Next Hokage?

[tucuxi.livejournal.com]

I figured I might get answers here, so I thought I'd ask. And maybe it'll spark a discussion that I would find fascinating.

Assuming neither Kakashi nor Naruto were an option, who do you think would be the best option for Hokage after Tsunade?

I'm really curious, actually. I'd love to know what people think, and why.

(There will definitely be spoilers in the comments.)

Comments

[doggiedynasty.livejournal.com]

Aside from Kakashi or Naruto, how about Shikamaru?

or Genma *biased*

or Ebisu, being a tutor.

[tucuxi.livejournal.com]

I think Shikamaru is probably the most likely in the younger generation (other than Naruto) now that Neji is out of the running, but I've always seen him as an advisor, because he's not the super-powered dynamo that some other characters are.

I thought Genma was a tokubetsu jounin? I admit, I haven't looked into him much as a character.

Ebisu is an interesting idea! I wish we knew more about him -- he must be good, if Kakashi would ask him to train Naruto (if I'm remembering that correctly? Before Naruto stumbled upon Jiraiya?)

[doggiedynasty.livejournal.com]

Shika: I picked him because I think Asuma or Shika's dad said he was Kage potential. He's not afraid, he's quite sharp, and fits a military adviser like his dad.

Yep. Ebisu seems to be the astute type, and in the fanbook, he excels high in all three basic arts. It shows he is very knowledgable. He is also brave; he faced Pain to protect Konohamaru, even though he didn't do well. So, knowledge and volition are strong points.

Genma, to my surprise, had close connections to the previous Kage as guards.

[empty-mirrors.livejournal.com]

I think it depends what you're after. If it's brains, then Shikamaru, or his mum, of course. She is still there and did manage to bring up a bright kid. Or maybe Ibiki, if the political situation merited it. One of the Aburame, maybe. If it's power, then Tsume or one of the Akimichi for the older generation. Their kids for the younger one. Skills, then Shizune or Kurenai for the older ones, Sakura for the younger.

FWIW, Ebisu is a tokubetsu jounin.

[tucuxi.livejournal.com]

I'm not really sure what they'd be picking for -- it's an interesting balance, especially in what looks to be a very delicate peace post-war.

I would assume that if Kakashi, who was in his late 20s at the time, was considered too young by some of the council, anyone in the younger generation would be out of the running. That's why I think Naruto would be a poor choice right now.

It will have to be someone at least moderately intelligent, almost definitely has to be a full jounin, which knocks Ebisu out of the running, and someone pretty strong, because the strength of the kage seems to reflect on the strength of the village as a whole.

The Aburame and Akimichi are an interesting idea, and one that hadn't occurred to me. If Hiyashi Hyuuuga survives, he might be an interesting contender as well, if the other clans would permit the Hyuuga that much power.

And Shizune stepping in would be an interesting idea, but I'm not sure if people would see her as sort of a place-holder for the next Hokage, because of her close relationship with Tsunade. (Then again, the second Hokage was the First's brother, so that might not be an issue.)

[tiredbuthyper.livejournal.com]

Maybe Gai. I feel like there would logically be someone a little older they'd prefer, buuuuut we don't know a character like that, so...

[tucuxi.livejournal.com]

That would be hilarious. Can you imagine him in the Hokage getup giving Lee a thumbs-up? They'd have to carve sparkles around his head on the monument.

(That said, he'd need some serious advising, because he's terrible with names and faces. Then again, there are lots of smart-but-not-strong-enough people who could do that for him.)

[hymnia.livejournal.com]

*cough* (http://www.mangahere.com/manga/rock_lee/c017/3.html)

[tiredbuthyper.livejournal.com]

Yeah he would need advisors, but seriously speaking, he was Kakashi's second in command.

If we disregard Kakashi and Naruto, then we are left with two people that the international community recognized: Gai and Shikamaru.

Shikamaru is too young, and besides, he's not really strong enough ( though he could do the job). He isn't right for Hokage right now, but I think people would respect Gai.

Plus it would be freaking awesome and every day would be funny.

[caeseria.livejournal.com]

Considering the generation they'd likely pull a Hokage from - not Naruto's for sure, I think they'd keep that generation on the sidelines for later years and later Hokage material - I'd have to go with either Genma or Raido. If we ignore ridiculous fan cannon, Genma is a very level headed shinobi, as is Raido. And if you remember the manga, they both managed to almost kick the Sound Four's asses and hand them back to them. Memory (I may be wrong) tells me that the Sound Four had to unpack their second seals just to defeat both of them, so it stands to reason they are both pretty powerful shinobi. Plus the third appeared to listen to both their councils just before the attack on the village.

[tucuxi.livejournal.com]

They hadn't really occurred to me because they don't come up all that often, but now that you mention it, weren't they part of the fourth Hokage's guard, or something like that? That speaks really well for their ability as teenagers, and they might have learned something about politics in the process. And the transportation jutsu that that group used was impressive to foreign shinobi, iirc.

I'd forgotten about the Third listening to them before the attack on the village.

Interesting! But then, how to pick which one of them ... ?

[caeseria.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I had forgotten about that! They were part of the Fourth's guard as well, weren't they? I think Raido was also part of the cool take-down when Konoha was searching for Hidan and Kakazu. So they've both got the brains and the skills to plan ahead, and the fighting abilities. But gosh, it's really had to pick one. They sort of come as a matched pair, don't they?!!

[mangacrack.livejournal.com]

The more important question: Will there be a Hokage at all?

Since Madara and Obito force major changes duringthe war, the question remains how the alliance will proceed after that. If they survive, they will most likely stay together. The new alliance will unlikely disolve and go back their villages, just to kill each other at the next given opportunity.

The Five Kage meeting was a start, so I would say Shikaku will be the representative on the council, while Kakashi remains to be the General. Because I can't see Naruto becoming Hokage. As a political figure with influence? Yes. As single ruler over a village? No.

Naruto is not suited for that, because fighting battles is not the same as govering (just a personal opinion) and Kakashi doesn't want this responsibility. Danzo and the Sandaime are major examples of the fact that you don't have to be a good person to become Hokage. Or that being a good person makes you a good Hokage. Since the dream was always about peace, therefore a metaphor for democracy in my eyes, the question about the next Hokage defeats itself. What the Ninja World needs is for people to be able to muster in different perhaps even opposing political parties without violence.

Personal (even if very unlikely) favourite: Sasuke. He likes it least and therefore he should take the job. You would have to pay him in order to make him accept the Hokage position. It makes favouritism less likely.

[tucuxi.livejournal.com]

Will there be a Hokage at all?

That's a really good question.

Hmm...

What about a central council with representatives like Shikamaru being the people who set policy/handle governing?

And what if you then sent a mixed group back to each village, to prevent the villages from separating too much by habit? It could be a rotating cast of characters who live in another village for a set period of time before going home, who are always replaced by someone else from the same village. Permanent envoys, or diplomats, if you will, but not necessarily the people who set policy -- friendly faces and reminders of the alliance. (The more politically astute would know that these people could also be hostages if things go to hell in a handbasket, so who you sent would really matter.)

I really hope there isn't still a General, actually -- or that it becomes a largely honorary position, or one that is responsible for de-commissioning the things that aren't needed for peacetime.

I absolutely agree that Naruto, while charismatic and tremendously good at smashing things into small pieces, is not really Hokage material as he is now. Kakashi not wanting it might be a good thing (in the "give power to those who don't want it" sense) -- or it might be him recognizing that he wouldn't be good at it and shouldn't try. Who knows.

But if there's still an alliance after the war, I can't see Kakashi being put up as the single person at the head of it -- too many people from other villages hate him or his father for having killed their loved ones in previous conflicts. This will be true of most of the people from older generation(s), too..

I think Sasuke might do a good job at being the central leader, because he's smart and sees the big picture and has at least a little bit of leadership experience. But I can't see him actually being picked for it, because so many people hate him at this point -- his "joining up" with Akatsuki, whatever its original intent, makes for bad publicity, at the very least.

Honestly, I think the idea of a single leader is problematic at best, because whichever village he is from will be perceived as having more power and/or being prioritized, even if it isn't.

I wonder if you might keep the kages for tradition's sake, but with greatly curtailed power? It would be a way for the villages to maintain continuity, which would keep people happier, and to unify each village. And the Hokage could be in charge of administering the decisions made by the central council.

In that setup, actually, I don't know that you need a central figure for the whole alliance -- if there's a council that sends directives to each "kage," who has those carried out, it might work.

... and if the central figure is not required, then could you set up a figurehead "leader" who was there for looks, but not for actual work? In that case, Naruto would be a great pick, because he gets along with people from all of the villages and doesn't appear to be smart enough to understand most political subterfuge.

Oh my god, long comment is long...

[mangacrack.livejournal.com]

I love you long comment. I agree wholeheartly.

For the Naruto Universe going back to a single authority figure would be a set back. Besides Five Nations are not as easily handled as a single village. If the Shinobi would create something like permant dilomats, they could set up a base / a village in which the council and some of the alliance members could live.

Unforturantely I can see how Kakashi as general would be needed, since the Feudal Lords could fear their power being questioned or smaller countries opposing the new system. Money will be a big question after the war, since even shinobi want to get paid and it was said once that only very few people have enough of it to hire a ninja.

While the war may end, the change will certainly not be entirely peaceful.

[tsuyume.livejournal.com]

It's absolutely like shooting for the moon, but ever since I read a fic about it I'm strangely taken with... Iruka as Hokage. He definitely lacks the power levels, but he's got a great vision (which Naruto practically follows to the point), is familiar with the inner workings, politics and moreover paperwork of the village.


And those flashback chapters just give me Iruka = Hashirama's descendant vibes. It's ridiculous, but that was the T(Obito) theory as well, once upon a time.

[tucuxi.livejournal.com]

Well, he probably doesn't have many enemies outside the village, if he's been teaching and was too young for the last war.

I have been convinced that Iruka is part Senju for aaaaaages now. I don't think it's all that ridiculous, if you look at the size of the clans in the flashback chapters: there were a lot of them. I don't think he's Hashirama's direct descendent, because if he were, why didn't people make as big a deal out of him as out of Tsunade? but I'm willing to bet there's Senju in there somewhere.

[hungrytiger11.livejournal.com]

From Naruto's generation, I would say Shikamaru or Sakura. She is/was Tsunade's protege so she has physical strength and has already been seen advising Tsunade and being in on political meetings. One would presume from hanging with Tsunade she also knows and can network with political people. Though her spectacularly bad plan to kill Sasuke as well as only being a chuunin might count against her.

I love the idea of Gai too though (not like he'd even be the oddest Kage around all things considered. Or, for a crack theory, the resurrected homages could stay on and lead the village...

[tucuxi.livejournal.com]

I think either Shikamaru or Sakura is an interesting candidate, but neither of them is the kind of chakra-powerhouse we see in other characters, so I see them more as advisors? Plus, they're both too young right now.

Or, for a crack theory, the resurrected homages could stay on and lead the village...
That had occurred to me. Can you imagine Hashirama and Tobirama having their WTF arguments with the Sandaime looking on and sighing, and Minato being a bit confused? (I bet Minato would get along better with Hashirama than Tobirama. There might be disputes where they were two against one. *facepalm*)

[tucuxi.livejournal.com]

He'll probably quit being shinobi after the war though.

Really? I'd love to hear why you think that, because it's a fascinating idea. Seriously. It hadn't occurred to me.

[adaon6.livejournal.com]

Poor neglected Shizune getting no love here. (Or Anko for that matter)

Although I suppose it would be Gai or Genma among the people who we know.

[tucuxi.livejournal.com]

Shizune did occur to me! But I thought she might be better off leading the hospital. She doesn't seem the type to step up and take charge in most situations, though I suppose her being willing to stand up to Tsunade for the council's point of view says good things.

Isn't Anko a tokubetsu jounin?

Genma seems to be leading the ranks right now. Or Guy. :)

[tj-dragonblade.livejournal.com]

*straight-faced* Y'know, Orochimaru's seeming pretty mellow-and-benign at the moment, and he is the last of the sannin...

In all seriousness, I really don't know who'd fit best. It's kind of late in the game to introduce a new Kage-level candidate the way it happened when Tsunade entered the story, so it'd have to be someone known, I'd think. There are definite points in Genma's favor, but he doesn't seem to have that 'superpowered' celebrity that the kages to date are renowned for. There are arguments to be made for Gai, but arguments to be made against him as well. Yamato (assuming he survives, the poor dear) is billed as having the best service record of any ANBU serving under the Third, and he's got a strong even-keeled personality plus that Hashirama's-DNA thing boosting him into the running (and adoptive Sarutobi clan relations in my head-canon), but if Kakashi's age gives the elders pause then Yamato's probably will too since he's four years younger. Nor does he really strike me as the sort of person who'd want to be Hokage, but that could also be a good thing as stated elsewhere in the threads above.

It's hard to say how well-rounded Ibiki may or may not be outside his area of expertise, but my gut says he's probably not in the running. I'd have said Shikaku, but he's dead, so. I don't know that we know enough about Chouza or Hiashi or Tsume or Shibi to pick the best one, but a well-established clan head does seem a logical candidate politically.

Personally, I still want someone to tackle an AU where Itachi gets to grow up to be Hokage.

[tucuxi.livejournal.com]

*straight-faced* Y'know, Orochimaru's seeming pretty mellow-and-benign at the moment, and he is the last of the sannin...

This is me dying laughing. Excuse me while I catch my breath.

Yeah, I don't disagree with anything you've said -- I just have no idea who they'd pick, if Kakashi and Naruto were out of the running. (Side note: I really hope Yamato survives. I mean. :\ )

..Isn't there already an AU fic where Itachi is the Hokage? I could have sworn I'd read one where he was appointed as the successor in order to keep the Uchiha clan from revolting, and then when he took on the position, he did so as "Itachi" rather than as "Uchiha Itachi" and there was politics and so on. It was a bunch of shorter stories in succession.