"Definition of cherry picking"— Bleach fans come to Kubo's defense after Boruto fandom's latest attack

Modified Jun 08, 2024 01:30 GMT

"Definition of cherry picking": Bleach fans come to Kubo — "Definition of cherry picking"— Bleach fans come to Kubo's defense after Boruto fandom's latest attack (Image via Sportskeeda)

A new debate has emerged between fans of two popular manga series, namely Bleach and Boruto. The dispute centers around the artistic styles of Tite Kubo, the mangaka of Bleach, and Masashi Kishimoto, the mangaka of the Boruto series.

Boruto fans criticized Kubo's artwork, sparking a fierce debate with Bleach fans defending Kubo and accusing Boruto fans of cherry-picking examples. Fan rivalries have always existed between the Bleach and Boruto anime and manga world, leading to heated discussions when comparing their characters and creators.

Criticism of Bleach mangaka's art ignites fan clash

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The controversy began when a Boruto fan going by the username @theonetrueedge1 on X criticized a manga panel by Tite Kubo featuring the antagonist Yhwach. The panel showcased Yhwach sitting on his throne, surrounded by dark backgrounds with minimal white ink. The user perceived this as a lack of detail and poor artistic elements by Kubo.

In contrast, they praised a Boruto: Two Blue Vortex panel depicting Sarada Uchiha in action, with a dynamic pose and balanced use of black and white ink with a clear drawing. The fan argued that Kishimoto's art style demonstrates a superior understanding of contrast, composition, and conveying motion and emotion.

A manga panel from Tite Kubo's series (Image via Shueisha)

This criticism sparked a heated debate and fans defended Kubo's unique art style, emphasizing its intentional use of minimalism and dark tones to create a specific atmosphere and mood.

They argued that Kubo's artwork effectively captures the essence of his characters and storytelling through its distinctive style. Furthermore, fans accused Boruto fans of selectively choosing panels that fit their narrative while ignoring the vast diversity and depth of Kubo's artistic skills.

Bleach fans defend Tite Kubo

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Tite Kubo's fans swiftly responded to the tweet by @theonetrueedge1, defending the creative choices of the author, Tite Kubo, and his artistic vision. In their defense of Kubo, an X user @ThomasSF42 accused Boruto fans of cherry-picking examples to support their argument.

"Haven’t even read or watched Bleach but the right one goes hard," said an anime fan while praising Kubo's art.

"Why are you comparing a fight scene to someone sitting down," said another fan.

"stop comparing your third rate fav to the GOAT," said a fan while taking a stand for Kubo's series.

They stated that the two manga panels can't be compared. Both manga series have panels that can be considered exemplary and others that might be less impressive when taken out of context. The fans argued that focusing on a single panel from each series to make a broad judgment about the artists' skills is misleading and does not do justice to their overall body of work.

"Naruto/Boruto twitter fans must either have degradation kinks or are children because I dont think ive seen a fandom set themselves up before crying about getting attacked quite so much. Like seriously the TikTok Naruto/Boruto fandom is so much better than on twitter," an anime fan lashed out on the Naruto and Boruto fandoms.

"And the Yhwach panel wich is really mid, still clears that ugly a** boruto panel," said a fan.

According to these fans, the panel showcasing Yhwach, a formidable character, was intentionally designed to evoke a profound sense of darkness, immense power, and an ominous foreboding atmosphere. The overwhelming blackness encompassing the character symbolized his unparalleled strength and the unsettling aura surrounding his presence.

Final thoughts

A manga panel from Kishimoto's series (Image via Shueisha)

The heated debate between the two fandoms over manga art styles reveals the deep connections fans feel towards their beloved series. While some Boruto enthusiasts criticized Tite Kubo's bold use of black ink in a specific panel, loyal fans rallied to defend his artistic choices, emphasizing the intentional storytelling behind his visuals.

An experienced anime critic's balanced viewpoint highlighted the importance of considering the broader narrative and thematic contexts when appreciating artistic styles.