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The CEO of Studio Pierrot, Muchiki Honma, has revealed in an interview that the studio plans to adopt a seasonal format for its future anime, inspired by the success of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. This change could address the main issue of excessive filler episodes in the Boruto anime.

Boruto's Future Could Be Bright

The return of the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations anime is a hotly debated topic. Studio Pierrot hinted it could come back stronger than ever with a significant change to its scheduling. Despite its flaws, Boruto has a devoted fanbase eagerly awaiting its return, especially following the release of the sequel manga Boruto: Two Blue Vortex.

The Boruto anime, which aired from February 5, 2017, to March 26, 2023, serves as a sequel to Naruto Shippuden. Centering on Boruto Uzumaki, Naruto's son, the series faced criticism for its excessive filler episodes, a result of needing to give the manga time to release new chapters.

In an interview with Comic Natalie, Muchiki Honma discussed how the success of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War demonstrated the benefits of a seasonal format, leading to the decision to apply this model to future projects, including Boruto. This has excited fans, as it means Boruto would no longer be plagued by filler episodes.

Switching to a Seasonal Format Could Solve the Anime's Main Issue

Honma's inspiration partly came from the success of Demon Slayer, which used a seasonal format allowing Ufotable to dedicate significant resources and time to its production, resulting in a global hit. Studio Pierrot experimented with this format for Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, receiving high praise for its visuals and animation. This success solidified their decision to adopt a seasonal approach.

The original Boruto anime started a year after the manga, quickly catching up and necessitating non-canon filler episodes. Although some fillers added meaningful content, the majority were disliked by fans. A seasonal format would ensure enough material for 12 or 24 episodes per season, with yearly intervals allowing the manga to progress.

Boruto Will Be Back Better Than Ever

A seasonal Boruto would also give the staff ample time to enhance the quality of the series. With a strong fanbase already willing to overlook its flaws, a seasonal Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has the potential to be significantly better, providing fans with a more polished and engaging experience.

Studio Pierrot's decision to embrace seasonal anime could lead to a brighter future for Boruto and other beloved series, promising higher quality and less filler content. Fans can look forward to a new era of anime from Studio Pierrot, with a focus on quality over quantity.

Source: Comic Natalie, Screen rant