Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations (BORUTO -ボルト- -NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS-, Boruto: Naruto Nekusuto Jenerēshonzu) was a monthly manga spin-off series within the Naruto franchise.^[1] The first 51 chapters of the series were written by Ukyō Kodachi, with the author of Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto, acting as supervisor. Beginning with chapter 52 - released in November 2020 - Kodachi left the series while Mikio Ikemoto took over writing duties, following Kishimoto's drafts. Ikemoto also illustrated the manga throughout its run. The series adapts the story-line of Boruto: Naruto the Movie and then continues the story afterward. The manga launched on May 9, 2016, in the 23rd issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump, and is simultaneously published in Weekly Shōnen Jump digital magazine in English. The serialisation of the manga was transferred to V Jump in July 2019.

Manga[]

Kodachi compares the story of Boruto to the Cold War, where a world at peace is threatened by a resumption of its prior chaos.^[2] Ikemoto's illustrations for the series are much more realistic than what was used in Naruto, and in fact he is regularly reminded by Kishimoto to make characters' mouths and eyes bigger in order to better align the two series. Ikemoto hopes to conclude the story of Boruto within 30 volumes.^[3] Until his institution as the sole writer of the series, Kishimoto, though he had no direct role in the manga's creation, nevertheless oversaw each chapter as it was being worked on. When asked if he was worried that new characters in Boruto would come off as clones of their parents, Kishimoto admitted it was a concern. He labelled Shikadai as essentially a clone of his father, while Chōchō is more a combination of her parents; he believes that both characters serve archetypal roles that are common to manga series.^[4] On June 1, 2023, it was announced the first part of the manga had concluded with Volume 20.^[5] In V Jump #8, Part II of the manga was announced, titled Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, to begin publishing in V Jump #10.^[6]

There are six story arcs in Part I of the manga:

1. Versus Momoshiki Arc
2. Mujina Bandits Arc
3. Ao Arc
4. Kawaki Arc
5. Code's Assault Arc
6. Omnipotence Arc

SD Version[]

Similar to Rock Lee's Springtime of Youth Full Power Ninja Chronicles, there was also an "SD" version of the Boruto manga, titled Boruto: Saikyo Dash Generations.

Anime[]

In December 2016, it was announced at the annual Jump Festa that an original anime would begin to air on April 5, 2017, on TV Tokyo.^[7] Part I of the series consisted of 293 episodes, which ran from 2017 to 2023. The English dub premiered on September 29, 2018, in the United States on Adult Swim. Kodachi supervised the screenwriters of the anime up until episode 216. As such, the several screenwriters submitted their stories to him, with Kodachi monitoring everything in the event a scene could dramatically change the characterisation of a character.^[8] On March 8, 2023, it was announced the first part of the series would conclude and that a second part of the anime is in production.^[9]

There are twenty-six story arcs in Part I of the anime:

1. Academy Entrance Arc
2. Sarada Uchiha Arc
3. School Trip Arc
4. Graduation Exams Arc
5. Genin Mission Arc
6. Byakuya Gang Arc
7. Chūnin Exams Arc
8. Chōchō Arc
9. Mitsuki's Disappearance Arc
10. Parent and Child Day Arc
11. Jūgo Arc
12. Steam Ninja Scrolls Arc
13. Konohamaru's Love Arc
14. One-Tail Escort Arc
15. Time Slip Arc
16. Mujina Bandits Arc
17. Kara Actuation Arc
18. Vessel Arc
19. Kawaki Arc: Kara Clash
20. Kawaki Arc: Ōtsutsuki Awakening
21. Chūnin Re-Examination Arc
22. Great Sea Battle of Kirigakure Arc
23. Kawaki & Himawari Academy Arc
24. Labyrinth Game Arc
25. Sasuke Retsuden Arc
26. Code's Assault Arc

Novels[]

Parts of the anime are also being adapted into a novel series titled Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Novel (BORUTO -ボルト- -NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS- NOVEL, Boruto: Naruto Nekusuto Jenerēshonzu Noberu). The novels are written by Kou Shigenobu (1-3 and 5), Miwa Kiyomune (4), and illustrated by Mikio Ikemoto. There have been five such novels released:

1. The New Leaves Soaring Through the Blue Sky! (青天を翔る新たな木の葉たち!, Seiten o Kakeru Aratana Konoha-tachi!), released on May 2, 2017; covers episodes 1 to 6.
2. A Call from the Shadows! (影からの呼び声!, Kage Kara no Yobigoe!), released on July 4, 2017; covers episodes 7 to 11.
3. Those Who Illuminate the Night of Shinobi! (忍の夜を照らす者!, Shinobi no Yoru o Terasu Mono!), released on September 4, 2017; covers episodes 12 to 15.
4. School Trip Bloodwind Records (修学旅行血風録, Shūgakuryokō Keppūroku), released in November 2, 2017; covers the events depicted in episodes 25 to 31, but from Sarada's perspective.
5. The Last Day at the Ninja Academy! (忍者学校最後の日！, Akademī Saigo no Hi!), released on January 4, 2018; covers events not seen in the anime. The first chapter is set before episode 36; the others after episode 37.

References[]