Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is the sequel to Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto. Following the story of Naruto's son, Boruto Uzumaki, Boruto is set in an era of peace where Naruto Uzumaki rules as the Seventh Hokage of the village. Meanwhile, Boruto aims to become a great ninja like Sasuke who can protect the village from the shadows. While the ninja world is relatively at peace, multiple problems still exist in Boruto, mostly stemming from the Otsutsuki clan who seem to possess an ever-growing hold on the main plot.
The series has enjoyed decent success over the last few years and is still going strong, despite facing loads of criticism along the way. However, one particular decision from the writers could very well make or break the story, and that is how the series handles the fate of Naruto Uzumaki, who many presume to be dead in the future.
Will Boruto Really Kill Of Naruto Uzumaki?
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations opens with a very intriguing scene where Boruto Uzumaki is fighting Kawaki atop the Hokage faces. Amidst a Konoha that looks utterly destroyed, Kawaki claims that he'll send Boruto to the same place he sent the Seventh Hokage, leading many to believe that Naruto Uzumaki could very well have been killed by Kawaki. It's no surprise that the series opened with this scene as raising questions about Naruto's fate would certainly get fans intrigued. With time, however, fans later got to meet Kawaki and see his personality for himself.
Judging from the way his character has developed over the years, it is safe to say that Naruto Uzumaki doesn't face any threat from Kawaki, at the very least. It is likelier that Kawaki sent Naruto to a different dimension for his own sake, however, against his wishes. That being said, Naruto's fate in the story is still very much a point of concern. While the Boruto series has done a decent job at building up characters like Boruto Uzumaki and the next generation of ninjas, often, it comes at the expense of the characters from Naruto, meaning they're used as tools to progress the next generation or exist without much attention being paid to their own characters.
While Naruto Uzumaki is special, given that he was the protagonist of the original series, he still suffers from this bizarre treatment. Naruto has, time and again, been pushed to the side to showcase Boruto's growth, such as when Momoshiki was defeated by Boruto instead of him despite it making little sense. Even worse, Naruto eventually ended up losing Kurama and weakened considerably just for the sake of throwing more attention to Boruto Uzumaki and Kawaki. All that considered, it wouldn't be a surprise if the writers of Boruto decide to well and truly kill Naruto off, merely to pave way for the next generation's growth or, worse, for shock value.
The Repercussions Of Naruto's Death In Boruto
Naruto Uzumaki's death is a big possibility in the future of Boruto that cannot be denied. At the beginning of the series, Momoshiki prophesied how Boruto would eventually lose everything that he holds dear, once again, implying that his loved ones will be in danger eventually. Naruto Uzumaki, being the Hokage of the village, can't keep away from getting involved in fights either. The village is his to protect, after all, regardless of whether he has the power of Kurama or not.
All things add up to a very bleak future for Naruto in Boruto but whether he lives or dies remains to be seen. What is known, however, is the fact that Naruto fans certainly won't react well to his possible death. Naruto is one of the most popular fictional characters in history and an inspiration to millions of people around the world. Despite merely existing within the pages of a manga, Naruto has truly changed the lives of people for the better which is a part of why Kishimoto's story is as loved as it is. Killing him off would certainly not send a good message, especially in a series that isn't even about him.
It is no secret that quite a few Boruto fans read the series because it is a sequel to Naruto. Without the old characters, Boruto wouldn't be nearly as popular as it is or perhaps wouldn't even be ongoing right now. The fact that Kishimoto and Ikemoto keep teasing Naruto's death is enough to imply that they know what keeps the fans invested. Knowing that, it is extremely difficult to imagine them killing off what is one of the most beloved anime characters of all time.
If somehow they ever do go down that road, Boruto's popularity would surely plummet as countless people would simply lose their interest in the story. Boruto has already received tons of criticism over the last few years and that is sure to hit new heights if Naruto, a hero of the original story, meets a tragic fate. The story already does a bad job at handling iconic characters of the old generation such as Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi, among others. With Naruto's death, it'll solidify yet another department that Boruto failed in.
Despite the authors repeatedly claiming how Boruto is Boruto Uzumaki's story, seeing old characters dragged down just to elevate the next generation on occasions just goes to show that it still lacks good writing in certain departments. If Naruto dies to make Boruto look like a savior or to make him stronger, then, without a doubt, Boruto automatically fails as a sequel. For any good writer, being able to do justice to the original characters and building a telling story with a good protagonist at the same time shouldn't be hard. For now, Naruto Uzumaki is alive and well, however, only the writers know what's in store for him as the story goes on.