As avid anime fans, we have literally grown up with our favorite characters. The 2000s gave us some great shonen that set the standard for what the future of anime would look like. One such show that we love with all our hearts is Naruto. When Masashi Kishimoto first wrote the Naruto manga in 1999, he probably had no idea how much it would break the internet over the next decades. Of course, Naruto truly deserved all the attention it got when it first aired in 2002, and it is still worthy of our time today with Boruto.
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In the OG Naruto, we saw 12-year-old Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura polishing their abilities and chasing their dreams. In Naruto Shippuden, we saw even more development for every single character. We loved them, hated them, and loved them again harder after witnessing their growth. And the growth didn’t end there; it continues with Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. The once crybabies have now fully grown into significant people of the Hidden Leaf Village. But while all major characters have shown remarkable development, some stand taller than the rest. So, without further ado, let’s have a closer look at the Naruto characters that evolved the best in Boruto.
1) Ino Yamanaka
In the OG Naruto anime, Ino and Sakura both had a childhood crush on Sasuke. Despite the Uchiha never giving them a single moment of his time, they still fought over him, their petty rivalry almost becoming a source of comic relief. Even in the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, Ino’s role was mainly just to provide support to Shikamaru’s wits and Choji’s strength. And while we did see her bloom in the Fourth Shinobi War Arc, even that impact was more tactical than direct.
In Boruto, Ino is now Sai’s wife and mother to their son Inojin. But that’s not all. Ino, along with managing her family’s flower shop business, is now the head of both the Yamanka Clan and the Konoha Sensory Division. Her responsibilities include working closely with the Hokage and monitoring threats before they can reach the village. When Kara and Oksutsuki arrived with malice, Ino was the first to respond. Proving that while she may not be on the frontlines, she’s definitely an important asset to the village behind the scenes.
2) Shikamaru Nara
We all knew Shikamaru would be someone important in the future, but who would have thought he’d become a provisional Hokage one day? Shikamaru Nara was introduced as a lazy boy who loves to do nothing and labels everything as a “drag”. But we saw his true potential during the Chunin Exams when he outsmarted Temari despite her strength and smarts. Not only that, but Shikamaru was also the first one to gather his friends to go after Sasuke in the Sasuke Retrieval Arc. And even when he lost his father during the Fourth Shinobi War, he prioritized his duty, showing that he’s actually far more responsible than he seems on the surface.
In Boruto, Shikamaru became Naruto’s right-hand man as the Hokage’s chief advisor. His responsibilities included developing strategies against major threats like Kara and Code. His role during the Kawaki and Isshiki arcs showed his true potential as a political and military leader as well. And when Naruto disappeared due to Kawaki’s manipulation of events, Shikamaru was appointed as the provisional Hokage, proving that he’s truly evolved into a decision-maker who influences outcomes beyond battlefields.
3) Sai
Sai was a mysterious figure when he first appeared in the Tenchi Bridge Reconnaissance Mission. He was previously trained under Danzo’s Root division and was taught to suppress his emotions in order to become the perfect shinobi. His distrust of Team 7 and calculated moves showed his struggle throughout Naruto Shippuden. But he eventually softened up to the main crew, fully supporting them during the Fourth Shinobi War with his Ink Technique.
After the time skip, we see Sai as Ino’s husband and Inojin’s father. Once a cold and calculated shinobi, Sai’s now become a responsible and caring family man, an evolution that is extremely satisfying to witness. But a family man is not the only thing Sai achieved; he is also the head of Konoha’s Intelligence Division. His surveillance, analysis, and interrogation techniques make him a nightmare for rogue ninjas, keeping Konoha safe from threats alongside his wife, Ino.
4) Karin Uzumaki
Karin is undoubtedly one of the most controversial characters in Naruto. In Naruto Shippuden, she was a member of Sasuke’s Taka group alongside Suigetsu and Jugo. She belonged to the long-scattered Uzumaki clan and had healing abilities, allowing anyone who consumed her chakra by biting to heal quickly. This ability made her a victim of abuse and Orochimaru’s experiments. But while Sasuke also used her for the same purpose, he was also the first one to show her kindness, making her obsessed with him.
In Boruto, however, Karin has grown past that into an accomplished scientist and researcher who works under Orochimaru and monitors Mitsuki’s development. She also tracks down rogue ninjas using genetic research and her sensory abilities. And in sharp contrast to her younger self, whose infatuation with Sasuke made her jealous of Sakura’s presence, she now absolutely adores both Sarada and Sakura.
5) Sasuke Uchiha
Sasuke Uchiha was one of the first characters to be introduced in the OG Naruto anime. He was portrayed as a lone kid who only had one thing on his mind: to kill his older brother, Itachi, to avenge the massacre of his clan. The Uchiha went to great lengths for this goal, even abandoning his village and training under Orochimaru.
But once he finally got what he wanted, he learnt that Itachi had actually been ordered to massacre his clan by the Hidden Leaf Village. This was the start of Sasuke’s villainous era, where he truly wanted to destroy Konoha and even tried to kill his former teammates. But during the Fourth Shinobi War, Sasuke showed real growth, fighting as a team again alongside Naruto and Sakura.
This growth continued in Boruto, where Sasuke chose a life of exile while still keeping an eye on Konoha’s enemies. He kept tabs on the Otsutski dimensions and an eye on Kara’s movements. And even became Boruto’s mentor, which can be taken as his way of nurturing the next generation and breaking his lonesome lifestyle. While Sasuke wasn’t the perfect husband to Sakura, he tried to be present for Sarada. All in all, we can’t call Sasuke a family man just yet, but he sure has come a long way from where he started as a vengeful shinobi in the OG Naruto series.
6) Naruto Uzumaki
The titular character of the series, Naruto, started out as an orphan hated by his own Hidden Village for being the Jinchuriki to the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox. Despite his parents being heroes who sacrificed themselves to protect the village, Naruto was seldom given the care he deserved. The OG Naruto saw him struggling to keep up with his seemingly more talented peers, his dream of becoming Hokage feeling like an unreachable goal. But by the end of Naruto Shippuden, Naruto finally unlocked his full potential, growing into his own as a Shinobi worthy of the title of Hokage.
That’s the dream we see him achieve in Boruto as he’s named Kakashi’s successor as the Seventh Hokage. But that’s not all. Despite being an orphan who never felt the love of a family, Boruto also sees him become a family man, marrying Hinata with whom he has two kids: Boruto and Himawari. Although he struggles to be the perfect family man due to his responsibilities as Hokage, it’s clear he deeply loves his family and wants them to feel the same. This is a great evolution on Naruto’s part, considering his past as an orphan, proving how far you can go if you don’t let the hatred of others change your morals.
7) Konohamaru Sarutobi
We all remember kid Konohamaru, the bratty grandson of the Third Hokage who used to follow around Naruto. He was one of the few people from the village who loved Naruto and looked up to him. Despite his childish attitude in the original Naruto series, he remained Naruto’s loyal fan throughout his tough times. Konohamaru’s true potential started to show during the Pain’s Assault Arc, where he managed to defeat one of the Six Paths with his Rasengan.
In Boruto, Konohamaru grew up to be a Jonin and the leader of Team 7, consisting of Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki. He continued to copy Naruto and eventually mastered many of his techniques. He also took it upon himself to master the Sarutobi clan’s signature techniques like his uncle Asuma’s Burning Ash and his grandfather’s monkey summons. Using his abilities and wits, Konohamaru guided his team to several major missions including Mujina Bandits arc and Hashirama Cell Investigation.
While some fans feel Konohamaru was shown to be underwhelming compared to his potential, his evolution is still significant. From an immature admirer mimicking Naruto’s every action to a reliable sensei, Konohamaru’s growth is undeniable. It can be easily assumed that if he continues to flourish like that, he might become the second Hokage from his family one day.
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