Boruto Manga Turns the Page After a Decade, Saying Goodbye to Naruto’s Era

Ten years ago, the official manga adaptation of Naruto’s sequel line, Boruto, kicked off on May 9, 2016. When the series began serialization in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump issue #23, it was made plain that the focus would shift to Naruto Uzumaki’s son, Boruto. That doesn’t mean Naruto stopped mattering—he’s still tied to the setting—but he was never meant to be the story’s main face. In Boruto, Naruto starts out as the strongest man in the world, only to get increasingly overtaken by fresh, high-tier threats, then eventually gets nerfed and sealed in Boruto Chapter 77, released on January 19, 2023. Since then, Naruto has largely been cut out of the central plot, and after a full decade since launch, the fandom is being asked to accept a hard truth: Naruto probably won’t return to the role of Konoha’s Seventh Hokage—at least not in the way fans once expected.

Boruto’s Hokage “replacement” setup explains why Naruto can’t keep running the Seventh’s duties

Naruto Uzumaki officially became Konoha’s Seventh Hokage during a short timeskip in the original Naruto run, spanning chapter 699 to chapter 700. That transition was also highlighted in a Kishimoto one-shot titled “The Day Naruto Became the Hokage,” part of Zai no Sho, released on August 7, 2015. In short: the story didn’t just show the appointment—it framed Naruto’s rise to the position as something the series wanted you to sit with.

After achieving his lifelong goal, Naruto went on to keep the peace and protect his people from threats of all kinds. But Boruto brought new antagonists, and the stability Naruto helped establish didn’t stay untouched for long.

Naruto: “No, you aren’t a person. You’re a monster.”

Momoshiki: “If you’re talking about monsters, then that makes two of us.”

— Conversation between Momoshiki and Naruto, Boruto Chapter #8

As Naruto battled major Otsutsuki threats like Isshiki, the pattern was consistent: he was repeatedly outmatched, until the authors took away his Kurama power in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Chapter 55 on February 19, 2021. By the time Boruto Chapter 77 dropped on January 19, 2023, Kawaki had sealed Naruto inside the Daikokuten dimension—and since that moment, Naruto hasn’t returned at all.

On top of the physical sealing, Omnipotence reshaped reality: most of the world now believes Boruto killed Naruto. That forced Konoha to choose a new leader, and Shikamaru Nara took the interim role instead. At present, Konoha treats Shikamaru as a temporary 8th Hokage, but he hasn’t fully been installed in an official capacity, nor is he recognized as such universally. More recently, developments in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex strongly suggest Shikamaru’s position is about to be challenged—and a new Hokage is likely to be installed.

“The Seventh died at Boruto’s hands. That’s what you’ll tell them. Got it?” — Kawaki, declaring Naruto Uzumaki dead, Boruto Chapter #79

Could Naruto’s return be satisfying to watch? Absolutely. But at this stage, bringing him back as Seventh Hokage doesn’t really fit the story’s momentum. Naruto is still sealed in Daikokuten, and even if/when he comes back, it’s going to take multiple arcs before that happens. More importantly, if Naruto resumes the Hokage job, it blocks other characters whose plotlines depend on the office itself.

One clear example is Konohamaru Sarutobi. His dream is to become Hokage, and that goal has to be acknowledged and paid off by author Mikio Ikemoto. If Naruto reclaiming the role prevents Konohamaru from taking his turn, it also creates knock-on problems—because it would ripple into Sarada’s ambitions too.

“You want to become the Hokage, right? Then I’ll protect you—and I’ll handle the support role!” — Boruto Uzumaki, reaffirming Sarada’s goal, Boruto Chapter #11

Meanwhile, the Tailed Beasts went their own ways at the end of the original Naruto era, and Boruto is bringing them back in a brand-new way—another sign that the sequel is building its own direction rather than simply rewinding to the old status quo.

Why Konohamaru should be the 8th Hokage, with Sarada set up as the 9th

With Naruto removed from the Seventh Hokage seat, Konoha needs to move forward—and the argument here is straightforward: make Konohamaru Sarutobi the 8th Hokage. Konohamaru has, up to this point, felt underpowered or underwhelming, but the series has shown it can fix that quickly with the right power-up and timing.

That’s illustrated by how Boruto handles growth for Sarada Uchiha. In Chapter 20 of the Land of Wind arc in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, Sarada receives a Mangekyo power-up. Immediately after that upgrade, Sarada becomes strong enough to hold her own against enemies at Otsutsuki-level. The same type of “boost and justify” approach could apply to Konohamaru—making him instantly more credible as someone worthy of leading the village.

“There are no shortcuts to becoming Hokage. Remember that! If you want the Hokage title, beat me first!” — Naruto explaining what Hokage means to Konohamaru, Naruto Chapter #2

At the same time, Konohamaru’s likely tenure comes with a succession plan. After him, Sarada Uchiha is expected to take over. This was established in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Chapter #10, released officially on February 27, 2017—ending with Sarada declaring that she wants to become Hokage. The idea is repeated again in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 2 on September 20, 2023, where Sarada states she will follow Naruto Uzumaki’s path and become Konoha’s Hokage.

“Lord Seventh once brought my dad back—he went rogue and committed all kinds of crimes. He became Hokage while still a Genin. My role model is Lord Seventh, not you.” — Sarada to Shikamaru, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #2

Either way, Sarada will reach Hokage status, and the most likely title she claims is that of the 9th Hokage. If Naruto returned and became Hokage again, then his youth and other character-related conditions would make it hard for any other ninja to take the position. Some fans might find that disappointing—but stepping down from the Seventh role could actually benefit Naruto himself, not just the village’s leadership structure.

Naruto returning is still valuable—but the story can’t keep him as Hokage

One of the major reasons Naruto has been removed from most of Boruto’s action is tied directly to the job: as the 7th Hokage, he’s stuck in office work. While Sasuke gets to roam and engage with threats in the field, Naruto is managing responsibilities that keep him away from the bulk of the conflict. That office-bound routine also contributes to a “rust” problem—his strength and battle rhythm take a hit.

Once you remove him from the Seventh’s day-to-day role and let someone else—like Shikamaru—handle the office, Naruto can be used more effectively. The 7th Hokage can then be deployed on missions, including investigative work into Otsutsuki trails alongside Sasuke Uchiha, or taking a more direct role against dangerous enemies such as the Shinju.

“Stop exaggerating. This small wound won’t kill you. Looks like you’ve gotten rusty.” — Kurama, in Naruto Gaiden, proving Naruto is out of practice

So electing a different Hokage from Naruto may look like a negative move at first, but it can be a “blessing in disguise”—as long as the writing team, including Mikio Ikemoto and supervisor Masashi Kishimoto, follows through and gives the role changes real weight. From a story perspective, it’s already been confirmed that other characters have dreams that need to be completed, and more importantly, that Naruto isn’t returning for a stretch of time.

With Boruto nearing its end at a fast pace, it makes sense for Konoha’s leadership to be handled by other figures before the manga wraps. And in the same spirit, having Naruto become a key “battle asset” again—by pulling him off office duty and putting him where he excels—could satisfy both the narrative and Naruto’s strengths, without trapping him in the Hokage chair for the rest of the run.