Kishimoto has already confirmed Naruto's perfect replacement as Hokage

Hokage is quite easily the most prestigious position that exists in the world Naruto and Boruto. Simply put, the Hokage is the leader of Konoha, the strongest shinobi village to ever exist. It is the Hokage's responsibility to protect the village from outside threats, as well as to take care of every single individual who lives there. At the same time, all diplomatic affairs in the village are handled by the Hokage, showing how prestigious this position really is.

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Over the years, the Naruto series has seen several Hokages rise and fall, and currently this position is held by everyone's beloved Seventh Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki. But Naruto won't stick to this position forever. After all, one of the most important parts of being Hokage is learning to pass the torch and inspire the next generation. From the next generation, the next Hokage is then chosen, and the cycle continues.

While fans have been confused about who the next Hokage will be for quite some time, it seems that Kishimoto actually delivered the answer to this question a long time ago, around the time jump of the Naruto series. It is only a matter of time before this new figure takes over as leader of the village.

Naruto Uzumaki can't be the Hokage in Boruto anymore

Image via studio Pierrot.

• Naruto will not return before the end of Boruto

• Konoha can't be without a Hokage for too long

Before going through who the next Hokage of Konoha will be, it must be understood why Konoha needs a new Hokage in the first place. Simply put, there are two main reasons why Konoha needs a new Hokage, and soon.

The first reason is that the writers of Boruto do not want Naruto Uzumaki to be actively involved in the plot. As unfortunate as it is, it is the truth of where Naruto Uzumaki stands as a character Boruto series right now. Naruto had all his powers taken away from him in the first part of Boruto, and then, towards the end of the series, he was sealed by Kawaki. Since then he has remained sealed and will continue to remain sealed.

3 years have already passed, and Konoha cannot continue without a Hokage. At the moment, Shikamaru holds the office of the unofficial temporary Hokage, but he cannot put off appointing the new Hokage for long. Even though he knows that Naruto is alive, the fans know very well that Konoha needs a new leader, and that is exactly why a new Hokage needs to be chosen.

The other reason why Konoha needs a new Hokage is because Kishimoto has marked that Naruto Uzumaki will only return at the end of the Boruto series. As such, the already established storylines for characters becoming Hokage cannot be fulfilled if Naruto simply returns and continues his role as Hokage.

That's not to say Kishimoto can't do it. It simply means that other character arcs that have been slowly developed over the years will simply go to waste. As such, Konoha desperately needs a new Hokage, and by the end of the series, fans will most likely have seen not one but two different Hokage.

Kishimoto has already set up Konohamaru as Naruto's replacement

• Konohamaru was created by Kishimoto to become Hokage

As it appears, Konoha has chosen Shikamaru Nara as the unofficial Eighth Hokagebut clearly he is not capable of doing this job himself. Shikamaru's talents are best utilized as an advisor and diplomat. He's not strong enough to be Hokage, and he certainly doesn't inspire the next generation either. As such, when Konoha does indeed elect a new Hokage, which should be soon, Shikamaru should not be in the election. The only one fit enough to lead Konoha as the next Hokage at the moment should be Konohamaru Sarutobi.

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As fans know, Konohamaru is the grandson of the Third Hokage and from one of the most prestigious clans in the village. He is also quite powerful, but unfortunately the Boruto series has done him nothing but a disservice. Konohamaru seems to be pretty weak right now, which is the only thing going against him in terms of his position as Hokage. That said, the Boruto series has shown fans time and time again that all of this can change in an instant.

Sarada was weak, but she gained her Mangekyo Sharingan and was incredibly overpowered in an instant. The same could happen for Konohamaru, and if it does, he will become the next Hokage of the village since this is something that Kishimoto already established in his original story. Fans should not forget that Konohamaru is Naruto Uzumaki's apprentice, and at the same time the grandson of the Third Hokage. He himself promised to become Hokage after Naruto, so Kishimoto should fulfill that promise sooner rather than later.

Sarada Uchiha will eventually replace Konohamaru

• Sarada could become Konoha's next Hokage

After Konohamaru Sarutobi, Konoha needs to see young blood take the position of Hokage, and ultimately this position will go to Sarada Uchiha. As it appears, Sarada will likely take the position of 9th Hokage of Konoha, becoming its second female Hokage, as well as the first Uchiha to hold this position. Sarada has the right temperament to be Hokage, and she certainly has the strength to back it up as well.

Sarada is the perfect replacement for Naruto Uzumakieven more than Konohamaru himself. The only thing she has against her at this point is experience and maturity. Sarada isn't mature enough to be Hokage at this point, and she certainly doesn't have enough battle experience. That's sure to change in the next few years, as she continues to battle powerful foes in the Blue Vortex, as well as learn the art of diplomacy from the best.

It is unfortunate that Sarada is not old enough to take this position right now, otherwise she would have already been the Hokage of the village in the absence of the Seventh. From the looks of it, Konoha is in safe hands as the next generation is full of powerful and talented ninjas. Coming at the end of the Boruto series, Sarada should have fulfilled her dream of becoming Hokagewith Boruto Uzumaki by his side as his protector. These two will lead Konoha into a new era of peace, and fans absolutely cannot wait to see it.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is the sequel to the original Boruto series, written by Mikio Ikemoto and supervised by Masashi Kishimoto. The series follows Boruto Uzumaki's journey, three years after the events of Omnipotence hit the story. Boruto must now work to save the world from the dangers it faces as he deals with his brother Kawaki. Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 31 is set for its official release on February 20, 2026. The release time for the chapter is 10:00 AM EST/3:00 PM UTC. As always, fans can read the chapter officially for free on the Manga Plus and Shonen Jump apps.