u/ProfessionalStage324

One thing I’ve noticed in certain parts of the fandom is that people keep saying Boruto is still in the “beginning” of the manga. And I can’t help but wonder: how is it still the beginning when we’re already approaching Chapter 40? By next year, we’ll be getting pretty close to Chapter 50. How is that still the beginning?? 😭

This isn’t even a weekly manga; it’s monthly. Of course, there will be some pacing issues, slow developments, and moments that feel like stalling. But calling it the beginning at this point? Really?

We’re currently in the Hidari arc, and the Jura arc might be next, followed by whatever comes after. These are among the latest Shinju developments, and there’s obviously still plenty of story left to explore before Boruto’s eventual confrontation with Kawaki, Momoshiki taking over Boruto’s body again, and all the other major events that still need to happen. I understand that there’s a lot of story left, but how does that automatically mean we’re still in the beginning?

I feel like some people who say this are fans of certain ships who believe they still have a chance of getting more moments, or fans of characters who have mostly remained in the background. So they keep saying things like, “My ship could still become canon; it’s too early to tell,” or “My favorite character has only appeared once, so they’ll definitely come back and get more development.”

But sometimes, a character is simply a minor or background character, like Namida, who primarily belongs to the anime side of the franchise and often appears in supporting roles. Not every character is meant to have the same level of importance or narrative presence.

And I’m asking this without trying to sound rude, but do some people genuinely not see how transparent Ikemoto is about the roles his characters play in the story?

Every character has a role and a function within the narrative. Of course, it’s perfectly fine to want your favorite character to receive more attention, but we also need to understand what their actual role is and how much narrative importance they’re meant to have.

Sarada, for example, receives negative comments from some people simply because she gets significant attention in the story. But she has already been confirmed as the main heroine of her story. She’s there for a reason, and she has an established role to fulfill.

Not liking a character is one thing. Refusing to acknowledge their established narrative function is another.

The same applies to Sarada being Boruto’s love interest and the romantic counterpart to the protagonist. Some people genuinely seem bothered by that role. 😭 But that’s literally one of the functions a character can have in a story!

And let me make this VERY clear: I’m talking about the OFFICIAL ROLES and NARRATIVE FUNCTIONS of the characters, not whether those characters are being written well or whether their development could be handled better. Those are separate discussions and matters of personal opinion.

Being the romantic interest doesn’t mean Sarada exists solely for romance, either. A character can be the protagonist’s love interest while also having her own ambitions, responsibilities, personal development, and importance to the overall plot.

When an author creates a story, characters naturally fulfill different roles. One is the protagonist; another might be the protagonist’s friend, who supports them and contributes to their journey. Someone else might be the protagonist’s love interest, with their own place in the narrative. Other characters serve as antagonists, secondary characters, or supporting characters who help the story move forward.

Sometimes the author establishes these roles from the beginning; other times, certain aspects develop as the story progresses. Either way, characters don’t all have to occupy the same narrative space or receive the same amount of attention.

And that’s my point.

We need to distinguish between a character’s official role in the story and our personal expectations for that character. Wanting your favorite to become more important is perfectly valid, but that doesn’t mean every character is destined to receive a major arc, become a central figure, or fulfill the role you personally want them to have.

Just to reiterate, this is NOT a discussion about the quality of the writing, how certain characters should be developed, or whether the story could do a better job with them. Those are different conversations.

My point is about where we are in the story, considering the manga’s monthly release schedule and the number of chapters we already have, as well as the established roles and narrative functions of the characters.

So, seriously, how long are we going to keep calling Boruto the “beginning” just because certain ships or characters haven’t received the moments their fans want yet? 😭

P.S. I know this post is a little long, so if you don’t feel like reading it, that’s completely fine! You can simply scroll past it. I just wanted to explain my point properly rather than leave room for misunderstandings.

Tighten repeated explanations

Soften claims about fans’ motives

Clarify the timeline argument

If Boruto eventually gets a happy ending where most of the characters survive and achieve the dreams they’ve always wanted, what do you think each character’s ending would look like?

Just a random post/thought, by the way! 😂

- Boruto:

- Naruto:

- Sarada:

- Hinata:

- Himawari:

- Inojin:

- Mitsuki:

- Eida:

- Sakura:

- Sasuke:

- Moegi:

- Konomaru:

- Kawaki:

- Chocho:

- Sumire:

- Shikadai:

- Shikamaru:

- Code:

- Daemon:

- Shinki:

- Momoshiki:

- Araya:

⚠️ Disclaimer: This is a long post, so if you don’t feel like reading it, you can simply skip it! 😅

I’ve seen a lot of people saying that Hikari was “wasted” while putting down the other female characters to make her look better.

First of all, Hikari was created for a game. She isn’t a character from the anime or manga. And honestly, diminishing another character or pairing just to make your ship look better doesn’t seem very mature.

Also, Ikemoto never actually wrote Hikari as a character. So there’s no guarantee that, under his writing, she would still be the “best girl” some fans imagine her to be. Her characterization could have ended up being similar to the other female characters, and she might even have been pulled into the same kind of love triangle, love square, or even love pentagon that nobody seems to like.

Let’s not forget that Hikari was written by completely different people — not by Kishimoto or Ikemoto.

She could also have easily fallen into the cliché of being “the girl Boruto saved,” basically the princess rescued by the prince from the darkness.

But Boruto would save anyone in danger. He has already saved Sarada, Mitsuki, Sumire, Eida, Chocho, and others. So having another girl with a tragic past who was saved by Boruto wouldn’t automatically make her relationship with him unique or original. I honestly think some fans overestimate how much that alone would differentiate her.

There’s also another important point: Hikari isn’t from the same era as Boruto.

So what role would she actually have in the canon story?

Would she simply become another person whose role is to protect Boruto, like other characters already do? Would her entire purpose throughout the story eventually revolve around being a potential love interest for him?

And honestly, I don’t think it makes sense to argue that Hikari should have been introduced into the canon story mainly so she could become Boruto’s wife.

Especially when some of these same people constantly criticize Sarada for potentially becoming Boruto’s wife, claiming that she would just end up as a housewife who has children with him.

That’s the point I’m trying to make: what actual difference would Hikari’s presence make in the story?

Sarada could also protect Boruto and save him if he were in danger. Hikari isn’t the only girl Boruto has saved. She wouldn’t be the only character with a tragic past, either. And she wouldn’t be the only one with incredible abilities — Sarada has those too.

And the idea that Hikari somehow has the personality or qualities that would make her “better suited to marry Boruto” doesn’t really make sense either. 😭

At the end of the day, being saved by Boruto, having a tragic backstory, or possessing powerful abilities doesn’t automatically make a character a better romantic partner for him.

Those things alone don’t create a deeper or more unique relationship.

And most importantly, you shouldn’t have to put down Sarada or any other character just to make Hikari look better. ❤️

Guys, thinking about it... who do you think is Boruto's true love interest?

I'm looking for an answer based on the actual events of the manga, not just personal opinions—something supported by what has happened from the beginning of the story up to the current chapters.

Back in Naruto, Hinata ended up becoming Naruto's romantic partner, Sakura ended up with Sasuke, and so on.

Since the protagonist usually ends up with a wife by the end of the story, who do you think is the most likely candidate?

Sarada, another female character, or even a new female character who hasn't appeared yet?

Se Sarada não ficar com Boruto no futuro,em outras palavras, se ela não se tornar esposa de Boruto, sinceramente, não vejo nenhum problema em ela simplesmente permanecer solteira e se tornar uma grande Hokage.

Eu simplesmente não consigo imaginar Sarada terminando com outra pessoa que não seja Boruto. Então, se ela não terminar com ele, eu ficaria perfeitamente feliz se ela continuasse a perseguir seu maior sonho de se tornar Hokage sem precisar se envolver romanticamente com ninguém.

O objetivo de vida dela sempre foi se tornar Hokage. Então, se no final ela simplesmente alcançar esse sonho, ela não precisa se casar ou estar com alguém.

Além disso, o sonho de Sarada nunca foi retratado como sendo sobre ter uma família, um marido ou filhos.

Então eu apoiaria esse tipo de final para ela.

Afinal, não acho que Sarada tenha sido criada apenas para ser o interesse amoroso de Boruto, ao contrário de alguns personagens em Naruto e Boruto que parecem ter sido criados principalmente para se tornarem parceiros românticos de certos personagens.

O que mais importa é que ela seja feliz.

Você acha que muitas personagens femininas em séries como Naruto e Boruto foram criadas desde o início com a intenção de se tornarem parceiras românticas dos protagonistas masculinos? Por exemplo: Hinata → Naruto, Sakura → Sasuke. Sarada claramente se importa muito com Boruto, que é o protagonista do mangá, enquanto ela mesma é a heroína principal. Quer as pessoas gostem ou não, uma parte significativa do foco atual de Sarada gira em torno de Boruto — o desejo de ajudá-lo, protegê-lo e apoiá-lo. Se você parar para pensar, as esposas ou principais interesses amorosos dos protagonistas de shōnen geralmente parecem ser retratadas como algumas das personagens femininas mais bonitas de suas séries. Talvez eu esteja exagerando, mas parece um padrão recorrente.

Muitas vezes parece óbvio que uma determinada personagem feminina foi criada com a intenção de eventualmente se tornar a esposa ou parceira romântica do protagonista. Exemplos incluem Orihime, Hinata, Elizabeth e, atualmente, Sarada,Noelle de Black Clover.