Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Volumes 1–4

Begin the next generation of ninja adventures with this Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Volumes 1–4 manga collection, bringing together the first four English-language paperback volumes published by VIZ Media under the Shonen Jump imprint.

The series continues the world established in Naruto, but its main focus shifts to a new generation led by Boruto Uzumaki, the son of Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga.

VIZ officially credits the early series to Masashi Kishimoto as creator/supervisor, Ukyo Kodachi for the script, and Mikio Ikemoto for the artwork.

This four-volume collection is an ideal starting point for customers who have finished Naruto, watched the Boruto anime or simply want to begin Boruto’s manga story from Volume 1.

A New Generation of Ninja

Years have passed since the major events of Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki has achieved the dream he worked toward for much of his life and has become the Seventh Hokage.

But Boruto is not primarily Naruto’s story.

His son, Boruto Uzumaki, grows up in a very different version of the Hidden Leaf Village. Compared with Naruto’s childhood, Boruto lives in a time of relative peace, modern technology and greater stability.

Despite being the Hokage’s son, Boruto does not simply want to follow his father’s path. Their relationship is complicated, particularly because Naruto’s responsibilities as Hokage often leave him with limited time for his family.

That tension becomes an important part of Boruto’s development.

VIZ’s official description introduces Boruto as a member of a new generation who wants to establish his own identity rather than simply live in Naruto’s shadow.

Volume 1 – Uzumaki Boruto!!

Volume 1 introduces Boruto and the new generation while establishing the world after the conclusion of Naruto’s original adventure.

Boruto is talented and confident, but he is also frustrated with his father. Naruto’s role as Hokage means that the person Boruto sees as his father is also responsible for the entire village.

The first volume begins exploring Boruto’s desire to prove himself independently.

The official English paperback is:

ISBN 9781421592114
208 pages
Released 4 April 2017.

Volume 2

The second book moves further into the Chunin Exam storyline.

Boruto progresses through the competition and receives recognition, including praise from Naruto. However, his desire to succeed leads him toward questionable decisions involving prohibited ninja technology.

At the same time, dangerous forces begin moving behind the scenes.

VIZ confirms Volume 2 as a 200-page paperback, ISBN 9781421595849, released on 5 September 2017.

Volume 3 – My Story!!

Volume 3 develops the conflict involving Momoshiki and pushes Boruto into a situation where the experience and abilities of the previous generation become critically important.

Naruto and Sasuke play major roles, but the story increasingly emphasises Boruto’s need to decide what kind of shinobi he wants to become.

After the major confrontation, the manga begins establishing storylines that move beyond material familiar from Boruto: Naruto the Movie.

Google Books confirms the VIZ edition of Volume 3 as:

• ISBN 9781421598222
• 208 pages
• Published in 2018.

Volume 4 – The Value of a Hidden Ace!!

Volume 4 moves the manga into another stage of Boruto’s development.

Boruto is assigned the responsibility of protecting Tento, the son of a powerful daimyo. At first, the mission does not seem particularly exciting to him, but the relationship between the two boys begins to reveal similarities that Boruto did not initially expect.

VIZ and Simon & Schuster confirm the English paperback as ISBN 9781974701407, released on 4 September 2018, with 184 pages.

Main Characters

Boruto Uzumaki

Boruto is Naruto and Hinata’s son. He is naturally talented but determined to establish an identity that is separate from his father’s reputation.

Naruto Uzumaki

Naruto is now the Seventh Hokage. His role as both father and village leader creates one of the central emotional conflicts in the early story.

Sarada Uchiha

Sarada is the daughter of Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno. Intelligent, ambitious and highly capable, she belongs to Boruto’s generation of young shinobi.

Mitsuki

Mitsuki is another important member of Boruto’s team. His mysterious background and unusual abilities make him one of the more intriguing members of the new generation.

Sasuke Uchiha

Sasuke becomes particularly important to Boruto, who respects his abilities and views him differently from his father.

Themes

Across these first four volumes, the series explores several themes:

• parents and children
• legacy
• personal identity
• friendship
• competition
• technological change
• responsibility
• ambition
• teamwork
• finding one’s own path

One of the main questions is how a younger generation should relate to the achievements and expectations created by the generation before it.

Connection to Naruto

Readers will get the most context from Boruto if they are familiar with Naruto, but these opening volumes also introduce the new generation and their world directly.

Returning Naruto characters appear throughout the series, while Boruto, Sarada, Mitsuki and their peers gradually become the focus.

For manga collectors, this makes Volumes 1–4 a natural continuation after completing the main Naruto manga.

Who May Enjoy This Collection?

This collection may appeal to readers who enjoy:

• Naruto
• Boruto anime
• shonen manga
• ninja stories
• action manga
• fantasy manga
• martial arts
• supernatural abilities
• adventure
• manga collections
• anime-inspired reading

VIZ gives the series a Teen age rating.

About the Creators

Masashi Kishimoto created Naruto and supervises the Boruto story.

Ukyo Kodachi wrote the script for the early Boruto: Naruto Next Generations manga.

Mikio Ikemoto provides the manga artwork and continues as the artist of the wider Boruto manga franchise.

VIZ credits all three on the official editions of these early volumes.

For customers beginning Boruto’s manga journey, this Volumes 1–4 collection provides a convenient continuous introduction to the next generation of the Naruto universe.