This article contains spoilers for the Boruto series.
Naruto Uzumaki is one of the most important characters in the entirety of shonen anime, and fans know that when it comes to the Naruto series, he is the very soul of it. Naruto’s dream from very early on in the story was to become the Hokage of the village, and this is what drove him to great heights. This is also why fans became as invested as they were in the Naruto series because his determination and grit are what inspired them along the way. Naruto became an icon and the epitome of the phrase “never giving up,” and to this day, fans associate it with him.
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In the Boruto series, however, a lot has changed for Naruto Uzumaki, and fans know that he is not the same important character that he used to be. In fact, even as the Hokage, Naruto has been cast aside for the vast majority of the last few years, and he most certainly won’t be important again for the coming arcs. Regardless, Konoha has moved forward without him, and it is time for a new Hokage to show up. With Shikamaru as the interim, there is a need for Konoha to elect a new leader who is also incredibly powerful.
Konoha Deserves A Legendary Hokage After Naruto Uzumaki
- Naruto Uzumaki won’t return anytime soon in Boruto
- Konoha needs a new Hokage immediately
The Hokage is known to be the strongest shinobi of a village. But, a Hokage needs to be more than just strong. More often than not, the Hokage of a village is also its most important asset. The Hokage also needs to be level-headed and, at the same time, incredibly talented with diplomacy. After all, the Hokage has to deal with multiple diplomats throughout the day and, above all, protect the people of the village, and understand them the best. A Hokage who doesn’t work for the people is no true Hokage at all.
I can already tell, Naruto Uzumaki is alive, isn’t he? Your reaction tells me so! — Jura to Kawaki
As has been stated multiple times by the likes of Hiruzen, they need to inherit the Will of Fire to protect the people they love the most. This is part of what made Naruto the best Hokage. Of course, he was not skilled with diplomacy at first. With time, he learned this skill as well, but, most of all, he had a big heart and he inherited the Will of Fire from the Third Hokage.
Naruto Uzumaki became the most powerful Hokage of all time and he was also the best overall because he would put his life on the line time and again to save his people. Now, the time of Naruto Uzumaki has passed, which means a new Hokage must rise. In Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, Shikamaru Nara was revealed to the fans as the next Hokage, but it’s safe to say that he is not impressive at all.
Shikamaru Is The Temporary Hokage Of Konoha
When Boruto’s Part 2 began, fans were immediately shocked to see that Shikamaru was the next Hokage of Konoha. For starters, Shikamaru is not someone who inspires strength at all. He’s one of the weakest shinobi in the village, even though he is the smartest of all. A Hokage needs to be more than just smart, as has been explained already, and Shikamaru certainly does not check all the boxes. Someone like Sakura Haruno would have been a much better fit as Hokage, but for some reason, she has been spurned by Konoha.
Shikamaru, you can’t dodge the Hokage position forever. Sooner or later, you’ll have to take the position permanently. — Daimyo to Shikamaru
Regardless, it is quite clear that Shikamaru has only taken this position because he was Naruto’s advisor. Knowing that he was closest to the Hokage, perhaps the village chose him as the interim leader because he knew Naruto’s plans the best. In either case, it has been made clear in the Boruto series that Shikamaru is not the permanent Hokage of the village. He’s only the temporary Hokage and will continue to be the temporary replacement for the time being.
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Shikamaru does not even have his stone carved with the Hokage, and he most certainly won’t get one anytime soon. Knowing that Naruto is alive, Shikamaru is betting on his eventual return, which will probably happen way too late. But, it has already been three years since Naruto’s disappearance, and Konoha cannot wait any longer. Any moment now, a new Hokage will emerge in the Boruto series, and this one will be the permanent Eighth Hokage of the village.
Konohamaru Sarutobi Could Be Konoha’s Next Hokage
- Konohamaru was set up as the next Hokage
- Sarada will likely follow him
Given the story progression that fans have witnessed in Boruto over the years, it is safe to say that the next Hokage of Konoha would be none other than Konohamaru Sarutobi. Konohamaru has wanted to be Hokage for a very long time. At one point, he wanted to be the Seventh Hokage of Konoha because he was sure that Naruto would be the Sixth. As fate would have it, Naruto ended up becoming the Seventh Hokage of Konoha, and now it is time for Konohamaru to become the Eighth. In fact, if he doesn’t become the Hokage, his entire plotline and his character right from the very beginning of the story that Kishimoto wrote would go to waste.
Konohamaru has to become the Hokage of the village, no matter what, because otherwise, his plotline would be wasted. Unfortunately, his character has been absolutely destroyed in the Boruto series, and he hardly ever gets the importance that he deserves. That is another valid criticism of the Boruto series, but that matters little. Regardless of whether his character gets good writing or not, he deserves to be the Hokage and must become the next leader of the village, when the time for choosing the 8th Hokage comes.
Naruto Likely Won’t Be Hokage Again
There are many fans who simply don’t want to see an Eighth Hokage being elected at the moment, and one can see where they’re coming from. Most fans know that Naruto Uzumaki will return to the story eventually, and that he might even take up his position of Seventh Hokage once again. But fans need to make their peace with the fact that Naruto won’t rule as Hokage again. This is because Naruto’s return will happen towards the end of the story, and by that point, Sarada should be close to becoming the Hokage. Consequently, it also means that Konohamaru should already be Hokage at this point in the story.
If Naruto continues to reign as Hokage, given his age, he will continue for years. That simply can’t happen because the plot requires other people to step up and take this position. As such, Konohamaru will most likely take this position right now, and when Naruto returns, he won’t be the Hokage of the village anymore. While this might seem sad to the fans, this is actually a good decision. When Naruto is not Hokage, he is actively fighting out on the front lines, and that is where his best moments have come year in year out.
Naruto Uzumaki is a fighter, and he should not be stuck in an office dealing with paperwork. The Hokage dream for Naruto existed because he wanted the acknowledgement of the people. He already has that acknowledgement and the love of everyone all over the world. Naruto does not need the Hokage title anymore, and he has grown beyond that. He simply needs to go out, hone his skills, and fight to save the world.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is the 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 struck in the story. Boruto must now work to save to world from the perils it faces while dealing with his brother, Kawaki. Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 30 is set for its official release on January 20, 2026. The release time of the chapter is 10 AM EST/ 3 PM UTC. As always, fans can read the chapter officially for free on the Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump apps.
