Was Naruto’s Worst Hokage Really That Bad?

When fans discuss the worst Hokage in Naruto, one name typically comes up: Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage. Known as The Professor and God of Shinobi, Hiruzen seemed like the ideal leader on paper. But even though he had vast knowledge of jutsu, trained the Sannin, and led Konoha through two major wars, fans have consistently labelled him as the worst Hokage ever.

The question now is this: Does Hiruzen Sarutobi actually deserve that label? And to answer this question, we need to take a closer look at the whole picture. While it’s true that Hiruzen made some terrible decisions, it’s also true that he achieved things no other Hokage accomplished. So was he really as bad as everyone says, or are we being too hard on a leader who was constantly up against the impossible?

The Uchiha Massacre Happened Under Hiruzen’s Tenure

Let’s start with the big one: the massacre of the Uchiha clan. When tensions rose between the Uchiha and the village, it became clear to Hiruzen that the Uchiha were planning a coup. While he advocated for a peaceful resolution, he ultimately let Danzo and the village council move forward with the massacre. 

As Hokage, Hiruzen had the power to stop this, but he didn’t. The decision ruined Itachi’s life as he was forced to carry a mission that haunted him for the rest of his life, and it also set Sasuke on a dark path of revenge. A stronger leader might’ve found an alternative solution that protected both the village and the Uchiha. And that wasn’t Hiruzen’s only failure when it came to the protagonists of the series.

Naruto’s Terrible Childhood Is Hard to Overlook

Realizing that sealing the Nine-Tails into an infant was impossible in its full form, Minato made the ultimate sacrifice. He split the beast’s chakra in half, sealing the Yin half within himself and the Yang half into his son. As he was dying, like any other parent, Minato had just one last wish: that Naruto be protected and cared for. 

But many fans argue that instead of honoring this wish, Hiruzen let Naruto grow up hated, isolated, and treated like a monster. Most of Konoha didn’t know the truth about the circumstances surrounding his birth, and in their ignorance, they ostracised and resented Naruto. He endured years of emotional abuse and neglect, while the village leader, who was sworn to protect him, just watched it happen. 

The Orochimaru Problem Festered Under the Third Hokage

Another instance of Hiruzen’s inaction causing problems down the line was when the Third Hokage discovered his former student was conducting unethical experiments on his fellow citizens in his quest for immortality. Naruto’s longest-serving Hokage had the chance to eliminate a growing threat to the village. However, Hiruzen’s paternal feelings toward Orochimaru prevented him from taking any action. So Orochimaru escaped, and that moment of weakness led to decades of chaos. 

For many years, Orochimaru sought the village’s destruction in order to take revenge. And the worst part was that Orochimaru was the one to eventually kill Hiruzen. Leading viewers to speculate that if the Third Hokage had just done his job years earlier, he’d still be alive, and Konoha would have been much safer.

He Couldn’t Control Danzo

And Orochimaru wasn’t the only villainous character Hiruzen failed to neutralise due to his own feelings on the matter. Throughout his reign, Hiruzen consistently failed at managing Danzo. He let Danzo operate his unethical Root organization with no oversight. Letting him be so secretive, each member had a cursed seal imprinted on their tongue, which paralyzed them if they tried to speak anything about him or the organization.

This unchecked power enabled Danzo to commit countless atrocities, from training emotionless child soldiers to unauthorized assassinations. Despite knowing all of this, however, Hiruzen never took any action. A better leader would have either brought Danzo under control or removed him from power entirely.

Don’t Forget About What He Accomplished

Before we completely dismiss the Third Hokage, however, let’s remember what he actually achieved. Hiruzen was handpicked by Tobirama at a young age to become Hokage and later earned the title of God of Shinobi. That title is only bestowed on those who have acquired an ungodly amount of power.

His knowledge of every single jutsu earned him the title of The Professor. Symbolizing his immense knowledge and experience. And even in his old age, he was so powerful that Orochimaru himself admitted that if Hiruzen had been just ten years younger, he would have easily won their battle. There’s also the fact that Hiruzen Sarutobi, the first shinobi to lead Konoha in the post-Senju era, led the village for the typical duration on top of having to lead once more after the horrific passing of his heroic successor. With an exceedingly long time as leader, this left only more room for error, but Hiruzen’s tenure was not without its merits.

Two Wars as Hokage

Here’s another thing people often forget: Hiruzen became Hokage during the First Shinobi World War after Tobirama sacrificed himself and went on to lead Konoha through the Second and Third Shinobi World Wars. After the third war, he stepped down and signed a peace treaty to end the conflict. At this point, Minato took over as the Fourth Hokage, but his time was cut short as he died during the Nine-Tails’ attack on the village.

So when Minato’s death left the village leaderless, the people’s immediate choice was to recall Hiruzen from retirement. Not because they had no other options, but because they trusted him to lead. And when his return brought a period of relative stability and peace with no large-scale conflict between major nations in the shinobi world, it became clear this trust was not unfounded.

A Great Mentor

But perhaps Hiruzen’s most lasting contribution was his role as a teacher and mentor. He personally trained the legendary Sannin: Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. Through Jiraiya, his influence reached Minato, and through Minato, it reached Naruto, and while he directly taught only the Sannin, generations of shinobi benefited from his teachings.

He firmly believed in the Will of Fire. This philosophy says that the entire village is like one big family, and every shinobi should protect it with love and loyalty, like the previous generations did. These teachings shaped Konoha’s culture for generations. But Hiruzen wasn’t just a teacher; he also practiced what he preached.

The Ultimate Sacrifice

Facing Orochimaru and the summoned spirits of Hashirama and Tobirama during the invasion of Konoha, Hiruzen made the ultimate sacrifice. He used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, knowing it would kill him, to protect the village one last time. Though he couldn’t complete the seal fully, he chose to do what little he could to stop Orochimaru’s plans.

In the end, he managed to seal away Orochimaru’s arms and died with a smile, choosing to sacrifice his life rather than let Konoha fall. When he was brought back to life later by Edo Tensei, Hiruzen acknowledged his failures. He admitted that while his time as Hokage was flawed, he had always tried to do his best for the good of Konoha.

The Verdict

There’s no denying that Hiruzen’s failures were pretty catastrophic; the Uchiha massacre, Naruto’s neglected childhood, and letting so many threats go unchecked show serious leadership failures. But you’ve also got to weigh those mistakes against everything he accomplished. The Third Hokage led Konoha through two major wars, mentored the Sannin, and brought peace and stability to the village in Naruto. 

At the end of the day, Hiruzen’s failures and successes come from a very human place. His worst mistakes stem from compassion, hesitation, and the hope that conflicts could be resolved peacefully. So instead of just calling Hiruzen Naruto’s worst Hokage, maybe it’s more accurate to see Him as the most human one.

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The Kage of Naruto’s world often have enormous responsibilities and leave behind complicated legacies as a result. Who would you consider the worst Hokage in Naruto, or other worst Kage of the ninja world? Let us know in the comments below!

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