Naruto: 5 Most Undeserving Kage

In the world of Naruto, the Kage are incredibly important leaders. They’re typically the strongest ninja in their village and carry a huge amount of responsibility. Throughout the series, fans have seen many powerful characters take on the role of Kage.

Most of these individuals performed as expected, but a few didn’t quite measure up. Some lacked the strength or ability to fulfill their roles, while others misused their authority and acted with bad intentions.

Rasa

  • Kage: Fourth Kazekage

Rasa became the Fourth Kazekage after the Third Kazekage passed away. The Third’s death was particularly upsetting because he was considered the most powerful ninja the Hidden Sand Village had ever seen; he had been kidnapped, as the story recounts.

Rasa became Kage after his predecessor, but he was a significant downgrade. He was also a deeply flawed individual, known for abusing his son. Despite possessing some strength, he was ultimately a failure as a person. His poor judgment led Sunagakure into the disastrous Konoha Crush plot, which ultimately resulted in his death. In every way – as a person and a leader – he was unfit to be Kage.

Yagura Karatachi

  • Kage: Fourth Mizukage

Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage, is considered one of the most problematic characters in the Naruto story. He became the leader of his village at a young age and possessed incredible power. He was notably one of the few perfect Jinchuriki, meaning he had complete control over the tailed beast sealed within him, Isobu.

Yagura had the potential to be a great leader, but he was manipulated by Obito using a powerful illusion. As a result, Kirigakure suffered greatly under his rule, becoming a place of brutal training where children were forced to fight and kill. While it’s sad that Yagura was being controlled, his actions ultimately made him a poor leader and his time in power was destructive.

Tobirama Senju

  • Kage: Second Hokage

I’ve been studying the history of the Konoha Kage, and Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage, is a really complex figure. While he accomplished a lot, I believe any leader who harbors genuine hatred is unfit to rule. It’s clear Tobirama carried a lot of resentment towards the Uchiha clan, a feeling that went way back to the days of the Warring States period when they were constantly battling each other. Sadly, his feelings ultimately contributed to the tragic fate of the Uchiha, as Danzo later exploited that existing tension to bring about their downfall.

Tobirama was a highly effective leader who greatly improved the Leaf Village with his infrastructure and institutions. However, many consider him an unworthy Kage because he didn’t view all villagers as equals, prioritizing some clans over others. A true leader shouldn’t discriminate based on clan affiliation, and this flaw undermines his legacy.

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Chojuro

  • Kage: Sixth Mizukage

Chojuro is the current and sixth Mizukage of the Hidden Mist Village. He was first seen as a skilled Jonin just before the Fourth Great Ninja War. He’s renowned for his swordsmanship, particularly his mastery of the Hiramikarei. Chojuro is undeniably a powerful ninja who greatly improved under Mei and eventually became Mizukage himself.

Despite being a character in the story, he lacks depth. He wasn’t a central focus, and his actions weren’t particularly remarkable. His accomplishments didn’t stand out, making his appointment as Mizukage—following a highly respected ninja like Mei—feel unearned.

Danzo Shimura

  • Kage: Temporary Sixth Hokage

Danzo Shimura was a senior ninja in Konoha, belonging to the same generation as Hiruzen Sarutobi. He always felt overshadowed by Hiruzen, which fueled a sense of inadequacy. While Hiruzen focused on upholding the ideals of the village, Danzo operated secretly, handling the more unpleasant tasks. He founded Root and several other shadowy organizations.

Danzo performed many covert and often questionable tasks for Konoha, and he was also willing to betray the village if it benefited him. He briefly became the acting Hokage after Pain’s attack and was a strong contender for the permanent position, even representing Konoha at the Kage Summit. Ultimately, Sasuke Uchiha found him and killed him, avenging the Uchiha clan’s massacre. Danzo would undoubtedly have been the least deserving person to ever hold the title of Hokage.

Naruto is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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Naruto

Naruto is an action-adventure anime series based on the manga series created by Masashi Kishimoto. The titular Naruto Uzumaki is a fearsome Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit sealed inside him, which once wreaked havoc on his village. Shunned by his community yet determined to earn their respect, Naruto dreams of becoming the greatest ninja, the Hokage. This series follows his journey through the Ninja Academy as he continues to train and grow, hoping to prove himself to his peers- and himself.

Specifications

Release Date
2002-10-03
Finale Year
2007
Rating
TV-PG
Genres
Animation (Genre), Action (Genre), Adventure (Genre), Comedy (Genre), Fantasy (Genre)
Showrunner
Masashi Kishimoto (Person)

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2026-04-07 17:36