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This review is purely about the anime version. If you want an actual Boruto itself review, read my manga review.
Or even better I would say just read the manga, its only 81 chapters.

I'll start by saying, the anime is good. However, as people are aware. it is about 70% filler if you follow ONLY manga content.
A lot of the anime cannon arcs are actually very enjoyable though. For example Mitsuki's backstory arc. Something not mentioned in the manga. I would advise skipping a lot of the filler content and a large portion of the anime canon as most of it is just additional ... lore to the characters in Boruto.

The series doesn't truly start until the introduction of Kawaki which is like 180s in the anime. Half the anime is essentially just world building, so if you have watched Naruto (which most likely you would have first) then I would say just watch the manga cannon arcs.
Plus arcs specific to any characters you do like. Like the mitsuki arc. And the mist village arc is also very enjoyable even though it is not cannon. The rest are average as I didn't really care for their stories or characters in some cases (Hoping Blue Vortex kills cho cho)

After Kawaki is brought into it. There are a lot less fillers and anime cannon compared to the first half but there is still a lot.
The labyrinth game arc was an example where it was actually pretty good still but is not at all relevant to the story.
Plus they did an adaptation of Sasuke Retsuden just before final arc (code arc) which is pure canon however the western world clowned on it because sasuke was fighting a dinosaur. But that arc was also pretty decent. Shows off Sasuke a bit where hes not in it so much.

I would advise reading the manga and then watching the anime if you liked it. Or if you cannot be bothered for any non essential information watch only manga cannon episodes. Which is like 60 episodes total to finish the whole show.

A few Spoilers mentioned - mainly the chimera ant arc (end)

Hunter Hunter seemed daunting due to the size of it. I refused to watch long animes for a long time.
Once I did get into Hunter Hunter, I quickly changed my mind and was glad it was so long. The story is well developed (mostly - but I'll get to that) and the characters are very likeable. Leorio is just funny for no reason. Of the core four characters the only one I really couldn't get behind was Kurapika. he had redeeming qualities but he was just a chore to watch half the time. sadly ... both those characters are only in the first half really and then the final arc where they invented the god-like sibling for the zoldycks.

Gon was your typical happy go lucky shoenen mc that was actually born to be powerful. There was way less training needed than your typical mc, which was different but in a good way. It wasn't overloading and there was training for nen usage once that was introduced and explained. The best part is they didn't spend a long period of time just doing training arcs. It was short and then the characters were all back on pace.
Killua is the number one favourite I think, I see why though. He is strong and a lot more reserved compared to Gon. Their friendship is always fun to see.

Excluding a few weirdo characters (yes the weird clown). They all have something that makes them good and enjoyable. Even most side characters can be very fun to see. Like the butler of the zoldyck estate

!This is where the spoilers of the end are mentioned!

The arcs were very fluid and enjoyable all the way until chimera ant arc. Which is the only point that I have any issues with.
The hunter exam and greed island were the best two arcs. constant enjoyment.
Chimera ant arc started well but went downhill. The arc was the only thing that dropped my score to a 8.
Why introduce such a strong character that survives the fight with the strongest hunter but let him die via poison just because his blind pal was also dying. Yeah their friendship was great and the development of Meruem was very well paced. However the god of the ants practically commits suicide.
Then you have Gon pretty much reinvent the rules of the series by changing his body to his peak future just to fight a pretty strong cat that happened to kill a side character he knew for like 20 in story days. Resulting in the invented sibling of killua that has god powers. not even super strong nen. Literal god wishing powers. Something that no one knew could even exist.
The final parts and pure plot convenience did make me feel as though the ending wasn't that fulfilling. However the manga is still ongoing (when the author isn't in and out of hospital) so it gives me a bit of reassurance that eventually there could be another series (or ill just read the manga as rn theres about 70 chapters after gon and his dad meet up) and the future content will maybe make the invented nonsense make more sense OR implement more types of these god powers to make that not seem like pure plot armour.

I would definitely recommend it as none of my friends had any issue with what I mentioned above so I think that's just an unpopular take on the series.

This is the anime that started it all for me.

So yeah I'll have Bias. The only thing wrong with the whole series as that it ends at 12 episodes.

Ikki Kurogane is probably one of my favourite MCs of all time. The embodiment of hard work will take you the whole way.
Everyone loves an underdog story. The flow of the anime was perfect. slowly building and revealing the true powers of Ikki.

There was no bad or boring fights. Additionally, they was frequent enough but not overloading the storyline with pointless flashiness. It allowed time to develop story while also keeping high engagement. ... I literally binged the whole thing in one sitting.

If you like flashy fights where even though you know the winner you still feel the stakes. This is a no brainer.


Side note: A lot of people mention Asterisk War as they have a somewhat similar premise and released alongside each other.
I think those who watch Asterisk war first will have a harder time getting into this anime and the same applies the other way around.

Darwin's game was a surprisingly good series.

I expected a very standard 'hunger-games-esque' type show. It really surprised me how much I enjoyed it. The MC has a steady development throughout and ends on a good note. I hope a season 2 releases one day but for now the existing content is satisfaction enough.

I think anyone who enjoyed things like Mirai Nikki (Future Diary) or just standard last man standing/king of the hill types, will enjoy this anime. The pacing is good. The characters are interesting enough. And just the addition of unique powers per player adds an almost unlimited potential of possibilities for ... unseen characters in the future. Though I think the manga may have finished?

The story isn't complex at all, it's straightforward and easy to keep up with.

Episodes feel short though, like you blink and they're over because it's such a steady flow of content. A rarity in many of the more recent years of animes. It's great to kill time waiting for a friend to come online! Though you may end up binging it all.

This review will be very short and to the point.

Episode 1 is a catfish. It builds up and ends on a really good cliff hanger. Unfortunately, it is all down hill from there.
The character Iwanaga. The little disabled girl. DOES NOT SHUT UP.
Even later in the series where there is a pretty decent villain the mc is fighting. She is non stop talking. about 94% of the show is pure monologues. The remaining 6% is the OP and Ending music. There is no such thing as observing a scene. She will be talking.

If you love to be spoken too non stop about every minor detail ... at all times. You may enjoy this anime.
If you are normal, maybe give this one a miss.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW - I could talk a whole lot more if I was to reference anything specific but I want people to experience it properly!

People are quick to jump on the bandwagon with Boruto hate. I get it, their favourite characters aren't what they used to be. However, these same people also forget to mention that this series and the original Naruto are different stories.
That being said. This is one of the series you have to come to your own conclusion for. The general fanbase of Naruto are haters for how they 'nerfed' their favourite characters. (quotations because its not nerfing if every ... villain is stronger than the strongest villain of the original) Anyone who enters Boruto with an open mind and accepts that this is more like a faster paced original Naruto story and not like the way shippuden develops, often has a better enjoyment of the series. Its also 81 chapters that's a few hours at most to read.

Anyway for those who like a full review:

Boruto has a great opening scene to get you hooked. It does the job and captivates the audience. It's then shoved backwards to a rather annoying version of the MC and I understand why people turn off of the series. Manga wise it's around 15ish chapters to cover the Naruto to Boruto movie. Chunin exams and momoshiki. We don't get to see 'new' content until after that arc finishes. BUT that's where the story really begins!

Story: 8. few mild issues but overall enjoyable. typical shounen

Because it's centred around the Ōtsutsuki clan, there are a few issues with the storyline however this is the same in the original. The whole war arc generated so many plot holes for the naruto-verse I can't even begin to talk about them. This is about Boruto though.
The development and change of modernising the village with scientific ninja tools is different. It does take away from the heavy hand signal use we were so familiar with but its good how they show growth of Konoha and the land of the Fire. You can't have a new storyline that references old characters but everyone is just doing the same thing as they were in Naruto. No creativity. People dislike change apparently. I much preferred the taijutsu over anything else in the series. might guy and rock lee both have some of the best fights in the whole show and neither use jutsu. This series is more taijutsu heavy but it mainly centres around the new powers we learn that aren't jutsu (which I wont talk much more on as its a spoiler). Karma is different to what we know but one of the coolest things we have seen.

Characters: 9 (would be a 10 if choji didnt exist)

The characters of Boruto are similar to their counterparts. It's almost like it's their parents so they're going to be similar. I personally like the mild differences of the characters we grew to love over a 700 chapter/episode series. The development of the MC starting as a little bratty kid to respecting his father and the village's beliefs. All while being shoved into the deep end fighting gods at age 12. Kid Naruto gets smoked by kid Boruto. Until young Naruto loses control and goes berserk and whatever, then Kurama wins the fight.
The story truly develops once you are introduced to Kawaki. His design and story are amazing.
The villains all gradually increase in difficulty and strength, really showing how far the characters come.
Mitsuki is such a cool character. moreso at the end after seeing what he can really do. My only annoyance is how early this is revealed in the anime vs the manga due to the anime cannon episodes/filler. I can't talk much about him because he's very mysterious for a while so it's all a spoiler.
Sarada. mark my words she's gonna be the strongest Uchiha to exist. All she gotta do is train for her mothers signature 100 healings and her future mangekyo sharingan blindness from overuse will be negated. Her parents made an OP hybrid and I can't wait to see what happens with her character in Two Blue Vortex.
Sakura is not useless anymore. maybe that also causes hate because everyone wants to hate sakura.
Sasuke is still the goat, biggest hindrance to the Ōtsutsuki clan pre kawaki and boruto level up.
Naruto has the best fight of the whole entire series vs Ishikki. That's all that needs to be said.

Art: I mean kishimoto talks for himself on art so I'm not even entertaining a rating for this.

Really in summary, I would recommend anyone who actually enjoys the naruto universe and not just the characters of the original to read this. It is a whole lot nicer than the anime (and significantly faster). Anime only has about 60 episodes that reference the manga material. It does have a few good 'anime canon' arcs though which provide a little more information about things.
I will also die on this hill because Boruto is a good series!