Boruto Reflects on 21 Years of Jinchuriki History in the Naruto Legacy

Jinchuriki—characters who serve as living containers for sealed Tailed Beasts—were introduced in Naruto Chapter #261 on June 13, 2005, and they quickly became a backbone of the power framework across the Naruto and Boruto universe. Naruto Uzumaki, the series’ original hero, was one of the nine Jinchuriki, and the idea mattered so much that even Madara Uchiha ultimately took on the role by becoming the Ten-Tails’ Jinchuriki. For years, that setup defined how battles, politics, and “power” worked in the story.

But in the Boruto era—now 21 years removed from their original introduction—the Jinchuriki are reportedly fading away one after another. More importantly, recent Boruto: Two Blue Vortex developments signal a major restructuring of the franchise’s power system: the Jinchuriki model appears to be effectively finished as the series’ main engine. In its place is something newer, and notably different.

And while fans have long celebrated taijutsu specialists like Might Guy and Rock Lee, the story is now framed as though even they’ve been eclipsed by the “God of Taijutsu.”

Jinchuriki Are No Longer Relevant In The Story Of Boruto With The Introduction Of Karma And Human-Tailed Beasts

In the original Naruto, Jinchuriki weren’t just a plot device—they were treated as a central power system. Put simply, a Jinchuriki is a host body where a Tailed Beast is sealed. These vessels were frequently used for Tailed Beast warfare between villages, turning the sealed creatures—massive chakra entities—into a kind of deterrent. In practice, the Jinchuriki model functioned almost like “nuclear-style” leverage inside the setting, keeping each nation in check. The franchise also credits Naruto Uzumaki with reshaping that worldview: by befriending the Tailed Beasts and becoming their leader, he reframed them as more than tools.

“Since the Bijuu have inconceivable power, every country wanted to use them for military affairs. A Jinchuriki is something that exists to control this power of the Bijuu.” — Chiyo, explaining Jinchuriki, Naruto Chapter #261

With Naruto’s influence, the Tailed Beasts stopped being viewed purely as weapons and were allowed to exist more freely in the world. By the end of the main run, only two Jinchuriki remained: Naruto Uzumaki and Killer B. Unfortunately, the status of Naruto’s Jinchuriki role ends in Boruto: Naruto Next Generation Chapter 55, which was released officially “on.” Kurama is stated to have died, and with that, Naruto is no longer a Jinchuriki.

“Normally, when a Jinchuriki’s Biju is extracted, they die. But that doesn’t apply to you. The Biju chakra simply vanishes. It might look to others like you’re dead, but you’re just in a temporary state of shock. Don’t worry, you’ll wake up soon. The price to pay for Baryon Mode is my life, not yours. I’ve got to go, but be really careful. You aren’t gonna have superhuman strength anymore. So if you overdo it, you’ll end up joining me soon. But, until that day comes, you be well, Naruto.” — Kurama’s death leads to Naruto losing his Jinchuriki standing, Boruto Chapter #55

On top of that, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex—which officially kicks off a new arc in Chapter 35 on June 18, 2026—appears to be stepping away from the Tailed Beast-centric system. Boruto introduced Karma early on in Chapter #1, and since then, Karma has become the dominant source of strength in the world. In Two Blue Vortex, the series introduces yet another power structure tied to Tailed Beasts, replacing the Jinchuriki model with “Human Tailed Beasts.” The core idea is that by combining a Tailed Beast’s power with a human body, a more advanced system is created—an evolution credited to Mikio Ikemoto within Boruto. This shift is reinforced again in the Mamushi arc, which concludes in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 33 on April 20, 2026.

Why Killer Bee Stands As Boruto’s Last Jinchuriki

With Boruto moving away from the Jinchuriki setup permanently, Killer B is left as the last Jinchuriki in the narrative. After the Fourth Great Ninja War ends, Gyuki—the eight-tailed beast—chooses to remain with Killer B thanks to their friendship. The story emphasizes that B won’t live forever, and once he’s gone, the Jinchuriki system is said to end along with him.

There are other characters connected to Tailed Beast power, including Shinju Jura, described as an incarnation of the Ten Tails itself, and Himawari Uzumaki, who is stated to hold Kurama’s power. However, Mikio Ikemoto’s framing makes a point that these characters should not be treated as Jinchuriki. Jura, for instance, is said to be the Ten-Tails in a humanoid form—meaning it is the Ten-Tails directly, not a human carrying the Ten-Tails. Likewise, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex confirms in Chapter 25 that Himawari is similar to Jura in that she is not a Jinchuriki, but instead a “human tailed beast.” Taken together, the conclusion presented is that the Jinchuriki system is effectively over, and Boruto has already moved on from it.

“You’re no ordinary Shinobi. In fact, you’re even a little different from Jinchuriki…those who have the Tailed Beast inside them. You are human, yet, if anything, you’re more similar to me and Jura.” — Kurama explains why Himawari is not a Jinchuriki, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #25

Sign in to claim your place on the leaderboard!

After Bee, The Jinchuriki System Will Officially Die In Boruto

The Jinchuriki system carried the Naruto franchise for a long time and is described as one of its strongest additions. However, with the Otsutsuki threat introduced, the story suggests that the scale of danger surpasses what Tailed Beasts can realistically change in combat. Even a powerful Tailed Beast Jinchuriki is said to only barely hold their ground against Otsutsuki-level foes. The text also points out that Naruto Uzumaki, despite having Six Paths power, still required support from Sasuke to stay competitive against Momoshiki. The implication is that the strength gap between Tailed Beasts and the villains of Boruto keeps widening.

Hashirama is referenced as a legendary Hokage in Naruto with Wood Release abilities, and the article claims he now has a new successor in Boruto.

Because of this escalation, the franchise needed to move beyond the Jinchuriki model and introduce a toolset that lets the protagonists remain relevant against enemies like the Akatsuki and Shinju. Still, the Jinchuriki system is described as lasting only as long as Killer B does—present largely as symbolism rather than an active storyline pillar. The claim is that it has already been cut out of the main plot in practice. Once Bee dies, the system dies with him, which the text calls a genuinely bleak moment for long-time Naruto fans.

At the same time, the replacement—humanoid Tailed Beasts—is described as similar in concept but upgraded in execution. The new setup is said to let users draw out more power from the Tailed Beasts and fight with a more even footing against large threats such as the Otsutsuki. In that sense, the piece frames the evolution as a positive direction for the franchise, setting up more intense confrontations going forward.

Subscribe for in-depth Boruto power-system insights

All Boruto chapters by Mikio Ikemoto, supervised by Masashi Kishimoto, are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.