Boruto Fans Defend Against Accusations of Copying Dragon Ball Concept

Despite its initial success, the Boruto series has encountered a significant obstacle due to criticism from animanga fans. This arose when it was noticed that a major concept in Kishimoto’s series bears a striking resemblance to that of Dragon Ball.

The shinobi in Boruto are striving to avoid a recurrence of the catastrophic God Tree event. This concept seems to be comparable to Dragon Ball’s Tree of Might, as depicted in the eponymous film of the franchise.

This resemblance has left followers of Kishimoto’s creations without much protection against the criticisms directed towards their cherished ninja franchise.

Boruto Takes Inspiration from Dragon Ball

Despite the current state of affairs, both Naruto and Boruto fans are often accused of drawing inspiration from Toriyama’s work. Before examining these allegations, it is important to fully grasp the nature of the claims.

Starting with Naruto and Boruto, it appears that both series are connected to the main problem faced by shinobi, which is the God Tree. According to the plot, once the God Tree is planted, it gradually destroys the land and its inhabitants by absorbing Natural Chakra. Every thousand years, the tree produces a Chakra Fruit that the Otsutsuki desire, as consuming it grants them immense Chakra, as well as eternal youth and longevity.

In Dragon Ball, there was also a Tree of Might that functioned similarly. Once it was planted, the tree would slowly absorb the planet’s energy and life force in order to survive and thrive, ultimately depleting the planet of all its resources. This cycle would culminate with the tree producing the coveted Fruit of the Tree of Might. While not inherently malevolent, the presence of this tree often spelled doom for the planet unless alternative means of sustenance were found.

Therefore, the allegations stem from the fact that Dragon Ball was the first to utilize this idea and was subsequently “imitated”in both of Kishimoto’s series.

Boruto Fans With Little Words of Defense

Despite the bold claims against their beloved series, Boruto fans were left with little response. After all, it is undeniable that the concepts are remarkably similar and it is a fact that these concepts were first introduced in Toriyama’s series before being incorporated into Naruto and its sequel.

“Bro aint no way”- a user commented.

Upon seeing the comparison online, numerous fans were left in a state of disbelief. It is reasonable to feel this way, as at first glance, one may assume that the God Tree was the ultimate objective of the Otsutsuki. As a result, it was up to the shinobi to defend not only their planet from extinction, but also prevent the Otsutsuki from obtaining the fruit and gaining immense power.

“Bar for bar is crazy”- a netizen wrote.

In addition, supporters were taken aback by the striking resemblance between the ideas. In summary, there is a colossal tree that absorbs energy and chakra, depleting the planet in order to produce a fruit that bestows immense power and vitality upon the person who consumes it.

Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Son Goku (Image via Toei Animation)

“As an honest Naruto/Boruto fan I can’t defend this…”a fan confessed.

Certain followers of Kishimoto’s series conceded defeat and acknowledged the striking similarities in the concepts. They were aware that any attempts to justify it would be futile, so they chose to remain silent and accept the allegations.

“This is the publisher’s fault for pushing Kishimoto into creating an excuse for Boruto to even happen last minute. He wanted to just end it with Shippuden.”another user opined.

In addition, a group of fans also directed their criticism towards the publisher, arguing that creator Kishimoto was pressured into creating the Next Generation series as a result of the overwhelming success of the original Naruto storyline.

Their opinion was also that Kishimoto’s intention was to conclude the shinobi series with the Knucklehead Ninja’s story, rather than unnecessarily prolonging it into the next generation.