Mangaka Masashi Kishimoto’s return has stirred up plenty of discussion. When the Boruto manga hit a crossroads, and it looked like Naruto’s death was on the horizon despite his new power-up, Kishimoto had to step in and save the day.
There’s no one better to bring the story to a close than its original creator. His unexpected return to the franchise sparked speculation that he might have come back just to undo Naruto’s death.
Kishimoto appeared to have left Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru behind just for Boruto, which wasn’t executed as well as planned. Boruto hadn’t lived up to Shonen Jump’s expectations, and certain signs showed its popularity was declining.
With Kishimoto’s comeback, the manga’s fortunes were likely to improve. His return, however, was met with mixed feelings. Even if Naruto was going to die, fans would expect him to revive the story somehow… or maybe not?
Naruto had gained the Baryon Mode, his most powerful form yet, at the cost of his life. Naruto’s life might seem to be coming to an end, but Kishimoto may have had other ideas, since there was no established lore for the Baryon Mode in the Naruto universe.
As a result, even if Naruto’s physical life ended, he could still exist spiritually. Shinobi have already placed their chakra into the seal, preserving their spiritual life. Kishimoto had the opportunity to use these techniques to save Naruto.
At the same time, Kurama could have been completely destroyed or reborn elsewhere. Regardless of how the plot unfolded, Naruto might not die anytime soon. Boruto seemed like a side character to fans who were never quite satisfied with him as the lead.
The manga was already at a crossroads. Would Kishimoto go through with Naruto’s death, or would he steer the story to win back the franchise’s lost fans? Boruto, on the other hand, had far more potential than Samurai 8, so its sudden cancellation wasn’t surprising.
According to Jump’s official statement, Kishimoto was always set to take over Boruto, but there were other factors that may have contributed to his return. After finishing Naruto, Kishimoto’s first major project was Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru, which began weekly serialization in May 2019.
Kishimoto clearly had big ambitions for Samurai 8, judging by the rich lore and long-term threads that were gradually being set up, but the series was discontinued less than a year after its premiere, rushing to an unsatisfying, abrupt ending.
Samurai 8 was barely halfway through its planned runtime, leaving fans who had already invested in Kishimoto’s original sci-fi samurai world disappointed. If Samurai 8 had been a smash hit and was still going strong, it’s unlikely Kishimoto would have taken over Boruto.
Samurai 8’s early conclusion gave Kishimoto more time to dedicate to Boruto. Another reason for Masashi Kishimoto’s return was the sheer workload of being a mangaka. After 15 years of writing and illustrating a weekly series, Kishimoto was naturally looking for a less demanding schedule post-Naruto.
Kishimoto solely created the story and characters for Samurai 8, leaving the artwork to Akira Kubo. Boruto’s manga follows the same format. Previously, the sequel was written by Ukyo Kodachi, while the artwork was handled by Kishimoto’s former chief assistant, Mikio Ikemoto.
Masashi Kishimoto’s return to Naruto reunited the original creative team. To win back die-hard Naruto fans, it was now conceivable that Naruto could grow even more powerful than ever, avoiding his death entirely. If Kishimoto had done something like that without his return, devoted fans might have seen it as a desperate move and not accepted it.
When a new writer joins a team, it’s common for the story to go through a dramatic shift. Kishimoto was the only person who could effectively strengthen Boruto’s key traits, since he was tied to the original series.
Do you think Kishimoto’s return brought about the changes die-hard Naruto fans needed to come back to the sequel? Let us know in the comments below.
