Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Set to Challenge Jujutsu Kaisen’s Reign

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While Jujutsu Kaisen is currently a leading anime, Naruto is poised to reclaim its spot as a fan favorite. The anime landscape has shifted a lot in the last two decades, changing which shows are most popular. Naruto has remained beloved, with its story continuing to resonate with audiences. However, it’s now seen as a classic and hasn’t been able to compete with newer anime for various reasons.

During the 2020s, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Jujutsu Kaisen have become the most popular anime. Jujutsu Kaisen started its third season in January 2026 and continues to be a huge hit with audiences. Adapted from the manga by Gege Akutami, the series is known for its excellent animation style, which elevates even its already impressive action scenes.

Even the latest Naruto series haven’t quite lived up to the original. But the upcoming Boruto: Two Blue Vortex could change that. Set several years after Boruto: Naruto Next Generation ends, it promises a darker and more mature story. This new direction isn’t the only way the series will feel more current, though.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Gives Naruto A Seasonal Anime

Seasonal anime are incredibly popular, and it’s easy to see why. Shows like Jujutsu Kaisen have gained a large following because their stories move forward at a good pace. Older, long-running anime like Naruto used to release episodes every week, with very few breaks. But once the anime caught up to the original manga, viewers often had to sit through lengthy and unnecessary filler episodes. This was a particularly big issue with Boruto: Naruto Next Generation.

Michiyuki Honma, president of Studio Pierrot, announced that Boruto: Two Blue Vortex will be the first Naruto anime to release in seasons, a change from the franchise’s usual release pattern of the past 23 years. This is a positive indication that the new series will avoid the problems that plagued the previous one, and that Pierrot is aiming for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex to achieve the same level of success as popular shows like Jujutsu Kaisen.

The Naruto Franchise Can Finally Compete With Modern Anime

As a critic, I’ve been watching the evolution of shonen anime, and it’s clear Jujutsu Kaisen and its contemporaries are making a statement with their fresh, bold style. Naruto, while a beloved classic and a cornerstone of the genre, feels a bit dated in comparison. It really embodies that traditional shonen feel. But I think Boruto: Two Blue Vortex could really benefit from the seasonal format a lot of these newer shows are using – it’s a smart way to elevate the storytelling and keep things feeling current.

As a huge anime fan, I’m really excited about where Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is taking the Naruto story. It feels like a fresh start, with a more grown-up Boruto facing some seriously intense and dark challenges. Honestly, the action is incredible, and I think this new arc could make for an amazing anime. It has the potential to be right up there with hits like Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer. The fact that they’re releasing it seasonally is a smart move, too – it gives the adaptation team time to really do the story justice and avoid rushing things.

Surpassing the popularity of Jujutsu Kaisen will be a significant challenge, but the Naruto franchise already has a strong foundation. Unlike many new anime trying to break through, Naruto is a long-established and highly-regarded series considered one of the greatest of all time. If the new project builds on the successful strategies of recent popular anime, it has a real chance of becoming number one again.

Why Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Could Still Struggle

Custom image created by Evan D. Mullicane

It seems likely that Boruto: Two Blue Vortex will do well, but there are a few things to keep in mind. The Boruto series itself has had a mixed reception, despite the lasting popularity of its predecessor, Naruto. It was difficult to build excitement for a new story focused on Naruto’s son, especially after the long and detailed Naruto: Shippuden. The anime adaptation didn’t help, stretching 80 chapters of the manga into a very lengthy 290 episodes, which proved to be a challenge for many viewers.

Many viewers stopped watching Boruto: Naruto Next Generation because it felt overly long and drawn out. Because of this, a lot of fans see the end of Shippuden as the true conclusion to the story. Now, with a smaller audience, it will be challenging for Two Blue Vortex to become popular enough to compete with current anime. The success of the new Naruto anime will depend on whether it can grab attention with impressive animation and clearly signal that it’s a fresh, exciting take on the series – something different from what viewers experienced with Boruto.

Naruto Doesn’t Have To Prove Anything Anymore

Everyone hopes Boruto: Two Blue Vortex can become as popular and exciting as Jujutsu Kaisen. It would be great to recapture the feeling when Naruto first became a worldwide phenomenon. Studio Pierrot is working hard to make that happen, and it’s definitely possible. However, it’s important to remember that nothing diminishes the incredible success Naruto has already achieved – it remains a hugely important series.

Eventually, Jujutsu Kaisen won’t feel as groundbreaking as it does now. Anime is always changing, and someone will inevitably come up with a new take on the shonen style. It’s hard to say if this popular series will be fondly remembered in the long run—Boruto: Two Blue Vortex might even fade faster—but the impact of Naruto, which has lasted for over twenty years, will undoubtedly continue to be felt.

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2026-02-06 01:59