Boruto fans mostly fail to see Ikemoto's real charm and it's saddening

Modified Feb 07, 2025 18:00 GMT

Fans fail to acknowledge Ikemoto's efforts in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

The Boruto series did not particularly have the kind of start that a sequel should have, especially considering that it was the successor of Naruto. Naruto served as a gateway for fans to explore the wonderful medium of anime. Therefore, while expectations were through the roof, it could not particularly satisfy fans. Further, the protagonist's bratty behavior fueled fans’ anger even more.

Mikio Ikemomto was on the receiving end of this hate. Netizens were quick to judge him and they did not like the quality of the illustrations featured in the manga series. The anime community is quite harsh at times, and it has shown how easy it is for a community to hate on an individual, even with considerable improvement.

Mikio Ikemoto is a highly-skilled artist. Let us see where he excels by observing the latest Boruto manga.

Disclaimer: The final section of this article contains spoilers from the Two Blue Vortex manga series.

A sizeable chunk of the Boruto fanbase fails to acknowledge Ikemoto’s strong suit

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There is a reason why Masashi Kishimoto handed over the series to someone he fully trusts. Kishimoto himself picked Mikio Ikemoto to continue the Boruto series. While the initial illustrations were not up to the mark, fans have failed to acknowledge the improvement in the overall quality of his work.

The manga chapters were not particularly well-received for its plot. There were areas that could use improvement. However, one cannot ignore the quality of the character designs in the manga series.

If we take a look at Boruto and Kawaki’s character designs in the Two Blue Vortex installment, one can observe a clear improvement in quality. Ikemoto used an avant-garde approach to designing the protagonist. His outfit suited the shift in his personality. It conveyed the fact that he no longer is the child that he was.

There was a darker theme and the clothing was more layered. The design elements were up to the mark, and he even found a way to pay homage to Sasuke, who took the protagonist under his wings.

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Kawaki’s character design resembled that of a delinquent, which is comparable to his personality in the show. The unruly hair compliments Kawaki’s attitude in general. Nevertheless, many fans are subconsciously attached to the idea that the sequel series is bad.

Plenty of netizens hopped on the hate bandwagon which lasted years. However, fans are slowly waking up, realizing that the Two Blue Vortex has plenty of redeeming qualities.

One of the biggest issues was the team's failure to raise the stakes. High stakes create plenty of tension, which makes the story more entertaining to follow. Currently, the Shinju has taken over and the protagonist is in a tight spot.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ikemoto has redeemed himself with remarkable character design. Furthermore, the quality of the illustrations has improved exponentially. Fans need to acknowledge the improvements that he has made and not be attached to the idea of hating on the series. The Two Blue Vortex manga chapters have shown considerable improvement since its inception.

Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2025 progresses.

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Edited by Arunava Dutta