Summary
- Konoha, once a sanctuary of democracy and freedom, is now plagued by distrust and surveillance, as revealed in a conversation between Shikamaru, Kawaki, and Sarada.
- The sensory unit in Konoha has the ability to pinpoint the whereabouts of everyone in the village and has no expectation of privacy, implying a totalitarian system.
- Konoha's current state of distrust reflects its history of violence and repression, which threatens the peace and prosperity of the village.
Warning: This article contains SPOILERS from Boruto: Two Blue Vortex #4If there's been one constant within Boruto, it is the idea that Konoha is a sanctuary to its citizens and outsiders who choose to live by its rules and customs. While evil may lurk outside its walls, and sometimes momentarily seep in; none of it has ever corrupted its democratic, freedom-loving core. Unfortunately, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is changing that in a tragic way.
Nestled at the base of Hokage Rock, in the Land of Fire, Konoha Village one of five villages known to produce the greatest shinobi in history. As a result of the prowess of its shinobi, Konoha emerged in the aftermath of the Third Shinobi War as the strongest ninja village in the world. For the most part, that strength scared off attempts by other nations to attack or invade Konoha.
Accordingly, the village enjoyed a long period of peace. Without having to worry about threats and invasion, Konoha was able to invest in itself. This led to increased development, prosperity, and happiness among the villagers. While outside threats remained a worry, life within the Konoha community was wholesome, cooperative, and good. All of this is what make its turn to totalitarianism in Boruto so devastating.
Shikamaru, Kawaki, and Sarada Reveal Konoha's Surveillance State
While this upbeat and heart-warming idea of Konoha may have once been the case, it no longer holds true in the Two Blue Vortex era. No where is this more obvious than in a conversation between Shikamaru, Kawaki, and Sarada in Buruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #4 when Kawaki wonders out loud whether Boruto is getting assistance from someone in the village's sensory unit. Shikamaru responds by revealing that the communications of the sensory unit are under constant surveillance, and so he'd know immediately if anyone in the unit was helping Boruto. Sarada questions both Shikamaru and Kawaki's distrust of Boruto. In doing so, she reveals that Shikamaru and Kawaki have used Eida's ability to hear any conversation to spy on Konoha's villagers.
A sensory unit is a special ops team composed of"sensor type" shinobi who have the ability to feel or identify the presence of others from their chakra output.
While the conversation is short, it's chock-full of insight into the authoritarianism behind Konoha's sunny smile. First, there's the fact that the whereabouts of everyone in the village at any given moment can be identified and pinpointed through the sensory unit. Second, there's the fact that the of the sensory unit have no reasonable expectation of privacy. Because the ability is not something one can take off and put on at work, Shikamaru's surveillance of team member's communications must include their off-work lives. Finally, and most shockingly, is the use of Eida to listen in on any conversation, past or present. All of this, is being done without the public's knowledge.
Konoha's History Of Violence And Repression
Konoha's current state of distrust harkens back to its earliest days. Back then, the community was largely composed of the Senju and the Uchiha families - two clans that previously tried to kill each other. This resulted in a great deal of distrust in the village. There was also the time, after the attack by the Nine-Tail Beast, when tensions between village leadership and the Uchiha clan turned violent. However, since then, Konoha has maintained a free, stable, and democratic istration. The more recent turn to the dark side, unfortunately, does not bode well for continued peace and prosperity in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex.
