When Masashi Kishimoto's beloved Naruto series began, it was immediately apparent to viewers that the titular protagonist was an orphan. Naruto resorted to pranks and vandalism to draw the attention of his fellow villagers, in lieu of the attention he never received from a parental guardian. While he later gained father figures in Iruka, Jiraiya, and Kakashi, Naruto still spent the first twelve years of his life without parental affection. It's no wonder that when it comes to being a father, Naruto struggles. On top of learning how to be a father, Naruto also serves as Konoha's Hokage.
Naruto's lack of both parenting knowledge and time in Boruto drove a wedge between him and his children, his son in particular. Having a father who is the most powerful shinobi in Konoha may seem fun in theory, but in reality, being the Hokage's child is more troublesome than it seems.
10 Villagers Want to Know the "Hokage's Kids," Not Boruto & Himawari
As soon as Naruto became the Hokage, his children automatically lost their status as average citizens. That promotion in social class brought them into the public eye. Villagers treat them differently because of who Naruto is, instead of looking at Boruto and Himawari as individuals.
The best example of this is the way Katasuke speaks to Boruto. In the Japanese version, Katasuke refers to Boruto as "waka," meaning "young lord" or "young master." Boruto's identity is tied to Naruto and his position as Hokage. Katasuke, and likely other villagers, show respect to Boruto and Himawari because they want to get into Naruto's good graces. Katasuke approached Boruto because he was Naruto's son, rather than as Boruto the person.
9 There are many Unexpected Visitors
Naruto remains the Hokage, even at home. Throughout the series, shinobi constantly visit the Uzumaki family looking for Naruto. By bringing his work home with him, Naruto inconveniences his family.
It's difficult to have a nice family meal when ninja come and disturb the family's private time. Viewers see evidence of these intrusions in Episode 53, when Sasuke and Boruto first meet, and in Episode 205 with Shikamaru. Even Jigen, a major antagonist, shows up unannounced, albeit to retrieve his vessel Kawaki.
8 They Are Always In The Spotlight
Naruto's importance as the Hokage extends to his children. Just as Naruto holds the village's attention, his children, too, garner attention from the public. The villagers place Boruto on a pedestal and watch to make sure he fulfills their expectations.
While in the academy, Boruto's test scores not only reflected his capabilities, but they represented his father as well. Many kids struggle to live up to their parents' standards; however, Boruto has the monumental task of appeasing his parents and the village as a whole.
7 Naruto Is Both Their Father & Their Leader
Naruto's reaction to Boruto cheating in the Chunin Exams shocked fans. Many viewers thought that Naruto was too harsh, and some even claimed that Naruto was acting out of character. As a father, publicly humiliating his son in front of the five nations was extreme, but as the Hokage, Naruto simply did his job.
The Hokage is the Leaf Village's leader, meaning he serves as Boruto's boss. Boruto cheated in a sacred competition, and perhaps, Naruto needed to handle the parental discipline at home. However, he also needed to fulfill his duty as the Hokage, even if it meant stripping Boruto of his status as a ninja.
6 The Village Comes Before Family
One of the hardest parts of being the Hokage is the workload. The position requires so much paperwork that it destroyed Naruto's balance between his time at his office and his time with his family. He spends long hours at work and misses important events with his family, including birthday parties for both of his children.
In arguably one of the saddest scenes in Boruto, Naruto, who is actually a shadow clone, disappears while moving Himawari's cake to their dining room table. Naruto ruins the cake, but more importantly, he breaks the promise he made with Boruto to attend Himawari's party. Once again, Naruto's work comes before his children.
5 Boruto Must Work Harder Than Others to Prove Himself
Naruto Uzumaki had quite the legacy prior to becoming the Hokage, but his feats as the leader of Konoha only increase his fame. As the son of the Hokage, Boruto must train harder than his peers to protect his father's image.
Being the child of one of the strongest shinobi in history cannot be easy. But on top of that, Boruto is the grandson of the fourth Hokage, which only adds to that pressure. Everyone has high expectations for him, including Boruto himself.
4 They Will Always Be In Naruto's Shadow
No matter how strong Boruto becomes, the response from fans and the series itself show how Boruto will never be as beloved as Naruto. Boruto mastered the Rasengan in only three days and unknowingly incorporated Wind Release into the jutsu, but the Rasengan and Wind style belonged to Naruto first.
His move set is nearly identical to Naruto's when he was younger. Boruto's Karma is the only ability that sets him apart from his father, even though Boruto is much more creative when fighting. Until Boruto develops his own techniques, he will remain "Naruto's son," rather than "Boruto."
3 They Are Easy Targets
Naruto may be the Hokage, but that doesn't mean he will always be there to protect his children. His position as the Hokage endangers his children by making them tempting targets for enemies.
Delta used Himawari to gain leverage in her fight against Naruto, and Shojoji of the Mugina Bandits intended to use Boruto as a hostage alongside the Fire Daimyo's son. While neither of them has faced a bomb threat like Shikadai, it is undeniable that their relationship with Naruto puts them at risk.
2 There is No Bonding Time
More than just missing family meals and birthdays, Naruto lost the opportunity to teach his children and watch them grow up. Boruto had to train with Konohamaru and Sasuke instead of Naruto during the Chunin Exams. Additionally, Naruto never told his kids the story of how he became a hero.
Boruto began to resent his father because Naruto never took the time to speak with him. Luckily, Naruto has tried to remedy the situation as the series has progressed, but it shouldn't take a family day for him to spend time with his kids.
1 Naruto Could Die At Any Moment
Being the Hokage means that Naruto puts his life on the line each time he defends the village. He's had a few close calls already against Momoshiki and Isshiki, but the series is far from over. The next major battle could be Naruto's last, especially since he lost the plot armor he had when he was the protagonist.
Naruto's death seems imminent because it could serve as a way for Boruto to grow and mature. While character development is important, Naruto's family would suffer in the process.