6 Strongest Characters Who Could Become Hokage

Hokage is a position given to the leader of Konohagakure, and of all the ninja, they are considered the strongest in the village. It is the Hokage's duty to protect the village from any danger. Konoha has produced many strong and capable ninja over time, but only seven individuals have achieved this title.

This shows that the competition for this title is, of course, tough and brutal. Even with such a low count, there are many other ninja who could have easily achieved such a prestigious title. Why they didn't get it is due to several different reasons, making it one of the biggest what-ifs in the entire series. Here are a handful of characters who were worthy of the title of Hokage, but unfortunately didn't achieve it.

6

Orochimaru

Image via Studio Pierrot

• A member of the legendary Sannin

Orochimaru is a powerful shinobi who stood toe to toe against Jiraiya. He was a genius who was trained by Hiruzen Sarutobi himself and was his favorite student. He was a candidate for the position of Fourth Hokage, but was not given the position due to his inhuman experiments. His main goal was to learn all the secrets of the world, and he tried to accomplish them by any means necessary. His strength and intelligence made him a prime candidate for the position of Hokage.

5

Sakumo turned away

Sakumo is the most mysterious character in the entire series. He was said to be the man whose talent put even the Leaf Sannin to shame, and his reputation spread throughout the ninja world. Even after his death, the hidden sand village was deeply hated and feared. Furthermore, even the likes of Minato respected and admired him as a shinobi, which really says a lot about his skills. Unfortunately, he kills himself after saving his friends due to the ridicule he faces, which is actually the act of someone who carries the will of fire.

4

Itachi Uchiha

Image via Studio Pierrot.

Itachi needs no introduction, as he is one of the best and most memorable characters in the series. He was a talented and strong shinobi with a mind similar to that of the Kage. His list of accomplishments is long, including graduating at age 6 and captaining the Anbu Black Ops at just 12 years old. He was said to be a once-in-a-century talent. His talent and achievements make him an ideal person who could easily become Hokage.

3

Shisui Uchiha

• Shisui of body flicker

Shisui was renowned as the strongest Uchiha of his time. He was able to become a Jonin and later, given his own team over a period of four years. Itachi also looked to him for guidance and considered him a big brother. He was a fearsome shinobi whose genjutsu was considered the strongest. Even the likes of Danzo, who hated the Uchiha, acknowledged Shisui's power. His death left much to be desired, and his prime was not fully seen.

2

Jiraiya

Jiraiya was Naruto's teacher and one of the legendary Sannin. He was a powerful shinobi who fought countless battles and survived even harsh conditions. His reputation as a capable shinobi was known throughout the ninja world, even by the likes of Akatsuki. His combat IQ was phenomenal, as he was able to extract the truth behind pain in a short period of time. He had many other achievements, and because of his stature, he was offered the position of Hokage several times, but he refused them all.

1

Fugaku Uchiha

Fugaku served as the leader of the Uchiha clan in addition to being the father of Itachi and Sasuke. He was yet another person who was a candidate for the position of Hokage due to his achievements during the Third Great Ninja War. At the time, he was feared for his genjutsu and was one of the few who could take on the Nine Tails. He also awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan and was an unprecedented leader who ruled his clan with an iron fist. On several occasions, Fugaku has shown the character of a great leader, which would have suited him for the position of Hokage.

Naruto

Release date

2002 – 2007-00-00

showrunner

Masashi Kishimoto

directors

Hayato date

The authors

Masashi Kishimoto

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