5 Things That Make the Boruto Series Hated

Masashi Kishimoto's phenomenal manga, "Naruto," successfully completed its story in 2014. The journey of Naruto Uzumaki, who dreamed of becoming Hokage, was successfully achieved, marking the end of a series that has captivated millions of readers and viewers over the years. However, the story of the ninja world does not end there, but continues in the form of a sequel entitled "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations."

“Boruto” focuses attention on the new generation, with the main role played by Boruto Uzumaki, Naruto's eldest son. Initially, the Boruto story was introduced through an anime film entitled "Boruto: Naruto the Movie" in 2015. In the following year, the manga "Boruto" began serialization, followed by the release of an anime adaptation in 2017.

Although many fans initially welcomed the presence of “Boruto,” as time went by, more and more voices expressed dissatisfaction and even hatred towards the manga and anime.

Some of the basic reasons that cause fans' antipathy towards "Boruto" include changes in narrative style, handling of characters that are considered unsatisfactory, and the feeling that the atmosphere and distinctiveness of the original "Naruto" has been eroded.

Fans highlighted significant changes in the tone and approach of the story, which were deemed detrimental to the essence of the legacy of “Naruto.” Even though many expected continuity commensurate with its predecessor, the perception that "Boruto" was unable to meet these expectations sparked disappointment among the fan community.

Thus, even though “Boruto” attempts to build on the success of “Naruto,” the mixed response from fans creates an interesting dynamic around the world of ninjas that has become an integral part of Japanese pop culture and leaves curiosity surrounding the direction Boruto's narrative will take next.

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The story is like Recycled

One of the main criticisms given by fans to "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations" is that it feels like it is recycling stories from its predecessor, "Naruto." Especially in the first few arcs, Boruto's narrative seems to repeat familiar motifs and plots in "Naruto," especially in the anime version. A number of striking incidents demonstrate the similarities between these events.

One example that is often mentioned is the moment when Boruto carried out the action of decorating the Hokage statue, an action that was very similar to what his father, Naruto, had done, where Naruto scribbled on the Hokage statue to get attention. This parallelism creates a sense of déjà vu and leads to the feeling that new creative elements may not be realized enough.

Furthermore, the implementation of the Chunin exams also became the focus of criticism, because various moments and events during the exams seemed to resemble what had happened in Naruto. Starting from the process of similar exams to the appearance of external interference that disrupts the course of the Chunin exams, everything feels familiar and repeats familiar themes from before.

Another example is when Mitsuki, one of the main characters in Boruto, decides to go outside the village. This story reminds many fans of the moment when Sasuke left the village in Naruto. Even though this event is only filler in the anime version, the similarity of themes and narrative structure creates the perception that Boruto is trapped in an existing pattern.

Criticism of this recycling of stories reflects fans' desire to see innovation and deeper character development, rather than simply rehashing familiar stories. It also raises questions about Boruto's ability to create his own unique identity within the vast legacy of Naruto.

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Domineering Filler

One of the problems that worries fans when watching the anime "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations" is the abundance of filler episodes presented.

Studio Pierrot often seems to include filler episodes to maintain the distance between the anime storyline and the source manga. Unfortunately, the impact of this policy is detrimental, considering that most of the filler episodes are considered less desirable by fans, because they are considered boring.

The biggest criticism arises when important moments in the storyline, which should be the culmination of the ongoing story, are suddenly replaced by filler episodes.

This incident is especially difficult for fans who were expecting a deep and substantial narrative continuation, only to be presented with an irrelevant and less interesting story.

This problem is actually nothing new in the production of the Naruto anime, which also experienced similar difficulties. Even though in the early days of Naruto's broadcast there were not too many filler episodes, in reality, this phenomenon has continued in the Boruto anime, even since the first episode. The presence of filler from the start made many fans feel disappointed and showed a lack of innovation in overcoming a problem that has long been known in the world of anime.

Fans in general hope that the Boruto anime can reduce the number of filler episodes, focusing on more substantial character and story development. This is expected to provide a more satisfying viewing experience and strengthen the bond between the audience and the ever-growing world of ninjas.

Nerf on Some Characters

The number of main characters experiencing a decrease in strength or what is known as 'nerf' in the series "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations" is one aspect that disappoints fans.

This disappointment was especially felt when important characters from the previous series, such as Rock Lee, Shikamaru, Gaara, Temari, and Ten-ten, did not get adequate exposure in the Boruto story. On the contrary, they no longer seem to have the same toughness when facing new enemies, and even seem helpless.

The importance of these characters in the previous Naruto series actually makes the disappointment even more pronounced when they seem marginalized and don't get the opportunity to appear on the fighting stage.

Some battles are even presented briefly or skipped, leaving fans frustrated at not being able to watch their favorite characters in action.

Apart from supporting characters, even main characters like Naruto and Sasuke also had to receive 'nerf'. Naruto lost Kurama, while Sasuke lost his Rinnegan power. This drastic change in the main characters sparked dissatisfaction because it reduced the essence and appeal they had since the previous series.

Not only that, even characters who are skilled in fighting like Hinata are never given the opportunity to act in battle in the Boruto story.

This was an additional disappointment for fans who wanted further exploration of the fighting skills of the once prominent characters. Overall, the decline in the power of these main characters is one of the factors causing dissatisfaction and disappointment among Boruto fans.

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Unreasonable Power

One source of fan dissatisfaction with the series "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations" is the 'nerf' phenomenon in the main characters of Naruto, who are supposed to get stronger as they get older.

This incident feels absurd, especially considering the logic that should make them stronger than when they were teenagers.

However, paradoxically, these characters experience a decline in strength and seem unable to face new enemies who come from other planets.

This illogicality is further exacerbated when a main character like Boruto, who is still a child, is able to overcome and even defeat very strong enemies.

This is difficult for fans to understand, considering that veteran characters who have gone through epic battles in the past should have a much higher level of strength.

The comparison between Boruto's young fighting ability and the supposedly much higher strength of his opponents creates an imbalance in 'power scaling.'

If we reflect back on the Naruto story, the main character's journey is always based on gradually increasing the level of strength, defeating enemies from the same level to a higher level.

However, in Boruto, this concept of 'power scaling' becomes confusing and difficult to accept, raising big questions regarding consistency and logic in the ninja world that has been established previously. This is one aspect that causes dissatisfaction among Boruto fans.

Boruto's disobedience

One of the main reasons why Boruto gets hate from some fans is because the main character's behavior is considered an act of disobedience. Boruto Uzumaki, as the son of Uzumaki Naruto, is depicted at the beginning of the story with an attitude that can cause irritation.

His dissatisfaction arose due to the lack of his father's presence at home, even though Naruto held the position of Hokage which carried a very large workload. Even though Naruto tries to make time for his family by sending his bunshin (a copy of himself) to be with the family, Boruto still feels dissatisfied.

Many fans compare Boruto's behavior to Naruto when he was little. Naruto, even though he has lost both his parents and grew up alone, still shows extraordinary grit and determination. This contrast causes disappointment, considering that Naruto is able to overcome his limitations with a wiser attitude.

Even though in its development Boruto has undergone changes and is no longer so "disobedient" towards his parents, this first impression is still embedded in the minds of many fans.

This shows that the handling of Boruto's character and personal development as the Hokage's son is considered not completely satisfactory and does not live up to the expectations that many fans place on the main character.

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