It’s Time To Accept The Death Of The Hokage In The Boruto Series

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This article contains spoilers from the Boruto series.

The Boruto manga is one of the most captivating new series available, and it’s been consistently published for nearly a decade. While fans appreciate many aspects of the story, the series also faces ongoing issues that cause frustration.

A major issue with the Boruto series is how it’s handled established characters, damaging their reputations and overall impact. The position of Hokage, once highly respected, has lost much of its significance in Boruto. It’s become a weaker role than it used to be, and the series needs to address this to restore its former glory.

The Hokage Is The Most Legendary Ninja of Konoha

  • The Position of a Legendary Hero That Saves The Village
  • The Most Important Ninja Of A Village

In the world of Naruto, the Hokage is considered the most powerful and respected ninja. Because Konoha is traditionally the strongest ninja village, it’s logical that its leader, the Hokage, would also be the strongest ninja overall. Simply put, the Hokage is the village leader. While strength is important, especially during times of war, a Hokage needs to be intelligent, diplomatic, and a skilled strategist to effectively lead the village.

Boruto, I’m the Hokage, which means the entire village is like my family. It’s my duty to protect and care for everyone here. — Naruto Uzumaki

Above all, the Hokage needs to embody the ‘Will of Fire’ – nurturing the next generation and protecting them at all costs. They must treat the entire village like family and be willing to sacrifice everything for its people. This is what the Naruto series established as the true meaning of being Hokage, and unfortunately, the Boruto series seems to have completely undone that in a short amount of time.

The title of Hokage doesn’t carry the same weight with fans as it once did. The series hasn’t portrayed the position with the respect it deserves, both during Naruto’s time as Hokage and after he stepped down.

After The Fate of Naruto, The Hokage Has Lost Its True Meaning

Image from Studio Pierrot

You know, a lot of people think the issues with how Boruto’s story handles the Hokage position really started after Naruto vanished, but I don’t think that’s quite right. Even when Naruto was Hokage, we hardly ever saw him being Hokage, you know? It was mostly just paperwork and fighting bad guys – the usual Konoha stuff. The heart of being Hokage, to me, is about protecting and nurturing the next generation, truly caring for everyone like they’re your own family. And honestly, we didn’t get to see enough of that from Naruto’s portrayal.

The Boruto series completely sidelined the importance of the Hokage role. Naruto rarely showed up except during big fights, and even then, his appearances mostly served to emphasize how powerful the new villains were. Eventually, his strength was diminished, and he was sealed away, making the Hokage position feel even more meaningless than before.

This isn’t the story of a boy dreaming of becoming Hokage. That was my father’s journey. This is my own story—the story of Boruto Uzumaki.

Since then, Konoha chose Shikamaru as the temporary Hokage, but this appointment feels less significant than ever before in the series. With so many other strong ninja around, the position doesn’t seem to carry the same weight it once did.

Watching the Boruto series, I’ve noticed something that feels off about how the Hokage is portrayed. It seems like their role has been reduced to just giving instructions and letting others do the actual work. To me, a true Hokage should be a leader who actively participates, fighting alongside their team and inspiring the next generation. They should be the first line of defense, willing to risk everything to protect the village and its people.

The First Hokage demonstrated a powerful tradition when he battled Madara Uchiha: a willingness to sacrifice everything for the future. This commitment was seen again when Hiruzen Sarutobi defeated Orochimaru, giving his life in the process, and when the Fourth Hokage sealed away the Nine-Tailed Fox. Traditionally, the Hokage has always been a protector, even if it meant personal sacrifice, dedicated to ensuring a safe and proper upbringing for the next generation. However, in the current era of Boruto, these core values seem to have been completely forgotten.

The Hokage Position Has Died A Symbolic Death In Boruto

  • Naruto Was Undervalued As Hokage
  • The Position Doesn’t Matter Much

The role of Hokage in Boruto has lost its meaning, and it’s become increasingly irrelevant who holds the position. Unless the underlying issues are fixed, the Hokage will continue to be seen as unimportant, which is a shame. Many fans are understandably upset by this decline in the significance of the Hokage, but there’s still optimism that the next generation of characters can restore its former glory when the time is right.

Sarada Could Revive The True Essence Of Being A Hokage

image by Manga Plus

Honestly, as a fan, I don’t think Konoha has had a real Hokage in a while – someone who truly embodies what that role should be. Everyone had such high hopes for Konohamaru, but it’s been pretty disappointing to watch how his character has been handled in the Boruto series. I really believe Sarada is the one who could actually bring the Hokage position back to life and give it the weight and meaning it deserves. She’s the one who could truly revive the legacy!

Fans are aware that Sarada aspires to become Hokage, just like Naruto, and lead the village. She possesses the compassion and skills needed to be a fantastic leader. When she eventually takes on the role, she might redefine what it means to be Hokage, leading with the same courage and example set by previous leaders in the Naruto series. However, viewers will likely have to wait a considerable amount of time to see this happen, as the Boruto series doesn’t seem to be ending soon.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is the continuation of the Boruto story, created by Mikio Ikemoto with supervision from Masashi Kishimoto. The series picks up three years after the events of the Omnipotence arc and focuses on Boruto Uzumaki’s efforts to protect the world, alongside his complicated relationship with Kawaki. Chapter 30 is scheduled to be released on January 20, 2026, at 10 AM EST / 3 PM UTC. Fans can read it for free on the Manga Plus and Shonen Jump apps.

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2026-01-13 00:36