The Hokage selection system in Naruto is flawed, here’s why

The world of Naruto has a lot of interesting bits. The power system is remarkable and ranked among the best in anime, alongside Hunter X Hunter’s Nen, Witch Hat Atelier’s Magic, and Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood’s Alchemy. Another thing that adds depth to Naruto’s realism is the world of Shinobi.

Shinobi in Naruto serve a dual role as mercenaries and keepers of law and order. They are extremely powerful, but that power comes with a chain. The Shinobi are not given free rein to act; they are bound by the Daimyō. These Daimyō are the most powerful in the series, but they barely get shown, and that is a flaw in Naruto. The Daimyō are responsible for picking the Hokage, and this is strange.

The Daimyō who have no Ninja experience should not have a say in who becomes Hokage. While it might be acceptable for the Daimyō to ensure orderly conduct among ninja, it is not appropriate for them to have that much power in selecting ninja. Also, the position of the Hokage going to the strongest ninja in the village poses a problem.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s views and may contain spoilers.

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Why is the Hokage System in Naruto flawed

An evil Danzo was influential in who became Hokage (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The biggest problem in selecting the Hokage is that it relies on strength, but leadership requires more than that. Good leaders also need mental strength and the ability to inspire people. Most importantly, a good leader must be courageous and have a good heart. Konoha has had seven Hokage; out of those, only a few fulfill the abovementioned requirements.

Konoha has had only four good Hokages. These are the first Hokage who built Konoha from the ground up, the fourth who protected the village from the nine tails, the fifth, whose smart thinking saved many lives during Pain’s invasion, and the eighth, who stopped Otsutsuki threats. However, the rest of the Hokage have done nothing but mess up the village or be mediocre.

The Second Hokage set the ball rolling for the demise of the Uchiha clan. His forbidden Jutsu are also instrumental in the revival of Madara Uchiha, who nearly brings the world to an end.

There is also the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, who lacks the willpower to make an effective change. Under his reign, many villainous elements rise to prominence, the most notable being Danzo and Orochimaru. Similarly, Kakashi’s tenure as a Hokage is one filled with hesitation and a lack of external threats.

The Hokage position in Naruto is also determined by nepotism (Image via Studio Pierrot)

There have also been Hokages who have assumed temporary leadership over the helm of Konoha’s affairs, and they have mostly been terrible. Danzo is more of a criminal than a Hokage, and Shikamaru’s tenure as provisional Hokage has been filled with terrible decisions. For a better Hokage, Konoha needs a better selection process.

The Hokage is usually picked by the previous Hokage or the Daimyō and the Konoha council. This method of selection aids favoritism, as the ninjas who are selected are known by their predecessors or by members of the Shinobi council. This selection method also places the strongest ninja at the top, instead of the best leaders.

Jiraiya recognizes this flaw and refuses the position of Hokage, and he makes a good choice by suggesting Tsunade. Tsunade performs well as a Hokage, way better than Jiraiya would have.

More moves like this must be made, as strength doesn’t correlate to policies that can help the village. The structure of the Konoha council also needs to change, and its members need to be elected to positions.

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Final thoughts

The proof of Konoha’s terrible system of governance is in the council. The members of that council have been in power since early Naruto, and are still in power in the Boruto saga. In Two Blue Vortex, they look old and frail, but are responsible for many decisions that the village takes.

It is insane that some of the forces that conspired to end the Uchiha are still in power to date. Then again, this is a flaw in Naruto, as the story lacks consequences.

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