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Boruto: Two Blue Vortex saw the release of chapter 36 on July 20, 2026, in V-Jump Issue #9. In this month's chapter, both Masashi Kishimoto and Mikio Ikemoto have ensured that the new arc continues at a blistering pace. The new arc of Boruto has started on quite an exciting note with the kidnapping of Sarada Uchiha being successfully carried out in this chapter, and, more importantly, Konoha finally recognizing a legendary ninja above the level of a Kage.
In Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 36, it was officially confirmed that Konoha has finally recognized the return of Jiraiya through Kashin Koji. It was also confirmed that sooner or later, Koji will once again come back to the village and stand as a powerful ninja who ranks among the absolute elites and stands above the vast majority of Kage in the ninja world.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 36 Officially Unveils Jiraiya's Clone To 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, his being a clone of someone from Konoha was already quite a popular theory. This was eventually confirmed during his clash 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 his battle against Isshiki and then recuperated to protect the world from the impending threats. In essence, he carries the same Will of Fire that Jiraiya once did, which makes sense, given that he is his perfect clone created using his DNA by none other than Amado.
“Now I understand. Amado had wanted to cling to it. To that man's mighty fate. To the minuscule possibility of change. Kashin Koji, clone of Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin, that you shall die here was also predestined by your genes!” — Isshiki explains Koji’s true identity
In Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 36, when Koji was brought back to Konoha, the sensor unit immediately recognized the chakra signature as that of Jiraiya and declared his return. To Shikamaru, this came as a shock because a ninja as powerful as Jiraiya would certainly be a significant help for him and the village, especially in the absence of figures such as Naruto Uzumaki. However, Shikamaru was not able to meet Kashin Koji in this chapter. Regardless, the fact that Koji's connection with Konoha has been established in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 36 is a massive victory on its own that will most certainly be built upon in the upcoming releases.
“Lord 8th, Sensory Unit here! A point of concern. Several minutes ago, an individual matching the chakra of Lord Jiraiya appears to have entered the village.” — Shikamaru figures out Kashin Koji’s connection to Jiraiya, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #36
Why Kashin Koji Will Become A Konoha Shinobi
Kashin Koji becoming a Konoha shinobi in the future is a given at this point in time. Koji, immediately upon being introduced in the Boruto series, was connected to Konoha. In fact, Koji himself stated that fate brings him back to Konoha no matter what he tries to do, and there is a strong precedent for him to protect as well as return to this village in the future.
Right now, everything Koji is doing is to save the ninja world from threats such as Shinju or the Otsutsuki. To accomplish this, he has to collaborate with powerful Konoha ninjas one way or another, and this is most certainly going to continue in the upcoming few chapters. As Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 36 confirmed, Kashin Koji is to receive further help from Konoha in the form of Amado. We can rest assured that his secret connection with Shikamaru is likely to continue from here onwards.
What's more, Koji is also likely going to get in touch with Konohamaru, given that he was featured in the Prescience update that he received in this month's chapter on July 20, 2026. With Koji's connection to prominent figures in Konoha deepening with each passing chapter, it is only a matter of time before he goes on to return to this village and stands as a proud shinobi alongside the likes of Shikamaru, Naruto, and the others.
How Kishimoto Can Honor Jiraiya Through Koji
Jiraiya is one of the most brilliant characters to have existed in the Naruto franchise. Not only did he have his own exciting plotline, but his connection to Naruto Uzumaki made him that much more beloved to the fans. The battles he fought in, his fighting style, and the never-say-die spirit that he possessed were absolutely brilliant for all of us to see. The legacy that he carved out for himself as a savior of Konoha when he fought against Pain can never be erased from the memories of the fans. That is precisely why doing him justice is such a difficult task.
Kishimoto made Jiraiya into a legendary character, and his death was perfectly handled in Naruto Chapter #383, which was officially released on January 21, 2008. In fact, the conclusion to his character arc was so perfect that he was not even reanimated in the Fourth Great Ninja War. Yet Boruto decided to bring in his clone, Kashin Koji, which was quite a divisive decision among the fans. So far, however, Kashin Koji's handling has been brilliant, and it is only getting better with each passing chapter. If Koji is continually written the way he has been so far, then not only will Jiraiya's legacy be honored, but Koji will establish himself as a phenomenal character as well.
Kashin Koji's overall plotline is going to get even better, and from here on out, he's going to get directly involved in the events more often. At the end of the day, all Koji cares about is protecting the ninja world, and he will try his best to accomplish that in one way or another. The perfect end to Kashin Koji's character arc would be to protect Konoha until the last breath, as that is what Jiraiya would have done as well.
"I'm not sure why, but I can't shake the feeling that he was fighting Isshiki to really take him down. You did explain it to him, right? That this mission was a one-way ticket to the afterlife? I truly can't figure out why I'm so concerned about him." — Mikio Ikemoto sets up Naruto and Jiraiya reunion through Koji, Boruto Chapter #47
It is also interesting to note that, through Kashin Koji, we can actually get a reunion moment between Naruto Uzumaki and Jiraiya. In Boruto Chapter 47, Naruto Uzumaki felt a strong connection to Kashin Koji, and a reunion between them was set up. This plot point has not paid off yet, but in the future it is likely to pay off tremendously when it happens. For now, all we can do is wait, because Kashin Koji's story will still take months, if not years, to fully develop. Naruto's return is nowhere close either, but the moment is inevitably coming, and all we can do is patiently wait.
All the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex manga chapters by Mikio Ikemoto, supervised by Masashi Kishimoto, are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.
