The Unexpected Redemption of Boruto Uzumaki: A Protagonist's Evolution

Looking back at the start of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, just after the realization of Naruto's story, the series was under a huge scrutiny of the fans of older series. And it was warranted; the story lacked depth, villains had no backstory, and the main character in Boruto was too perfect and sometimes too annoying. However, in the new manga series that serves as the continuation of the aforementioned manga, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex,' we finally see the positive character development of Boruto Uzumaki.

The Rough Beginnings

Despite the initial positive start with the release of the first chapter, both in Japan and the West, as it progressed, the Boruto series started repeating the same old problems the Naruto series had—overpowered characters, lack of character development of the side characters, and very shallow representation of the villains. Moreover, there was a problem with uninspiring stories that couldn't move the plot forward or simply develop included characters. It drove away some of the fans, who admitted they couldn't motivate themselves to watch the show or even read the manga. However, with the conclusion of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations and the beginning of the new arc in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, it seems that the character of Boruto finally got a chance to shine in his own series.

Similarities to the Original Show as a Negative

When watching a spinoff of the original series, it's always hard not to seek out comparisons, or in this case, similarities and differences. Boruto was praised at first for having many similarities to Naruto; for example, the similar dynamics between the characters, the vibes, the mood of the series, and finally the protagonist in Boruto, who was Naruto's son and just like his father, but with a more stable family and home. This is where people started criticizing Boruto; a kid who was given everything is lashing out at his father, who works too much as Hokage, the protector and leader of the village.

Boruto is actively seeking attention by vandalizing the Hokage monument just like his father did in his youth, but for more ridiculous and superficial reasons. This is where positives to similarities between Boruto and Naruto end because Masashi Kishimoto decided to recycle the story of his famous character and drop it on Boruto, who has a vastly different background—of course, that didn't stick at all.

Boruto became the center of the story that extremely suffers from the lack of a comprehensive and meaningful storyline, and including that with quite undeveloped side characters and villains, the whole Boruto series was a recipe for disaster. Thankfully, that changed in the last few volumes, and Boruto became a solid protagonist who has a lot to gain but a lot to lose as well.

From Bore to a Solid Protagonist

With the arrival of Kawaki, Boruto's character became more interesting, especially with the whole Karma storyline, which put two boys and the rest of the world at peril due to the dangers of another Ōtsutsuki threat. Once again, Kishimoto failed to move away from the Naruto series in terms of power limits, which in this case meant that Kawaki and Boruto are overpowered even as children. To move away from that, Kawaki's arrival helped Boruto's character because it gave his character an initiative, motivation, and a purpose. In the newest series, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, we see Boruto's struggles with the three-year timeskip and the fact that Kawaki made him the ultimate enemy by reverting Konoha citizens' memories. The protagonist is now the villain in the eyes of the characters, which gave Boruto more agency, and that dynamic only propelled him further forward to being a solid protagonist of the shonen manga series.

More about Ōtsutsuki clan, on this dedicated page.

Conclusion: Good Protagonist Leads to a Good Series

With the release of the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex series, Boruto became a solid protagonist that his own show desperately needed. Of course, there is a lot to improve within the series, like better development of the villains, side characters, and generally more meaningful stories that will keep fans' interest. However, Boruto as a solid protagonist can only lead to more positive things, make the series much better in the eyes of the fans, and hopefully we see more exciting moments and new adventures.

For more Boruto: Two Blue Vortex content, check out Viz Media.