Boruto Is Straight-Up Better Than Dragon Ball Super

In the world of Shōnen, many series spark comparisons due to similarities in plot and characters. However, what sets Boruto and Dragon Ball Super apart is how both series are sequels to cultural giants attempting to carry forward their franchise’s legacy. Not to mention, both manga are published in the same magazine, V Jump. That said, from the looks of it, only one of them is succeeding in what they set out to do.

Ideally, a legacy sequel should build up on the franchise by giving a chance for the younger characters to shine through and become the next generation of heroes. Although Dragon Ball Super has kept the series’ hype up through exciting battles and new transformations, its story centers on its two iconic heroes Goku and Vegeta.

This is where Boruto stands out, as, despite its flaws, the Naruto sequel has slowly but surely passed on its baton to the next generation of heroes. In doing so, the series has not just allowed the new characters to step into the spotlight but also made sure that they do not look like guests in their own series.

Dragon Ball Super Relies Too Much on Legacy Characters

Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Vegeta preparing their ki blasts in Dragon Ball Super: Broly

As fans must recall, Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama once planned on sidelining Goku and making Gohan the new protagonist. This is why he chose not to resurrect Goku after the Cell Games Saga, and focused on Gohan through his High School Life in Satan City.

While this plan did not work as well as the creator expected, the fact is, he always wanted to allow the next generation of characters to have the chance to shine. This was also evident during the Fusion Saga, when Goku chose not to defeat Majin Buu himself and taught Goten and Trunks the Fusion Dance so they would be the ones to protect Earth, and could continue doing it in the future.

Unfortunately, these moments have been completely left off in Dragon Ball Z. Ideally, a legacy sequel such as Dragon Ball Super should have been the perfect moment for the creator to pass on the torch from the older iconic heroes to the new ones. However, the new sequel refuses to commit to that idea.

Gohan had been slowly built up as the next face of the franchise. However, it is only now during the Super Hero Saga that he had any major development. While this could be a sign of good times for the next generation of characters, he is the only character to receive such treatment, as even now, Goten and Trunks are shown to rely on fusion the moment they are pressed against a tough opponent.

While such nostalgia-driven moments may seem enjoyable in the short-term, they limit what the series could offer in the long-term. It is true that Goten and Trunks were the series’ protagonists for a major portion of the Super Hero Saga, but evidently, the series did nothing to help them grow as characters.

As such, for now, the series only has five characters, namely Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, and Broly, on whom it can rely on to showcase a tough fight. While for now, it may seem enough, it could likely make the series feel very repetitive, as was the case before with just Goku and Vegeta dominating every fight.

Boruto Actually Commits to Passing the Torch

In comparison, unlike Dragon Ball Super, which refuses to pass the torch to the next generation of characters, Boruto has been doing it from Day 1. While fans complained about how Naruto and Sasuke would end up fighting the main “bad guy” in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, in retrospect, the story itself was never driven by them.

Notably, Boruto, Sarada, Mitsuki, and Kawaki are the characters that drive the story forward. Even when Naruto and Sasuke appeared in the series, they never took the reins and only served as supporting characters fighting to protect the protagonists and help them shape into their lead roles.

This is also evident from how Boruto deals with its central protagonists. Unlike Dragon Ball Super, which sometimes even keeps its next generation of characters totally unaware of what threat looms over their heads, Boruto has been evolving its characters through losses, backstories, mistakes, and responsibilities. As such, it truly feels that Konoha is entering a new era.

Not to mention, Boruto doubles down on passing the torch with its sequel, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex. Unlike Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, which still had Naruto and Sasuke around, the two legacy characters have been totally sidelined from the plot in the new series.

While it is true that the plot still circles them, with Boruto wanting to save Sasuke and bring back his parents from the alternate dimension, the two legacy characters are the ones that are now waiting to be rescued rather than the other way around. As such, the story allows Boruto and others to get stronger and fight tough opponents all on their own.

Why Boruto’s Direction Makes It a Stronger Sequel Than Dragon Ball Super

Boruto as seen in Boruto Two Blue Vortex

Boruto succeeds as a sequel in comparison to Dragon Ball Super because it embraces change instead of resisting it. While Dragon Ball Super often circles back on Goku and Vegeta, making them the center of every major conflict, Boruto has pushed its story into a new territory, making the new generation of characters fend for themselves.

While both series were meant to act as legacy sequels, only Boruto stayed committed to its goal. It shows what happens when a new generation steps up and tries to make a name for themselves while dealing with the expectations that come from their predecessors’ glory days.

In comparison, Dragon Ball Super rarely allows the next generation to take the lead. And even when they do, they are quickly sidelined after the set story arc, making their moment feel rather meaningless. As such, it would not be wrong to say that Boruto is straight-up better than Dragon Ball Super.

Release Date: 2015 – 2018
Network: Fuji TV
Directors: Ryota Nakamura, Masanori Sato, Kenichi Takeshita, Takao Iwai, Hideki Hiroshima, Masato Mitsuka, Kazuya Karasawa, Ayumu Ono, Takahiro Imamura, Tatsuya Nagamine, Kôjiro Kawasaki, Kouji Ogawa