Most characters in Naruto and Boruto have had a tough and challenging childhood. However, they also had someone to stand by them in times of need and understand their emotional turmoil. Unfortunately, not all characters were so lucky, Shikamaru being one of them. He never shared a warm parental relationship with his father, Shikaku. Their conversation was usually only limited to the future generation of shinobi or Konoha’s war tactics. It is sad to see that Shikamaru had been treating Shikadai, his son, the same way all this time. But in the recent episode of Boruto, he finally realized his mistake and decided not to do what his father did to him.
It was Shikaku’s poor parenting that led to Shikamaru’s loss of interest in being a shinobi. It might have appeared to the viewers that he was just a lazy kid who did not want to work hard. But for Shikamaru, it was a clever and subconscious means of rebellion against his father, who always had a cold disposition. Shikaku was the leader of the season perceptions ninjas. Shikamaru only started working with Naruto much later to stop threats like Madara, Obito, the Akatsuki, and Kaguya.
However, his life changed in unimaginable ways in the war against the Rabbit Princess when a bomb blew his father’s unit to bits. It had a long-lasting effect on Shikamaru, who started becoming more like his father ever since then. Although unclear, it is what motivated such a transition in his demeanor and his actions after that. It is no surprise that his son, Shikadai, wasn’t interested much in his lessons. He instead went to his mother, Temari, who is much more compassionate and loving. Shikamaru believed that it was much better to leave it up to his wife to take care of Shikadai’s emotional needs.
Surprisingly, when Ao comes to town, he reveals that he was the only survivor of the bomb and tells Shikamaru that his father loved him. He told him how proud he was and always boasted of his talents to others. Shikamaru has always been seeking his father’s approval, so when he heard what his father thought of him, he broke down. It has an immediate effect on Shikamaru, who takes his son for dinner. Shikadai can recognize the shift in his father’s demeanor and is taken aback by it.
Shikamaru’s change in attitude uplifts his son’s mood, finally getting to bond with his father like a son. They embrace the change in their relationship with open arms, and it appears that now they will have a much better understanding.
Source: Boruto: Shikamaru’s Relationship with His Father and Son
