Ikemoto Is the One Who Is in Charge of Boruto

For years, fans of the Naruto universe have speculated about who is in charge of Boruto, and now the mystery has been solved. In a recent interview published on July 17, 2025, on the official Naruto website, series creator Masashi Kishimoto confirmed that Mikio Ikemoto holds complete control over the sequel series, Boruto.

The interview was originally conducted during the KONOHA EXPERIENCE event held in Paris by publisher Kana in August 2024. During the discussion, Kishimoto explained that while he was responsible for both story and illustrations in Naruto, things are different in Boruto. “Ikemoto is fully in charge of both the story and the main illustrations. Boruto is really his manga,” Kishimoto stated.

Mikio Ikemoto Is the One Who Is in Charge of Boruto

Although Kishimoto provided the initial concept for Boruto, his current role is limited to oversight. According to Ikemoto, he develops the plot on his own and only consults Kishimoto for approval. Over time, he has made significant changes to the original story, especially surrounding the time-skip, introducing new characters and changing character fates to create a more compelling narrative.

Kishimoto praised Ikemoto’s ideas and admitted that his own involvement is minimal. “The rough drafts Ikemoto creates already contain characters and developments that surpass my original outline, so I rarely have anything to add,” he said.

Clearing Up Years of Confusion About Who Runs Boruto

The question of who is in charge of Boruto has been discussed since the manga’s launch. Initially, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations featured a story written by Ukyo Kodachi and art by Ikemoto, with Kishimoto supervising. But when Kishimoto took over writing duties in Chapter 52 (2020), many assumed he was fully in control again.

This interview puts those assumptions to rest. Ikemoto, who served as Kishimoto’s main assistant during the Naruto era, is now the creative force behind Boruto. Kishimoto expressed full confidence in Ikemoto’s abilities. “We’ve worked together for a long time, and I could always rely on him. If it weren’t Ikemoto handling Boruto, the series wouldn’t even exist,” he concluded.