Hiruzen's most criticized moment was a Naruto filler, and fans need to stop holding it against him

One of the most recognizable characters from the early days of the Naruto series is probably none other than the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Hiruzen played a key role in raising the protagonist, Naruto, after the death of his parents, Minato and Kushina.

However, during one of the episodes, it was explicitly revealed that Kushina entrusted Hiruzen with Naruto's safety and upbringing before she passed away. While some fans feel that Hiruzen did a terrible job at that, it is also worth noting that Hiruzen did the best he could given the circumstances at the time.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinions and contains potential spoilers from the Naruto anime and manga.

---

Fans need to stop holding it against Hiruzen regarding his duties towards Naruto

From the very beginning of the Naruto series, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, has played a crucial role in the life of the series' protagonist. On the day Naruto was born, Madara orchestrated an attack by the Nine-Tailed Beast, Kurama, on the Hidden Leaf Village. The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and Kushina Uzumaki went to stop the destruction.

However, in trying to prevent the destruction of the Hidden Leaf, Minato and Kushina sacrificed themselves. While Minato absorbed half of the Nine-Tailed Beast into his body, the other half was transferred into baby Naruto and sealed, making him a vessel, also known as the Jinchuriki.

Before dying, Kushina entrusted her child's safety to Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, knowing that becoming the vessel would mean the Uzumaki boy might face discrimination from others. Hiruzen accepted the request and took on the responsibility. However, there's not much to say about how successful he was in fulfilling his role.

Soon enough, the entire village learned that the Uzumaki boy was a Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Beast, the same beast that had nearly destroyed the village. As a result, people's attitudes toward him changed, leaving him feeling isolated and alone, with very few to care for him. This loneliness also led him to become a mischievous character seeking attention.

While the protagonist gradually overcame his childhood hardships and became the hero of the Shinobi world, Hiruzen's involvement in his childhood was minimal, which disappointed many fans who had expected him to take responsibility for Naruto and care for him.

What fans often fail to realize is that Hiruzen’s role was that of Hokage, responsible for everyone in the village, not just Naruto. Although Naruto was the late Hokage's son, he was not the only orphan, and Hiruzen was responsible for all of their lives. Still, he personally appointed Iruka to take care of the Uzumaki boy.

Additionally, Naruto received an allowance and food at Hiruzen's discretion, which were crucial aspects of his upbringing as an orphan. Yes, Hiruzen could have spent more time personally helping to ease his loneliness, but his duties as Hokage limited his ability to do so.

---

Final thoughts

While the fan might criticize Hiruzen for not fulfilling his responsibilities toward the Uzumaki boy properly, he did what he could given the circumstances and his position. During this time, Hiruzen also had his hands full with numerous issues, such as the Uchiha Clan massacre and Orochimaru's attack.

---