Boruto: Two Blue Vortexes July 20, 2026 saw the release of Chapter 36 v-jump Issue No. 9. In this month's chapter, both Masashi Kishimoto and Mikio Ikemoto make sure to continue the new arc at a blistering pace. The new arc of Boruto This chapter starts off on a very exciting note with Sarada Uchiha's kidnapping successfully completed and more importantly, Konoha finally getting to know a legendary ninja above Kaz's level.
in Boruto: Two Blue Vortexes Chapter 36, it was officially confirmed that Konoha finally recognized Jiraiya's return through the Kashin Koji. It is also confirmed that sooner or later, Koji will once again return to the village and emerge as a powerful ninja who is among the absolute elite and stands above the vast majority of Kage in the ninja world.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 36 Officially Unveils Jiraiya's Clone in Konoha
Kashin Koji was confirmed to be Jiraiya's clone long ago in the series. When Koji made his debut in Boruto Chapter 15 on September 4, 2017, being a clone of someone from Konoha was already a very popular theory. This was finally confirmed during his fight against Isshiki Otsutsuki in Boruto Chapter 47 on June 18, 2020, and since then his character arc has been incredibly exciting to follow. Koji survived the battle against Isshiki and then recovered to protect the world from the dangers that might come. In essence, he carries the Will of Fire that Jiraiya once possessed, which makes sense, given that he is a perfect clone of him created by none other than Amado using his DNA.
“Now I understand. Amado wanted to stick it. To that man's mighty destiny. For the slightest possibility of change. Kashin Koji, Jiraiya's clone of the Legendary Sannin, even you dying here was predestined by your genes!” – Ishiki reveals Koji's true identity
in Boruto: Two Blue Vortexes Chapter 36, When Koji is brought back to Konoha, the sensor unit immediately recognizes the chakra signature as Jiraiya and announces his return. For Shikamaru, this came as a shock because a powerful ninja like Jiraiya would certainly be a significant help to him and the village, especially in the absence of figures like Naruto Uzumaki. However, Shikamaru did not meet Kashin Koji in this chapter. Regardless, the fact that Koji's relationship with Konoha is established in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 36 is a huge victory in itself that will surely build on future releases.
“Lord Eighth, Sensory Unit here! Point of concern. A few minutes ago, a person matching Lord Jiraiya's chakra appears to have entered the village.” — Shikamaru discovers Kashin Koji's relationship with Jiraiya, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #36
Why would Kashin Koji become a Konoha shinobi
Kashin Koji is given at this point in time to become Konoha shinobi in the future. Koji, soon after his introduction to the Boruto series, became attached to Konoha. In fact, Koji himself said that fate brings him back to Konoha for what he strives to do, and has a strong example of returning to and protecting the village in the future.
Right now, everything Koji is doing is to save the ninja world from threats like Shinju or Otsutsuki. To accomplish this, he must somehow collaborate with the powerful Konoha ninjas, and this will certainly continue in the next few chapters. As Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 36 confirmed, Kashin Koji will get more help from Konoha in the form of Amado. We can be sure that her secret relationship with Shikamaru is likely to continue from here.
What's more, Koji is also likely to come into contact with Konohamaru, as he was featured in the press update received in this month's chapter on July 20, 2026. Koji's relationship with the leading men of Konoha deepens with each passing chapter, it's only a matter of time before he moves on as a village. Of Shikamaru, Naruto, and others.
How can Kishimoto respect Jiraiya through Koji
Jiraiya is one of the most iconic characters in the Naruto franchise. Not only did he have his own exciting storyline, but his connection to Naruto Uzumaki endeared him even more to fans. The battles he fought, his fighting style, and the never-say-die spirit in him was simply magnificent for all of us to witness. The legacy he made for himself as Konoha's savior as he fought against pain can never be erased from fans' memories. It is precisely for this reason that it is such a difficult task to judge him.
Kishimoto made Jiraiya into a legendary character, and his death was fully handled in Naruto Chapter #383, which was officially released on January 21, 2008. In fact, the conclusion of his character arc was so perfect that he wasn't even revived in the Fourth Great Ninja War. Yet Boruto decided to bring in his clone, Kashin Koji, which was a very divisive decision among fans. So far, however, the handling of Kashin Koji has been excellent, and it keeps getting better with each passing chapter. If Koji continues to write the way he has been writing, then not only Jiraiya's legacy, but Koji will establish himself as an unprecedented character.
Kashin Koji's overall storyline is getting better, and from here on out, he's going to be directly involved in most of the events. At the end of the day, all Koji cares about is protecting the ninja world, and he'll do his best to accomplish that one way or another. The perfect ending to Kashin Koji's character arc is to save Konoha until his last breath, just as Jiraiya would have done the same.
“I don't know why, but I can't shake the feeling that he was fighting to really take Isshiki down. You made him understand that, didn't you? That this mission was a one-way ticket to the afterlife? I really can't understand why I'm so worried about him.” — Mikio Ikemoto sets up the Naruto and Jiraiya reunion via Koji, Boruto Chapter #47
It's also interesting that, through Kashin Koji, we actually get a reunion moment between Naruto Uzumaki and Jiraiya. In Boruto Chapter 47, Naruto Uzumaki feels a strong bond with Kashin Koji, and a reunion is established between them. This plot point hasn't paid off yet, but it has the potential to pay off big when it does in the future. For now, all we can do is wait, as Kashin Koji's story will take months, if not years, to fully develop. Naruto's return is nowhere close, but the moment is inevitably coming, and all we can do is wait patiently.
All the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex manga chapters supervised by Mikio Ikemoto, Masashi Kishimoto are available to read through Manga Plus and Viz Media.
