Boruto: Kawaki's Tragic Past, Explained (2024)

With the franchise shifting its focus on the next generation, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has introduced all sorts of new faces into the mix. Among these new names is a striking character that has now taken center stage — Kawaki. While the manga touches upon the key highlights of his downtrodden past, the anime adaptation dives into the intricacies of Kawaki’s tragedy-laden backstory, painting the true image of what he had to endure.

From an abusive father to being trafficked into the hands of a ruthless, power-hungry man, Kawaki’s childhood has been nothing more than a tragic chronicle. Until Naruto stepped into his life, Kawaki had lived a life of misery and hardship, a fact that is reflected in his current disposition and attitude towards others.

The Child of a Broken Family

Kawaki Endured the Abuse of a Drunken Father

Even before ending up as a vessel for Isshiki Otsutsuki, Kawaki’s life was less than ideal. Born to an ex-shinobi in a faraway village, Kawaki was forced into a life of child labor to service his alcoholic father’s addiction. He would spend the day chopping wood, and later cash in his work to buy his father alcohol. Failing to do so resulted in a beating by his father, coupled with the punishment of being starved for the night.

Kawaki’s only respite was a goldfish vendor who promised him a better life, yet even he turned out to be a child trafficker. His father was eventually approached by Jigen to buy Kawaki off him, a deal that his father happily agreed to. Despite reassuring Kawaki that he would treat him as his father, Jigen eventually resorted to maltreatment and abuse, continuing the streak of misery and despair that Kawaki had known his entire life.

Kara’s New Vessel

Kawaki Became the Key to Kara’s Plans

Kawaki’s life in his home village may have been a painful time, though what came after was even more hellish. Officially under the guardianship of Jigen, Kawaki was promised a life of safety and security, though this promise was soon proven to be one of Jigen’s many lies. The child was given a welcome gift of being placed in an artificial womb alongside fourteen other children, and as each child succumbed to the Karma, Kawaki had no choice but to watch in horror.

Even after successfully becoming the next vessel for Isshiki Otsutsuki, Kawaki’s misery was far from over. With a brand-new Karma mark on his palm, he became the target of hate and jealousy of a few Kara members. Chief among these was Code, a loyal Inner who wished to kill Kawaki due to his envy of Kawaki’s role as the next vessel. Garo was another member of Kara that almost killed the child, though he soon became the first victim of Kawaki’s newly awakened Karma mark.

However, Kara’s members were the least of Kawaki’s worries, as the man behind his misery was Jigen himself, the person who promised him a better life. With constant training without breaks and physical abuse over minor mistakes, Jigen subjected the young boy to all manner of inhumane punishments. Kawaki’s childhood was nothing less than living hell, and the remnants of such a traumatic experience can be seen in his current disposition.

How Has Kawaki’s Childhood Shaped His Current Personality?

Kawaki’s Personality Reflects His Abuse and Trauma

A person’s childhood is the largest contributor to their personality, a fact that holds especially true in Kawaki’s case. His character during his introduction was that of a juvenile delinquent who refused to cooperate with anyone, a sentiment that stemmed from his distrust of adults due to Jigen’s lies. These feelings were further exacerbated by Code, Delta, and the rest of Kara’s maltreatment towards Kawaki, forcing him to trust no one but himself.

While Kawaki’s character underwent significant growth after Naruto took him under his wing, his disdain for most people still lingered on. He may have come to trust Boruto and his immediate friends and family, yet he still refused to be friendly with anyone else. However, even with Kawaki’s clear display of lack of empathy, he has extended compassion on multiple occasions, be it sacrificing his arm to save Himawari or jumping into the fray to save Naruto from Jigen’s grasp.

Despite Kawaki’s childhood being similar to Naruto’s past to an extent, the striking difference in their dispositions is also interesting. While Naruto used his experience to empathize with his adversaries, Kawaki refused to extend any sentiments of empathy or compassion towards others, at least until he met Naruto and Boruto. Even after a dramatic change in his personality, the remnants of Kawaki’s tragic past are still visible, showcasing exactly how detrimental a traumatic childhood can be.

Boruto is available to stream on Prime Video.

Boruto

Animation

Action

Adventure

Release Date

April 5, 2017

Creator

Masashi Kishimoto