Boruto Two Blue Vortex: Who Is the Hokage After Naruto?

The latest chapter 81 of the Boruto Two Blue Vortex came back with a bang and is the talk of the town right now. Amidst the chaos that is happening in the Konoha village right now, there was a much bigger change that surprised every single fan out there. Yes! Shikamaru has now become the next Hokage of Konoha. Read on to learn more about who is the eighth hokage and how Shikamaru became one after Naruto.

Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers about the characters and story in Boruto. We suggest you watch the anime and read the manga (up to chapter 81) to avoid ruining your experience.

Boruto Timeskip: Shikamaru revealed as the 8th Hokage

According to chapter 81 of Boruto Manga (chapter 1 of Boruto Two Blue Vortex), Shikamaru Nara is the new Hokage in town. In the very first panel, we can see Sarada arguing in the village leader’s room. And in the next panel, we can see Shikamaru donning the Hokage cloak outfit confirming that he is the new successor to Naruto. Not only did Shikamaru get a design upgrade but other characters also brought major design changes after Timeskip in Buruto Two Blue Vortex.

If you can remember, Asuma Sarutobi once claimed that Shikamaru Nara has all the potential to become Hokage one day if he weren’t so lazy. And that dream has now come to fruition as Shikamaru rightfully became the Eighth Hokage ((八代目火影, Hachidaime Hokage) of Konoha now.

Series of Events that Made Shikamaru the Next Hokage

The first half of the Boruto series wrapped up with a big cliffhanger. Kawaki fooled everyone with the powers of Eida (Omnipotence) that he is the son of Naruto and he added that Boruto has murdered Naruto. This led to Boruto being marked as a traitor and Hokage killer. And now Naruto and Hinata are trapped in another dimension. Since everyone believed now that the Seventh Hokage is no more, the Konoha village can’t function properly without a leader to lead them.

As there is a vacant position for the Hokage now, everyone wondered who might be the next Hokage. There are plenty of candidates as everyone is aware such as Sasuke Uchiha, Konohamaru Sarutobi, Sakura Haruno, etc, or Kakashi Hatake himself returns for the interim. But the creator Kishimoto pulled off an unexpected move by making Shikamaru Nara the Eighth Hokage of Konoha.

How Strong is Shikamaru as a Hokage?

Shikamaru is one of the most intelligent characters in the whole Naruto universe. His Nara clan has also been proven to give birth to highly intellectual persons as seen with him and his dad. He previously worked mainly as the advisor to the Seventh Hokage Naruto and his father also served as one to another Hokage during his period. Everyone can remember how smart he was as the War General during the Fourth Shinobi World War. So what I’m trying to say is that Shikamaru has come a long way from a lazy boy to Hokage now. He has all the power and mind to sit in this position where the demands are higher.

Shikamaru with his sheer intelligence can lead the Konoha village in the right way. But when it comes to battle, that’s when the trouble arises. I’m afraid Shikamaru can’t stand his ground in the battle when compared to the previous Hokages. See where Shikamaru ranks vs the other Hokages in our Strongest Hokages in History article. Thus, Shikamaru becoming one was no fluke, and let’s see what changes he will bring as the leader of Konoha now.

And that’s a wrap to our quick article about how Shikamaru became the current leader of Konoha. This was indeed a surprising move from the creator. While many of us have wanted to see him become one, there were also other fans who wanted other candidates to become the Hokage. With that said, what do you think of this move in Boruto, let us know in the comments below.