back in to training.
Despite being a fairly serious installment, episode 167 features some effective moments of levity. A bored Yubina conveniently pining for a fresh challenge, only to have Team 7 literally crash land outside of her clinic, is an amusing (if not predictable) note for the episode to open on. Having made a splash in her previous appearances, it might have been fun to see Yubina get a chance to work on Team 7, but it's possible that the supply of fresh jokes the screenwriters are able to derive from her unconventional methods has been exhausted. (A prolonged bout of humor may also have added a bit too much wackiness to the proceedings.) A shaken Mugino's encounter with the fortune-telling pet shop proprietress is an equally amusing sequence, particularly given how calm and collected the former usually is. Based on the humorous fake-out the episode pulls off in its final moments, it seems like we may be in for a much lighter installment next week—a reasonably safe assumption, given Kakashi's involvement.
A solid if restrained episode, this week's Boruto: Naruto Next Generations shows Team 7 at its lowest but also illustrates just how resilient these genin are. With Mitsuki still in recovery and Boruto and Sarada just beginning their intense training, we probably have a ways to go before the trio is able to avenge its defeat.
Rating:
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Amy is an author who has loved anime for over two decades.
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