Naruto Shippuden last aired on March 23rd, 2017. Boruto first premiered on Tokyo TV on April 5th, 2017. It only took us, fans, less than two weeks to hop on Boruto from Naruto.
Why?
Because like the father, everyone thought the same about the son. Naruto, being the undisputed king in the anime world, was being replaced by his son, Boruto. Well, that’s what most Naruto fans thought about Boruto.
Now, 7 years have passed since Boruto made its first appearance on our screens. But, as fans, are we satisfied with Boruto? Is justice done to Naruto’s legacy? Well, we know there’s something wrong with Boruto. That’s why it never really reached the promised heights.
This article focuses on exploring some major reasons that stinted Boruto’s growth among Naruto’s fanbase. To find out what went wrong for Boruto that it failed to capitalize on Naruto’s popularity, let’s get started.
- Too Many Fillers
- Inconsistency in Animation
- Rushing Up the Story
- Power Levels
- Less Dependency on Chakra
- Bottom Line
Too Many Fillers:
In Naruto, out of 220 episodes, 91 were fillers. It means around 41% of episodes in Naruto were fillers, having nothing to relate to the story. However, Naruto got it covered by delivering exceptional episodes after airing out some fillers. Moreover, fans really didn’t seem to mind it either.
Why?
Mostly, these fillers included Naruto’s pranks or acts that made us laugh. Sometimes, we got irritated, but we always knew that Naruto would make up for this in the coming episodes.
But, when it comes to Boruto, things don’t seem to improve. The percentage of fillers isn’t known, as Boruto hasn’t ended yet. However, one can say that it will easily be around 40-45% of the total episodes.
With that many fillers and canon episodes not up to the mark, fans have gradually lost interest in Boruto.
With that said Boruto’s new arc is coming up soon. And with that, fans are once again hoping for things to improve. If you’re hopeful too, then don’t forget to watch the latest episodes of Boruto. Wondering where you can watch it?
Well, you can easily stream Boruto online. But make sure to have an internet connection like Spectrum to avoid buffer time. Otherwise, it may take hours to complete a 25-minute episode.
To avail of their service, visit Spectrum’s website. Moreover, Spanish customers can connect to Spectrum servicio al cliente en español for Spanish customer support.
Inconsistency in Animation:
If you make a comparison between Naruto and Boruto, what is between them that you can tell with your eyes closed? There are many, but the biggest difference between the two series is the animation quality.
From “Enter: Naruto Uzumaki!” to “The Message”, the quality of animation in Naruto, from the first to the last episode is top-notch. Apart from the quality, Naruto ensured top consistency as well. With Rasengan flowing with Chakra or Chidori beaming with lights, fans appreciated even the tiniest details in Naruto.
But when it comes to Boruto, most fans can see the difference in animation every week. As fans, we don’t have a clue what went wrong with the series. However, the inconsistency in animation is something the producers and animators must pay heed to.
Rushing Up the Story:
Sometimes, watching Boruto, don’t you feel that it exists just to keep Naruto’s memories fresh in our minds? Doesn’t it feel that Boruto itself doesn’t have a plot and if it wasn’t for Naruto, no one knew Boruto?
Well, these questions came to my mind when I saw the story rushing up without any reason. For Boruto, it’s becoming a common thing to start one arc, bring fillers, then bring some more, and then all of a sudden, conclude the arc.
Mujina Bandits Arc, Vessel Arc, and many others, fans would’ve loved to have a more thorough and complete ending.
So, when you have a base like Naruto, which explains everything, without rushing or shortening character’s stories, doing so in Boruto is no less than a crime.
Power Levels:
It’s another thing that has disturbed most of Naruto’s fanbase. Imagine, you’re a Sharingan holder in one eye. In the other, there’s Rinnegan. Most fans would know that I’m talking about Sasuke.
So, what happens with Sasuke’s Rinnegan in Boruto? Out of nowhere, with a kunai’s single swing, Boruto was able to take Sasuke’s Rinnegan.
People who know how a Sharingan or Rinnegan works may understand what I’m about to say. Sasuke would’ve seen Boruto move from a mile away, yet he lost his Rinnegan.
So, with power levels that high, there’s no reason for fans to get excited as they may know who’ll always come out as a winner.
Less Dependency on Chakra:
Chakra – the essence of life in Naruto. Boruto, being a branch of Naruto, follows the same principles we came to know in Naruto.
But, don’t you feel that Boruto, along with his friends is more dependent on technology and gadgets, rather than Chakra?
Yes, it’s an appreciable thing that Boruto instilled the growing technology in the series. However, making it a centerpiece and diminishing Chakra’s value, it’s not acceptable to most hardcore Naruto fans.
Bottom Line:
It’s clear that Boruto failed to cash in on his father’s success. However, it’s never too late for Boruto to turn things around. As fans, we do believe that like Naruto, Boruto possesses the same energy to turn things around. Now, it’s only a matter of when we get to see that really happening.
FURTHER READING
