Naruto Fans Are Eagerly Dismissing Boruto’s Canon Status

On October 10, the original creator of Naruto announced an exciting new canon manga titled Naruto: Shadow Rising, set to debut in 2027. This is fantastic news for Naruto fans, and for those who aren’t fond of Boruto, it feels even more significant—at least, that’s the impression some are trying to create.

After the reveal of Naruto: Shadow Rising at NYCC, various online discussions have attempted to spin the announcement into a claim that Boruto, the ongoing sequel to Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto, is no longer considered canon.

While rumors like this typically don’t warrant much attention, this particular one has gained traction. A viral post on X, which garnered nearly 5 million views on October 14, claimed that Kishimoto stated in a 2024 interview that “Boruto is an alternate universe.” Another post on X asserted that Kishimoto “officially confirms” Boruto is now non-canon, citing a video from 2017.

Clearly, these statements have been taken out of context—something one of the posters on X openly admitted. Yet, there are countless posts across X, Reddit, Instagram, YouTube, and even various news sites from individuals who either believe this misinformation or are deliberately spreading it for engagement. This has led some fans to dub Ikemoto’s manga as “Boruto GT,” a nod to the non-canon Dragon Ball series, Dragon Ball GT.

This has sparked a backlash, with a “Boruto Canonicity Megathread” appearing on the r/Boruto subreddit, and content creators working hard to debunk the false narrative. It’s telling when a content creator named Naruto Explained has to clarify to fans that they’re being misled.

So, how did such an easily debunked story gain so much momentum? There are two main factors. First, it’s clear that many fans have a strong dislike for Boruto, which explains the origin of this rumor and why so many Naruto enthusiasts are eager to believe it.

The second reason is more complex. Naruto: Shadow Rising is set between the conclusion of Naruto and the beginning of Boruto, as evidenced by the promo art featuring a baby Sarada, who is 11 at the start of Boruto. This timeline allows for Kishimoto to potentially reset the narrative—something that might appeal to Shueisha, especially given Boruto’s sales figures.

As of October 2025, Shueisha reported that 10 million copies of the Boruto manga are in total circulation in Japan. In contrast, the original 72 Naruto volumes have sold over 250 million copies worldwide, with around 150 million of those in Japan. The significance of the “72” is that it excludes sales from Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, which began in 2016.

The reality is that many readers now consume manga online, which may not fully reflect Boruto’s popularity—or lack thereof. Still, the numbers aren’t promising, leading to speculation that Shueisha might prefer Naruto: Shadow Rising to render Boruto non-canon.

In light of this, inquiries have been made to confirm whether Kishimoto truly intends to decanonize Boruto.