Why Does Boruto's Karma React To Kawaki? Explained

Boruto and Kawaki are two of the main driving forces in Boruto, and they both serve as direct opposites to one another. Furthermore, this connection was established since the series' beginning, only for the time skip series, Blue Vortex, to elaborate on that and why they are so important to one another in terms of the plot.

In that regard, one of the biggest examples of Boruto and Kawaki's connection in the series is how their respective Karma marks react to one another. This is interesting because it has become a significant plot point in the series, and episode 188 of the anime was the first time that most people saw this taking place, with Konohamaru beginning to explain how it worked and why.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Boruto series.

Boruto's Karma reacted to Kawaki because of a natural resonance

One of the most important elements to consider in this question is the fact that Boruto, at least during large portions of the story, couldn't activate his Karma at will. This was further emphasized in the anime, particularly in episode 188, when his Karma had a strong reaction to Kawaki's, which led to a short yet serious clash between the two characters.

Konohamaru was the first one to react to this situation, theorizing that there was a natural reaction between both characters that led to the young Uzumaki's Karma acting the way it did. However, as the series progressed, it was revealed through the characters of Amado and Isshiki that this was a direct result of resonance, which is a natural reaction between two users of the Karma mark.

It was also the pair of Amado and Isshiki who theorized that it was this very resonance that allowed both Boruto and Kawaki the possibility of maturing faster than other Karma users. This, along with the Uzumaki's incredible genetics because of his parents, could be a good reason to explain the incredible power he obtained during the Blue Vortex manga.

The importance of both characters

The relationship between these two characters is a major aspect of the series because of how they have evolved, especially regarding their connection with one another, the resonance regarding Karma, and even the fact they have a role to play in the story as Otsutsuki, which is a huge element in the current Blue Vortex manga.

And while the connection between the two characters has had ups and downs in terms of writing, author Masashi Kishimoto has been righting the ship recently. It is fair to say that the dynamic between Boruto and Kawaki wasn't the greatest at first, with a lot of fans thinking that it was a cheap attempt at trying to repeat the Naruto and Sasuke formula that had so much success in the original series.

However, both characters grow up to be their own individual, which is shown in Blue Vortex as the young Uzumaki is trying to save his parents and challenge Code while Kawaki is trying his own approach, leading to Sarada Uchiha's ire in recent chapters.

Final thoughts

Boruto's Karma reacts to Kawaki because of a natural resonance that can be the direct result of two users being close to one another. It is not exclusive to these two characters and it has happened with others in the series as well.