Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is the sequel to Naruto, set in an era of peace where Naruto Uzumaki is the Seventh Hokage of Konoha. Over the years, the story has introduced quite a few new characters, both good and bad. With the introduction of Kara, fans got to witness some of the most fascinating villains with tremendous power the likes of which have never been seen before.
Characters such as Delta, Code, and the all-powerful Jigen have made quite an impression on fans over time, with their Otsutsuki connections and the scientific technology, however, none of them have an aura of mystery about them like Kashin Koji. It is safe to assume that Kashin Koji has been one of the most enigmatic characters in Boruto so far.
Who Is Kashin Koji?
Introduced in the 13th chapter of Boruto, Kashin Koji appeared as an Inner member of Kara, along with every other member of the group. Just like all the Inners, it is a given that Kashin Koji is scientifically modified. It's no surprise that Koji possesses superhuman strength, however, he isn't popular among the fans for his strength.
Under the leadership of Jigen, it seemed as if Koji was just another villain at first, however, his questionable side was shown to the fans soon enough when he attacked one of their own members, Victor, and ended up killing him with rather ease. Koji was then asked to retrieve the vessel that the Kara had lost, however, once again, there were massive question marks over his loyalties to Jigen when he chose not to complete the task.
Even when he had the chance to kill his Konoha enemies, Koji chose not to do so, while he had no qualms about killing his own, such as Victor, or even Ao. Koji also did his best to stall Delta when she tried to retrieve Kawaki. Eventually, he talked about his connections to Konohagakure, used jutsu of Konoha like the Rasengan, which is known to be the legacy of the 4th Hokage, and could even summon toads from Mount Myoboku. Evidently, Kashin Koji bore a striking resemblance to one of the Legendary Sannin, Jiraiya.
Koji's Connection To Jiraiya
Kashin Koji's connection to Jiraiya was revealed to the fans during his fight against Jigen. While Koji has never met Jiraiya, the two actually share a very deep connection. Essentially, Kashin Koji is Jiraiya's clone, created by none other than the genius scientist of the Kara, Amado. Using Jiraiya's DNA, Amado decided to recreate Jiraiya from scratch in the prime of his abilities to aid his grand plan to stop Jigen from achieving his goals.
Since Koji has the same genetic material as Jiraiya, it isn't a surprise that the two are strikingly similar in their mannerisms, and even in their fighting style. Just like Jiraiya, Koji is extremely knowledgeable, shrewd, and always a step ahead of his opponents. At the same time, he is also incredibly powerful, knows the exact same Jutsu as Jiraiya, and even uses similar strategies in combat. This was evident from his fight against Jigen, where he relied heavily on the usage of Fire Release, Mud Release, oil-based jutsu, and even the Toad Sage Mode that Jiraiya was known for. Even Naruto Uzumaki was able to feel a strong connection to Koji without even having met him.
Kashin Koji's Role In The Story
Although Koji was created by Amado to stop Jigen, he failed to do so. What's interesting is that Koji was created by Amado to stall Jigen at best. His role was to die at the hands of Jigen while he made an escape to Konoha and prepared his last trump card in Naruto and Sasuke. Understanding his role, Koji was ready to accept death and complete his mission, however, the shinobi within him rejected the idea and chose to fight instead. Where Koji should've died, he made a heroic escape by tricking Isshiki Otsutsuki and successfully retreated. While this may not look big on the surface level, it implies that within Koji is the same Will of Fire as Jiraiya and that just like his genetic template, he believes he has a higher purpose.
Kashin Koji might not have been born a human, however, he is essentially a reincarnation of Jiraiya. It is in his blood to protect his village, his loved ones, and more importantly, use his life as a shinobi to make a difference to the world, just as Jiraiya once did. This suggests that Kashin Koji has a huge role to play in the future of the story. Eventually, he will return to Konohagakure as he's deeply tied to the place. His meeting with Naruto is sure to be iconic, and he might even play a massive role in training the likes of Boruto Uzumaki in the future. On the other hand, Koji can even help defend Konoha or perhaps help gather intel as his genetic template once did. Clearly, his character can take several routes, all of which are interesting. It is only a matter of time before he makes his move once again, and the story dives even deeper into his connection to the legendary Jiraiya.