WARNING: The following contains spoilers for the Boruto anime, currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Boruto has seen the Hidden Leaf Village become more industrialized and modernized due to cooperation between the different shinobi villages. With these advancements comes new technology, including the interesting Scientific Ninja Tools. While there may be some merits to these tools, they are undoubtedly the subject of many debates due to their impact on the art of ninjutsu in the Boruto universe.
Scientific Ninja Tools were developed by the Scientific Ninja Weapons Team, led by Katasuke Touno, who was introduced both in the Boruto movie and the series. Notably, Katasuke gave Boruto a Shinobi Gauntlet to help him in the Chunin Exams. While the device allowed Boruto to use advanced ninjutsu techniques he'd never learned, the young ninja quickly grew skeptical of the powerful tools -- with understandable reason too.
The four main types of Scientific Ninja Tools are condenser type, bionic type, amplification type and advanced technology type. Condenser-type tools allow users to perform jutsu without using their chakra with scroll cartridges containing jutsu formulas and stored energy -- but there are limitations. These tools allow those who can't use jutsu, like Rock Lee, to perform ninjutsu without training. Meanwhile, bionic-type tools are prosthetics that use artificial chakra veins to promote bodily acceptance, like Naruto's arm.
Amplification types amplify and enhance the user's abilities and attacks, creating a physical attack rather than one made of chakra, making the attack unable to be canceled out or absorbed by other jutsu. Finally, advanced technology types are standard ninja tools that have been improved with technology, like ceramic kunai, puncture-resistant uniforms, etc.
With the advance of ninjutsu technology, it's easier for civilians to use the same techniques that trained shinobi can execute. However, these advancements come with new problems, including the secret society called Kara, which develops technology that outperforms that of the Hidden Leaf Village. Kara has created autonomous puppets that don't require a puppeteer, like androids.
While Scientific Ninja Tools were added as a new element for Boruto's adventure, fans of the series are split between whether the tools enhance the story or take away from it. On one side, the addition of the tools removes the excitement and individuality granted by various ninja having their specialized jutsu, and devices like the Shinobi Gauntlet take away from that. However, some fans point to the advancement as a bridge between the old and new generations of shinobi, making it a logical next step since the days of Naruto -- potentially comparable to differences between Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.
The advent of Scientific Ninja Tools adds to the ninja Cold War-like tension present throughout Boruto. Whether fans don't care for technological additions like the lightsaber equivalent Chakra Blade or they enjoy the series' progression, the tools look like they'll play an interesting part in the story. Scientific Ninja Tools certainly raise many questions since they make ninjutsu more accessible to civilians, causing intense training to seem occasionally moot. Still, there are plenty of limitations and dangers that exist too.
Ultimately, Scientific Ninja Tools divide opinion, both in the Boruto universe and out -- and part of Boruto's journey may be finding the balance of these continuing advancements.
