Naruto's core has always revolved around Naruto Uzumaki's dream of becoming the Leaf Village's Hokage, being the underdog story of how he goes from the village clown to a respected leader. It only makes sense that, after Pain is defeated and the shinobi world experiences a relative time of peace, Naruto would finally achieve his dream alongside the support and acknowledgment of the entire village.
However, many fans feel that Naruto isn't a good fit for the position and shouldn't have become Hokage at all, especially after seeing how Naruto's been faring both physically and mentally after taking up the position. Some fans believe that other Leaf Village shinobi make better, more qualified candidates, while others simply think Naruto's personal skill set would be better utilized out in the field instead of doing paperwork behind a desk most of the time.
10 There Are Other, Better Potential Candidates
It's true that Naruto's come a long way, slowly earning the Leaf Village's respect and admiration over time. He also has traits that help him in his Hokage position, such as his ability to consider what's best for all villages instead of selfishly prioritizing his own, as many leaders tend to do.
Even so, there are other candidates within the Hidden Leaf who are much better-suited for a politically-oriented leadership role. Shikamaru is an obvious choice, as he's not only one of Naruto's most intelligent characters, but he also assists Kakashi as Hokage, meaning he also has a grasp on what the role entails.
9 Naruto Doesn't Know What Being Hokage Actually Entails
Naruto has wanted to become Hokage since he was a kid, but only to fulfill his personal dream of obtaining acknowledgment from those around him. Even as Naruto grows up, maturing and learning more about himself, his reasons for wanting to be Hokage don't actually grow alongside him.
It becomes clear by the time Naruto becomes Hokage that he doesn't actually know anything about what the position entails. Naruto's never dealt well with being stuck behind a desk, regardless of whether it's to study or do paperwork, and he clearly struggles to keep up with the Hokage's workload.
8 Naruto Doesn't Need To Be Hokage To Be Acknowledged
The driving force behind Naruto's desire to become Hokage is his thirst for acknowledgment, having been scorned and outcast since he was born. By the time the Pain arc wraps up, though, Naruto's already achieved this goal, so there's no need for him to become Hokage for acknowledgment.
It would be one thing if Naruto realizes this, forcing him to think deeply about what the Hokage position means to him aside from being a symbol of the acknowledgment he's received from others. This doesn't happen, though, which makes Naruto's promotion to Hokage feel hollow.
7 Naruto Can't Balance His Work And Home Lives
Naruto finally achieves his dream of becoming Hokage, but he doesn't truly understand what taking on the position means. He's heard from others like the Third Hokage that it's vital to treat everyone in the village like his own family, but this sadly comes at the cost of Naruto neglecting his duties to his own family.
The entire reason Boruto resents his father so much is because he's always taking care of his Hokage duties without making any time for his family. Even when Naruto does get time to physically be home with his family, he's too exhausted to properly spend time with them.
6 Naruto Struggles With The Hokage's Basic Duties
When Naruto finally does become the Hokage, it's quickly clear he can't keep up with the position's basic duties. Being the Hokage entails sitting behind a desk doing paperwork far more often than Naruto would like, and he's constantly burnt out.
Even if Naruto had an idealized version of what being Hokage meant in his head before getting there, he was close enough to Tsunade, who always complained about having far too much paperwork to do. This has always been one of Naruto's weakest areas, and he isn't cut out for dealing with mountains of desk work all the time.
5 Naruto's Not Cut Out For The Political World
Aside from dealing with mountains of paperwork, a vital duty of Hokage is dealing with political matters. This aspect of the job is tough on Naruto, as he's an incredibly young and immature Hokage compared to others like Kakashi.
Naruto does have the advantage of being a caring Hokage who keeps the well-being of all villages in mind, not just his own, but the Hokage also has to be ruthless at times for everyone's sake. Naruto is too caring and emotional to deal well with all the political aspects of being the Hokage.
4 Naruto's Wiped Out From The Hokage's Workload
Naruto doesn't cope well with the massive, sedentary workload of being Hokage. He isn't able to take time off for important events, such as his daughter's birthday; he sends a Shadow Clone in his place to attend the celebrations instead of going himself.
When Naruto does get time to himself, he's often too exhausted to spend it with the people he cares about. Naruto is often seen in a dazed, tired state both on and off the clock, and Boruto sees him as lazy because he doesn't have the energy to be present with his family when he's off the clock.
3 Naruto's Better Suited To Being Out In The Field
By the time Naruto becomes Hokage, he's an incredibly powerful ninja who can take down Pain. He's been honing his skills for years and has an impressive roster of jutsu under his belt, combined with his astounding chakra reserves.
Even after maturing, Naruto also never dealt well with sitting still for long periods of time. His personality and skill set are much more suited for being out in the field, and Naruto only gets rustier the longer he spends behind a desk, unable to hone his skills.
2 Naruto Acts On Impulse And Emotion Rather Than Logic
The Hokage has to make many tough calls, often in the heat of the moment, and it's important to keep calm and use logical reasoning when making these decisions. If not, the safety of the entire village or worse could be at stake.
While Naruto has matured a lot since his younger years, he's still an impulsive person who typically thinks with his heart instead of his head. His tendency to favor emotion over logic helps in some cases but is a hindrance in others, clouding his rational decision-making.
1 Naruto Can't Separate Responsibility From Personal Feelings
Going along with Naruto's habit of thinking with his heart instead of his head, he has issues separating how he personally feels from his responsibility to keep the Hidden Leaf Village safe. It's one thing if Naruto prioritizes his own personal feelings as a kid, but he's the Hokage with far more responsibility now.
Naruto's already shown, both before and during Boruto, that he can't put aside his feelings to do what's best for the village. The attitude of placing his personal relations with others above what's best or safest for the village is only going to get those he cares about hurt in the long run.
