Mikio Ikemoto Will Forever be Called a Monster for What He Did to Everyone’s Favorite Naruto Trio

SUMMARY

• Mikio Ikemoto has faced flak from the toxic Naruto fanbase for his "expressionless" and "mechanical" character designs.
• Naruto fans called Ikemoto a monster for butchering the Sand Siblings' character design in Boruto's Volume 32.
• Mikio Ikemoto's illustrations and character designs face unjust criticism despite living up to the series' name.

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Mikio Ikemoto is often criticized for his designs in Boruto that look straight out of a runway show. From expressionless to bland, fans have often trolled his drawing style. While they may not match up to Kishimoto’s legacy, they’re unique and different in their own way. From costumes to hair, the character designs live up to the series’ name.

Sarada and Boruto in a still from the series | Credit: Studio Pierrot

However, his take on Kishimoto’s designs wasn’t well-received. Be it Naruto or Anko Mitarashi, he has faced flak for his expressionless and mechanical character designs. While some fans appreciated his drawing style, others simply called him a monster for his rendition of the Sand siblings.

Reddit fans brutally troll Mikio Ikemoto’s illustration of the Sand Siblings

Mikio Ikemoto is popular for his illustrations and character designs in Boruto. He is a manga artist who previously worked with Masashi Kishimoto as his chief assistant. While his designs represent a unique and fresh perspective, they don’t sit well with fans. On many occasions, his designs are labeled as expressionless and bland.

The Sand Siblings trio in the series | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Naruto fans are notorious and fastidious especially when it comes to the original characters. From Anko Mitarashi to Rock Lee, his character designs in Boruto are deemed lifeless and monstrous by many fans. However, his rendition of the Sand Siblings had most fans flipping the lid on Reddit.

A user posted the cover art of chapter 3 from volume 32 of Boruto in r/Naruto calling it monstrous.

Furthermore, his designs for female characters including Temari and Sarada seem impractical to most fans.

His terrible rendition of the original characters does seem plausible in contrast to the new villains in Boruto.

The consensus is that the author butchered Gaara’s design through and through.

All in all, there’s a consensus regarding the character design for Kankuro. While the designs in Boruto do not live up to the expectations of its precursor Naruto, the criticism toward Ikemoto is unjust and brutal.

Mikio Ikemoto’s character designs in Boruto reflect a new generation

There is a constant burning debate between fans regarding Ikemoto and Kishimoto’s artwork. The constant comparisons drawn between both artists negate the uniqueness of their styles. While the former’s style is perceived as mechanical and restricted, there’s more to it than meets the eye. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

The Sand Siblings in a still from Naruto | Credit: Studio Pierrot

Apart from designing characters and carrying out illustrations in Boruto, Ikemoto designed two of the most iconic villains in Naruto. Though his costume designs for characters are often deemed impractical, they have a certain freshness to them. From Sarada’s time skip design to Temari’s costume in Boruto’s cover art, Ikemoto’s style stands out in terms of its novelty.

Boruto’s essence and core lie in shifting away from old traditions. While his designs break away from the old ideas, fans’ fastidious and finicky nature proves to be an ever-looming barrier. From mechanical to expressionless, his illustrations faced unjust criticism from Naruto’s toxic fanbase. Last, it is a fact that Ikemoto has to pave his path instead of living up to Kishimoto’s legacy.

Boruto: Naruto New Generations is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.

Written by Himanshi Jeswani

Articles Published: 95

An avid reader and writer traversing around the world of anime, manga and all that jazz.