One of the most interesting bombshells to emanate from the Boruto manga was Mitsuki's crush on Boruto. Many assumed the romantic arc would be between Boruto and Sarada. While the property did briefly touch on them and a love triangle with Sumire, it's really made Mitsuki the person who's more heartbroken over not being able to tell Boruto about his feelings and the fact he wants to spark a romance.
Sadly, Boruto always dances around it, rarely picking up the arc and instead just sprinkling Mitsuki's angst in a way that it feels like it can easily paint it as a deep friendship. This approach has drawn criticism, with some believing it's queer-baiting and that the property won't truly dive into the concept of queer love in Konoha. At least, not with someone as iconic as the Hokage's son. Well, as Boruto: Two Blue Vortex begins, there is a chance to rectify this and really play on the LGBTQ idea the series seems to be stringing along.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Flips the Mitsuki Love Arc
Thanks to Eida's reality warping, the Hidden Leaf has been flipped on its head. Kawaki had her mess with people's minds, having them think he's Naruto's son. She then engineered memories so Boruto would take Kawaki's place, tricking the citizens into thinking Boruto killed Naruto and Hinata — all while Kawaki has them hidden in a secret dimension. Now, Kawaki is marshaling the troops as the "prince" of Konoha.
Along with Shikamaru, the new Hokage, they're devising a brutal strategy to kill Boruto. It's somewhat understandable since Kawaki doesn't want Momoshiki possessing Boruto again and waging war on Konoha. But still, it's pretty cruel. The thing is, Mitsuki inherits the feelings he had for Boruto, but it's now transferred to Kawaki. He's found stalking Kawaki, wanting to be a bodyguard, only for Kawaki to chide him as creepy and toxic. He just doesn't want to be stifled anymore, leaving Mitsuki confused because he thinks Kawaki should be appreciating his care, compassion, and empathy.
Mitsuki thinks Boruto will come after Kawaki now, so it does come from a good place. But again, Mitsuki isn't that mature, nor does he have anyone to guide or advise him on his feelings and how to temper them. Orochimaru, after all, is the person who cloned him from his own DNA, but he's redeeming himself in a lab outside Konoha. As a result, Mitsuki doesn't know how to process this crush, which has kicked into overdrive since he thinks he's close to losing his best friend, someone he considers a dear soulmate. It stirs up an intriguing love story, leaving fans hoping these few panels regarding true love will be expounded on.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Would Feel Natural Making Kawaki Gay
Now, portions of the fandom have wondered, even before the Boruto-Mitsuki drama, if Kawaki was queer. It trails back to the Sasuke days of old, where fans thought he and Naruto had a queer crush existing. That never materialized, but some thought maybe in a new creative era, Masashi Kishimoto (creator) would be more liberal and progressive. Given Kawaki's flair, style, and how he — like Sasuke — shoos the ladies away, it does feel like he is a canvas that could be used to create a queer character. It'd undoubtedly add diversity, equality, and visibility to the story.
The thing is, this isn't a superficial ask or forcing something for style — it'd be an arc of substance, given Kawaki's background. He was bought by Jigen, made into a child slave, abused, and turned into a weapon. Thus, he's struggled with the idea of family and identity. It's why he's desperate to disobey Naruto, kill Boruto, and protect Konoha for the greater good. It speaks to the emotional dysphoria he's gone through and that isolation within. As such, with this outsider energy, Kawaki would be a perfect vehicle to speak to gay representation.
Kawaki has never felt he fit anywhere, or with anyone. This is what Mitsuki also endured before Konoha took him in. They have so much in common, from their punk aesthetic to trust issues to wanting to be somewhere they can be different and loved. It's the ideal tapestry to now have a Kawaki driven by fear and anger being honest, vulnerable, and flawed with Mitsuki. Exploring their romance and a possible relationship would further up the stakes and have emotionally invested fans not rooting for Kawaki but hoping there can be a peaceful resolution. It'd also be quite heartbreaking since, as this new love triangle unfolds, Mitsuki is sure to be crushed knowing (once the ruse is revealed) what transpired and that someone he cares for betrayed them all.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Can Undo Unhealthy Anime and Manga Tropes
Admittedly, the anime and manga genres have kept perpetuating toxic tropes. Naruto did so with Jiraiya's perverted ways as the Ero Sennin, while the likes of Chainsaw Man continue to dehumanize, over-sexualize, and objectify women — something already seen with Sarada's new costume.
Boruto can step into the light, be bold, and help paint a cosmopolitan world. Kishimoto himself has said Konoha should reflect the real world in terms of economics, politics, and how societies should operate. The time's now to address hetero-bonds and why only focusing on them takes away from this very notion. Boruto has a huge queer fan base, so these readers should see folks like themselves in the pages and on the small screen.
It'd help undo the mistakes of old, reinforcing the series can evolve and grow. And most of all, it'd move away from the regressive mindset that gay shinobi don't exist. Ultimately, it'd feel natural, too, giving Mitsuki and Kawaki a powerful bond that would complicate the story's new war in a very dynamic, human fashion.
