It’s easy to forget now that we have hundreds of episodes of the Boruto TV show, but there was a time when Boruto: Naruto the Movie was the only glimpse we had into the future of the Hidden Leaf. It felt massive. Seeing Naruto as the Seventh Hokage, sitting behind that desk with stacks of paperwork, was a gut punch for everyone who grew up with the bratty kid from the original series.
Honestly, the movie is better than most of what followed.
People argue about this all the time on Reddit and in Discord servers, but the 2015 film directed by Hiroyuki Yamashita captures a specific kind of "dad angst" that the manga struggles to replicate. It’s not just about flashy ninjutsu. It’s about a kid feeling neglected because his father is literally the most important person in the world. That’s a heavy concept for a shonen movie.
The Core Conflict: Why Boruto: Naruto the Movie Works
The heart of the story isn't the Otsutsuki threat. It’s the friction between a classic hero and his modern son. Naruto is a workaholic. He’s the guy who uses Shadow Clones for everything, yet he can’t find the time to actually be present at his own daughter’s birthday. That scene where the clone poofs and the cake hits the floor? It’s brutal. It’s the moment we realize our hero is kind of a crappy dad, even if he has the best intentions.
Boruto isn't a "bad" kid. He’s just lonely.
He uses the Kote—that wrist-mounted gauntlet that lets you fire off high-level jutsu without any chakra or training. Purists hated this. They thought it made Boruto look weak. But that’s the whole point of the narrative. In a world of peace, why bother with the "blood, sweat, and tears" method of the old generation? The movie asks a valid question about technology versus tradition. It’s a theme that Masashi Kishimoto, who wrote the script and handled the character designs, clearly wanted to explore before the franchise expanded into the sprawling epic it is today.
💡 You might also like: How to Watch The Wolf and the Lion Without Getting Lost in the Wild
The Animation Peak
If you go back and watch the fight between Sasuke, Naruto, and Momoshiki, the choreography is insane. This was Studio Pierrot firing on all cylinders. They brought in top-tier animators like Chengxi Huang to handle the heavy lifting. The way Naruto and Sasuke combine the Susano'o with the Kurama avatar is arguably one of the most iconic visuals in the entire franchise. It’s fluid. It’s fast. It feels like a high-budget cinematic experience, which, frankly, the weekly anime struggled to match later on when it retold the same story.
There’s a specific weight to the movements in the movie. When Sasuke moves, you feel the speed. When Naruto punches, you feel the power of a guy who has survived multiple wars.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Timeline
There is a lot of confusion regarding where this movie sits. Basically, it was released before the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations manga even started. Because of that, the movie is a bit of a "prototype."
When the anime eventually reached the "Versus Momoshiki" arc (episodes 51–66), they changed things. They added Urashiki Otsutsuki, who wasn’t in the movie at all. They also changed Momoshiki’s final form. In the movie, Momoshiki looks like a weird, bloated version of himself after consuming Kinshiki. In the anime and manga, he gets a much sleeker, more "god-like" redesign.
If you’re a completionist, you have to watch both. The movie offers the original vision, but the anime offers the "canon" update that leads into the rest of the series.
📖 Related: Is Lincoln Lawyer Coming Back? Mickey Haller's Next Move Explained
The Sasuke Mentorship
One of the coolest things about Boruto: Naruto the Movie is the relationship between Boruto and Sasuke. Sasuke is the "cool uncle" who actually listens. Seeing him take Naruto's son under his wing is the ultimate fan service, but it’s handled with actual grace. Sasuke doesn't coddle him. He tells Boruto that he’s a loser if he keeps relying on gadgets.
It’s a great reversal. Naruto was the one who worked hard while Sasuke had the innate talent and the "cheats" of the Uchiha bloodline. Now, Naruto is the establishment, and Sasuke is the wanderer teaching the next generation about the value of the old ways.
The Scientific Ninja Tools Controversy
Let’s talk about the Kote again. It represents the "Scientific Ninja Tools" (Kagaku Ningu). In 2015, this felt like a gimmick. Looking back now, it was visionary. The franchise eventually leaned heavily into the idea that technology would eventually bridge the gap between "normals" and shinobi.
- It creates a shortcut for power.
- It devalues the concept of "Guts" (Konjo).
- It levels the playing field for villains who aren't naturally gifted.
When Boruto gets caught using it during the Chunin Exams, the shame isn't just about cheating. It’s about the fact that he betrayed the very soul of what it means to be a ninja. Naruto stripping his son of his forehead protector in front of the entire village is one of the most "adult" moments in the entire run. It’s a public disciplining that feels earned and painful.
Why the Soundtrack Matters
Takanashi Yasuharu is a legend for a reason. The score for this movie blends the traditional Japanese instruments—like the shamisen and shakuhachi—with modern rock and orchestral swells. It gives the movie a sense of urgency. When "Spin and Burst" kicks in during the final fight, it’s impossible not to get hyped. It bridges the gap between the nostalgic Naruto Shippuden sound and something new.
👉 See also: Tim Dillon: I'm Your Mother Explained (Simply)
The theme song, "Diver" by KANA-BOON, is also a masterpiece. If you look at the lyrics, it’s all about a person trying to find their own light while being submerged in a dark sea. It perfectly encapsulates Boruto's struggle to step out of his father's massive shadow.
How to Watch It Today
If you’re looking to dive back in, the movie is widely available on streaming platforms like Crunchyroll and Hulu, depending on your region.
You’ll notice that the movie feels much tighter than the anime adaptation. The pacing is relentless. It clocks in at about 95 minutes, and it doesn't waste a single second. No filler. No long-winded flashbacks to things we already saw five minutes ago. Just pure storytelling.
Lessons from the Hidden Leaf
The movie isn't just an action flick. It’s a meditation on growth. By the end, Naruto learns that he can’t just be the Hokage; he has to be a father. Boruto learns that there are no shortcuts to true strength. It’s a simple message, but in the age of instant gratification, it resonates more than ever.
The movie ends with a post-credits scene that reveals Mitsuki’s parentage. For those who saw it in theaters, that was a "drop the mic" moment. Orochimaru being a parent? It was the perfect way to signal that this new era was going to be weird, complicated, and entirely different from what came before.
To get the most out of the experience, watch the movie first to see the original cinematic vision. Then, if you want the full story, watch the anime's Chunin Exam arc to see the expanded fights and the introduction of the Karma mark, which becomes the driving force of the entire series. Comparing the two versions of the Momoshiki fight is a great way to see how animation styles and narrative priorities shifted between 2015 and the late 2010s. Pay close attention to the character designs—the movie’s softer lines vs. the anime’s sharper, more digital look—to see which style resonates more with your personal taste.