Boruto Uzumaki

Lore & Background

Boruto's narrative is deeply rooted in his relationship with his adoptive brother Kawaki. The manga primarily focuses on this bond, with early chapters featuring a flashforward encounter between an older teenage Boruto and Kawaki in a chaotic state. This setup was designed to attract fans by hinting at a future battle where the two start fighting against each other. Creator Ikemoto noted that while there are parallels between Naruto and Sasuke's rivalry, Boruto and Kawaki possess a different type of conflict. The storyline aims to reach this flashforward scene, revealing hints about their growth and why they become hostile. Additionally, Kishimoto intended for the film to reflect his own relationship with his children, depicting the father-son dynamic between Naruto and Boruto.

In Their Own Story

In Boruto: Naruto the Movie, Boruto trains as a ninja to surpass his father, mentored by Sasuke Uchiha. A pivotal moment occurs when Naruto passes all of his chakra to Boruto to increase his Rasengan technique for an attack. The film also features a difficult-to-animate scene where Boruto's Rasengan disappears shortly after use and reappears in an attack. Kishimoto, who wrote the film, drew inspiration from Piccolo becoming Gohan's teacher in Dragon Ball when deciding Sasuke would be Boruto's mentor. In the sequel series Two Blue Vortex, a significant change occurs in the relationship between Boruto and Kawaki. Ikemoto stated that Boruto became similar to Sasuke regarding loss but resembles Naruto in terms of achievement.

Reader's Guide

Boruto was created by Masashi Kishimoto in 2013 when Naruto was at its climax, with the motivation being for Naruto Uzumaki to become a father. His first name honors his deceased cousin Neji Hyuga. In design, Kishimoto avoided facial similarities in the eyes and cheeks between Boruto and Naruto due to Kurama's seal in Naruto. For the manga finale, Kishimoto originally intended Boruto to inherit the Byakugan from Hinata but forgot, giving him an unknown eye technique instead. In Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, teenage Boruto wears clothes borrowed from Sasuke as a sign of respect and pride. His facial expressions change based on interactions: his eyes appear bigger with the friendly Tento to show childishness, but smaller when meeting Kawaki to depict a rebellious take.

Did You Know?

• Boruto's first name is a reference to his cousin Neji Hyuga as an homage to Neji's death protecting Boruto's parents.
• In the Japanese version, Boruto was voiced by Kokoro Kikuchi in The Last: Naruto the Movie and by Yūko Sanpei in all subsequent appearances.
• Masashi Kishimoto originally intended for Boruto to inherit the Byakugan from his mother Hinata but forgot about it during creation.
• The theme song 'Diver' by Kana-Boon reflects how the character constantly changes from the beginning to the end of the story.
• In English, Boruto is voiced by Amanda C. Miller in the Boruto film and series, having been voiced by Maile Flanagan as a toddler in The Last.