Kawaki

Kawaki (Japanese: カワキ) is a fictional character from Ukyō Kodachi and Mikio Ikemoto's manga Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Initially appearing in the flashforward in the series' debut, Kawaki is a young man who apparently would become the nemesis of the series' lead character, Boruto Uzumaki. Kawaki is later introduced as a rebellious member from the organization Kara who wishes to escape and remove his cursed mark "Karma" (楔, Kāma) from his body. In his escape he meets Boruto's ninja team, who take him to the Hidden Leaf Village. Naruto takes the teenager under his wing, seeking to protect him from enemies, and he bonds with the family as time passes, beginning to view Naruto as a father-figure and Boruto as a foster brother, like Sasuke in the past Naruto series, with similar attitude.

Kawaki was created by Kodachi and Ikemoto as a major rival to Boruto. Naruto author Masashi Kishimoto suggested the idea of introducing both he and Boruto through a flashforward in order to cause greater impact. The character is voiced by Yūma Uchida in Japanese and Michael Schwalbe in English.

Kawaki's first appearance in the manga and anime of Boruto caused some backlash from the fanbase due to his implied violent actions against Naruto Uzumaki. However, his debut in the narrative proper was the subject of praise for his interactions with the main character and his growth from a cold-hearted teenager to a more caring person under Naruto's influence.