Why is Boruto Bad? 9 Reasons why it fails.
Boruto is one of the most hated anime/manga shows in the world. Since Naruto is insanely popular, Boruto, a sequel to it, is bound to get an unbelievable attraction and inevitably unfavorable criticism.
I watched Naruto only recently and continued Boruto once it was over. So I will my honest opinion on why Boruto as a series gets too much hate.
1. The Way Naruto Ended
I think Boruto started off at a great disadvantage with the way Naruto ended. Naruto and Sasuke are basically reincarnations of Gods. The world is now at peace with no major conflicts. So the sequel has nothing to work with and the only thing they had remaining is the Otsutsuki concept.
Kaguya is the literal Goddess they had to fight during the original series of Naruto. So every conflict the characters face from here on should be solved easily by just Naruto or Sasuke. Boruto has to introduce new villains who most of the time don’t make any sense at all. Hence the eventual victories don’t really pay off as we had already seen a literal Goddess getting defeated.
2. No Mysteries
This is just a problem most sequels face. The world, the power system, the power ceiling, the politics, history, the lore, etc are all already explained. So Boruto has no big mystery left to explore. Otsutsuki is the only mysterious thing left and they went with it.
In Naruto, mysteries played a huge part in its success. I also think they could have explored other villages more along with Otsutsukis.
There were so many mysteries in just Naruto part one alone like Kakashi’s Sharingan, Itachi’s story, Akatsuki, Third Hokage, remaining tailed beasts, other villages, etc just a few to name. I just don’t think Boruto has such mysteries in its story and it is tough to engage in it with it having a very straightforward plot.
3. Too Much Fillers/Anime Canon
Boruto Manga has its fair share of memorable moments. But Anime entirely just feels like a filler filled with some Canon manga chapters sometimes.
There are some anime canon arcs that are just unbearable to watch. In the first arc, Sumire, the daughter of a former Root member has been living all her life to take revenge against Konoha. But Boruto somehow convinces her to change her mind. Boruto is a 12-year kid with no real-world struggle and how can he even understand what Sumire goes through when he cannot understand Naruto’s struggle.
Note that the above one was one of the better anime canon arcs. There are arcs that are way worse than this in the anime and fillers are even more ridiculous.
4. Bad Antagonists
Otsutsuki’s only aim is to consume Devil fruit chakra harvested by planting Ten-tails. Both Momoshiki and Isshiki in form of Jigen have this same goal.
This goal of them is pretty lame for compelling storytelling and their character just becomes bland and robotic. Even the other members of Kara aren’t interesting too. Giving them origin will be a good idea but that will just create plotholes since they have to explain what they were doing during the old days.
I am not expecting another villain of the caliber of Pain but at least give us memorable antagonists who have some depth to them. Kaguya legitimately is a more interesting character than Otsutsukis in Boruto.
5. No Ideological/Thematic Conflicts
There are no thematic or ideological conflicts in the story. A good story should have some ideological conflicts between the characters in them.
Naruto initially focused on the underdog theme with characters such as Naruto, Lee, Guy, etc and the theme of peace was the main conflict overall in the story. Lee vs Gaara is the battle between natural talent and hard work. In the end, Lee loses but is seen as victorious in viewers’ eyes. Pain vs Naruto is just a battle of whose idea of peace is better. Naruto has to beat Pain ideologically to win the fight.
Boruto doesn’t have such scenarios. Otsutsukis are just some evil aliens that have no real idealogy to relate with. Hence fights will be just about strength. We can make the fights cool through choreography and animation but they will never top the emotional feel that was felt in Naruto.
6. Boruto – The Unlikable Main Character
Boruto’s personality traits are just unlikeable. He is a 12-year-old living in a loving family and doesn’t have to face any real-world problems. He acts entitled, doesn’t like Naruto for stupid reasons, has no dream, and has no personal problems. I get what the series is trying to do. His traits can be justified as some teens with a comfortable life will act like that in the real world. But that doesn’t mean viewers will get to like him.
But if his personality remained like that for just one or two arcs, it would have been alright. The anime has been running for more than 150 episodes and still, he isn’t likable. Also, he is just forced into the important parts of the story for no reason. Also, people keep on telling him that he is just like Naruto when he doesn’t behave like Naruto at all. He doesn’t warrant the acknowledgment he gets from other characters.
Since Manga got straight to the Kara plotline, he is much more tolerable but still nowhere likable.
7. Lack of Focus on Side Characters.
The cast seems very thin as there is less focus on side characters. Anime only arcs tried to solve them but those arcs don’t leave a strong impression. Even characters such as Konohamaru who is a Jonin just seem like fodder. Even the established characters from Naruto aren’t convincing like before.
The story just revolves around very few characters and it makes the world so small. To be fair, it was a problem in the original series also but it has become even worse here.
8. Escalated Power Level
This is a problem that even the war arc in Naruto faced and Boruto continued it. The end game villains like Madara, Kaguya, etc were just out of the protagonists’ reach and they had to make Naruto and Sasuke reincarnations of god to bridge the power gap.
Since Naruto and Sasuke have become too powerful, now the story won’t have high stakes if the villains are weaker than Kaguya or Madara level. So every villain has to be near Kaguya level or the story won’t be interesting.
But this makes other side characters seem irrelevant. Also, this makes characters like Shin Uchiha injuring both Naruto and Sasuke look illogical.
9. Illogical Plotlines For Narrative Convenience
How can Orochimaru create several artificial humans with Mangeyko Sharingan?
Why are there even artificial humans in the first place?
Where were Kara members during the Naruto times?
Where was Jigen all these times?
Why are there advanced cyborgs now all of a sudden?
Why is Naruto even getting tired of doing paperwork?
Why can Boruto create Invisible Rasengan?
Why is Boruto in every important place?
Why is there even a time-traveling power available?
Why has technology progressed so rapidly in just a few years?
Why is Chojuro even a Kage?
I know you can probably explain some of these through some brainstorming. But they are just too many of them in the series that it isn’t easy to ignore. You can’t expect the viewers to accept such glaring inconsistencies repeatedly.
There are certain things going well for the series, mainly Naruto and Sasuke. The manga is pretty decent though nothing exceptional.
Do you agree with these? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Comments (16)
In my opinion, you’re being way too technical about it all. Boruto could be a good show. There’s plenty to do with the Otsusuki story and how the Chakra powers within Naruto/Boruto and Sasuke/Kawaki will evolve. The problem is the writing. It is so dumbed down, that it’s difficult to watch.
The original creator/writers of Naruto understood good writing and storytelling. The original two series were able to make me cry, many times over, and from reaching different types of emotions. They understood how to connect to people. Yes, there were too many filler episodes, and those can be taken with a grain. Some are great, like the Itachi mini-series, but it was the timing of it that people had a problem with. You just don’t interrupt one of the most important parts of the story, to give us a mini-series about someone else, but the fillers aside, the cannon episodes were fantastic, meaningful, and compelling.
With the way Boruto is written, who would ever care to watch it? It’s the most boring anime there is. There are only a few good episodes. You literally have to watch 40 episodes to get 1 decent one. The ratio is simply unacceptable.
If they can work on the writing and script, it could be a much better show. It’s really that simple.
Boruto can NEVER be a great anime.
W comment
I think Boruto has a few good ideas. Like ep 160, where they showed, that in all the small countries are still perfekt conditions, for a New Akatsuki to arise.
Thinks Like These, have Potential, together with the question, Why they are still Training child soldiers, when the period of cold war (Narutos Gen) ist over and the villages are Allied?
But the Manga ruined this, hard to Tell in a monthly Base but way better than aliens Storyline. Instead of expanding the worldbuilding, they ruined IT with Aliens, Cyborgs and the retcon of keyelements from Boruto.
I say: Anti-shinobi, more Hyuuga and Relationship between Kage and Daimyo, would have been so much better for Boruto, instead of Shitty Aliens.
The Problem is also: The villians are Just Black (Ideologiewise). Narutos Villians were Gray Like Nagato: The Outcome doesn’t justify the means.
Boruto is a good anime and I honestly like it more than naruto. Naruto filler didnt do anything to add extra growth to characters at all or not meanwhile boruto has me liking all the side characters.With the way we saw how everyone was growing and getting better and if your an anime watcher you know pacing goes slow. When I first watched it I got bored becaus It was taking so long for the action but then I realized they were building character development and giving you a view on the world of peace naruto and sauske made. So far the show has been a banger for me borutos goal isnt one we can decide and predict he doesnt want to be hokage like naruto so we cant predict his future, meanwhile once naruto said he wanted to be hokage we already knew that’s what he was going to be eventually no matter what. His abilities are awesome to and seeing all my old characters grown up makes the show even better it’s getting way to much hate just for the hate.
factual statement, BORUTO SUCKS!!
That is the Problem. The Character hast No Goal. And thats Why, there is practacly No Plot.
But: Some Filler Like ep 160 Bring in good ideas, but are ruined because the Main Plot revolves around aliens
no, no and ur worng and no no side characters shiot no no no
In my eyes, the whole Karma of Boruto is a gigantic Plothole, no one sees.
I reread the chapters of the Momoshiki-Fight. I rewatched the Fight in the Anime. I did both 10 Times, i even slowed down Video, as i watched the fight.
That Boruto has a Karma, doesn’t makes any Sense and there is no way, to explain it.
It was said, that Placing a Karma takes a big toll, of the Otsutsuki and that physical Contact between the Otsutsuki and the Vessel to be is needed.
But Momoshiki and Boruto never had the needed contact. In the whole fight, there wasn’t a Moment, where some one could say, that is the Moment the Karma was placed.
In my eyes: Boruto could have been a more a less godd sequel. The plot had potential, but they choosed the Route with the least potential.
Instead of Otsutsuki and Cyborgs, they should have went with a Anti-Shinobi Story.
Here is how it may have worked:
– Kara: An Organisation who want to end the Shinobi-System and want to Unite all the small Countries, to minimize the risk of wars.
– ANd also Kara should be in the Favor of the Feudal-lords/Daimyo, so that the SHinobi cannot just overpower them, without making the Villages enemies of the state
– Give the hyuuga a bigger role. Like making it so, that most of the CLan think Boruto is a failure, since he was born without Byakugan.
– Make the Jougan a kind of evolved Byakugan and baruto the first one, who has it, since it is created by combining the Chakra of Hamura and Hagomoro (Like that Hinata fell ill during pregnancy and Naruto gave er some of his Hagomoro Chakra to heal her (similiar how he saved Sensei Guy))
– Make Kara-Members who want to extrakt the Bijuu-Chakra of Naruto attack the Chunin-Exam and use Ninja-Tech to take the whole village Hostage, to prevent Naruto and Sasuke from using their full power.
-And make it so, that a few Members of Kara are part of the Hyuuga who escaped Kumogakure and are descendents of Neijis Father (Forgot his name). These would use the confusion of the Exam-Attack to break into the Hyuuga estate and steal a Scroll which conatins secret Arts of the Hyuuga and ways to damage/destroy Chakrapaths to a point, where the person can live normally, but cannot use justsu anymore
-Connect the Arcs. Make Kara the connection of the arcs. Like: Sumire Arc: Members of the root are part of Kara to get revenge against Konoha, Shin Uchiha: Make a Member of Kara a Mole in Kabutos orphanage, so that Kara steals the hundres of Sharringans, Kirigakure Arc: Make one of the new Swordsmen a mole or Kara who manages to escape and give Kara a scroll, containing the secrets, how the swords were created
-Clone Arc: Make Kuu somehow survive and join Kara, since they can help him to live and achieve true peace for the world, through uniting the countries.
-Time-travel arc: Instead of Otsutsuki and real Time-travel, have Sasuke being extremly annoyed by Borutos attitude and behavior and have him use a strong genjutsu to make experience, what Naruto had to go through to teach him respect.
-Karma: Instead of an Otsutsuki-Backup, make it an improved Version of the Curse-mark, created by Kara to create Soldiers (with an artifical senin-mode) who are able to fight on par with Shinobi on the level of Guy and Kakashi. ANd that Boruto acciedently recieved it.
-No Cyborgs and no Otsutsuki. These Elements are Boruto biggest weakness. When Kishimoto created Naruto and the Chakra-System he created rules, of how the world and the chakra work. But the Cyborgs and Otsutsuki are breaking these rules with Abilities, that do not fit, into World. Example: Boro and his viruses and his core. If he instead of viruses and regeneration, had a poison ability, it would have been better. Then Daemon, whos power are contradictionary (It is said, he needs to touch someone with his palms, to reflect attacks and bloodlust. But it was shown, that this is not true, since he reflected things without touching anyone when he was introduced. Eida: The mechanic of how her powers are working, cannot be explained. How is it possible for her so see and hear everything, like she is the 3 eyed raven. ANd her charming ability is extremely bad. The only possible explaination would be: It is based onf Pheromones.)
– Make Consequences. Like: Shikadai distances himself from Boruto, since he even used the Kote against his best friend, or that Sarada starts to distrust Boruto and starts to slowly walk on the Sharingan-path into darkness (Tobirama explained it: To make the sharingan stronger, one has to walk the path of darkness.)
– No tmporary Power-ups like Garaga or compressed Rasengan. They searched for ways and explanations, why these things were only in one Arc respecly.
-Finally: If they want a long run: Make it a Original-Anime, and make the Manga adapt the Anime and not what they did…you don’t make an montly release Manga into an Long run Anime with weekly release.
Like this, Boruto could have been a rather decent series, which focuses on Ninja-Themes instead of Cyborgs and Aliens.
How the Story actually goes, it wouldn’t surprise me, if a green portal pops up, Rick and Morty come out, and Ricks starts to attack amado, since Amados whole technology is based on something Rick forgot when he was visiting the Naruto-World while beeing deaddrunk (we know what he did with Worldender)
Politics was underutilized in OG naruto itself. Naruto had so much potential but atleast Boruto should have gone that route, atleast have it as a relevant plotline. The whole Shinobi system existing the same way as earlier without being questioned is a huge miss for a dramatic plotline. Like they brought so called world peace and yet kids at age 12 train to be in military, I wont say it is bad but atleast have some plotlines questioning such practices still. But they took the very easy and least innovative route but one that worls for fights and powerups I guess.
Finally someone who understands me. The relationship between Daimyo and Kage was poorly explained in Naruto and would habe been soooo mich better for Boruto, instead of making it a failed Clone of DBZ with some Naruto genes
The Tento Arc would have been perfect for politic.
Like Naruto and the Daimyo, Talk after Tentos rescue. And the closest advisor of the Daimyo just asks: “Why was there only a single Genin as Security for the Young Lord? Why were there No expierenced Shinobi, tasked with guarding them from the shadows?”
With a question Like this, an advisor who Sees the Problems with the Shinobi System, could Naruto Drive into a Corner. Because there ist no understandable answer without, making Konoha Look Like total idiots.
How would you answer this?
“We couldn’t forsee Something Like this.”
Or
“Tento himself wanted it this way.”
Or
“There were None WHO could do IT”
Answers which are similiar to These, would be the only possibilities.
If Naruto answers, he would Ruin His and konohas Reputation
One of my biggest issues with Boruto are the temporary power-ups.
They get a Power for one Arc, then they make an halfassed explanation, Why IT will never appears again. See Garaga.
And the while retcon of Naruto. IT started in the movie, but Here lies the Problem. No one watched the movie, because of the Otsutsuki or the Story. People watched, because the Trailer promised a Fight of Naruto and Sasuke against someone who is equal to their combined Power.
Without this Fight, or If they Had the New Team 7 Fight momoshiki, then Boruto Manga and Anime wouldn’t exist.
I am Just saying what i think: Boruto Stands completely on an Base from the old Generation, and Not in it’s own legs. And If they continue with the actual Plot and Treatment of the old gen, then these already cracked Base, will completely crumble and Boruto will fall so deep, that it probably will get axed, rushed or aborted.
The Way Naruto Ended: While it’s true that Naruto and Sasuke were immensely powerful by the end of the series, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Boruto has nothing left to work with. There are still plenty of conflicts and issues that can arise in a world of peace, such as political intrigue, personal struggles, and societal tensions. Furthermore, Boruto has introduced new themes and ideas that expand upon the original Naruto universe.
No Mysteries: This is one of the dumbest takes here LMFAOO Jougan, Boruto’s fate, scar, Otsutsukis, Mitsuki sage mode, Toneri, what did Kawaki do to Naruto in TS, Sarada mangekyo, Code backstory, Amado’s true goals, where’s Kashin Koji, who’s Shibai, just to name a few
Too Much Fillers/Anime Canon: Boruto objectively has 0 fillers as of right now. Kodachi, Ikemoto AND Kishimoto has confirmed it.
Bad Antagonists: “Otsutsuki’s only aim is to consume Devil fruit chakra harvested by planting Ten-tails.” Isshiki’s philosophy on fate: A lot of people in the anime community don’t really understand Isshiki and believe he’s just trying to gain power for no apparent reason (which also explains is he so complex to the average viewer) Isshiki gave Kashin Koji a speech on his view of fate in chapter 47. He considers himself to be a higher form of life because he has overcome fate through karma because he believes everyone has a predetermined fate from which they cannot escape. If you look closely at the dialogue that Jigen gives Kawaki, you’ll notice that Isshiki is actually talking about himself, which is why he chose Kawaki. He was an empty vessel that denied his own self worth. A man who has a hole in his heart and is unable to patch it. A man with a broken heart and no way to patch it. The only way he could seal the hole was with power which is why he keeps pounding it into kawaki that he needs karma. a source of strength that could mend his broken heart. And for this reason, Isshiki is attempting to become a God. Kashin koji’s fear of the likelihood that he and Jiraya would suffer the same fate—which Isshiki characterized as “human weakness”—was the primary factor in his defeat by Isshiki. Isshiki then heads toward konoha to prepare his vessel as he had started to fear this fate now that we was not superior to it because he did not have karma. Four ninja who have conquered the idea of fate and do not fear it to protect what they love confront him next. Isshiki is unable to comprehend it because he doesn’t believe in such things. He then encounters Baryon Mode, the personification of fate, during their battle. A mode that forcibly drags both the user and the opponent into a battle of fate. (Which was also a thematically fitting end to Isshiki’s character arc: A God with the power of the Eightfold Path of ancient Buddhism – destroyed by a mortal with the power of the Eightfold Way of modern particle physics.) When this mode has started to take its effect on isshiki, for the first time, we see isshiki show emotion as he is bound by fate he becomes more human and shows fear and anger which was beautifully drawn by Ikemoto. Isshiki is then beaten finally by the real way to fill a punctured heart, love. As the very embodiment of naruto’s love was Kawaki. This was beautifully shown as kawaki uses shadow clone, and has gained a new heart. His old heart was the base he broke that he could not put together and the new one was the hand naruto gave him as it runs on Narutos chakra, a binding force which is what love is. After isshiki is defeated by fate, he then goes to code, the remnant of kara, the last person who actually viewed him as a God as although he could not help him overcome fate by being a vessel he could help him achieve his goals by passing on his will. Being the last of his clan, Isshiki then understands that beings were not meant to outlivesurpass their fate but rather to pass on their ambitions to the next generation, which is one of the most important themes in Boruto
No Ideological/Thematic Conflicts: The themes presented in Boruto are also very deep the clash of philosophies is complex that is impossible to tell right away if antagonists are bad or just victims of the one things that has affected everyone the very concept of the Ninja World. Not everybody is an absolute hero, not everybody is an absolute villain gracefully playing with this moral debate makes Boruto an excellent story in terms of lessons and a very mature story Naruto & Boruto villains are driven by logical and understandable motivations that are a result of a traumatic event or sequence of events that lead them to take drastic ways to make change into the world, They have advanced views and distinctive morals that are more complex than shallow and selfish. (For example; Isshiki’s philosophy on fate, again)
It has complex themes for each character and its build up that makes sense as the Story goes on the plot is spread out but all fits together perfectly.
Boruto – The Unlikable Main Character: Boruto intentionally started off as entitled and “unlikable”, he undergoes significant character development throughout the series. He learns to appreciate his family, work hard for his dreams, and empathize with others. Moreover, his flaws make him a more relatable and realistic protagonist, rather than a perfect and infallible hero like other shonen mcs.
Lack of Focus on Side Characters: Boruto doesn’t waste characters (not every character introduced has to be a world changer, characters serve a narrative purpose that can be simple and brief or long and very compelling).
Escalated Power Level: While it’s true that the power level in Boruto has increased compared to Naruto, this is a natural and expected progression in a shonen series. Moreover, the series still emphasizes strategy, teamwork, and intelligence over brute strength, and the power level of the characters is not the sole focus of the story.
Lack of Emotional Impact: There’s literally not a single person on YT who hasn’t cried at Kurama’s death.
The thing is for me, is that the way everyone speaks is just lame. Naruto was full of passion, Boruto is full of new age mushiness. Like in the land of water, they had the scene where he was getting saved in the ocean, being flung about in waves and they have an emotional conversation right there. I mean, it’s just weak. You can really tell the difference between the writers of new and old.
I mean, why is Naruto so weak now? Just so Boruto can be? They really crushed themselves with it. There could’ve been so much in building on the old series.
Why not just have Boruto grow up and face other challenges starting a whole new story line? Instead of having him face off against God like characters/Jonin level straight away? I mean, Naruto built up to it, he had a whole process. This is just patchwork.