While Naruto Shippuuden is set to enter several arcs where it will adapt Masashi Kishimoto’s light novels based on multiple characters, it was announced that a new anime will begin airing this upcoming April. As many have anticipated, this is a continuation of the story and will focus on Naruto’s son Boruto. The anime, officially titled Boruto: Naurto Next Generation, is set to have all of the Naruto cast returning to reprise their roles as all of your beloved characters. So far, the confirmed returning cast is as follows:
- Yuko Sanpei as Boruto Uzumaki
- Kokoro Kikuchi as Sarada Uchiha
- Ryūichi Kijima as Mitsuki
- Junko Takeuchi as Naruto Uzumaki
Crunchyroll is currently streaming the promotional video with English subtitles. Series creator, Masashi Kishimoto made a statement at the JUMP Festa event where he said “I plan to make it even better than Naruto.” Ukyou Kodachi and Mikie Ikemoto, two of Kishimoto’s assistants, launched the Boruto manga in Weekly Shounen JUMP on May 9 and is serving as a true canon sequel to Kishimoto’s Naruto manga. So far, the manga has been an adaptation of the Boruto movie. There is no information on whether or not the anime will also adapt the film or begin an adaptation that takes place after the movie.
So far, the Boruto manga has two compiled tankoban (volumes) which have over one million copies in print. There was also a special screening of a Boruto-related anime short in theaters across Japan on November 27 and December 4 of this year. With this new anime airing in April, many are speculating that Naruto Shippuuden will be coming to an end in March. With the amount of light novel material left to adapt, plus chapter 700 of the manga (the last canon episode stopped on chapter 699), it is looking like that is the case. That is merely speculation on our part and nothing has been officially announced as of yet. There is also a possibility that Naruto Shippuuden and Boruto will run side by sidel.
Below is the official key visual for the new anime.
