This article contains spoilers from the Naruto series.
Naruto Uzumaki is one of the most famous characters in the entire anime, known to be the main hero Naruto series. The yellow-haired ninja inspired a generation around the world with his immense toughness, his spirit to never give up and overcome all adversity. Naruto Uzumaki is an absolutely incredible protagonist and fans know that his dream of becoming the Hokage of his village serves as an inspiration to many.
Naruto: Sasuke as Konoha's Next Hokage, Explained
Sasuke could be the next Hokage. Maybe he will return to the Boruto story soon.
At the end of his long and arduous journey, Naruto Uzumaki succeeded and became Hokage of Konoha. Many years after the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War, Naruto was named the Seventh Hokage of the village and remains the Seventh Hokage to this day. However, there is a dispute as to whether or not Naruto should be the seventh Hokage of the village. While Naruto Uzumaki definitely has the strength to hold his position, it wastes his other talents and for that very reason he should actually be kept from the position of Hokage forever.
Naruto Uzumaki was cast in Boruto as Hokage
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Naruto is lost in the Hokage's office
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Fans want him to get more attention
Becoming Hokage is the highest honor any Konoha shinobi can receive. Usually, shinobi ranks are classified into Genin, followed by Chunin, and finally Jonin. Among the strongest in a particular village are a few select individuals who become Kage. Not only do they have to have immense strength, but their maturity should be on a whole other level, as well as the desire to protect the innocent. The Hokage is basically the leader and protector of the village who must see everyone as his own family.
This is not a story about a boy who wants to become Hokage. That was my father's story. This is none other than my story! — Boruto Uzumaki, Boruto Chapter 1
In this regard, Naruto Uzumaki ticks all the boxes. It is the strongest the village has had until recently. and at the same time embodies the Will of Fireand sees everyone in the village as his own family. Naruto is the perfect leader any village could wish for.
Unfortunately, when Naruto becomes Hokage, it means that his other attributes come to a complete waste. IN Boruto series, it's pretty clear to see Naruto is rusty because he is Hokage. For the strongest warrior in the village, rust is unforgivable. Naruto Uzumaki's battle against Shin Uchiha was proof of that. Although extremely powerful, Naruto was lightly stabbed in the gut by a relatively weak individual. Seeing this, Kurama clearly told Naruto that he was rusty and that he should train more. Actually all the time Boruto series, Kurama told Naruto on various occasions to train more. Of course, Naruto still came through when needed, such as the battle against Momoshiki or the fight against Ishiki. However, the fact is that Naruto is not so fit anymoreand that's a big problem.
Naruto is the strongest in the world and needs to be more active
The strongest ninja in the world should always be on the front line and that is an undeniable fact. The world of ninjas has changed drastically over the past two decades. The threats facing the ninja world right now are not the same as before. Back then, shinobi infiltration could easily be dealt with by a Jonin. However, now he has to deal with aliens on the level of Otsutsuki and possibly Shinju who are just as powerful. The average Jonin or Chunin cannot deal with these problems.
Of course, Boruto's generation has a select few who can fight these threats, such as Sarada Uchiha, Boruto himself, and even Kawaki. However, the vast majority of others are powerless against them. It is absolutely necessary for characters like Naruto Uzumaki to be on the front lines as much as possible. If that means giving up the title of Hokage, then so be it.
This power is immense. It should definitely surpass his. But the disadvantages are too great. You know, the fact that it drains our life is key. Since the chakra is connected, the power that arises from the bits of our lives also shaves his life on contact. That's the power of Baryon Mode. — Kurama to Naruto Uzumaki
Naruto shouldn't be Hokage sitting in an office where he can do very little. Instead, he should be honing his skills every day and being out on the battlefield, leading from the front and setting an example for the next generation. That's what a true leader would do.
Instead, the title of Hokage should be taken by someone more skilled in diplomatic matters, such as Shikamaru Nara. Naruto deserves the position of Hokage and that goes without saying and there is no better Hokage than him in the entire series. But, Koma, he must leave this title behind if he truly wants to help against the greater threats facing the world.
Naruto's best moments come outside of the Hokage's office
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Naruto saved the world without being Hokage
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His true powers shine on the battlefield
It's no surprise that all of Naruto's best moments in the franchise have come outside of the Hokage's office. Naruto does very little as Hokage. In fact, this is true of the vast majority of Kage. They barely get a chance to shine and the only time they do is when the village is either under attack or they are at war. It works well for supporting characters like the second Hokage. But it's a problem for Naruto.
Naruto really shined in many battles in the original series because he didn't sit in an office and let his skills go to waste. In Boruto, his best moments came when he was forced to leave the office and take matters into his own hands, even when others like Shikamaru advised against it.
Boruto: The New 8th Hokage, Explained
The 8th Hokage officially replaces Naruto Uzumaki. There are several rivals in Borut.
Naruto's own instinct tells him to take matters into his own hands and lead from the front. The politics of the village forces him to be in the office, burdened with paperwork. This should be someone else's problem, not Naruto's, and fans know that once he returns, he would be much better off being away from the Hokage position, just like Sasuke over the years.
Fans hope that Naruto will return to the front lines in the future
Naruto Uzumaki's return will eventually happen. It doesn't seem to be closed at the moment, but it will be later. Once Naruto returns, it would be much better for the village to put Konohamaru as the next Hokage, or perhaps let Shikamaru continue in his position as Hokage. Naruto should instead serve as the elite ninja of the village, leading from the front and engaging in exciting battles.
That's what Naruto needs at this point and he, along with Sasuke, could then fight the greatest enemies together, and that's something fans would love to see as well. As great an honor as being Hokage is, it holds Naruto back and should be shelved. Naruto should not be Konoha's Hokage upon his returnand that might be a tough pill to swallow for some fans, but his character will be even richer.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is a sequel to the original Boruto series written by Mikio Ikemoto and supervised by Masashi Kishimoto. The series follows the journey of Boruto Uzumaki, 3 years after the events of Omnipotence intervened in the story. Boruto must now try to save the world from the danger he faces when dealing with his brother Kawaki. Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 30 is set to officially release on January 20, 2026. The chapter release time is 10:00 EST / 15:00 UTC. As always, fans can read this chapter officially for free on Manga Plus and Shonen Jump.
