Throughout the story of Masashi Kishimoto’sNarutoseries, fans were introduced to several impressive and powerful ninjas. Among these imposing warriors, the Hokage stood out for being the protectors of the Hidden Village. For many viewers, the titular protagonist is by far the best leader Konoha has ever had.
Yet, while there is no doubt thatNarutois an amazing Hokage and the most powerful leader Konoha has ever seen, there is another character who is often overlooked, and his contributions to the ninja world are just as important:Tobirama Senju. He lived in the shadow of Hashirama, his older brother, and Madara, which often makes fans forget how crucial to the story he was.
Tobirama Deserves More Recognition
He Was a True Genius
Tobirama, the second Hokage, isone of the most intelligentand powerful characters in theNarutoseries. After his brother’s mysterious death, he assumed the role of Konoha’s leader, pushing policies and systemic changes to make the Shinobi World a better place. For Tobirama, ninjas should not prioritize their clan over the lives of civilians, a behavior that had caused many deaths in the past. To prevent more blood from being spilled, the second Hokage created the Ninja Academy, a place where children could learn how to be shinobi in a safe environment.
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Kids would grow to learn that their duty as ninjas was to protect the village and its inhabitants, instead of growing up surrounded by the corpses of their family and allies like Tobirama did. He also created the Anbu with the express purpose of protecting the village against any threat. Lastly, he established the Chunin Exams, allowing young ninjas to prove their worth to their village without risking their lives in pointless wars.Tobirama’s contributions helped the world evolveand leave behind the daily fights between clans and villages for supremacy.
Tobirama’s Legacy Is Overshadowed by Other Powerful Ninjas
He Was a Prodigy Living Among Legends
There is no doubt that Tobirama wasone of the best Hokages the Hidden Leaf ever hadamong its ranks, and yet, his contributions tend to be forgotten by characters and fans alike. The main reason why he never received the credit he deserved, is because during his era, some of the strongest and influential ninjas ever were born. His brother, Hashirama, was considered the most powerful shinobi ever for many decades, with legends of his fights being shared across generations.
Madara Uchiha was also a living myth, being the only fighter alive who would give Tobirama’s sibling a challenge. Even though the second Hokage did amazing work during his lifetime, his skills and strength could never reach the same level as the ninjas who defined his generation. As such, once he died during the Second Great Ninja War,his story was overshadowed by Hashirama and Madara’s. This is a tragedy, as Tobirama, while not the strongest of warriors, did wonders for the world of the series. Without him, the world of the series would have remained chaotic and cruel.
Tobirama Was by No Means a Saint
The Way He Treated the Uchiha Clan Caused Severe Issues for the Village
Although Tobirama might have been a great leader for Konoha, he was far from being the ideal. Despite his wishes to see the world become a better place, he still held resentment against the clans who caused the Senju pain in the past.He held a particular hatred for the Uchiha family, seeing them as arrogant and violent individuals who could betray Konoha at any point. His worst offense was relegating them to the Police District of the Hidden Leaf, isolating them from other clans, and forcing them to work under his direct supervision.
His bias and unwillingness to work with his former enemies caused them to feel alienated from Konoha. Over the years, their anger turned into hatred against the government of the village, leading to their insurrection attempt and the subsequent Uchiha Masacree,one of the darkest moments in the franchise. If Tobirama had been more like his brother and forgiven his former enemies, hundreds of lives could have been spared. Hashirama himself reprimanded the second Hokage when they met again after being revived by Orochimaru’s Edo Tensei.
Tobiramamight not have been a perfect Hokage, but he is without a doubt one of the best leaders theNarutoworld has seen. It is a shame that his contributions to history have been relegated to footnotes in Hashirama’s legend, as he deserves much more recognition than he has.
