10 times Boruto was a better anime than Naruto

Compared to Naruto, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is still at a progressing stage. With 279 episodes on-air, showcasing stunning animation and a fast-paced storyline, many have begun to opine that the sequel is turning out to be better than the original.

Set years later in the same universe as Shippuden, the sequel series differs from the original series in many ways, making it unique in its narrative structure and animation style. So, for those who think that Naruto is better than Boruto, here is a list of instances that raise the bar for the sequel series.

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed in this article solely belong to the author.

A better female protagonist, good fight sequences, and 8 other factors that make Boruto: Naruto Next Generations a better anime than Naruto

1) Redeems Sasuke Uchiha

Sasuke Uchiha (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Sasuke Uchiha played somewhat of an antagonistic role in Naruto. As he betrayed his village, he also endangered the ones who cared for him and committed heinous acts. In the end, he battled Naruto one last time and returned to the Leaf, where he was forgiven for his crimes.

He then set off on a journey of redemption, after which not much was shown of him. However, in the sequel series, Sasuke makes frequent appearances and is seen protecting Konoha from the outside and the shinobi world at large.

2) Better female protagonist

Sarada Uchiha (Image via Studio Pierrot)

One of Naruto's weak points was the lack of a strong female protagonist. Sakura Haruno was a fantastic character with decent development throughout the story, but she didn't qualify as a female protagonist. However, in the sequel series heavily features Sarada Uchiha (daughter of Sakura and Sasuke Uchiha), despite the anime focusing on Naruto's son.

A natural leader and Hokage-aspirant, she has already grown into a strong and capable kunoichi. Sarada's character is an improvement on Naruto's drawback, as she has already proven to be more than a match for her rival and childhood friend on multiple occasions.

3) Giving screen time to side characters

Shikadai Nara, Inojin Yamanaka, Iwabe Yuino, and Boruto Uzumaki (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Again, a significant criticism of the Naruto series was its primary focus on the main male leads, Naruto and Sasuke. The rest of the cast was not given enough screen time as some of the character's stories remained unexplored and their appearances became infrequent.

However, the sequel improvises on this drawback that Naruto suffered by expanding upon the original content. In the sequel series, side characters are treated better and get their own place in the narrative, which adds depth to it. This makes the new storyline more interesting to watch.

4) Fillers are a part of the plotline

Boruto Uzumaki and his mentor, Sasuke Uchiha (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Fillers were a large part of Naruto. Around 40% of the entire franchise comprised of filler episodes that had no ties to the main plot as such. Moreover, the large volume of fillers frustrated the fans as it deviated from the story when things were starting to get interesting.

Although the Boruto series is far from developing the narrative structure of Naruto, the animation studio makes it a point not to feature many fillers. Additionally, the filler contents that were released to date make it quite fun to watch.

With the anime exploring more avenues in terms of the plot, fans are content with the filler volume so far and hope that the makers learn from the Naruto series and focus more on the main plot instead.

5) Produced a better movie

Naruto and Sasuke vs Momoshiki Otsutsuki (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Naruto has had a number of movies due to its ever-growing popularity. In comparison, Boruto has just one as of yet, which is much better than almost all of the original series' films. In a single attempt, Boruto: Naruto the Movie exceeded the expectations set by the countless lackluster franchise films that came before it.

Moreover, it is also canon, so it serves as a good jumping-off point. The events of Boruto take place around the movie, i.e., before and after, so it blends well into the story. With the anime sticking to the movie's events, the future looks quite promising.

6) Pilot episode

Adult Boruto Uzumaki (Image via Studio Pierrot)

This point is more subjective in nature. Naruto featured a pretty impressive opening episode when it was first released, with the titular character's life as an outcast within his own village. However, Boruto's pilot was arguably much better. It jumped into action as soon as it introduced a new face.

The sequel anime gave fans a lot of reasons to stick around within the first few minutes with an exciting teaser. Since then, a number of questions have been raised while the series takes its time introducing new, interesting, and lovable characters. Moreover, rather than relying on nostalgia and fan service, Boruto flew to an explosive start with less weight to carry than its predecessor series.

7) Engrossing narratives

The new Team 7 (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Fans feel that Boruto's narrative is better and more compelling than Naruto's. While the former's narrative works to fit within a greater storyline, the episodes still contain their own mini-stories.

However, even if one does not watch each episode of Naruto, they will likely be left in the dark as to what the greater narrative or plot focuses on. Due to this, picking up Naruto somewhere in between won't make much sense in terms of the story.

8) Behind-the-scenes growth

Boruto Uzumaki amidst training (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Working up through the academy and making it to a three-member team, Boruto Uzumaki has been progressing at a fast pace. A natural genius, he has proven himself to be sharp, eager, and passionate about learning several jutsu and using it when needed.

While much of his training is not shown in the anime, he still advances behind the scenes. For instance, the titular protagonist uses shuriken combined with the lightning release - a technique that is sudden and welcoming for fans of the series.

9) Breathtaking fight sequences

Father and son during a training session (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Boruto's compelling narrative has grown from strength to strength, and a part of it can be attributed to its action sequences. The fights in the sequel series have been stunning, thanks to new animation directors and a talented team.

The sharp and clear animation adds to the high-action and memorable fights. An example of this is Momoshiki's incredible battle with Naruto, Sasuke, and Boruto, where the latter three took on the Otsutsuki invader in his dimension.

10) Better animation

Boruto Uzumaki (Image via Studio Pierrot)

This may be an obvious point and not even the fault of the Naruto creators. However, the sequel does have better animation. With the advancement in technology and media, creators have been able to tone up the animation and make the series look better than ever.

Interestingly, at Jump Festa 2023, there had been rumored news about a rebooted version of Naruto. If that happens, the upcoming release of the series will be on par with Boruto's animation quality. However, for now, the sequel takes the cake in terms of visual appeal.

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Edited by Priya Majumdar