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Now that the first major story arc of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has come to a close, I thought I’d take a look at how it compares to its predecessor. While it definitely has a leg up in certain areas and is good in its own right, overall, Naruto was considerably better when it came to story, characters, and emotional impact. To be fair, I’m only going to compare content from their first arcs.

I will give Boruto that it deals with much more mature themes than Naruto did this far in such as suicide, nationalism, brainwashing, imperfect families, etc. The most mature theme Naruto dealt with for the longest time was discrimination until they added in characters like Gaara and Neji. However, this is about the first arcs and those two characters were added in later. Boruto does an excellent job of balancing all these different themes in a way that Naruto doesn’t really manage to do until later on, mainly in Shippuden.

*Spoilers for the first story arcs of both series ahead. Proceed with caution*

As for the overall story of their first arcs, I believe both are good and have minor flaws, but Naruto edges out Boruto here as well. Boruto’s combines a bunch of introductory sequences into an over-arching plot of a man trying to seek revenge against the Leaf Village for past wrongs. The story revolves around a special ability that Boruto picks up, that is still unexplained as of right now, allowing him to track the chakra energy being stolen from various villagers in attacks. Eventually, it is revealed that the ninja academy’s class representative is behind the attacks and that she is the daughter of the man seeking vengeance against the Leaf Village. Boruto senses her reluctance to move forward with her plans and eventually talks her into returning to the village and seeking penance for her crimes.

Naruto splits the first arc into two, dealing with the introduction to the world through various episodes then getting into its first big story. Naruto and his team are sent to protect a bridge builder named Tazuna from a drug kingpin named Gato. Tazuna is under attack because the bridge he is building to the mainland will effectively put a stop to Gato’s empire and he sends assassins after them. After defeating the swordsman Zabuza, the team trains and eventually face off against him and his apprentice Haku on the bridge days later. Naruto also taps into a hidden power, that of the demon fox sealed inside him, and defeats Haku who is revealed to be a refugee from a nation that hates people with abilities like his. Haku was given meaning by service to Zabuza and sacrifices his life to protect him. Gato then decides to dispose of them all and Naruto convinces Zabuza to help him take down the kingpin.

Both are pretty good stories, but Naruto shines brighter here. The end results of both arcs are the same: the main character talks the villain (class rep in Boruto and Zabuza in Naruto) into stopping their plans. Fans of the series as a whole are very familiar with this plot line. However, Naruto’s result felt earned whereas Boruto’s result felt forced.

The bond between Haku and Zabuza, as well as their tragic backstories are brought to the forefront here. Kishimoto does a great job of making you care about them both, despite being villains. When Haku gives up his life for Zabuza, you can tell he cares but he just won’t admit it because it goes against his ideology. When Naruto speaks to him, he finally cracks and joins the hero in taking down the true villain.

As for Boruto, we get basically 5 minutes of backstory for the class rep and it’s only in one episode. As an audience, it’s hard to care about her or what she’s doing since not only is it much more convoluted than Zabuza and Haku’s story, it’s less fleshed-out. She’s also been redeemed and is returning as a recurring character once more. As a result, her story has less impact than Zabuza and Haku, who both died at the end of the arc. Sure, those two come back later, but it’s brief and it serves as a measure of character growth rather than hindering the story like the class rep’s redemption.

It’s only just finished its first arc, but Boruto has been a little disappointing so far from the perspective of someone who wanted to give the Naruto universe another try. It might work as an entry-point series for some, but as someone who grew up watching the original series, despite its own issues, this series hasn’t lived up to my expectations. It isn’t bad, in fact it’s a good first story arc. However, it pales in comparison to the quality its predecessor had at least as of right now.

I spend most of my days working towards my Writing and Rhetoric degree at the University of Central Florida, but I spend a lot of my down time keeping up to date on the best TV, movies, and video games the industry has to offer. Here I put all of that extended time to use discussing each of them in-depth.

Gaming

Documentary Explores the Making of the Highly Praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for PS5

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Square Enix has launched a captivating documentary series that explores the intricate process behind the creation of the highly praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. In the first episode, titled “Shaping the World,” the developer delves into the process of reimagining the expansive PS1 map of the original game into a vast sandbox for the PS5. The film includes personal stories shared by directors Naoki Hamaguchi and Tetsuya Nomura, as well as other important members of the team.

This reimagining of the all-time PlayStation classic was truly enjoyable. In our review, we praised Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for its ability to enhance the already impressive combat system of Remake. The game truly shines in its portrayal of an iconic RPG setting. If you have a deep appreciation for the original PS1 game and found enjoyment in Remake, then Rebirth’s character-focused adventure will surely captivate you from start to finish.

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Gaming

Gran Turismo 7 for the PS5 and PS4 shows continuous improvement

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While Sony may not classify Gran Turismo 7 as a live-service game, the team at Polyphony Digital certainly approaches it with a similar mindset. The game continues to impress with every new update, and although v1.44 may be smaller compared to previous versions, it still manages to enhance the already extensive content of this simulation racer.

The update, now available worldwide, introduces three new cars: the Audi R8 Coupé V10 Plus ’16, the Lamborghini Urus ’18, and the Toyota GT-One (TS020) ’99. Furthermore, it introduces three fresh events to World Circuits, an extra menu to conquer in the GT Café single-player campaign, and a collection of livery stickers inspired by the upcoming Highspeed Étoile anime, set to debut next week in Japan.

If you’re not already acquainted with Highspeed Étoile, you can watch a trailer right here. “Sony has announced that a collection of 26 stickers, consisting of 8 title logos and 18 main character stickers, will be made available for a limited time,” stated Sony on the PS Blog. In addition, Fukushima will be included as a backdrop in the title’s beloved photography mode.

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Gaming

TopSpin 2K25 appears to be a standout title in the recent PS5 and PS4 gameplay showcase

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This author has consistently praised the realistic portrayal of tennis in TopSpin 4. After more than a decade, we are thrilled to witness the release of TopSpin 2K25, which expands upon the success of its renowned predecessor. This gameplay video provides a comprehensive overview of the features discussed in our recent preview while also incorporating relevant footage to enhance understanding.

The series’ swing system sets it apart from arcade-style games like Virtua Tennis, as it requires players to charge up their shots in a different way. In order to succeed, timing is crucial, and fortunately, a new meter above your player will assist you in achieving that. Surfaces have their own distinct characteristics, such as clay, where you’ll experience a noticeable amount of sliding.

The game ensures that every player has a distinct set of animations, adding a touch of individuality to each competitor. The courts, found in all Grand Slams, possess a remarkable amount of individuality and charm. It is mentioned in the video that with each in-game season, players can expect a plethora of additional content, such as animation packs. This indicates that there will be plenty to anticipate even after the game’s initial release.

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