Summary
- Byakugan has untapped potential with enhanced vision abilities, but remains underutilized in the series.
- Unlike Sharingan, Byakugan lacks evolution beyond Tenseigan, hindering its complexity and allure.
- Boruto has a chance to delve into Byakugan's capabilities, potentially unlocking new powers through storyline development.
The following article contains spoilers for Naruto and Boruto.
Naruto is a series with rich world-building, and its cohesive and creative universe is impressive. One thing that captures most fans' interest is the eye-related kekkei genkai (genetic anomalies that allow their wielders to use amanzing jutsu), such as the Sharingan and Byakugan.
While the Sharingan has been extensively explored in Naruto, the Byakugan has not gotten the same spotlight so far. Both kekkei genkai had a lot of potential in the beginning, but many fans feel that the original story did not do the Byakugan justice. Could this doujutsu be further explored in the future?
Naruto: Why The Byakugan Is Underrated, Explained
Despite its strength, the Byakugan doesn't get the same attention as the Uchiha's Sharingan, leading to its undervaluation.
What Is The Byakugan In Naruto?
Similar to the Sharingan, the Byakugan is a doujutsu kekkei genkai introduced early in the series — the Otsutsuki clan was the first clan known to wield the Byakugan, and the Hyuga clan inherited it from them. However, unlike the Sharingan, which requires a traumatic experience to activate, the Byakugan is present at birth.
Nonetheless, according to the anime, being born with the Byakugan doesn't mean being able to use its powers from an early age — users need to train, and not necessarily everyone will be able to access its powers. This is not explicitly established in the manga, but it could be considered part of the franchise's overall canon. In any case, the Byakugan enhances users' vision, allowing them to see in 360 degrees, except for a small blind spot. Furthermore, users can see through walls, underground, and even inside a person's body as if they had X-ray vision. However, some things, like smoke, can obstruct their vision.
The Byakugan Had A Lot of Potential
Most of the powers of the Byakugan are related to enhanced (and overpowered) vision abilities: users are able to see chakra and its pathways (to a greater extent than the Sharingan); they can distinguish jutsu-generated clones from their users and see if a shinobi is using genjutsu; they can also perceive fast movements. The anime adds even more abilities to the Byakugan; some Otsutsuki can even read minds and see people's fates with it.
All of this demonstrates the Byakugan's potential as a kekkei genkai. As the manga progressed, new abilities were introduced, making it seem as if the more a user trains, the more abilities they can unlock. This is slightly different from the Sharingan, which requires traumatic experiences for a few enhancements. However, perhaps due to the need for training, the Byakugan has been underutilized in the series.
There Is No Evolution for the Byakugan
Except for the Tenseigan, introduced in the movie Naruto: The Last, there is no evolution for the Byakugan, while the Sharingan can evolve into 2-Tomoe Sharingan, 1-Tomoe Sharingan, Mangekyo Sharingan, Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, and the Rinnegan. Furthermore, the Tenseigan can only be acquired by an Otsutsuki (so far): it happens when an Otsutsuki implants the Byakugan of a Hyuga into their eyes, combining the chakra of both clans — it takes a few days for the Tenseigan to be complete.
I'm Uzumaki Himawari. Nice to meet you... Kurama.
— Himawari in Boruto TBV
Some fans claim that the Byakugan does not need to evolve because users can unlock more powerful techniques as they train with this doujutsu. While that is true, the Byakugan seems to be no match for the evolved forms of the Sharingan, such as the Mangekyo Sharingan and the Rinnegan. This makes the Sharingan seem much more interesting than the Byakugan. It doesn't help that the Sharingan has more screen time, especially with Sasuke and Itachi. Additionally, the series could be more creative when establishing new abilities for those who have mastered the Byakugan.
Boruto Can Still Explore The Byakugan
While the Byakugan is under-explored in Naruto, it can still be explored in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex. Himawari Uzumaki, who is now the jinchuriki of the Nine Tails, has the potential to unlock many new powers with her Byakugan. Furthermore, if an Otsutsuki can evolve the Byakugan into the Tenseigan by implanting a Hyuga's Byakugan, what would happen if a Hyuga implanted an Otsutsuki's Byakugan into their eyes? This would combine the chakra of both clans, creating an opportunity to evolve the Byakugan and unlock its full potential, giving its users unimaginable powers.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is available to read on MANGA Plus, in English and many other languages.
- Release Date
- October 2, 2002
- Network
- Adult Swim
A popular shonen anime based on Masashi Kishimoto's manga, Naruto follows its eponymous shinobi's journey as he goes from his town's outsider to its hero.
- Studio
- Pierrot
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Masashi Kishimoto
- Number of Episodes
- 220
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix, YouTube
