「星降る夜」 (Hoshi Furu Yoru)
“The Night of The Shooting Stars”
Musings on the Nature of Friendship
Seeing everyone creating wonderful memories and working together as a team really took me back. To be exact, my week long trip with my registration class during secondary school, where we stayed at a field centre within Snowdonia National Park. What did we do for the whole time? Pretty much outdoor activities, like day long hikes and rock climbing. By the end of it all, I can confidently say that everyone was as thick as thieves. That bygone summer took place when I was twelve, and since then, we slowly drifted apart as time marched on without a second thought. While I’d be happy to see people during reunions, I no longer maintain extensive contact with anybody from that time in my life. This is precisely what Boruto finds himself battling against, only it is not a fight he can win with his fists alone. To that end, he seeks an alternate solution.
Consequently, Boruto mentally equates the consumption of Eternal Carp to creating eternal friendships, which seems rather naïve. But I cannot fault such a pure desire, and many times, I used to wish that there was a way of making friendships last forever. Unfortunately, good things must come to an end. Everything in existence is finite and at some point, we must all turn to dust. However, human emotions are intangible, so we cannot solely quantify it through a physical factor like existence. Therefore, we must look towards the perceivable motions it undergoes, in order to make assessment that can be contextual to our lives. As far as I can see, friendships ebb and flow like the tide. So for me, true friendship is being able to enjoy the limited time we have on this planet, then picking up exactly where we left off! Enjoy life as you wish, and worry about catching up later.
Omake
「三者面談…!!」 (Sansha Mendan…!!)
“The Parent Teacher Conference!”
Path of the Ninja Academy
I’m glad to see that parent’s evening in the ninja world isn’t too different from here. Excluding when Orochimaru stole the show (now imagine if a famous terrorist or serial killer walked into your parent’s evening!), I probably enjoyed Inojin’s experience the most. I also remember meekly sitting there, while my parents parsed through my grades.
On the other hand, in terms of future outlooks, I find myself relating to Boruto. Initially, I took my foray into a law degree, on the basis that it synergised with my existing skillset. At least in comparison with other traditionally sought after subjects: Economics, Engineering, Medicine, etc. While I’m certainly not a genius, there truly is an impasse that requires more than intellect to overcome. It feels really strange looking over to my other coursemates, who seem to have the rest of their lives figured out, allowing them to forge ahead with a single goal in mind. At the moment, like Boruto, I’m still figuring out what it is I truly want to do. If it’s any consolation for the boy and his insecurity, as Mitsuki suggests, at least he’s helping to make other people’s dreams and wishes slowly come to fruition.
Concluding Thoughts
The shinobi world has changed, following a transition from war into peacetime. Most prominently, as I brought up in an earlier post, nations are moving away from their previously militarised model of governing. Two examples we’ve seen so far are Konohagakure, which has opted towards a process of industrialisation, while the last arc indicates that Kirigakure rely upon trade and tourism to sustain their economy.
This episode, we discover that ninja academies no longer raise batch after batch of soldiers to partake in intra-continental conflicts. Instead, kids gain practical skills that highlight talent for prospective employers, and can be used in any future career of their choice. Such a shift is entirely reasonable, providing all sorts of choices regarding wider participation in a modern society, where the meaning of ‘ninja’ is slowly fading away.
However, a vacuum in military strength will leave the villages vulnerable against future calamities. For that reason, I think it’s still important to have an upkeep in personnel, especially in a world filled with powers that are both volatile and destructive. Considering how he expresses a clear disdain towards what he views to be a stagnating shinobi system, I can’t wait to see Kakashi’s role in revitalising the academy’s curriculum. It’s anyone’s guess as to what tricks he might be hiding up his sleeve for the upcoming graduation exam, but I would be extremely excited to see the bell test return!
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