Hokage

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File:Hokage Monument in Color.jpg

Hokage Monument. Kage are in order from left to right: First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth.

The Hokage (火影, literally meaning: Fire Shadow) are the leaders of Konoha. They are generally the strongest in the village, although ideology and renown plays a large part in their being chosen for the position.

Four shinobi and one kunoichi have gained this title so far. When the position for Hokage becomes open, whether because of the previous Hokage's death or incapacitation, the Konoha Council promptly begins to search for a replacement,in some cases within hours or days after a Hokage has been deemed dead or unfit; this can be seen in the case of Tsunade after she slipped into a coma.

After being appointed, they are given the Hokage mansion in which to live and have their faces carved out in the stone wall behind it. Though she was pointed out during the first part of the series, the Fifth Hokage's face was carved out before the beginning of Part II.

According to Kakashi, once a shinobi has been appointed by the Konoha Council it is up to the Jōnin of the village to determine whether the position will become official.

List of Hokage

First Hokage

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Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage.

Main article: Hashirama Senju Hashirama Senju (千手柱間, Senju Hashirama) was a member of the famed Senju clan. He himself was hailed as the "God of Shinobi" for his unmatched ninja prowess. Hashirama sought peace for the shinobi world, and to that end founded Konohagakure with his clan, his childhood friend and rival: Madara Uchiha and the Uchiha clan. He would later become the First Hokage (初代火影, Shodai Hokage, literally meaning: First or Founding Fire Shadow) of Konohagakure. Although he was not able to achieve peace during his lifetime, his legacy and vision for the world would continue to shape the village and the entire shinobi world even after his death.

Second Hokage

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Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage.

Main article: Tobirama Senju Tobirama Senju (千手扉間, Senju Tobirama) was a member of the renowned Senju clan, who, together with his elder brother and the Uchiha clan, founded the first shinobi village: Konohagakure. Throughout his lifetime, Tobirama would work tirelessly to achieve political stability and implement the institutions that made the village system work, thus ensuring Konoha's continuity and prosperity. After his brother's death, he would earn the title of Second Hokage (二代目火影, Nidaime Hokage, literally meaning: Second Fire Shadow).

Third Hokage

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Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage.

Main article: Hiruzen Sarutobi Hiruzen Sarutobi (猿飛ヒルゼン, Sarutobi Hiruzen) was the Third Hokage (三代目火影, Sandaime Hokage, literally meaning: Third Fire Shadow) of Konohagakure. A disciple of the village's two previous Hokage, Hiruzen was a powerful ninja, hailed as a "God of Shinobi". Though he was only ever directly the teacher of the Sannin, generations of Konoha shinobi benefited from his wisdom during his lifetime.

Fourth Hokage

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Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage.

Main article: Minato Namikaze Minato Namikaze (波風ミナト, Namikaze Minato) was the Fourth Hokage (四代目火影, Yondaime Hokage, literally meaning: Fourth Fire Shadow) of Konohagakure. He was renowned all over the world as Konoha's Yellow Flash (木ノ葉の黄色い閃光, Konoha no Kiiroi Senkō, English TV: Yellow Flash of the Leaf). He died during the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's Attack, sacrificing his life to seal a part of the Nine-Tails into his newborn son, Naruto Uzumaki.

Fifth Hokage

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Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage.

Main article: Tsunade Tsunade (綱手, Tsunade) is a descendant of the Senju and Uzumaki Clan, and is one of Konohagakure's Sannin. She is famed as the world's strongest kunoichi and its greatest medical-nin. The repeated loss of her loved ones caused Tsunade to later abandon the life of a shinobi for many years. She is eventually persuaded to return to Konoha and take on the mantle of Fifth Hokage (五代目火影, Godaime Hokage, literally meaning: Fifth Fire Shadow), where her skills prove invaluable to the village.

Candidate Sixth Hokage

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Danzō Shimura, the Acting Sixth Hokage.

Main article: Danzō Danzō Shimura (志村ダンゾウ, Shimura Danzō) was an elder of Konohagakure. As the founder and leader of Root, Danzō gained notoriety as The Darkness of the Shinobi (忍の闇, Shinobi no Yami, English TV: The Shinobi of Darkness) because of his frequent unsanctioned actions and his often-suspected (but rarely proven) undermining of specific Konoha personnel. Despite his decades of suspicious deeds, Danzō only ever acted in what he believed were the village's best interests. He was appointed the Sixth Hokage Candidate (六代目火影候補, Rokudaime Hokage Kōho, literally meaning: Sixth Fire Shadow Candidate) after Pain's Assault, but died before he could be formally approved to the position.

Trivia

• All of the former Hokage, except for Tsunade, have been sealed away in the stomach of the Death God summoning; The Fourth was sealed when he sealed the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox within Naruto, while the First and Second were re-sealed when the Third sealed them away. As for the Third, he was sealed when he gave his life to seal Orochimaru, but only managing to seal away his arms.
• All Hokage have had some connection to each other: The First and Second were brothers, the Third was the student of the Second, The Fourth was the student of Jiraiya who was a student of the Third, and the Fifth is the granddaughter of the First, the grandniece of the Second, and the student of the Third. When Kakashi was considered for the position of the Sixth, his connections to the past Hokage almost cemented his selection as he was a student of the Fourth. The formar acting Hokage, Danzō, was once a rival to the Third for the position, and Danzō disagrees with the peaceful ideologies of the five Hokages.
• At least three of the Hokage are descendаnts of the Senju clan.
• In Naruto Ultimate Ninja 3, Naruto became the Hokage for one whole week.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, was said to be the strongest of all the kages.
• Konohagakure is the only village to have reached the sixth generation of their kage, followed by Sunagakure and Kirigakure with the Fifth Kazekage and Fifth Mizukage.