'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With Naruto being one of the greatest shounen series, its popularity skyrocketed as it neared its conclusion. Likewise, when Boruto began serializing, it inherited the popularity of its parent series. This was because fans could not get enough of their favorite jinchuriki and wanted to continue following him—this time while watching his son's story unfold.
Unfortunately, this soaring popularity didn't last long, as many fans stopped following the series. One may think that this drop in popularity was due to the anime being riddled with filler episodes. However, the anime is not at fault alone, as the series's biggest enemy might be its fandom.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinion.
Boruto fans' tendency to wage fandom wars might be its biggest doom
As any Boruto fan must be well aware, the series is quite intriguing, capable of retaining the fanbase's interest despite its monthly release pattern. This is a huge feat, especially considering that anime fans have a plethora of manga to read weekly. So, why hasn't the manga series reached the same level of popularity as its parent series, Naruto?
Trending
Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto manga sold about 1 to 1.2 million copies per compiled volume. However, that hasn't been the case for the sequel manga, whose highest sales were for its first volume, with 400,000 copies. Following that, the series saw a decline in sales, which has only recently started to rise after the Two Blue Vortex series started serialization.
The truth is, while the Boruto manga inherited its initial fanbase from the Naruto series, over time it lost a major portion of it due to various factors. While the anime's slow pacing—riddled with filler and "anime original" episodes—indeed had a part to play, the fanbase also took a major hit due to its tendency to wage war with other fanbases.
As mentioned, the series inherited a portion of its fanbase from Naruto. Therefore, that segment may have assumed that Naruto's popularity was the same as Boruto's, leading them to think that their series was "bigger" than other ongoing series. Subsequently, the fanbase started engaging with other fanbases, comparing their series and waging fandom wars against them.
While it is natural for any fanbase to champion their favorite series, there was a flaw with the Boruto fanbase. The fanbase's core was not one that it generated itself but inherited from its parent series. As a result, when manga readers observed the fandom's baseless attempts to wage war with other fanbases, it was only natural for those who weren't attached to the series to be driven away.
Moreover, just because someone is a Boruto fan does not mean they do not like other franchises. So, after seeing one fanbase make baseless attempts at demeaning their other favorite series to farm social media engagement, it is only natural for many fans to drop the series. Subsequently, the manga observed a decline in sales, making the fandom the biggest reason behind its lack of growth.
Related Links
- Mitsuki’s biggest moment may be coming soon (& Jura is the key)
- This character spoiled Koji's "Perfect timeline" in Two Blue Vortex (and it's not Konohamaru)
- Ikemoto's exploring Love may have a major purpose and it has to do with Shibai Otsutsuki
