Analysis of All the Naruto Hokage Characters You Need to Know 

In the past few decades, anime shows and manga have become more popular with viewers and readers around the globe. As a matter of fact, one of the anime shows that have taken the small screens and the world by storm is Naruto. For years, viewers in Japan, North America, and other Asian countries witnessed how Naruto and his friends worked hard to become the greatest ninjas of all time. Naruto Hokage Characters are the main theme for current essay as here we are going to know more about these Hokages and the roles they played throughout the development of the series.

What is a Hokage?

A Hokage literally translates into ‘Fire Shadow.’ The Hokage is the most powerful and skilled ninja in their village. As the top shinobi in the entire continent, these Hokages are tasked to oversee the daily activities of the village. Moreover, these leaders preside over the safety and security of their people, as well as taking on the challenging role of mentoring ninjas. They, too, are in charge of giving shinobis missions to help protect the village.

The main focus of the Fire Shadows is to protect their ninja village called Konoha. However, there are also other Kages or shadows who hail from different lands and villages. Hokages are given the privilege of choosing their successor. Unlike royal bloodlines which honor the next of kin or those who honor the birthright, Hokages are selected based on the qualifications set forth by their predecessors. However, should a Hokage die or become incapacitated prior to naming a successor, the village elders alongside the feudal lord will pick a suitable candidate for the position. If other members approve of the group decision, a new Hokage will be elected by the village.

Who are the Naruto Hokage Characters?

Hashirama Senju

Hashirama Senju took on the first Hokage position after the creation of the village of Konohagakure. Known for his prowess in the field, Hashirama was considered as the “God of Shinobi” due to his exceptional mastery of numerous skills, including taming the Ten-Tails. He came to place after founding members and the respective member clans established the village of Konohagakure, a place where children no longer needed to go and die in battle.

While Hashirama was wholeheartedly involved in building the structure of the village, he wanted his childhood friend Madara Uchiha from the Uchiha clan as a sign of peace and respect. However, Hashirama’s remaining brother, Tobirama, suggested that the rightful leader be chosen from the villagers of Konoha.

Despite his initial reluctance in leading the village, Hashirama’s appointment as the First Hokage ended the war between clans, lands, and villages. As a leader who continually rose to the occasion, Hashirama proved that he could lead the people towards peace and unity.

Tobirama Senju

The second ‘Fire Shadow’ who assumed the position was Tobirama Senju, the brother of Hashirama. While Madara was poised by Hashirama to take his place, he eventually chose Tobirama to succeed him.

Under Tobirama, the Konoha village exceeded expectations by building upon the tenets set by his brother. Apart from continuing his brother’s legacy, Tobirama also founded iconic institutions which molded the minds and hearts of everyone in Konoha, including the Academy, the Anbu, and the Chunin exams.

Like Hashirama, Tobirama was considered one of the most powerful and skilled shinobis in existence. Through his knowledge and abilities in the field, he was able to kill the brother of Madara. He is also known for his swiftness in battles.

Hiruzen Sarutobi

The Third Fire Shadow was chosen by his predecessor, Tobirama. Hiruzen was often considered soft and weak by his peers and people from the village because his leadership style was different from those that came before him. He cherished and waxed poetic about the importance of the youth and the changes they could make to the world in the future. Unlike his predecessors, Hiruzen was not able to appoint a successor, leading the elders to choose in his stead.

Hiruzen is known as The Professor to his students and colleagues alike. Throughout his lifetime, he was able to make combat techniques that helped him during missions and battles.

Minato Namikaze

Touted as Konoha’s Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze is not only widely recognized for his yellow hair, but also his lightning speed. His performance during the Third Shinobi War allowed him to earn the spot as the Fourth Fire Shadow. Contributions from Minato include teaching the Hokage Guard Platoon the Flying Thunder God Technique which aids them in their daily tasks.

More than this, Minato also brought the show’s namesake to life, fathering Naruto himself together with his wife, Kushina. He worked closely with The Professor’s guidance, asking for help and advice throughout his reign. His dedication to his craft ended in an untimely death, facing the Nine-Tails and the Shinigami before succumbing to the inevitable.

Tsunade

The only female Hokage among the list, Tsunade is considered as one of the world’s most powerful and famed kunoichi. Besides this, she is known for her prowess as a ninja working in the medical field, helping heal the people and the victims of war through her medical ninjutsu.

Despite initially bearing skepticism towards the position, Tsunade remained committed to her craft and in protecting the people and the village of Konoha. Her dedication and commitment to ensuring the safety and protection of Konoha stemmed from a sense of debt and honor from Dan and Nazaki, as well as the previous leaders that came before her.

Apart from her medical-nin, Tsunade is also known for her skills and her excellent chakra control, allowing her to battle endlessly without feeling tired. She is a descendant from both the Senju and Uzumaki clans, making her related to Hashimara Senju.,

Kakashi Hatake

Even as a child, Kakashi’s prowess and exceptional control of his abilities made him an early favorite of many individuals. While he experienced loss and death at an early age, Kakashi proved himself by strengthening the values and belief of the ninjas in the position they uphold in society.

With his strength and combat skills, many people believed that Kakashi was destined for the role, especially with his leadership capabilities. While he was strong enough to take on a powerful nation by himself, his true strengths lie in his ability to teach future shinobis and mold them towards service.

Naruto Uzumaki

Last but certainly not least is Naruto Uzumaki, the son of Minato Namikaze. Training under the watchful eye of Kakashi, Naruto eventually became known as the Hero of the Hidden Leaf due to his contributions in the Fourth Shinobi War. All his life, he dreamed of becoming a Hokage in the hopes of finally earning the respect and admiration of the people after years of being shunned.

Naruto’s special powers include having a huge reserve of chakra as well as unleashing the Nine-Tails within him. He is also known for his various ninja transformations.

Conclusion

All of these Naruto Hokage characters play a special role which contributed to the success and the safety of Konohagakure. The adventurous and challenges Naruto and his friends faced tested their limits and relationships. In particular, the show’s main protagonist and the various struggles he experienced rings true for many individuals, which may account for one of the reasons why the show became popular. Apart from the inspiring narrative of leading his village and becoming a Hokage, Naruto also imparts lessons on making dreams come true. Along his journey to become one of the greatest ninjas of all time, the show’s namesake comes across other Hokages who mold him to become one of the best ninjas among his peers. Ending with Naruto’s reign, many fans around the world speculate that his son, Boruto, is slated to take the role.