Naruto Creator Reveals Shocking Truth Behind Boruto’s Origin and Neji’s Sacrifice

This article contains spoilers for the Boruto series.

Summary

Kishimoto inspired Boruto by Neji’s sacrifice for NaruHina.
Neji’s death was meant to bring Naruto and Hinata closer.
Boruto’s name and concept were designed as a tribute to Neji.

Back in the day, Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto series was a hugely beloved story, particularly when it was being published weekly in Shueisha’s Shonen Jump magazine. To this very day, a decade past the conclusion of the manga, its fanbase remains as passionate and dedicated as ever.

Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto series culminated at the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War, leaving many fans wondering about potential sequels. Eventually, their wishes were fulfilled with the introduction of the Boruto series, which Kishimoto created based on a cherished character from Naruto. The main character in this new story is Naruto’s son, Boruto Uzumaki, and the series continues to unfold today.

How Masashi Kishimoto Came Up With Boruto Uzumaki

Kishimoto Had Neji Sacrifice Himself For NaruHina
Boruto Was Supposed To Be a Tribute To Neji

In the tale of the Fourth Great Ninja War, Neji Hyuga’s death, though it occurred, stood out as strange and seemingly unnecessary. Despite his immense strength and strategic intellect, which allowed him to combat threats even stronger than the Ten Tails, his demise at the hands of the Ten-Tails, brought about by a Wood Release attack, left fans puzzled. Given Neji’s power, they felt he should have been able to counter this assault. The situation seemed unusual to many, and eventually, the reasoning behind it was revealed in an interview conducted by Kishimoto following the Last.

Naruto, it’s crucial that you look after Hinata-san for me. Remember, there is more at stake here than just her life.

Naruto, please make sure to take good care of Hinata-san. You now have a bigger responsibility on your shoulders than just protecting yourself.

In this conversation, Kishimoto essentially revealed that by the time the narrative unfolded, he had determined that Hinata would be the main female character in the story. As a result, he devised Neji’s role to help Naruto Uzumaki get closer to her. Although Hinata defended Naruto from Pain, Kishimoto felt more was required to establish a relationship between them. In his own words, Neji acted as a matchmaker and brought Naruto and Hinata together by the end of the story.

Indeed, it was possible for Naruto and Hinata to have ended up together without Neji’s selfless sacrifice being necessary. Many fans found Kishimoto’s decision to end Neji’s life for such a seemingly trivial reason disappointing. However, it’s worth noting that Kishimoto had other intentions for honoring Neji’s character in the storyline.

Kishimoto Hoped To Have Boruto Linked To Neji

Boruto Is Inspired By His Uncle

During the interview, Kishimoto disclosed that the name Boruto Uzumaki was chosen with Neji in mind. Alternatively, Boruto’s name could be interpreted as ‘Bolt’, which shares a similar meaning to Neji, translating to ‘Screw’ in Japanese. In essence, Boruto was intended as a tribute to Neji Hyuga, considering his selfless act of sacrificing himself to protect Naruto and Hinata during the war, ultimately uniting them.

We are fighting a war to protect Naruto-kun. Losing is not an option. — Hinata Hyuga

Did Kishimoto Forget To Deliver On The Promise?

It Seems Ikemoto Doesn’t Care Much About Boruto’s Connection To Neji

In a potential Boruto series, Kishimoto had planned to feature more of Neji’s storyline through Boruto Uzumaki. However, as we now know, the Boruto series has thrived without any scenes involving Neji in the manga. It appears that, despite his initial intentions, Kishimoto may have overlooked Neji when creating the manga, and his successor, Ikemoto, who is known for reducing older characters’ appearances, probably won’t prioritize Neji either.

In the upcoming Boruto series, Chapter 21 titled “Two Blue Vortex” will be available to read starting April 20, 2025. The chapter release time is 10 AM Eastern Standard Time or 3 PM Coordinated Universal Time. As usual, enthusiasts can access this chapter for free on the Manga Plus and Shonen Jump mobile applications.

2025-04-18 22:44