Why Himawari, not Boruto should have been the protagonist in the Naruto spin-off, explored

Himawari Uzumaki has stolen the spotlight in the current Boruto manga and fans love it. The manga has progressed quite well since it began as a spin-off series created by Ukyo Kodachi. During its formative years, the spin-off series was not well-received and fans were of the opinion that Boruto is not the ideal protagonist in the spin-off series.

Many fans believe that Himawari Uzumaki would have been a better pick in this case since it would deviate from the formula that Kishimoto used in the original manga series. Himawari is Naruto’s daughter and she showed early signs of potential when she used the Gentle Fist against Naruto when her doll was torn.

Let’s understand how things could have been different if Himawari was the protagonist of the Naruto spin-off series and why she would have been a better fit as the protagonist.

Disclaimer: This article contains massive spoilers from the Boruto manga chapters.

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Understanding how Himawari could have been a better protagonist in the Naruto spin-off series

Naruto's daughter using the Byakugan (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Ukyo Kodachi’s spin-off series featured Naruto’s son as the protagonist. While he is not a bad protagonist by any means, there was potential for a fresher reading experience. The series follows the same formula that was employed in Naruto. If we compare the original series to the spin-off series, there are far too many similar elements. The protagonists were slightly different in terms of their personalities.

However, their mannerisms and the way they progressed as shinobis were similar to a considerable degree. Furthermore, having a female lead in a Shonen series would have made the Boruto series a unique storyline. Since not many shonen titles incorporate female lead characters, Himawari would have done really well if the character writing was good. Based on what is shown in the manga, Himawari has all the elements to become the protagonist of the series.

Naruto's daughter is the new Nine-Tailed Beast Jinchuriki (Image via Shueisha)

Not only can she use The Gentle Fist technique and the Byakugan, but she also became the Nine-Tailed Beast Jinchuriki. She is not an average Jinchuriki with the power of Kurama. She also happens to be the best Jinchuriki for the Nine-Tailed Beast because of her compatibility with Kurama. She has the potential to surpass the likes of Naruto Uzumaki and become the strongest Nine-Tailed Beast Jinchuriki of all time.

Furthermore, her compassionate personality paired with her protective instincts would make her a great protagonist. She empathizes with people and has a strong sense of justice despite her young age. We can see this during her interactions with other shinobis while the rest of the village is hunting down her brother. Another interesting aspect about Himawari is her ability to adapt on the battlefield. Within minutes, she realized how to utilize Kurama’s chakra.

Boruto's sister could have been the protagonist of the Naruto spin-off series (Image via Shueisha)

Not only did she do that, but she also managed to perfect a Tailed Beast Bomb. Based on the spoilers of the upcoming chapter, she appeared to have added her own twist to the technique by incorporating the rotational aspect of the Rasengan, which he grandfather created. She is carrying Minato and Naruto’s legacy. These are some of the reasons why Himawari would have been a great protagonist of the current manga series.

Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2024 progresses.

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