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Orochimaru is among the most hated and vile characters in the Naruto and Boruto universes. That said, as you will see in this Orochimaru Boruto guide, there are some massive changes to the infamous villain in Boruto, the sequel to Naruto.
The follow-up manga and anime series controversially tried to make some significant changes to the character, which has resulted in a lot of passionate feelings in the community.
The Orochimaru Boruto guide will address just this, going into the history and overview of this powerful enemy. I will address who they were before Boruto and the significant changes made to their character in this new series. I will also be sure to explain their abilities, personality, voice actor, and more, so you can find out all about Orochimaru here.
Bottom Line Up Front
Orochimaru is one of the most famous and vile villains from the Naruto anime and manga series. A devastating and evil foe who did some seriously messed up things in that series returned in Boruto as a still-living character. But there were some significant changes made to Orochimaru in their time of captivity in the lab as they continued to research immortality.
They created their son, Mitsuki, who is one of the three main characters in the Boruto series. As the best friend of Boruto, Mitsuki represents the future of Orochimaru.
Some fans in the community have lamented that this horrible person who once experimented on children, destroyed the village, and killed many people can now attend parent-teacher conferences in the Boruto manga and anime series like nothing ever happened.
Who Is Orochimaru?
Fans will know that Orochimaru is a recurring character who played a significant role as one of the main villains in the original Naruto series. There, they were despised by many fans for the horrible acts that they did that were unforgivable in many people’s eyes, and understandably so.
As one of the main villains in the Naruto series, they did not die there and came back as one of the supporting characters in the sequel series, Boruto. In this series, Orochimaru is far from playing the role of the villain that they once were and is, instead, a still somewhat creepy person who is now supposedly trying to be a better person.
To this point, they are the parent of their creation, known as Mitsuki, one of the three protagonists of the Boruto series. Orochimaru’s role in the Boruto series is no longer a villain but a parent figure. They play a significant role in some of the story arcs, too, providing some insight into events.
Orochimaru’s shift from the main antagonist to the Hidden Leaf Village in Naruto to a supporting character in the Boruto series is one of the most controversial parts of the entire manga and anime series. They seem to be here to stay as a significant player in Mitsuki and, therefore, Boruto’s lives.
Appearance
The creepy and eerie appearance of Orochimaru can be divided up into two paramount looks. The first is the appearance and outfit they wore as the main villain in the Naruto series before their return to Boruto. Their second appearance has to do with their new outfit and slight design changes in the current Boruto series.
Naruto
In the original Naruto series, Orochimaru had a devious look to them that made it quite clear the moment that you saw them that you should stay away. They have a couple of different outfits that they wear throughout the long-running series, but I would like to hone in on the main one during their reign as the main enemy.
During this time, Orochimaru is wearing an outfit that includes some battle armor and shinobi gear at times. They wear a mostly greenish-tan outfit from top to bottom. The pants on the bottom are like a darker but muted green color while wearing some green boots on their feet.
On the top, they have a tannish-green long top that they wear that goes all the way down past their knees. There are darker green parts to the top, including around the neck and on his sleeves, which add a little touch. They also have a massive purple belt that they wear around their waist.
But the most sinister part about Orochimaru is their face. Their facial expression is vicious and screams danger, with features around their eyes and cheeks that give them a fitting snake-like feel. Their eyes look lethal, giving off that poisonous glare that they are known for. Their hair is black and long, going past their shoulders.
Boruto
In Boruto, Orochimaru’s appearance softens and changes quite a bit from the dangerous villain they once were. They are immediately less intimidating, but there is still a general creepiness to them. They trade out their battle gear for a more casual and relaxed outfit in this version.
On the bottom, they wear baggier blue pants that look comfortable. They have a dark blue undershirt that matches the pants on the top. On top of that is a white long-sleeve that they wear. It is tied together by a large sash around the waist and a skinny purple belt.
Even their face is less creepy than before. Their expression has softened some, and you can see them genuinely smile at times while still retaining the key features at the same time. Their hair is long still, but it is well kept and covers one of their eyes. They do not scowl or give off the devilish smirks as much, and they seem less volatile, in my opinion.
Personality
When it comes to Orochimaru’s personality, specifically in the Boruto series, they have elements of their past self with some significant changes. Overall, there is the (somewhat controversial) the fact that Orochimaru is far less dangerous than they once were. They seem to not really care all that much these days about doing evil deeds.
Instead, they seem to be a much more laidback person who is content with the laboratory that they are usually confined. They seem to not care all that much about experimenting on people and doing horrible things. Instead, they are just a dedicated person to their research, and that is it.
Orochimaru in Boruto is relatively tame, and it is easy to forget that they were once one of the worst people to ever appear in the Naruto series. This is furthered by the fact that they try to be a parent-like figure to Mitsuki. With that said, though, parts of their personality still remain.
Orochimaru still has that devious and plotting side to them where they act like they are one step ahead of everyone. That said, they do little with this that resembles the villain they once were. Instead, it is almost more like they are just messing with people rather than actually planning anything bad.
Key Relationships
There are a few key relationships that Orochimaru has in the Boruto series. The most important one of them all is with Mitsuki. Mitsuki is the artificial being that Orochimaru created as part of their experiments in trying to find and sustain immortality. Because of this, Orochimaru is essentially Mitsuki’s parent.
From what we see early on in the Boruto manga, the two have a generally decent relationship. Mitsuki looks at Orochimaru as his parent, while the former villain treats the boy like their actual son. They care for him and allow him to find his own path in life while supporting him when necessary, like attending parent-teacher conferences.
There is also how Orochimaru connects with their former enemy, Naruto. Their relationship is a loose working one at best, with Naruto tolerating Orochimaru enough to allow them to live and work in their laboratory. That said, he is pretty lenient with the former villain at times, hinting that there is a level of trust that exists there now.
Lastly, Orochimaru is close with the former members of the Akatsuki. Characters like Jugo, Suigetsu, and Karin did not precisely have good relations with Orochimaru in the original Naruto manga but have seemingly come to live alongside them in their hideout and tolerate them at this point.
Voice Actor
When it comes to the voice actors for Orochimaru, there are so many of them with this wild villain character. Several actors have tackled the unique character from their various appearances and styles over the years to their time as the Fourth Kazekage. However, when it comes to Boruto, though, the leading Japanese voice actor nowadays is Kujira once more.
You may know Kujira or Wakako Matsumoto as is her real name for playing some famous characters in games and anime like Sakura Ogami in the original Danganronpa and Otose in Gintama Sweetpea in One Piece.
On the other hand, Steven Blum is the English voice actor for Orochimaru once more in Boruto, reprising his role from the Naruto series before it. You may know Blum from his iconic dubbing roles in the past for anime and cartoons, such as Spike in Cowboy Bebop, Zeb in Star Wars Rebels, Wolverine, and more.
Abilities
There are many abilities that Orochimaru has access to within the Boruto series for fighting. They are one of the strongest shinobi alive and a force that should not be trifled with. That said, their two primary abilities come down to two distinct areas: their shinobi skills and the immense intelligence that they have.
Shinobi Master
First and foremost, there is no denying the insane ninja skills that Orochimaru has. As a legendary Sannin who had grand ambitions globally, they had insane chakra powers that they used in the past. This included mastering many different skills for use in combat.
Enemies should not dismiss the old villain for their long life since Orochimaru is one of the most dangerous ninjas ever to live. They might not have been formally the Fourth Hokage, but there is a reason that they were considered for that position in the past.
They excel at everything from ninjutsu to basic physical capabilities and more. They are a master of many martial arts abilities and can strategize quite well in battle. They have no problem being outnumbered in battle and will not shy away from a tough fight, as we can even see later in the Boruto series.
Intelligence and Research
But perhaps the most potent part of Orochimaru’s abilities is not even their skills in battle but what they can do outside of it. The intelligence that the former villain has is relatively high, noting their prodigy-level skills from when they were younger.
This intelligence allowed them to effectively look into the forbidden act of immortality and essentially achieve that in the process. It is nigh-impossible to kill Orochimaru due to their restorative limbs and regenerative abilities that they possess. This resilience and ability to keep coming back make them one of the most relentless foes.
History
The history of Orochimaru is one that harkens all the way back to the beginning of the Naruto series. It is pretty impressive how long the character has been around, and they seemingly have no desire to stop anytime soon, with their appearance in Boruto as a supporting character as well.
Naruto Recap
Prior to the beginning of the Boruto series, there was a long and disturbing history that Orochimaru has. For fans who were not able to check out that series first, Orochimaru was previously one of the main villains in Naruto. In fact, they were considered the first primary antagonist in the series.
At a young age, Orochimaru was noted to be a child prodigy in the village and was shaping up to be a possible candidate to become the next Hokage. That said, they developed a desire to learn everything that there is to know about the entire world and obtain immortality in the process.
To do so, they began experimenting on people and doing horrible acts to achieve this lofty goal. Because of this, they were understandably ostracized, and the villain left the village to seek out a solution. Along the way, Orochimaru tried to destroy the town and succeeded in some regards, killing many people and having a massive effect on the main characters.
He was associated with the worst groups in the Naruto series, like the Akatsuki, and had an unhealthy obsession with the main character, Sasuke Uchiha. Eventually, Orochimaru was taken down for good, and he stuck to a simple life investigating the science of immortality in his lab hideout.
Becoming a Parent
At the start of the Boruto series, Orochimaru created Mitsuki, their son and one of the three main characters of the new series. The former villain sent out their son to the Hidden Leaf Village to train there to become a shinobi and also connect with Naruto’s son, Boruto.
Orochimaru plays a supporting role in their child’s life, allowing them to forge their own path in life and do whatever they can to help along the way. The former villain even plays a significant role when one of their former experiments comes back to bite everyone early in the anime.
Later, when a new evil organization appears and threatens the village’s safety, Orochimaru steps in and even helps the main characters fight one of the members of the new Kara group. They seem to have turned from their wicked ways and are on a path of redemption at this time in the Boruto series.
Orochimaru in Other Media
Orochimaru is the first overarching villain in the Naruto series and someone who just keeps coming back. As such, it is no surprise that they are featured in much more than just the standard Naruto manga and anime series and Boruto.
In the past, there are video games that have featured Orochimaru as a playable character, like the Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Collection, where the collection of fighting games includes Orochimaru as one of the playable fighters there.
They are even in the mobile game known as Naruto x Boruto: Ninja Voltage, where you can see the most recent form of the character. There are some spin-off manga and books that Orochimaru is featured in, plus plenty of animated films in the Naruto franchise that they play a role in. There is also a stage play for the Naruto series where Orochimaru was one of the characters.
Orochimaru is also one of the most famous villains in the Naruto and Boruto series, so plenty of merch surrounds the character. There are cosplays that people will do of them and lots of fan art featuring the character alongside their son, Mitsuki, and others from the series as a whole.
Fun Facts About Orochimaru
Here are some fun facts about Orochimaru that you may not have known about before:
- The “Orochi” part of the name Orochimaru comes from the Japanese word for a specific type of snake, hinting at the slithery personality and appearance that this character has.
- Furthermore, Orochimaru is actually the name that was directly taken from The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya, which is an older Japanese book. As you might be able to tell from that name, it also featured Jiraiya in it, with a very similar storyline of the Orochimaru character becoming corrupted by snake magic and betraying their master. Naruto’s Orochimaru followed a similar traitorous path in regards to his former teammate and the village as a whole.
- Their favorite food is eggs, which also is likely a hint at their snake-like nature.
- Orochimaru has the same blood type as their former comrades, Tsunade and Jiraiya, which is B.
- Orochimaru has a last name derived from their parents, but that name is currently unknown. It is too hard to make out what the name is in Japanese the one time it is seen in the series, leaving this part of the character a mystery.
- Lastly, on the topic of snakes, there is a connection between the symbol of snakes, meaning rebirth, because they often shed their skin. This is there to represent the fact that Orochimaru can heal themselves and replace limbs to continue living.
FAQs
Question: Is Orochimaru good now in Boruto?
Answer: Orochimaru is, whether you like it or not, essentially good now in the Boruto manga and anime. They turn a new leaf in the sequel series, in no small part due to their son Mitsuki.
Question: Is Orochimaru a girl in Boruto?
Answer: One of the interesting parts about Orochimaru is that they had a female appearance at one point in the Naruto series. So, it is understandable if some fans think they are a girl. However, Orochimaru recently made it clear to Mitsuki that they are non-binary, having been genderfluid throughout their very long life.
Question: Is Orochimaru still immortal in Boruto?
Answer: At the start of the Boruto series, Orochimaru is effectively unbeatable. While it can be argued whether or not they are immortal, it is almost impossible to kill them outright no matter what due to their insane chakra abilities and regenerative powers.
Orochimaru Boruto Guide: Conclusion
Orochimaru is one of the most iconic villains from the Naruto series, but now they are just a former shinobi trying to find immortality and raise their created son from afar in the Boruto manga and anime. Though they are far from the villain they once were these days in Boruto, they still remain a decently important character in the series moving forward due to Mitsuki’s inclusion.
For those who were fans of the original Naruto series and the Shippuden anime sequel, I recommend giving Boruto a chance. The anime, in particular, is quite good and an ongoing affair with hundreds of episodes to enjoy right now.
While the depiction of Orochimaru might be a bit of a stark contrast compared to their past self in the series, other characters like Sasuke thrive in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, in my opinion. I even think it gets better faster than the original Naruto series did.