This post contains spoilers for Naruto.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generation is the sequel to Naruto. The intention was to make a series that would focus on the new crop of talent that emerged following the conclusion of the Fourth Great Ninja War. A major change was that Kishimoto was no longer the main writer; instead, the reins were passed on to Ikemoto.
Naruto: 8 Characters Who Ended Up Being Surprisingly Strong
One mustn't judge certain Naruto characters by their appearance. Here are some unlikely examples who turned out to be surprisingly strong.
Obviously, Ikemoto has his own idea of how to progress Boruto's story, but fans can't help but think that some characters have been harshly treated and ended up being mere spectators. One such character is Konohamaru Sarutobi.
Konohamaru Was A Promising Character
Konohamaru Had A Lot Of Potential
In Naruto Part 1, Konohamaru came off as a promising young character who had a bright future ahead of him, especially since he was the grandson of the legendary Hiruzen Sarutobi. Naruto fans know that Hiruzen is the Third Hokage of the Hidden Leaf. He was also called the God of Shinobi and was personally trained by the First and Second Hokage. Being the descendant of such a legendary shinobi, it would have been a shame if Konohamaru couldn't get close to his granddad.
In the second part, Konohamaru had one particularly standout moment when he used Rasengan on one of the Six Paths of Pain. It was a major accomplishment for the young ninja, as all six bodies of Pain were equipped with deadly abilities. From that point until the end of the story, Konohamaru didn't get a lot of time in the limelight, which is understandable as he didn't have the necessary strength to fight in the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Konohamaru Was Butchered In Boruto
- Konohamaru was an amazing talent
- Ikemoto did not treat Konohamaru with respect
After Boruto was announced, it felt that at least some of the older characters would get a chance to shine in the manga. Ikemoto didn't have to put the entire focus on them, but he could have at least treated them right. Considering how badly Ikemoto treated Naruto and Sasuke, poor Konohamaru didn't even have a prayer. Not only did Konohamaru fail to beat most of his opponents, but he also had to be rescued by his students, which made him look like an incompetent teacher.
His inability to beat these enemies also raised questions over his status as a Jonin. A ninja with his reputation should have been the one protecting his students, and not the other way around. Avid fans held on to hope for a while, but the sudden spike in power means there's no way for Konohamaru to catch up to the villains. Based on his performances, it's safe to say that Konohamaru is the biggest flop in Boruto.
Ikemoto Ruined Naruto And Sasuke
The Two Heroes Have Been Utterly Destroyed
As previously stated, Naruto and Sasuke have also fallen prey to Ikemoto's writing. It's one thing to sideline the characters, but taking away their abilities and humiliating them in fights is something else. Naruto lost Kurama, whom he considered a close friend. Meanwhile, Sasuke lost his Rinnegan at the hands of Boruto, whose body had been taken over by Momoshiki. Upon losing their powers, the two characters were sidelined.
Naruto Uzumaki's Future Tailed Beast Power, Explained
Naruto Uzumaki was severly nerfed in Boruto. He could however unlock new powers related to the Tailed Beast.
Naturally, a lot of fans were furious with Ikemoto's decision-making. They couldn't wrap their heads around some of the choices made by the author. There's no denying that Ikemoto's decisions have adversely affected the Boruto manga, and this is reflected in the series' sales, which have been in decline. With interest dropping rapidly, Ikemoto needs to be extremely careful about his next move. If he continues disrespecting old fan favorites, then it's highly unlikely that the series will continue for long. In fact, the chances of the anime's return are rather low.
The first installment of the Boruto anime received a lukewarm reception at best because of the obnoxious amount of filler that had nothing to do with the canonical story. Fans had to wait for an entire week for a new episode, only to see irrelevant filler material. If the anime does return, the studio needs to reduce the amount of filler. Otherwise, the anime will most certainly flop again.
Boruto
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 5, 2017
- Network
- TV Tokyo
