Boruto resents Naruto because Naruto’s work as Hokage keeps him away from ordinary family life. To Boruto, the job competes with him for his father’s attention—and Naruto’s legacy adds pressure to follow a path Boruto does not want. The early conflict is not simply hatred: it grows from a child’s unmet need for his father and two very different childhoods.
Why Boruto is angry with Naruto
Naruto is consumed by the work of being Hokage and is often unavailable to his family. VIZ’s overview of the opening story describes Boruto as upset that his father is too busy to spend enough time with his children, including missing an important family moment such as Boruto’s birthday. Boruto sees the office not as an abstract duty but as the reason his father is absent. VIZ’s account of the early conflict frames the problem around a son wanting his father’s attention.
That makes Boruto’s frustration understandable without making Naruto’s responsibilities irrelevant. Naruto has real obligations as Hokage, but those obligations do not meet Boruto’s need for time and personal connection. The conflict comes from the gap between what Naruto is trying to do for the village and what Boruto wants from his dad.
Why Boruto and Naruto see the world differently
Naruto grew up isolated and longed to be recognized. Boruto, by contrast, was raised in a peaceful home with material comfort and a father whose public role is already legendary. Their different starting points shape what each wants: Naruto once pursued acknowledgment and a place in the village; Boruto wants his father to notice him as his son.
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In an official interview published July 17, 2025, manga artist Mikio Ikemoto said, “Unlike Naruto, Boruto was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and had everything he could ever want,” and that Boruto “didn’t start off the story with a clear goal like Naruto did.” The official English page notes that some text may be machine-translated, so the quoted wording should be read with that qualification. These comments describe how the characters begin; they do not mean Boruto’s feelings about Naruto are unimportant. Read the official Naruto site interview.
Why Boruto turns the rift into a rivalry
Boruto does not begin with Naruto’s ambition to become Hokage. Instead, his frustration becomes personal competition: he wants to defeat or surpass his father. VIZ describes him seeking Sasuke’s help as a teacher, making Sasuke a route toward that goal. This is why the early tension is better understood as a struggle for attention and independence than as a disagreement over who should hold the Hokage title. VIZ’s series introduction discusses Boruto’s early motive and his approach to Sasuke.
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Does Naruto try to reconnect with Boruto?
Yes. The official synopsis for episode 18, “A Day in the Life of the Uzumaki Family,” says Naruto tries to bond with Boruto over a meal at Ichiraku Ramen. That effort shows the relationship is not one-sided hostility, even if a single attempt cannot undo Boruto’s accumulated disappointment. See the official episode synopsis.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the early-series explanation does—and does not—cover
This explanation concerns the opening father-son conflict in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Later story developments can change their relationship, so a question about a particular later arc may need a different answer. In the early story, the core issue is straightforward: Boruto wants a present father, while Naruto’s Hokage duties repeatedly pull him away, and the two approach life from very different circumstances.
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