Naruto became such a massive hit mainly because of its original setting: the whole ninja aesthetic rooted in Japan’s ancient culture. Fans loved the idea of hidden villages, secret jutsus, and the old-school way of training and fighting. But in Boruto, a lot of that charm is just gone.
Now, guess what? We’ve got aliens! Yep, legit aliens. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations did a complete 180 from the original series, incorporating sci-fi tech, scientific ninja tools, and futuristic cities. And the moment the Otsutsuki clan entered the picture, it felt like the final nail in the coffin.
How the Introduction of the Otsutsuki Clan Killed Naruto’s ‘Ninja’ Vibe
Although ‘downfall’ might sound a bit harsh, it’s fair to say that introducing the Otsutsuki clan wasn’t a good idea. Sure, their god-like power levels brought in some flashy fights and cool upgrades, but it also shifted the focus away from Naruto’s original ‘ninja’ vibe.
The Otsutsuki are basically an ancient clan of horned, god-like beings from another planet, often referred to as celestial entities. They are indeed powerful and mysterious, but straight-up aliens? That no one saw coming, which is kind of unsettling to think about.
On paper, it may sound cool from a completely neutral perspective, but for the OG Naruto fans, it feels wildly out of place. Since Kishimoto himself admitted that Boruto has mainly been his assistant Mikio Ikemoto’s work, it was only natural for the series not to perform at Naruto’s level.
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Furthermore, not using Boruto as a chance to reset the power levels was also a missed opportunity. By the end of the Fourth Ninja War, the power scaling was already going off the rails, even before Kaguya showed up. And now, adding the Otsutsuki Clan on top of that just made things worse.
Can Boruto Ever Surpass Naruto?
Well, frankly put, it’s totally not possible. There’s even a popular belief that Ikemoto-san just isn’t built for the whole sci-fi angle. The original series had a raw emotional pull and cultural charm that Boruto can never recapture.
Another reason Naruto will always be considered better is that Ikemoto-san probably wanted to keep the old characters around for marketing purposes.
Sure, Naruto, Sasuke, and the rest of the OG cast sell way better than the new gen ever can, but for that reason alone, milking the same characters ruins fans’ perception of the series in the long run. It limited how far Boruto could branch out and stand on its own.
| NARUTO | BORUTO | |
| Release Date | October 3, 2002 | April 5, 2017 |
| IMDb Rating | 8.4/10 | 6.3/10 |
| Where to Watch | Crunchyroll | Crunchyroll |
Still, quite a few fans are sticking with it, hoping it’ll get any better in the future. It has essentially become a story that wants to do something new but still relies heavily on nostalgia. However, Boruto will, or has already, gained an identity of its own.
So, what do you think? Does Boruto still have a shot at getting better, or has it strayed too far from what made Naruto great in the first place?
All previously released episodes of Naruto and Boruto are currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
