How Kishimoto Ruined The Legacy Of The Greatest Anime Protagonist In Boruto

by

This post contains spoilers for Boruto.

Masashi Kishimoto created Naruto, a manga often considered one of the greatest series ever published by Shonen Jump. While it’s impossible to say definitively if it is the best, Kishimoto undeniably crafted a strong contender for that title.

What really struck me about Naruto is how consistently strong the characters are, and how their stories develop naturally without feeling rushed or sacrificing quality. It’s clear a huge amount of work went into it, all thanks to Kishimoto, who poured years of his life into the manga. He clearly spent a lot of time developing each character, and it seems like Naruto Uzumaki, as the main character, got the most attention – and it really shows.

Naruto Is One Of The Most Iconic Anime Protagonists

Naruto Uzumaki Is An Incredible Protoganist

  • Kishimoto and Ikemoto tainted Naruto’s legacy
  • Naruto’s reputation is no longer the same

I’ve always been drawn to Naruto Uzumaki, and it wasn’t his ninja skills that first got my attention—it was his character. While there are definitely anime heroes with more tragic pasts, Naruto’s story is still incredibly moving. Losing his parents was awful, but what really struck me was how the villagers of the Hidden Leaf treated him. They blamed him for the Nine-Tails’ attack, even though he was just a child. It was heartbreaking to see parents forbidding their kids from playing with him—really unfair and shameful. It felt strange, blaming a little boy for something the entire village should have been prepared for.

Even though people were unkind to him, Naruto refused to let it turn him bitter or violent. He remained determined to become stronger and achieve his dream of becoming Hokage. Surprisingly, even as an adult, most of the villagers continued to treat him poorly. Their attitudes only shifted after Naruto single-handedly saved the village from destruction by defeating Pain. Suddenly, they hailed him as a hero, but Naruto saw through their change of heart – they only cared about him because he had saved their lives. Still, he didn’t let their selfishness bother him and continued to work hard to improve.

Becoming The Greatest Hero In Anime History

Near the climax of the Naruto manga, a massive war broke out, and Naruto had to fight to protect the world from powerful threats like Obito, Madara, and Kaguya. His first major obstacle was Obito, who aimed to completely change the ninja world after gaining immense power with the Ten-Tails. While most ninjas couldn’t stop him, Naruto tried a different approach – he attempted to reason with Obito instead of fighting. Naruto even forgave Obito for the deaths of his parents, Minato and Kushina. Some viewers questioned this decision, but it was consistent with Naruto’s compassionate nature – he always focused on understanding and forgiving others, making it a natural reaction for him.

Following his victory over Obito, Naruto faced two incredibly strong opponents: Madara and Kaguya. He was fortunate to receive Six Paths Chakra from Hagoromo, which helped him defeat Madara. However, Kaguya was a truly unique and dangerous enemy, unlike anything he or his allies had ever encountered, forcing them to push their limits to overcome her. After finally stopping Kaguya, Naruto was left with one final, and perhaps most difficult, battle: a fight against his close friend and rival, Sasuke Uchiha.

During the war, Sasuke decided he wanted to become Hokage, but instead of protecting people, he planned to rule through fear, believing that being hated would improve the world. Naruto refused to accept this path for his friend. While battling Sasuke, Naruto hesitated to use his full strength, unwilling to kill him. Sasuke, however, had no such reservations and actively tried to defeat Naruto. Even while holding back, Naruto managed to win the fight and help Sasuke understand the error of his ways. Eventually, years after the war ended, Naruto achieved his lifelong dream of becoming Hokage.

Kishimoto Ruined Naruto’s Legacy In Boruto

Image via studio Pierrot.

Honestly, even before Boruto really kicked off, I felt like Kishimoto started to undermine Naruto’s whole journey. I was so excited for the day Naruto finally became Hokage, but then that whole thing with Himawari knocking him out happened – it just felt…off. To see him completely unable to attend his own inauguration, while everyone was getting worried, was a real letdown. And then to have Konohamaru pretend to be Naruto at the ceremony? That felt like the first real blemish on everything Naruto had worked for. He spent years striving to become Hokage, it was his lifelong dream, and to have that moment stolen from him, even for a ‘funny’ scene, just felt cruel and disrespectful.

I Will Shoulder Your Hatred And Die With You! Because I’m Your Friend!

The Boruto: Naruto Next Generations series became more challenging when the creators started introducing numerous members of the incredibly powerful Otsutsuki Clan. These beings were capable of destroying entire armies, making them formidable opponents for Naruto. Momoshiki and Kinshiki were the first Otsutsuki villains, and they dominated much of the battle. Naruto and Sasuke had to work together to stand a chance, but ultimately, Boruto was the one who secured their victory.

Naruto And Sasuke Have Been Treated Horribly In Boruto

Soon after, Naruto and Sasuke faced Jigen, who was actually the vessel for Isshiki Otsutsuki. It wasn’t a real fight; Isshiki easily defeated them, and they had no idea how to compete. To give Naruto a chance, the author, Kishimoto, introduced Baryon Mode, a powerful but costly ability. Using Baryon Mode required Kurama, the Nine-Tails, to sacrifice himself. Knowing Naruto would refuse if he knew the truth, Kurama tricked him and then died. This meant Naruto lost one of his oldest and closest friends, someone who had been by his side for years.

Image from Studio Pierrot

To make matters worse, the creators sidelined Naruto by sealing him away, and he hasn’t been seen in years. This has frustrated many dedicated fans, who have stopped reading the Boruto manga because they dislike how their favorite character is being treated. This drop in readership is raising concerns about the future of the series. Fans hope the original creator, Kishimoto, will encourage the current artist to bring Naruto and Sasuke back to mentor the new generation. While a return seems unlikely right now, fans are still holding out hope.

Read More

2026-02-05 20:38