Naruto Fans Are Trying to Pretend Boruto Is Not Canon

Original franchise creator Masashi Kishimoto has officially announced Naruto: Shadow Rising, a brand-new canon manga instalment scheduled for launch in 2027 by publisher Shueisha, prompting widespread speculation across gaming and manga communities regarding the canonical validity of Mikio Ikemoto's ongoing sequel, Boruto. Revealed at New York Comic Con on 10 October 2026, the midquel narrative directly bridges the timeline between the original 72-volume run and Boruto, featuring an infant Sarada. For Southeast Asian and Malaysian collectors who track Shueisha media adaptations across PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and Steam Deck ecosystems, viral social media claims alleging that Boruto has been officially designated as an alternate universe or non-canon spinoff remain unverified fabrications unsupported by official production statements.

Key Facts

Does Naruto: Shadow Rising Render Boruto Non-Canon?

Naruto: Shadow Rising does not render Boruto non-canon, despite unsubstantiated viral social media posts claiming original author Masashi Kishimoto labelled the sequel an alternate universe. Shueisha and North American licensing partner Viz Media maintain the active continuity of Mikio Ikemoto's ongoing serialization, with promotional artwork confirming Shadow Rising operates as an interquel set prior to Boruto's narrative debut.

The controversy escalated following an engagement-driven social media campaign on X, including an October 14 post surpassing 5 million impressions that repurposed out-of-context video footage from 2017 to assert Kishimoto had officially invalidated the series. Fan pushback culminated in an official canonicity megathread on the r/Boruto community to counter widespread online disinformation labelling Ikemoto’s work as a non-canon parallel akin to Dragon Ball GT.

“Boruto is an alternate universe”

Fabricated viral quote falsely attributed to Masashi Kishimoto from an alleged 2024 interview

Official documentation confirms Shueisha and Viz Media have issued no editorial declarations stripping the Boruto manga or its anime adaptations of canonical continuity.

How Do Boruto Circulation Figures Compare to Original Naruto Benchmarks?

Shueisha verified in October 2025 that Boruto reached 10 million physical and digital tankobon copies in total circulation in Japan, presenting a noticeable divergence from historical franchise records. By comparison, the core 72-volume Naruto manga achieved over 250 million cumulative sales worldwide as of 2023, encompassing approximately 150 million copies sold within the Japanese domestic market alone.

While industry analysts note that modern digital reading behaviour via Shueisha's Manga Plus and Jump+ platforms redistributes reader engagement away from physical shelf units, the performance gap fuels fan debate regarding commercial incentives for brand resets. A standalone print run bridging original timeline events provides Shueisha with significant monetization upside without requiring a full editorial continuity erasure.

Circulation metrics confirm Boruto logged 10 million total Japanese print units in circulation by October 2025 against the 250 million worldwide lifetime sales established by original Naruto Volumes 1 through 72.

Southeast Asia & Malaysian Collector Verdict

Malaysian manga collectors and anime media enthusiasts importing official Shueisha material face distinct sourcing channels between Japanese original volumes and English-localized releases distributed via Kinokuniya Malaysia or import hubs like Play-Asia. Japanese raw editions typically list at standard tankobon pricing of ¥528 (~RM16) to ¥700 (~RM21), whereas localized English volumes managed by Viz Media import at RM45 to RM65 per book depending on freight premiums.

From an interactive media standpoint, fighting game adaptations across Bandai Namco franchises on PlayStation 5, PS5 Pro, and hybrid platforms like Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam Deck rely strictly on validated Shueisha canon for licensing rosters. A timeline interquel allows game developers to incorporate prime-era legacy characters into arena fighters alongside infant generation cameos without disrupting future Boruto digital expansions.

Importing localized physical tankobon volumes into Malaysia incurs an average landed price of RM45 to RM65 per volume, compared to digital chapter access via official multi-language platforms.

Common Questions

Is Boruto officially cancelled or declared non-canon?

No official source has declared Boruto non-canon. Viral social media claims misattributed statements to Masashi Kishimoto using edited 2017 footage, and publisher Shueisha continues to actively serialize the official sequel manga alongside international distributors.

When does Naruto: Shadow Rising release?

Naruto: Shadow Rising is scheduled for official release in 2027. Written and illustrated directly by Masashi Kishimoto, the narrative depicts events taking place before the events of Boruto, featuring an infant Sarada Uchiha.

How many copies has the Boruto manga sold compared to Naruto?

As of October 2025, Shueisha recorded 10 million total circulating copies of Boruto in Japan. The original 72 volumes of Naruto recorded over 250 million lifetime sales worldwide as of 2023, with 150 million copies sold in Japan.

Sources and Methodology

Editorial findings verified on 16 October 2026 based on official New York Comic Con announcements, Shueisha published circulation disclosures, and reportage from Lewis Parker via Kotaku USA. Currency conversions reflect mid-market foreign exchange estimates: USD/MYR at approximately 4.50 and JPY/MYR at approximately 0.030, scaled to standard Malaysian retail import baselines.