Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Was Almost Axed Before It Began

The story of the son of the Seventh Hokage almost never happened.

By Evan Valentine

Following Naruto's fight against the likes of Orochimaru, Madara Uchiha, the Otsutsuki, and the Akatsuki, the Seventh Hokage earned his position and acceptance among the ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village. Not satisfied with bringing Naruto's story to an end with Shippuden, creator Masashi Kishimoto decided to follow the next generation of Konoha's ninjas in Boruto Uzumaki. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations followed Naruto's son, who was living in his father's shadow, and gave way to Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, the current series that has thrown some wild challenges at the anime protagonist. In a new interview, Kishimoto confirmed that Boruto's journey almost didn't happen.

While Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is continuing to release new chapters on a monthly basis, Boruto's anime future remains a mystery. Following the son of the Seventh teaming up with Kawaki against the villainous Code, the new head of the Kara Organization, Studio Pierrot decided to place the anime adaptation on hiatus. Initially, Pierrot announced that the shonen franchise would continue with a four-episode return to the original Naruto series, taking viewers back into the past. Thanks to Demon Slayer, Pierrot has decided to take a different approach to their anime, focusing on a more seasonal stance to releases, meaning that Naruto's anime adaptation needed more time behind the scenes.

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(Photo: Pierrot)

Boruto Almost Wasn't

In a recent interview, Masashi Kishimoto stated that had his assistant, Mikio Ikemoto, not wanted to take on the story of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, then the shonen franchise would have indeed ended with Naruto in the leading role. Ikemoto continues to work on the long-running manga, initially starting as Kishimoto's assistant in the earlier days and then becoming the main artist on Naruto Next Generations and Two Blue Vortex. 

While Boruto has yet to receive a return date for his anime series, the television show will have some major moments to cover when it make its comeback. Following Kawaki and Boruto's battle against Code, the world becomes a very different place in Naruto Next Generations thanks to Eida's machinations and affection for the adopted son of the Uzumaki family. As Two Blue Vortex focuses on an older Boruto who is fighting against enemies and allies alike, the sequel series will make for a killer animated series.

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Want to follow along with the developments of the Hidden Leaf Village? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook for the latest updates on Boruto Uzumaki and the next generation of ninjas. 

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