Why the Byakugan Deserves More Love in Boruto Manga

In the world of Naruto, where Shinobi battle for honour, power, and survival, some Dojutsu stand out as the best ocular powers in the series, such as the Sharingan, the Rinnegan, and the Byakugan. However, with the first two being very popular and important in the series, the Byakugan has become increasingly overshadowed by them. Even though the Byakugan has beneficial powers, the main battles have always centred around the Sharingan’s ocular abilities or the Rinnegan.

Fortunately, with the appearance of the Otsutsuki clan, we see that they possess the Byakugan and even unique abilities associated with these eyes. Thus, there will still be a future where the Byakugan will take centre stage at some point, especially considering that the Tenseigan will evolve from it. Today, I will discuss why the Byakugan is underrated and what its potential future is in the series.

It is understandable that the Byakugan is overshadowed by other Dojutsu. Kishimoto created a multitude of abilities around the Sharingan, especially the Mangekyou and the Rinnegan. Powers like Izanagi, Izanami, Amaterasu, Susanoo, and the unique skills of the Rinnegan are just a few examples. What further contributed to this imbalance was that the Byakugan had no evolution until the movie The Last. Only then did we get a glimpse of what the Tenseigan could do?

In contrast, the Rinnegan, the evolved form of the Sharingan, played a much more significant role in the original series. While the evolution of the Sharingan heavily depends on emotions, mastering the Byakugan requires intense training and dedication to improve its usage.

The all-seeing eye of the Hyuga Clan—why is it so underrated? What makes it so incredible, and why doesn’t it get the love it deserves? Let’s break it down.

Vision Capabilities of the Byakugan

First, the Byakugan’s vision capabilities are wild: a 360° field of vision (save for a small blind spot) and the ability to see kilometres away. That alone puts the Byakugan in a league of its own. And then there’s the cherry on top: chakra point detection. No other Dojutsu can pinpoint an opponent’s chakra network with such precision. That’s not just useful—it’s game-changing in combat.

In the first part of Naruto, the Byakugan is brought into the spotlight through Neji, who has his moments of glory. Unlike other combat styles that rely on raw power or flashy jutsu, the Gentle Fist is a precision art. The Byakugan makes this possible by giving the user a perfect view of the enemy’s chakra points. It’s so elegant and, honestly, terrifying.

The Byakugan isn’t just a combat tool—it’s an all-purpose Shinobi asset. Detecting hidden enemies? Check. Coordinating with teammates by seeing the battlefield better than anyone else? It’s practically built for that. And yet, it rarely gets the spotlight.

Cultural Bias in the Naruto Fandom

Here’s where it gets interesting: part of the Byakugan’s lack of recognition comes down to cultural bias within the Naruto fandom. Let’s face it—the Sharingan’s flashy techniques and connection to fan-favourite characters like Sasuke and Itachi have made it the series’ star. Meanwhile, the Byakugan, with its more subtle abilities, gets overshadowed.

But here’s the thing: the Byakugan deserves more love. It’s not just a supporting Dojutsu—it’s an essential part of the Naruto world. Think about how many battles would have been impossible without a Byakugan user scouting, defending, and striking with maximum precision. The Hyuga Clan’s influence on the story is undeniable.

The Byakugan in Boruto

One very good thing Kishimoto did with introducing these cosmic beings was opening up a new area related to the Byakugan. Until now, we have only seen a few of Byakugan’s abilities. However, towards the end of the series, especially in Boruto, we learn that the Otsutsuki clan has more powers due to their Byakugan.

Members of the Otsutsuki clan can see their opponent’s chakra system in detail. They can identify connections to a Jinchuriki or detect the formation of a jutsu. Kaguya Otsutsuki used the Byakugan alongside other Dojutsu, such as the Rinnegan and Sharingan, to monitor multiple dimensions and detect threats in real-time.

Momoshiki’s Byakugan allowed him to observe his opponents’ weaknesses and anticipate their movements far more efficiently than the Hyuga clan members. The Otsutsuki clan can also use the Byakugan to see beyond dimensions, identifying invisible barriers or weaknesses in space and time. This ability is essential for their travels between dimensions or navigating through sealed spaces.

Combined with Taijutsu techniques such as the Gentle Fist, Otsutsuki members can directly strike their enemy’s chakra system with a brutal force never seen before.

Another exciting thing is that Momoshiki can use the Byakugan to seize someone’s destiny apart from his own. This gives him an advantage in battle, as he can predict an opponent’s movements, like when he helped Boruto by telling him Mitsuki’s moves to avoid them. We still don’t know how Momoshiki can do this with a Byakugan, but it might be a unique ability awakened by consuming multiple planets.

One thing is sure: the Byakugan will have a much greater future in Boruto Two Blue Vortex. Why do I say this? Because the daughter of the Byakugan Princess plays a vital role in the series. Since she was young, Himawari has proven that her Byakugan is on an entirely different level than an ordinary Hyuga. Her precision was evident from an early age, and the most interesting part is that Kishimoto is preparing her to be the next stage of Six Paths.

Let’s think about it for a moment. Her father is the most powerful Shinobi in history, received Six Paths chakra, and fought against deities. Her mother is the Byakugan Princess, who received chakra from Hamura, Hamura’s brother, who awakened the Tenseigan in his old age. From the Two Blue Vortex manga, we learn that Kurama has been reborn within Himawari. For the first time, a human and a beast have the same soul—a single chakra core.

Kishimoto is preparing Himawari not only to be the host of the tailed beast and Naruto’s successor but also for the natural awakening of the Tenseigan. That’s because she already possesses the Otsutsuki chakra. However, a lot of training is required. As mentioned in the article, the Sharingan has continuously evolved based on strong emotions. Until now, we knew it evolved through hatred, but in Sarada’s case, it evolved through care for someone else.

The Byakugan, on the other hand, evolves only through training. There are no shortcuts for the Byakugan unless you are Toneri, who switched eyes with Hanabi and then awakened the Tenseigan. But in Himawari’s case, she needs to train a lot harder. When the Tenseigan is awakened, the world will be completely different. Even Toneri admitted that with a Tenseigan, he could create a new world—a new planet.

Thus, if other Dojutsu overshadowed the Byakugan in the Naruto series in the Naruto series, rest assured that in Boruto, we will see much more action revolving around the Byakugan. So, the next time you talk about the most potent abilities in Naruto, don’t sleep on the Byakugan. It’s not just a pair of white eyes; it’s a symbol of precision, strategy, and power.