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The following contains spoilers for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 20, "Because of Love," now available on Viz Media.

The ongoing Boruto: Two Blue Vortex manga arc reminds fans of Madara Uchiha and Kaguya Otsutsuki's violence during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Boruto Uzumaki's shinobi generation was born from the ashes of the devastating Fourth Great Ninja War that ended the Naruto franchise, and it seems they are now destined for war once again. Although Boruto's villains, Otsutsuki and otherwise, have failed to live up to the same infamy as Madara and Kaguya, a truly terrifying antagonist capable of rivaling them finally appears to be in the making.

The prospect of a fierce villain who's a challenge for the shinobi cast to defeat is enticing to Boruto manga readers craving more intensity since the timeskip. Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 20 delivers on fans' wishes for a darker story. Unfortunately, a...

Effectively splitting the difference between the crude human drama of his animated work and the genre spectacle of the blockbuster fare that followed, Korean director Yeon Sang-ho returns with a glossy psychological thriller about a church pastor who’s cucked so hard that he convinces himself it’s an act of God.

And yet, the real problem for Pastor Sung Min-chan (“A Taxi Driver” star Ryu Jun-yeol) is that he’s not alone in mistaking earthly hardship for a kind of divine instruction, as “Revelations” will soon find the good father crossing paths with a serial kidnapper who claims his crimes are committed at the behest of a “one-eyed monster,” as well as a young detective who believes that her dead sister — one of the criminal’s previous victims — is urging her to catch him from the afterlife.

Each of the characters in this unholy trinity is trying to quiet a voice in their head,...

Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto might be one of the greatest anime or manga series in history, but its reputation was ruined by its sequel spin-off series, Boruto. While Boruto got a lot of hype when it was announced, once the story started, fans couldn’t connect with it the way they connected with Naruto, and thus the series got criticized.

Boruto Anime Series | Credit: Studio Pierrot

A lot of factors contributed to the failure of Boruto as a story, which ranged from the plot development to disrespect towards the old characters. But still, the series continued because the hardcore Naruto fans were willing to give it a chance until the end, and Kishimoto finally managed to make it a worthy series.

However, the problem with Boruto getting the deserved fame and recognition is that, neither the protagonist of the story, Boruto nor the former protagonist, Naruto is responsible for it.

The following contains spoilers for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #20, "Because of Love," by Masashi Kishimoto, Mikio Ikemoto, Mari Morimoto, and Snir Aharon, now available through Viz Media.

As Boruto: Two Blue Vortex continues, readers are witnessing a very scary fight indeed. The manga is pitting the God Trees, Ryu and Matsuri, against a Konoha and Sunagakure alliance. Sarada is collaborating with Mitsuki and the Sand's Yodo and Araya to battle Ryu.

Meanwhile, Boruto's mentor, Konohamaru, is fighting Matsuri. Unfortunately, the God Trees are very overpowered. It makes sense, given they are offshoots of the Ten Tails Beast and have Ōtsutsuki DNA in them. However, Konohamaru has found a way in his bout to overcome. The problem is, he has a flaw in his strategy which could prove fatal for all parties in the desert battle.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex's Konohamaru Almost Dies Fighting Matsuri Konohamaru Baits Matsuri...

The following contains spoilers for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #20, "Because of Love," by Masashi Kishimoto, Mikio Ikemoto, Mari Morimoto, and Snir Aharon, now available through Viz Media.

From the moment Boruto: Two Blue Vortex unleashed Matsuri and Ryu in the desert terrain of Sunagakure, it felt like the stakes got higher. Boruto was curtailed and kept from joining the fight. Kashin Koji made it clear they couldn't intervene. They would alter destiny if they did.

Thus, Boruto had to remain at the base as this Singularity of Fate. It teased death and destruction, with the God Trees being way more powerful than Boruto's friends. Well, come Chapter #20, the levees are breaking. A key character gets killed, although it leads to Uchiha Sarada unleashing a new aspect of her power and evolving her journey.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Kills Off Yodo Ryu Unleashes His Iron Sand and Stabs Yodo

While Konohamaru fights Matsuri,...

Although Naruto is one of the world’s biggest anime and manga series, its sequel spin-off, Boruto, fell short of its predecessor’s popularity and fame. And while there were a lot of reasons behind this, for me especially, it was the inability to create an enticing narrative, that not only connected to the past storyline but also brought some new elements.

Boruto Anime Series | Credit: Studio Pierrot

I was quite excited when Boruto was announced, but as the story went on, it lost the essence that made it a part of the Narutoverse and thus, was destined to fail sooner or later. However, with the recent developments in the ongoing Boruto storyline, my hope within the franchise has been renewed as they have brought back the iconic Mangekyou Sharingan through Sarada.

While Sarada unlocked her Mangekyou Sharingan before the time skips, it wasn’t used at all and thus...

Quick LinksKonohamaru's Lie Falls Apart in Two Blue Vortex Chapter 20A Dire Mistake Emboldens Jura's Hatred for HumanityTwo Blue Vortex Chapter 20 Signals the End of Talk No JutsuTalk No Jutsu Holds Back the Boruto FranchiseBoruto: Two Blue Vortex Needs More Intimidating Villains

The following contains spoilers for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #20, "Because of Love," by Masashi Kishimoto, Mikio Ikemoto, Mari Morimoto, and Snir Aharon, now available through Viz Media.

As Boruto: Two Blue Vortex proceeds, Jura has his God Trees wreaking major havoc in Sunagakure. Matsuri and Ryu are raising hell, battering the alliance that Shikamaru sent over from Konoha. The former has begun to devour Konohamaru, adamant that after rejecting her romantic advances, he doesn't have the right to live.

Two Blue Vortex chapters 18 and 19 capped her apathy in the most violent way. Now, Two Blue Vortex Chapter 20 finally reveals the fate of Boruto's former mentor. Thankfully, Konohamaru...

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex just gave Sarada Uchiha, Sasuke's daughter, a serious upgrade as she has finally uses the Mangekyo Sharingan in chapter #20 of the series. The ability comes in the middle of a high-intensity battle where emotions are running high. Alongside the standard range of abilities granted to Uchiha who unlock the Mangekyo, Sarada also seems to have used the ability to create some sort of black hole, hinting that her mastery of the Sharingan could be incredibly powerful.

In chapter #20 of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, Sarada, Mistuki, Araya, and Yodo are facing Ryu, a twisted evil version of Shinki. Though Ryu offers to let the ninjas go if they give up information on Boruto, Sarada refuses, prompting Ryu to impale Yodo with his magnetic sand. A dying Yodo then prompts Sarada to unleash her true power. All of Ryu's sand is promptly sucked into a hole...

Quick LinksKonohamaru Inadvertently Shows His Greatest WeaknessBoruto: Two Blue Vortex #18 Continues the Franchise's Main ThemeAt This Point, the Story Does Feel a Bit Imbalanced

The following contains spoilers for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #18, "Only Babble In Your Sleep," by Masashi Kishimoto, Mikio Ikemoto, Mari Morimoto, and Snir Aharon, now available through Viz Media.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex manga is how the time jump has ramped up the action. Many fans complained that the Boruto series dragged its feet, only feeling intense and high-stakes when villains like Momoshiki and Isshiki Ōtsutsuki appeared. But with this skip occurring into the future, the pace has indeed picked up.

Chapter #18 expands on the sinister plan that the Eighth Hokage, Shikamaru, is enacting in Sunagakure. Konohamaru and his squad are there to liberate Gaara and Shinki. However, as they try to manipulate Jura's God Trees...

Ninja Gaiden 3 came out over a decade ago in 2012 and ever since then, fans have waited for a new mainline entry in the franchise. It may have taken a long time but it’s finally time. Ninja Gaiden 4 was recently announced at an Xbox Developer Direct and is scheduled to come out sometime in 2025.

It only took a decade but it’s here. | Image Credit: PlatinumGames Inc

Team Ninja and PlatinumGames have confirmed that a new protagonist, Yakumo, will take center stage while Ryu remains a significant but secondary character. We could be seeing a similar situation to what the Devil May Cry series did by bringing in Nero as a replacement for Dante. The question now is whether Ninja Gaiden 4 can pull off this transition smoothly.

Ninja Gaiden 4 brings in a new protagonist Will the transition to a new main character be smooth? | Image Credit: PlatinumGames Inc

Ninja Gaiden...

Today, Microsoft unveiled new looks at multiple upcoming games during its Xbox Developer Direct 2025 presentation, livestreamed on the official Xbox YouTube channel. Although it was known that the showcase would provide new details on previously announced titles like South of Midnight, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Doom: The Dark Ages, one unannounced mystery game was scheduled to be revealed that left fans speculating about what Xbox had up its sleeve.

To everyone’s surprise, that game turned out to be Ninja Gaiden 4, the long-awaited sequel in one of gaming’s most acclaimed 3D action franchises,...

Hip-Hop artists and rappers make a surprising number of references to anime in some of their songs. While most people might think that there isn't room for the two to be combined, there are a wide range of artists that would prove them wrong. Megastars like Megan Thee Stallion and Frank Ocean are avid fans of anime, including great references many might miss in some of their biggest hits.

Even rappers with cult followings like Isaiah Rashad and Denzel Curry include a ton of great references to their personal favorite series in some of their singles. A lot of anime references involve the biggest shows around, including Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Pokémon, and more. No matter what kind of anime a song is referring to, it always makes for a great blend between two genres of entertainment that have more in common than they have differences. Disclaimer: some of these references are explicit.

The following contains spoilers for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #17, "Wild Beast Cubs," by Masashi Kishimoto, Mikio Ikemoto, Mari Morimoto, and Snir Aharon, now available through Viz Media.

One of the most appreciable elements of the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex time-jump is how other peripheral players are coming into focus more. Mitsuki is gathering extra time in the manga to address his crush on Boruto. Another key character who has a lot more to do is Boruto's most important mentor: Konohamaru. He helped Boruto finesse his mental and physical strengths before Sasuke and Naruto coached the boy. That was the foundation Boruto needed in his adolescence.

Now, many years later, Konohamaru has been working steadfastly and diligently under the Eighth Hokage, Shikamaru. They have to figure out a way to stop the God Trees from decimating Konoha and then other villages and nations. Come the latest chapter, things get a bit more complicated for Konohamaru.

The following contains spoilers for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #17, "Wild Beast Cubs," by Masashi Kishimoto, Mikio Ikemoto, Mari Morimoto, and Snir Aharon, now available through Viz Media.

As the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex story continues, manga fans are seeing Konoha at its most desperate point. There were many times before that the Hidden Leaf came under pressure. Villains like the Akatsuki, the Kara terrorist cell, and several Ōtsutsuki aliens who attacked caused so much chaos and collateral damage.

Now, Jura and the God Trees have the Hidden Leaf scrambling for a response. These beings are on par with the Ōtsutsuki. To make things worse, Naruto and Sasuke aren't around. The former is trapped in a secret dimension, while the latter is in a coma on the fringes. That leaves the new Hokage, Shikamaru, in charge of coming up with new ideas. Unfortunately, as the latest chapter unfolds, the Eighth Hokage proves that,...

Quick Links Every Akuma Move (& How To Use Them) How To Perform Akuma's Raging Demon Sample Combos For Akuma How To Win Games As Akuma

Akuma is the final Dlc character for Street Fighter 6's first season and returns as an iconic fighter from the series whose moves, combos, and signature Raging Demon attack create one of the strongest combatants in the game. Akuma boasts an overwhelming offense bolstered by the dark energies of the Satsui no Hado. With the right approach, nearly any opponent will fall to this master of the fist.

Alongside Rashid, Aki, and Ed, Akuma is one of the characters added after Street Fighter 6's launch, so you have to purchase him separately from the main game as Dlc. Those who purchased the entire Year 1 Character Pass or Ultimate Edition of the game will receive Akuma automatically. Anyone who bought the Ultimate Character Pass will also obtain Akuma's stage,...

Much like Majima Everywhere, out of nowhere today the official Ryu Ga Gotoku Twitter account and Amazon announced that the Like a Dragon video game series is inspiring a live-action series based on the life of Kazuma Kiryu. Titled Like a Dragon: Yakuza , the series will tell a story of Kiryu’s life that the games “have not been able to explore.” The series is set to be directed by Masaharu Take ( The Naked Director ) with scripts from Sean Crouch ( The 100 ) & Yugo Nakamura and Japanese scripts from Yasuhiro Yoshida and Kana Yamada. Ryoma Takeuchi, who is known as Kamen Rider Drive and the Red stand-in in Pokémon: Detective Pikachu , will play Kiryu. Masayoshi Yokoyama, the head of Ryu Ga Gotoku and writer for the Like a Dragon franchise since its inception in 2005 on the PlayStation 2, said “I have no doubt that fans of the series will be drawn to how...

The official YouTube channel for singer-songwriter Takaya Kawasaki has started streaming a special anime music video for "Stardust Memory." The song is now featured as the opening theme for the spring 2024 TV anime Bartender Glass of God and the clip consists of footage used in previous episodes of the anime. As his first anime theme song work, "Stardust Memory" released on digital services on April 3. He has been known as a big fan of the original Bartender manga by by Araki Joh (story) and Kenji Nagatomo (arts). "In addition to being happy just to have my favorite manga adapted into an anime, I am also very honored to work on its theme song," said Kawasaki on the anime's official website . "I put my heart and soul into writing this song so that it would not detract from the world of the original manga, but would add a bit of flair to it.

The interactive division of Crunchyroll Games, is placing the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” into “Street Fighter: Duel” starting May 15, 2024, on the App Store and Google Play:

“…something totally not excellent is happening in the world of ‘Street Fighter: Duel’. ‘M. Bison’ has teamed up with the arch nemesis of the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’— ‘Shredder’.

“Now, the ‘Foot Clan’ threaten to overwhelm ‘Ryu’, ‘Chun-Li’ and the rest of the ‘World Warriors’.

“Can they rely on the help of ‘Leonardo’, ‘Michelangelo’, ‘Raphael’ and ‘Donatello’ to save the day? Will ‘Blanka’ get along with these fellow green heroes or is the world doomed? “

“Beloved characters are at the heart of any great collaboration and ‘Street Fighter’ has a storied legacy of legendary crossovers,” said Terry Li, General Manager of Crunchyroll Games and Executive Vice President of Emerging Business at Crunchyroll.

“We look forward to building on that legacy with Capcom by introducing...

Get ready for a shell shock, because the latest Street Fighter: Duel collaboration has Crunchyroll Games' mobile RPG teaming up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles . It all starts when Leonardo and Michelangelo join the fight on April 17—uh, dude, that's today —followed by Raphael and Donatello on May 15. The collaboration's story sees M. Bison teaming up with Ninja Turtles nemesis Shredder, combining the forces of Shadaloo and the Foot Clan. With this doubled-up threat looming over Ryu, Chun-Li and the rest of the World Warriors, they're going to need some most excellent assistance. That is, naturally, where Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Donatello come into play, complete with their classic 1987 designs. Related: Street Fighter: Duel Nominated for User's Choice Award on Google Play Crunchyroll Games describes Street Fighter: Duel : Street Fighter : Duel is a new twist on the legendary Street Fighter franchise. Collect and upgrade your team of...

Filler was once the bane of an anime fan's existence. In the days prior to seasonal anime, many popular shows (like Dragon Ball and Naruto) would create original content to keep the show running while the manga pressed on. Fans consider many of these episodes to be terrible. Viewers would groan at the mere mention of filler.

One Piece is one of the few long-running anime airing today. Because of this, One Piece has some filler episodes sporadically. Some aren't very good, but there are some worth watching. Some filler episodes do interesting things with characters, while others lead into some pretty cool movies.

Related 10 Best One Piece Manga Stories Cut From The Anime Eiichiro Oda's One Piece is a signature shonen series with thousands of anime episodes, yet not every story from the manga makes the cut! Episode 291 Shows Viewers A Feudal Japanese Take On The Straw Hats...

After the release of his critically acclaimed gay romance “Badhaai Do” in 2022, Harshvardhan Kulkarni was asked whether or not he was inspired by Kim Jho Gwang-Soo's “Two Weddings and a Funeral,” which had come out in Korea ten years prior. Kulkarni denied having seen Kim Jho's film and noted that the concept of “Lavender Marriages,” in which a man and a woman marry in order to hide that they're gay, is not new. He went as far as to compare it to the “Elopement Marriage” trope found in so many romance stories throughout history, but the truth is that queer marriages of convenience have factored into far fewer popular films. It's difficult, then, not to compare the two films, but Kim Jho's exploration of the idea is breezier and sillier at its best. Unfortunately, overwrought melodrama in the third act takes away from what is otherwise a winning rom-com.

“Two...

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vs Street Fighter #1 Raphael has been named by Leonardo himself as the strongest member of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and now he’s on the precipice of becoming even stronger, as the Tmnt's latest Street Fighter crossover is about to give Raphael a dark and powerful upgrade.

Within the world of Street Fighter, there are many different forms of power-ups and energy sources that fans of the original games are assuredly familiar with. Every fighter in the Street Fighter universe has access to ki, as that is the energy that runs through all things, and it can be used for special attacks. For characters like Ryu and Ken, they can harness their ki to use the Hadoken, Shoryuken, and the Tatsumaki Senpukyaku. Then, there are fighters like Rose, who have access to a source of energy known as Soul Power,...

Street Fighter is the brand that spring boarded the entire fighting game genre. While the first game fell under the radar, its sequel became an absolute phenomenon and inspired countless imitators and so many upgrades, sequels, and spinoffs. Afterwards, publisher Capcom released both a series of prequel games (Street Fighter Alpha) and a sequel game (Street Fighter III) to varying levels of success. And after a lengthy break, we finally got Street Fighter IV, which kickstarted a revival of the fighter genre that was followed by Street Fighter V.

Now we have Street Fighter 6, which takes the series to new heights with brand-new modes, mechanics, and other updates that are sure to influence the genre as a whole once again. And considering Capcom treated Street Fighter III like it was radioactive and gave it the Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift treatment by making every sequel a lead-up to it,...

With Street Fighter 6 out now, some characters have risen to the top of the power rankings, while others remain less formidable. Street Fighter characters have always varied in terms of both their strength and accessibility, and the latest entry in the series is no exception. Street Fighter 6 is one of the most welcoming games in the series to new players, thanks to the addition of the Drive Parry, a sort of one-size-fits-all defensive stance that blocks almost all incoming attacks. However, even with such versatile tools on their side, new players still need to choose which of the launch roster's 18 characters they'll try first.

Street Fighter 6 also adds a handful of fresh faces to the roster, including Marisa, Lily, and Luke, the poster boy of the series' new direction. While many of these characters have the advantage of surprise - even veteran players have yet to familiarize themselves with their...

There are eighteen Masters throughout Street Fighter 6's World Tour mode, which are made up of the current different playable characters of the game, with additional ones coming after launch. Though players should come across them naturally when working their way through the story, each one will have a designated location in the world they reside in.

Not every Master will be super easy to track down, however, as some have certain conditions that must be in place to become available in Street Fighter 6's World Tour mode. This could be something as simple as showing up at the right time of day or as complex as tracking down a specific Npc and completing a side quest.

Where To Find Every Street Fighter 6 Master

As stated, the player should come across most Street Fighter 6 playable characters, or Masters, while naturally progressing through the story. Luke, for example, is the first Master encountered,...

Quick Links Aggressive Approach and Evasion Punish Missed Attacks and Favor Throws Control the Air Cammy’s Staple Combos

The famed Killer Bee Cammy returns in Street Fighter 6. Her playstyle is similar to how she performed in Street Fighter 5, making her easy to pick up for returning players. However, Cammy has also received buffs to make her even more fearsome on the ground and in the air.

Cammy is a highly offensive rush-down character. She constantly wants to be in the opponent’s face and make them hesitant about their next move. Her own attack inputs are rather simple, using classic quarter-circle directional with one or two punches or kicks. While one can comfortably play Cammy with a standard console controller, a good fight stick for Street Fighter 6 will give it even more precision.

Aggressive Approach and Evasion

Cammy has a higher movement speed than most other characters in Street...

With the Street Fighter franchise getting a new live-action movie, chances are we will soon see a new incarnation of the fan favorite Guile on the big screen. In the original Street Fighter film, released in 1994, Jean-Claude Van Damme played the role of Guile, a United States Air Force major known for his military garb and tall blonde hair. The character was not featured in the 2009 reboot, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, though he continues to appear in the video games and has been consistently featured in the various animated Street Fighter adaptations.

With Guile likely coming to the next Street Fighter reboot, this one in the works from Legendary Entertainment, fans may be wondering who will be the next actor to play the master of the Sonic Boom. If you ask BossLogic, Reacher star Alan Ritchson fits the bill and should be considered. The digital artist had the...

Before the launch of Street Fighter 6 on June 2nd, developer Capcom has invited any and all players to join a free Open Beta to test the online servers of the game. Featuring the same content available from the two previous Closed Betas that came before, this extended preview comes as a surprise next to the limited Demo. Players who weren't selected before have a golden opportunity to test their skills against others in what is shaping up to be the best game in the series.

The Open Beta lasts from May 19th until May 22nd, roughly lasting an entire weekend for players to try eight different characters from the game's starting roster. The fighters included in the Fighting Ground and Battle Hub modes of Street Fighter 6 are Ryu and Luke from the Demo, as well as Guile, Chun-Li, Ken, Jaime, Juri, and Kimberly.

How to Join the Open Beta of...

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are going to meet the combatants of Street Fighter in a comic book crossover later this year, and a new variant cover by artist Juni Ba depicts Leonardo showing Ryu his “Hadouken!!” skills in hilarious fashion.

Many a fan will take one look at Juni Ba’s variant cover for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vs. Street Fighter #1 and immediately be transported back to the arcades of their youth, as Ryu attempts to give Leo the proper control inputs to perfectly execute a “Hadouken” fireball. Coming from the creative team of Paul Allor, Ariel Medel and Sarah Myer, the five-issue crossover series depicts the first-ever meeting between the world of Tmnt and Street Fighter. Shared via Twitter, check out Juni Ba’s stellar work below:

Street Fighter’s Ryu Shows Tmnt’s Leo How It’s Done In New Variant Cover Kaaaa… meeee… aaaah…. Meeee…...