WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 191, "Stray Dog," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
In the Naruto series, it's no secret that the ANBU division basically acted as terrorists despite being charged with protecting Konoha. Sure, they policed the Hidden Leaf but as decades rolled on, they became a warped ideal, one shrouded in secrecy that even the Uchiha Clan took note of. After all, war kept on raging and child soldiers, per Kakashi, Itachi and Shisui, became the norm for this squad as a debilitating effect spread.
This eventually led to the Root Division that Danzo and his disciples used to wreak even more havoc in the name of justice. All in all, they were incompetent when it came to the sanctity of life and one of the reasons Naruto needed a new era of peace. However, in the latest Boruto Episode 191, Ryutan's cops prove to be even less capable.
At Ryutan, Kawaki has escaped after fighting off Nue and Sumire. He doesn't want to stay in the lab for fear of being experimented on per his Kara days. As he scours around town trying to find food and even befriending a stray dog, he meets Sumire again. This time he's more receptive to her help -- that is, until the cops show up.
Now, we know this is a village on the outskirts of Konoha, so we wouldn't expect the same level of military skill. But honestly, there's a degree of ignorance, brutality and stupidity here that go beyond anything with ANBU. The Ryutan cops see Kawaki with Sumire, yet decide to use their scientific ninja tools to fire at him. They don't care for Sumire as collateral damage, and the fight grows even more chaotic when gets to the town center.
They surround Kawaki, leaving Sarada yelling for them to stop. The cops hold nothing back, however, deeming the teen a "monster," which encourages him to activate his Karma, suck the fire in and then shoot it back at them. Luckily he diverts the blast away from hitting an innocent kid, with Naruto then sucking the blast in and stopping Kawaki as he faints.
Honestly, this is something we'd expect from cops in a Zack Snyder film as they legit put the people, buildings and businesses at risk. In Boruto, these Ryutan officers don't listen to anyone -- especially Team 7, which is shocking as Boruto's crew know the most about Kawaki's powers.
It's as if they weren't even briefed, because they'd have known what Kawaki did to Garo, his abilities and also how deadly he can be. He's a weapon of mass destruction that could literally blow up the village in the blink of an eye, yet all these oppressive soldiers do is aggravate him and try to wound him. At least ANBU did their research and had a modicum of tact, but these cops are trigger-happy and almost incinerated their own people.
