This article contains spoilers from the Naruto series.
Among the many things that Masashi Kishimoto, the author of the Naruto series, does very well is writing intriguing villains. It can be said that the vast majority of the Naruto series was filled with some of the most exciting villains that fans have seen and shown in anime. Of course, at the center of it all was one group that mesmerized the fans fully, and that is the Akatsuki.
Having been properly introduced towards the end of the first part of the series, the Akatsuki went on to play a major role in Naruto’s second part, where they were established as the main threat to the integrity of the ninja world itself. The Akatsuki featured many powerful ninjas, and all of them had different motivations. However, they were all secretly working towards the creation of a world that wouldn’t cast them aside in some way.
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Now, in the Boruto series, Kishimoto and Ikemoto have introduced a new villain group, and it seems that they are already far stronger than the likes of the Akatsuki, shocking as that may sound to the fans. This new villain group is the Shinju, and their power is on a completely different level.
The Akatsuki Is An Iconic Villain Group In All Of Anime
- Created Initially By Yahiko, Nagato, And Konan
- Taken Over By Obito Uchiha
The Akatsuki is a group that has had many leaders over the years, and with each leader, their goals have changed as well. The Akatsuki was initially created by the Amegakure orphans. Specifically, it was Yahiko who ended up creating the Akatsuki and stood as its leader. Yahiko wanted peace for his village as it was used as a battleground in the Second Great Ninja War by neighbouring villagers who fought for supremacy. In an era of turbulence, Yahiko established a band of ninjas and tried to protect his country and prevent it from being used as a battlefield.
Only by knowing true pain can the world know true peace. — Pain to Naruto Uzumaki
Yahiko’s Akatsuki sought peace and wanted to protect the weak and the innocent. However, after Yahiko died, Nagato took on a more sinister approach instead because of the loss of his friend’s life. Nagato was manipulated by none other than Obito into creating a more villainous group that would eventually aim for world domination. Under Obito’s influence, Nagato worked to collect the Tailed Beasts and then distribute them across the ninja world, using them as triggers for mass annihilation. Nagato believed that the world would be kept in check and wars would be completely avoided if countries feared a weapon of mass destruction. However, little did he know that he was being manipulated by Obito.
Once Nagato died, Obito revealed his true plan, which was the Eye of the Moon Plan. By collecting the Tailed Beasts, Obito wanted to revive the Ten-Tails and eventually become its Jinchuriki. By casting the Infinite Tsukuyomi, he wanted to establish a world of dreams where no one would truly have to suffer.
Quite clearly, the Akatsuki was a very complex group, and while it had many leaders, they were not its only highlight. In fact, fans would say that the members of the Akatsuki were often more interesting than the leaders. Over the years, the Akatsuki featured many talented and exciting ninjas, such as Itachi Uchiha, Orochimaru, Sasori, Deidara, Hidan, Kakuzu, and Konan, among many others. Quite clearly, the Akatsuki was full of phenomenal characters, and that is precisely why it will always be remembered as one of the very best villain groups in not just Naruto but all of anime.
The Akatsuki Has Been Surpassed By The Shinju
- Created By Code Using The Claw Marks
- Their Power Surpasses That of Some Otsutsuki
In the Boruto series, fans have seen the emergence of a new villain group in the form of the Shinju. In essence, they are quite different from the Akatsuki, but they are much stronger. The Shinju are born from the actions of Code, one of the former Kara members.
Code used his Claw Marks on the Tentails and created humanoid versions of the beast. The Tentails, following its lust for chakra, decided to attack any nearby source that it could find, and eventually, when it attacked people, their chakra and personality assimilated with it and gave birth to the Shinju.
Usually, all the Shinju have a parent body. For example, when Sasuke was attacked by a Claw Grime, that is, a humanoid Ten Tails, his chakra was used as the basis for the creation of a Shinju that was similar to him. This Shinju was none other than Hidari, and in terms of jutsu, personality, and just about everything else, he was a copy of Sasuke.
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Similarly, Moegi was also attacked by one, and her Shinju became Matsuri. Just like Moegi, she held similar emotions as well as the same skill set in combat. When Shinki fell in Sunagakure, his Shinju was born as well, and it was quite clear for the fans to see that they held the same abilities.
So far, there are five Shinju that have been revealed in the Boruto series, and they’re Hidari, Matsuri, Mamushi, Ryu, and Jura. All of them are incredibly powerful in their own ways. For starters, they are a product of the Ten-Tails. They also have the chakra of the humans they have feasted on. As such, it is a Ten-Tails amped version of that particular human, and that is what makes them truly special in terms of combat. They are all said to be stronger than even Code, who himself had his Limiters removed and was said to be on the same level as Jigen, if not even stronger.
As such, all the Shinju are monstrous threats that none of the Akatsuki can even hope to deal with. But above all, their leader, Jura, is the most special of them all. Jura might just be one of the most overpowered characters in the entire Naruto franchise, and this is because he isn’t based off of a parent body like the other Shinju. Instead, Jura is simply the human incarnation of the Ten-Tails itself, and that’s what makes him special. No member of the Akatsuki can even hope to stand up to him in combat.
The Akatsuki Are Written Far Better Overall
Of course, it goes without saying that the Shinju are incredibly overpowered, but there needs to be more to a villain group than just strength. The Shinju may be more powerful, but the Akatsuki are far better written. They are more complex characters, and their stories are better written as well. The Shinju are a superficial villain group, the likes of which cannot hold a candle to the Akatsuki. Be it motivation, character arcs, or even fighting styles, the Akatsuki is better in just about every way and will always be remembered as one of anime’s most iconic villain groups.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is the sequel to the original Boruto series, written by Mikio Ikemoto , and supervised by Masashi Kishimoto. The series follows the journey of Boruto Uzumaki, 3 years after the events of Omnipotence struck in the story. Boruto must now work to save the world from the perils it faces while dealing with his brother, Kawaki. Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 30 is set for its official release on January 20, 2026. The release time of the chapter is 10 AM EST/ 3 PM UTC. As always, fans can read the chapter officially for free on the Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump apps.
