Quick Links
The following article contains spoilers forNarutoandBoruto.
Borutofans have had nothing to complain about in recent months.Boruto: Two Blue Vortexis currently in an amazing arc and will soon feature one of the most highly anticipated battles, in which Boruto Uzumaki will finally show what he is truly made of. But another character who has been in the spotlight is Sarada Uchiha.
After showing her new overpowered technique, Sarada has become one of the strongest characters in the story, with the potential to become even more powerful. From the beginning, Sarada has said that she wants to be Hokage, but does she have what it takes to someday hold such an important position?
What Are the Requirements to Become a Hokage?
TheHokage is the leader of Konohagakure, also generally regarded as the village’s strongest ninja (although this may not necessarily be true). There is a Kage in each one of the hidden villages of the Five Great Shinobi Countries, but it was Konoha’s first Hokage, Hashirama Senju, who created this position, and then the other countries adopted the same custom.
Typically, a Hokage chooses their successor, but if the current Hokage is unable to do so for any reason, a predecessor may choose if they are still alive. Otherwise, the daimyo of the Land of Fire chooses the next Hokage with the help of his committee, which includes the Council of Elders, the Jonin Commander, and a representative of the Anbu squad — and then Konoha’s Jonin Council must ratify the choice.
While the exact qualifications aren’t clear, it is evident that the Hokage must be at least a jonin. Since Naruto Uzumaki had to undergo intensive training to meet the requirements,being powerful alone is probably not enough to be selected. Furthermore, considering that the selection requires the Jonin Council’s approval, a candidate must be respected by their peers. The work routine of a Hokage includes many bureaucratic decisions, so candidates must understand a lot about Konoha, as well as about diplomatic and military strategies, as they will have to deal with other nations and might eventually need to decide whether to go to war.
Why Does Sarada Want to Become a Hokage?
Sarada Uchihaadmires Naruto Uzumaki and aspires to become Hokage in order to follow in his footsteps. InBoruto: Two Blue Vortex, she states that she specifically wants to be like Naruto and not any other Kage. This shows how much respect she has for him. This is interesting because Boruto does not want to be like his father at all — instead, he wants to be like Sasuke Uchiha, Sarada’s father.
Lord Seventh once brought back my dad, who’d gone rogue and committed great crimes. My role model is Lord Seventh…
— Sarada Uchiha in Boruto TBB Chapter 1
The way that Sarada views Naruto and that Boruto views Sasuke indicates that they are able to see the flaws of their own parents, which probably explains why they reject following in their own fathers' footsteps and look to someone else as a role model. This also suggests that Boruto has heard a lot about Sasuke’s actions, and that Sarada has probably heard a lot about Naruto’s as well.
Sarada became a chunin in theBorutoanime, but that has never happened in the manga. It is not clear how the anime will deal with this in the future.
Does Sarada Have What It Takes to Become Kage?
Although Sarada has proven her power andwill likely surpass Sasuke soon, she is still a genin in Boruto. She probably hasn’t become a chunin because Shikamaru is punishing her for opposing the “hunt against Boruto” in Konoha, since it is clear that Sarada is strong and good enough in battle to become a chunin.
A genin is the lowest level in Konoha’s shinobi structure and hierarchy:
It is probably only a matter of time beforeSarada is promoted to chuninand later jonin levels. Although the exact qualifications for becoming a Hokage are unknown, it’s difficult to imagine someone as intelligent and dedicated as Sarada not meeting them by the end of the series, especially since she already seems to possess leadership qualities.
Should Sarada Eventually Become a Hokage in Boruto?
Just becauseSarada seems to match the basic requirementsfor becoming a leader doesn’t mean that she will become a Hokage. Honestly, she should, but not necessarily by the end of the story. She could be temporarily appointed Hokage in the future (because she is still too young).
Also, while Sarada probably doesn’t know about every single thing a Hokage does, she seems like a character who wouldn’t be disappointed by the many administrative and bureaucratic issues she would frequently have to deal with. Of course, the series could put her on a different path, but it’s difficult to imagine her not becoming Hokage at some point — and it would be very symbolic if Naruto appointed her as such at some point.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortexisavailable to read on MANGA Plus.
Boruto
Boruto is an action anime series that continues years after the events of Naruto, now in the shoes of the next generation - many of which are the children of the protagonists from the original series. Boruto follows the titular character, the son of Naruto, who seeks to impress his father. Together with the other ninjas-in-training, Boruto will battle to overcome trials and threats even more significant than his father ever faced.
