Mitsuki

Lore & Background

Mitsuki's existence is defined by his creation as an experiment by Orochimaru, who allowed the boy to take his own path. This backstory was explicitly revealed in the one-shot "Naruto Gaiden: The Road Illuminated by the Full Moon" (2016), where Mitsuki abandons his master to travel to Konohagakure. He regards Boruto as his "sun," a motivation that drives him to become a ninja and protect his friend. His narrative explores the tension between being an artificial human designed for specific purposes and developing genuine emotional bonds.

In the manga sequel by Ukyō Kodachi and Mikio Ikemoto, Mitsuki and Sarada reject missions to save Boruto from an assassin, showcasing his prioritization of friendship over duty. Later arcs see him involved in complex scenarios, such as monitoring Eida and Daemon, where he is affected by Eida's omnipotence but fails to capture Boruto. His journey transforms him from a mysterious transfer student into a loyal member of Team 7, navigating threats ranging from the "Ghost" attacks to rebellions led by seven swordsmen in Kirigakure.

Reader's Guide

Mitsuki is an artificial human created by Orochimaru who joins Konohagakure as a Genin in Team 7. His design features snake-themed elements like yellow eyes, originally conceived with shoulder-length hair before being changed to a short white style for greater appeal. He wears a combat-suitable kimono with long sleeves that hide his hands to obscure his intentions, paired with an elongated ninja tool pouch on his sash. In terms of performance, Japanese voice actor Ryuichi Kijima was asked to sound emotionless but added depth by emphasizing Mitsuki's dynamic with Boruto, while English voice actor Robbie Daymond expressed honor at voicing such a mysterious character within the massive franchise.

Critics noted that while his role in the 2015 film lacked development, his expanded backstory and actions in the manga and anime added significant depth to his character. He is playable in fighting games like "Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4" (2016) and "Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker" (2018), and appears in light novels and an original video animation where he helps stop a thief.

Origins and Character Design

Masashi Kishimoto designed Mitsuki with specific visual cues to hint at his lineage, most notably through snake-themed features like his eyes. The author initially gave him shoulder-length hair but changed it to a short white hairstyle to make the character more appealing. His outfit consists of a kimono with long sleeves, deliberately designed for war rather than casual wear; this design hides his hands within the sleeves, making it difficult for others to discern his intentions.

He is also equipped with a ninja tool pouch that is longer than standard pouches, attached to the fastener of his sash. Hiroyuki Yamashita, the anime director, described Mitsuki as "An enigma shrouded in many mysteries" with a composed expression and slightly-long white hair that has a waviness to it. Yamashita noted that after reading Mitsuki's story, the character's image solidified, particularly following a scene revealing his true form which stirred up the audience during the first screening of "Boruto: Naruto the Movie."

Narrative Arc and Key Relationships

Mitsuki first appears in "Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring" (2015) as a transfer student. By "Boruto: Naruto the Movie," he is a Genin on Team 7 with Boruto Uzumaki and Sarada Uchiha, led by Konohamaru Sarutobi. His backstory in "Naruto Gaiden: The Road Illuminated by the Full Moon" (2016) reveals he is an artificial human created by Orochimaru who leaves his master to find Boruto, whom he calls his "sun." In the "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations" manga, Mitsuki and Sarada reject a mission to save Boruto from an assassin.

He later joins missions involving Kawaki, Shikadi, Inojin, and ChoCho to monitor Eida and Daemon, getting caught in Eida's omnipotence. The anime prequel details his academy days, his help in solving the "Ghost" attacks, and a trip to Kirigakure to stop a rebellion by seven swordsmen. An anime-exclusive arc features him feigning defection to spy on Fabrications from the Stone Village before defeating their leader, Ku, and rejoining Team 7.

Voice Acting and Performance

Ryuichi Kijima voices Mitsuki in Japanese, stating he was asked by staff to sound emotionless. However, Kijima chose to give the character a more notable characterization by focusing on his dynamic with Boruto, noting that Mitsuki tends to help him. In the English dub, Robbie Daymond voices Mitsuki, expressing deep honor at playing a character from such a large franchise and gratitude for working with other cast members. Director Hiroyuki Yamashita commented that while Mitsuki was initially seen as a gentle character in the film, his image solidified after reading his story.

Yamashita recalled being stirred up by the scene revealing Mitsuki's true form, leading him to think, "it seems that (Mitsuki) might be intriguing." Although Kishimoto praised Yamashita's work on the design, the director admitted he had not felt any satisfaction until later developments. The character guidebook for the film described him as having a composed expression and waviness in his hair.

Critical Reception and Legacy

Critical reception to Mitsuki has been mixed, largely due to his limited role in "Boruto: Naruto the Movie." Thais Valdivia of Hobby Consolas and Chris Homer of The Fandom Post noted that while his characterization was underdeveloped in the film, the post-credit revelation of his heritage was a surprising highlight. Toon Zone and Amy McNulty of Anime News Network praised Robbie Daymond's voice performance for adding mystery to the calm, collected character.

Sarah Nelkin of Anime Now felt he had no development in the film despite supporting the lead. However, once his past was explored in Kishimoto's one-shot, critics like McNulty found his origins engaging, though ambiguous. Melina Dargis considered his chapter the best in the first volume of the Boruto manga due to its connections with Orochimaru. Nik Freeman praised the backstory as a fresh take not rehashing prior arcs.

In the anime, critics noted his introduction was initially overshadowed by Shino Aburame but appreciated his interactions with Boruto and his fight against Sumire Kakehi. A 2021 poll voted him the eighth best character from "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations."