Kawaki

Lore & Background

Kawaki was originally bought from a cold and drunkard father by Jigen of the Kara organization. He became one of thirteen children and teenagers experimented upon to receive the Karma mark, alongside microscopic Shinobi-Ware implants that altered his physiology for combat. Labeled as "the Vessel," he defected after suffering abusive treatment from Jigen. Upon arriving at Konoha, he was adopted by Naruto Uzumaki. His integration involved specific moments of bonding, such as repairing a vase Himawari made for Hinata's birthday which he had accidentally destroyed. When Kara member Delta attacked to retrieve him, Naruto defended Kawaki, prompting the youth to request training to become a ninja. Later, when Jigen tracked and kidnapped Naruto, Kawaki joined Boruto, Sarada Uchiha, and Mitsuki to rescue him. The team faced Kara member Boro, where Boruto's Karma allowed Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki to possess him and kill Boro. After learning of Jigen's true nature from Amado, they faced Isshiki Ōtsutsuki, who had reincarnated in Jigen's charred corpse. Through the combined efforts of Naruto, Sasuke, and Kawaki, Isshiki was defeated.

In Their Own Story

The narrative proper begins with Kawaki's arrival at Konoha after escaping Kara, where he is introduced as a valuable piece of cargo lost to the organization. Initially distant, his relationship with the Uzumaki family shifts from coldness to care, highlighted when he fixes Himawari's broken vase. The tension escalates when Delta attacks the village; Naruto saves Kawaki, who then asks to be trained as a ninja. When Jigen arrives and kidnaps Naruto, Kawaki joins Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki on a rescue mission. They confront Boro, where Boruto is possessed by Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki, who brutally kills Boro. After rescuing Naruto, Kawaki learns from Amado that Jigen is an Ōtsutsuki vessel. When Isshiki Ōtsutsuki attacks Konoha to brand Kawaki with a new Karma and sacrifice Boruto, the trio of Naruto, Sasuke, and Kawaki unite to defeat him. In the aftermath, Momoshiki-possessed Boruto stabs Sasuke's left eye, destroying his Rinnegan, before Kawaki and a barely-conscious Sasuke fend off the possession until Boruto recovers.

Reader's Guide

Kawaki was created as a major rival to Boruto, with Masashi Kishimoto suggesting their introduction via flashforward for greater impact. His design features a Roman numeral IX tattoo under his left eye from his time in Kara. Unlike Boruto, who wears Sasuke's clothing, Kawaki has no notable clothing representing his personality due to a lack of interest. In December 2020, Yuma Uchida was announced as his Japanese voice actor, while Michael Schwalbe voices him in English. Artist Mikio Ikemoto noted their relationship is antagonistic yet more vitriolic than Naruto and Sasuke's, with Boruto's design becoming "overgrown" when interacting with Kawaki. Reception shifted from initial backlash over the flashforward's implied violence against Naruto to praise for his growth from a cold-hearted teenager to a caring person under Naruto's influence. In a 2021 poll, he was voted the seventh best character in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, and his fight with Garo was listed as the best anime fight of that year by Crunchyroll.

Did You Know?

• Kawaki was one of thirteen children and teenagers experimented on by Kara to receive the Karma mark.
• He bears a tattoo of the Roman numeral IX under his left eye from his time in Kara.
• Yuma Uchida voices Kawaki in Japanese, while Michael Schwalbe provides the English voice.
• In a 2021 poll, Kawaki was voted the seventh best character in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
• Mikio Ikemoto noted that Kawaki's lack of interest leads to him not sporting any notable clothing unlike Boruto.