If Orochimaru’s 180-degree turn in Naruto Shippuden was surprising to you, you still have a lot more to process. From being a slimy snake bent on destroying Konoha to losing his toxic ambition and helping Sasuke, the Sannin has come a long way.
Once again. Masashi Kishimoto has created a complex character who goes beyond his role as a villain to add meaning to the series as a whole. Orochimaru settles down in Boruto and even takes care of Mitsuki, his partial clone who studies with Boruto.
However, just like any other child, Mitsuki also becomes curious about his guardian. Orochimaru’s parenting moment reveals a lot about him.
Orochimaru’s History in Naruto
Before we get into the whole discussion of gender fluidity, first fans need to understand Orochimaru’s history, and how he developed his opinion. Orochimaru developed the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique that allowed him to transfer his soul to another person’s body. He used it to acquire knowledge. To obtain all the knowledge in the world, he was convinced he had to prolong his lifetime by switching bodies.
Orochimaru could only stay in a body for up to three years before the host began rejecting him. Thus, he ended up getting used to lots of bodies. As far as Naruto shows, he has possessed the bodies of two unknown people, one unknown female, Genyumaru, Sasuke, and the White Zetsu Clone.
Since he has been in the bodies of so many people, it is only natural for him to have acquired their living styles. As he kept possessing different people, he became more and more familiar with them and their ideologies, no longer restricted to a male body or mindset.
Orochimaru Confirms He is Genderfluid in Boruto
During the Chocho arc in Boruto, Mitsuki brought a scroll for Orochimaru to sign so that he could go on a mission (a parental consent form, basically). Then Mitsuki asked if he should put Orochimaru down as a father or mother. Orochimaru’s simple answer was:
“That’s a silly question. There have been times when I was a man and times a woman. Outside appearances don’t matter. The will to uncover all truth, that is the core of my being.”
I’m watching the latest episode of Boruto and Mitsuki asks Orochumaru if he should put down if they’re his Mother or Father and this is what happened. 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/hNR6VyXoTn
— ✨Super Sailor DEI✨ (@OhHeyDJ) August 3, 2018
The ex-villain’s only interest is in knowledge and not the division of gender. After possessing multiple bodies, he can confidently say that to him, being a man or woman never mattered, and the core of his being is simply to learn all there is.
Naruto Theory: Orochimaru Stole Tsunade’s Son, Experimented on Him – She Doesn’t Even Know He Exists
The scene was celebrated by members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies as a historical moment in the franchise. In fact, even the official English Boruto X account claimed him to be a “genderfluid ICON.”
If anyone deserves to have an opinion on both male and female bodies, then it has to be Orochimaru. And if he decides that the physical confines of flesh never mattered, who can say otherwise?
You can watch both Naruto and Boruto on Crunchyroll.
