5 Naruto Characters Who Would Make A Better Hokage Than Shikamaru (& 5 Who Would Be Worse)

Boruto makes Naruto fans wonder who would make a better Hokage than Shikamaru Nara. However, some characters would be worse.

You Are Reading :5 Naruto Characters Who Would Make A Better Hokage Than Shikamaru (& 5 Who Would Be Worse)

Thanks to the Boruto series originally kicking off with a flashforward that teased Naruto Uzumaki’s absence, fans have spent much of the series wondering who the next Hokage – if there’s a next Hokage – will be. One name that often pops up in conversations about the Naruto franchise is Shikamaru Nara. While Shikamaru would make a great Hokage, many fans seem to agree that it’s not a post he would be able to take on long term. Instead, he seems like someone who would make for a great acting Hokage until the next one is chosen.

That does beg the question: who would make a better Hokage than Shikamaru? In order for someone to take over the job after Naruto, and his advisor, the audience has to believe the other character fully capable in terms of shinobi abilities, cooperation with advisors, and diplomatic ties to other shinobi nations.

10 Better: Sasuke

There’s no question that Sasuke Uchiha is one of the most powerful shinobi in the Naruto world. He’s one of the few who can rival Naruto himself for mastery of skills. His arc from a boy bent on revenge to a man who protects everyone is also one of the best in the series.

Sasuke has certainly learned the value of listening to the advice of others, meaning he wouldn’t dismiss the concerns of Konohagakure’s political staff in favor of his own decisions. The one thing that might get in Sasuke’s way is his need to stay out of the spotlight – and the villagers who might be wary of his history. The village might not trust the man who once turned on them to gain power for himself.

9 Worse: Temari

Temari of the Sand grew up in a political family. Her youngest brother is the Kazekage. She knows what it means to be diplomatic. She’s also married to the Hokage’s current advisor, Shikamaru. Barring the fact that her familial connections to Suna likely mean no one in Konoha would ever put her in charge, there is another reason she wouldn’t make a great Hokage.

Temari is very reactionary person. Though she’s good on her feet in a fight, her temper would quickly put her at odds with other leaders, her own staff, and people in the village. She would be someone who followed her emotions first and her head second.

8 Better: Moegi

To be completely fair, the audience hasn’t spent a ton of time with Moegi. She might not be the best person for the job of Hokage, but what the audience does know about her makes her a better fit for the position than Shikamaru.

Moegi was a member of Team Ebisu as a kid, and she always appeared to be the level headed one of the group compared to her teammates. She grows up to be the sensei for the new generation of Ino-Shika-Cho, which is typically an honor reserved for members of the Sarutobi clan because of the secrets behind their family jutsu. Moegi also is the only member of the new generation to exhibit a proficiency in Wood Release as well, something the first Hokage did. She’s clearly more powerful than she lets on, and her leadership skills are already respected by her peers.

7 Worse: Hinata

Hinata is a very capable shinobi. Her power set improves greatly over the course of the series as does her ability to handle pressure. While her children might be afraid of making her mad, however, Hinata doesn’t have the authority to carry the role of Hokage.

She might not have the same problem of fainting in front of people who intimidate her as an adult, but Hinata is not someone who is going to be comfortable standing up to other leaders. Hinata is still very quiet and more than willing to let other people make the big decisions.

6 Better: Choji

One of Shikamaru’s teammates when a child, Choji Akimichi might not seem like top choice to become Hokage. He doesn’t, after all, have mastery of several different shinobi disciplines like so many previous Hokage’s do. Power, however, shouldn’t be the only thing examined when choosing a Hokage.

Even if it is, his size-changing jutsu is impressive in its own right, and he proves himself to have incredibly careful control over it at a young age when he survives using a food pill that is supposed to kill him. More than that though, Choji is well-liked by pretty much everyone in Konoha. He is the kind of person who gives everyone the benefit of the doubt, and a kind heart goes a long way in a leader. Choji also knows his own strengths and weaknesses well enough to know when to defer to an advisor instead of charging ahead himself.

5 Worse: Shino

Shino Aburame is a bit of an outsider amongst the Konoha 11 as a child. His particular brand of ninjutsu – utilizing insects in battle – isn’t for everyone. He likely surprised a lot of his peers when he grew up to become a teacher at the Shinobi Academy.

Though Shino shows himself to be fully capable of molding young minds in Boruto, the pressure of mentoring the next generation almost gets to him. He doesn’t know if he’s good enough to remain a teacher and seeks out advice from other teachers. If Shino wanted to become Hokage, he would need more confidence in his own abilities, and he would definitely need to learn to trust his instincts more.

4 Better: Sarada

If there’s any shinobi in the new generation who seems primed to become Hokage, it’s Sarada Uchiha. She might not have the genius level intellect of Shikamaru, but she’s incredibly logic-driven, just like he is. She’s also already incredibly powerful and confident in her own abilities.

Sarada has proven herself time and again to be someone who picks up new skills quickly and understands how to apply the information she’s given in real-world scenarios. She might not have the same wartime experiences that her parents’ generation does, but that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t understand the weight of being the Hokage in a changing world.

3 Worse: Ino

Ino Yamanaka has a tremendous power – the ability to get inside the minds of other people. That paticular family jutsu has been underutilized in the Naruto franchise, not allowing Ino to live up to her potential.

Ino has always been most concerned with appearance rather than application. It’s one of the reasons her teammates Shikamaru and Choji could get frustrated with her as teenagers. It’s also one of the reasons she wouldn’t make a good Hokage. There’s nothing wrong with a little vanity, but it shouldn’t be more important than shinobi skills for the leader of a hidden village.

2 Better: Konohamaru

When it comes to training and experience, Konohamaru Sarutobi has a lot of the same background as Naruto – minus the tailed beast, of course. Naruto even personally trains Konohamaru in a few different specialized skills. He’s proven himself incredibly capable, powerful, and willing to put the village ahead of his own desires in Boruto.

Of course, the big point in Konohamaru’s favor is that he already understands what it means to be Hokage. The Sarutobi clan is a powerful and high ranking one in Konoha. Konohamaru was even raised by his grandfather, the Third Hokage, and spent most of his formative years running in and out of the office. He understands the pitfalls and advantages of the position better than most.

1 Worse: Sakura

Sakura Haruno matures a lot over the course of the series. She’s not as prone to expressing her feelings through violence as an adult as she was as a child. Sakura can, however, still be singularly focused, not seeing the bigger picture that a Hokage needs to see. Funnily enough, that’s something she used to criticize Naruto for as a child.

When Sakura gets something in her head, she goes after it and lets nothing stop her. While that’s admirable, it can mean that she blinds herself to alternatives or possible event outcomes, something Shikamaru wouldn’t let happen.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/naruto-characters-better-worse-hokage-than-shikamaru/