Momoshiki Otsutsuki Arc

Lore & Background

Momoshiki is described as a being with a superiority complex who views humans as inferior creatures. He possesses both Byakugan and Rinnegan, the latter located on his palms, which allow him to absorb and release ninjutsu. His design was created by Masashi Kishimoto based on the historical figure Minamoto no Yoshitsune. In his final moments in the film, after being overwhelmed, he consumes a red pill made from Kinshiki's body to gain another Rinnegan on his forehead before being defeated. Later retconned in the manga and anime, Momoshiki uses his last living moments to freeze time and discuss Boruto directly, branding him with the Karma mark upon seeing his potential. The Otsutsuki are beings capable of resurrecting by using the bodies of people cursed with Karma power.

In Their Own Story

The conflict begins when Momoshiki and Kinshiki arrive at Konohagakure to capture Kurama from Naruto after destroying the Chunin Exams stadium. They abduct Naruto to their dimension but are confronted by Boruto, Sasuke Uchiha, and four Kage. Overwhelmed, Momoshiki consumes Kinshiki's body for power but is ultimately killed by a combined Rasengan from Naruto and Boruto. In the sequel series, his fate changes; he possesses Boruto during a fight against the Kara member Boro to take over his body. While possessing Boruto, he absorbs chakra from an unconscious Naruto to create his own Rasengan to kill Boro and later attempts to stab Sasuke's Rinnegan. Although Boruto eventually breaks free with medicine that nullifies Momoshiki's power, a later confrontation with Code triggers the resurrection attempt again, leading Boruto to ask Kawaki to kill him to prevent Momoshiki from killing Naruto.

Reader's Guide

Fans should note that while Momoshiki was the focus of Kishimoto's film highlights alongside Sasuke and Naruto, Mikio Ikemoto's manga series shifted focus more toward Boruto and his adoptive brother Kawaki. The anime adaptation by Hiroyuki Yamashita noted differences in Momoshiki's appearance after consuming Kinshiki compared to the original movie design. Critical response has been mixed; reviewers praised fight scenes but criticized him as a weak villain lacking appealing traits, though his role in the sequel earned major narrative impact. In Japanese, he is voiced by Daisuke Namikawa, who described Momoshiki as an unredeemable villain with a large god complex, while Xander Mobus voices him in English. The character also appears as a boss and playable character in Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4.

Did You Know?

• Momoshiki's design was based on Minamoto no Yoshitsune, a famous warrior and military commander from the Heian period.
• In his last moments in the film, Momoshiki consumed a makeshift red pill made from Kinshiki's body to gain an additional Rinnegan on his forehead.
• Daisuke Namikawa, the Japanese voice actor, stated that he views Momoshiki as having a large god complex and seeing humans as inferior creatures.
• The battle against Kawaki was shown in the first chapter of the manga instead of Sasuke's fight against Kinshiki to generate a different impact on fans.
• In a 2021 poll, Momoshiki took the 15th place among fan favorites.