Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 97

No Scout Verdict Yet

Be the first Scout to rate this episode and share your thoughts.

Animation & Style

Character Writing & Lore

Emo Impact

Hype/Writing

Pacing

Soundtrack

Visual

World Building & Setting

👀 SPOILER-FREE SUMMARY

A filler episode that puts the spotlight squarely on Shikadai Nara, trading action for introspection. The tone is contemplative and measured, built around the weight of family legacy and what it means to carve your own path when expectations are already mapped out for you. Shikamaru's presence looms large here, not as a threat but as a standard his son must decide whether to follow or challenge. Pacing is deliberately slow, giving space for internal conflict rather than combat sequences. Friends offer perspective, but the emotional core stays locked on Shikadai's dilemma. If you enjoy character-driven episodes that explore the next generation wrestling with inherited duty versus personal ambition, this delivers that specific mood well. For those chasing plot progression, this one can safely be skipped without consequence.

🔥 KEY MOMENTS

⚠️ Spoiler Alert!

The Elder's Ultimatum

The Nara clan's chief elder confronts Shikadai directly, pressuring him to abandon the shinobi path entirely and commit to a political career that would raise the clan's standing in the village.

Shikadai's Internal Struggle

Shikadai wrestles with the weight of clan legacy, measuring his own ambitions against his father Shikamaru's influential position as the Hokage's advisor. The parallels between father and son are impossible to ignore as he considers what duty actually means.

A Shocking Choice

Rather than outright refuse or blindly obey, Shikadai lands on a middle ground — he announces he's stepping away from ninja missions to pursue political studies. It's a calculated, very Nara-like move that satisfies no one completely.

Friends Left Behind

Shikadai breaks the news to his teammates and friends, whose reactions range from stunned silence to visible concern. The scene underscores just how unexpected this decision is from someone who has always fought alongside them without question.

📍 ARC CONTEXT

Positioned at episode 97 of 293, this filler follows a stretch of standalone character spotlight episodes, including the previous focus on Namida's jutsu struggles, continuing the pattern of developing individual members of the new generation. It serves as a transitional piece, deepening Shikadai's characterization before the series moves into its next storyline with fresh challenges for the young shinobi. No manga-canon plot threads advance here.

⚡ ALL REVIEWS

AnimeOshi.com refers to anime titles, character names, logos, and other trademarked or copyrighted materials to identify and describe the works being reviewed, discussed, ranked or otherwise referenced on this site. This usage is believed to be nominative fair use or non-infringing and is not intended to imply any affiliation with the respective rights holders.

All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their owners. If you are a rights holder and have concerns about any content on this site, please contact us at legal@animeoshi.com