One of Boruto's main appeals is getting to see how many beloved ninjas from Naruto turned out as adults. From Naruto's turn as Hokage to Shikamaru's role as his adviser, it's almost heartwarming to see these characters all grown up after following them for so long. Still though, while many of Naruto's young ninja went on to become incredibly powerful and successful by the time of Boruto, the Seventh Hokage's son thinks that Shino just never lived up to his potential.
Introduce in Naruto's 34th chapter, Shino was always one of the Konoha 11's most intriguing shinobi. With his cool demeanor, iconic shades, and creepy bug powers, Shino set himself apart from many of the more outgoing and obnoxious of his class. While Shino was rarely more than a ing role throughout the original series, the handful of times he did get to show off legitimate uses for his unique power set stand out as highlights of the series. Some have even argued that Shino is one of Naruto's ninjas that deserved more time in the spotlight. If Boruto is to be believed though, no amount of bug power can keep him from getting roasted by the next generation of ninjas.
Chapter 12 of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations sees Boruto brings back the world's ninja-themed card game, Extreme: Shinobi Picture Scrolls. These cards depict classic ninja as they appear in both Naruto and Boruto, with cards like the Seventh Hokage Naruto being ultra rare. Much like Boruto's version of the Nintendo Switch, these have strange implications for the series' world. Before class begins one day, Boruto, Shikadai, and Inojin are rummaging through their card collections when they notice an abundance of adult Shino cards. According to the trio, Shino's card is low rarity, has bad stats, and has a worthless ability. Inojin wonders if Shino is stronger than his card suggests, but Shikadai shoots the idea down. Unfortunately for Shino, he's just around the corner to hear all of it, making the seemingly emotionless teacher nearly break down.
Fortunately for Shino, it's dubious how correct his students are in this instance. While Shino will never rank among Naruto's most powerful ninjas, his bugs are no joke and are able to take down serious threats. Additionally, the insect-themed ninja might not have too many opportunities to show off his combat prowess in Boruto, his role as the instructor to Boruto's generation of ninjas does give him more to do in the sequel series than other of the Konoha 11. At least Shino is relevant to the story in some way, unlike his contemporary Tenten.
Even though this scene doesn't prove that Shino should be underestimated, it does prove that the character's deadpan expression has more comedic potential than most would assume. Shino might never be among Naruto's strongest shinobi, but his role in Boruto still gives him more than a few moments to shine.
