After 10 Years, Boruto Is Officially Setting Up Konoha's New Hokage
The position of Hokage has always been incredibly important in the world of Naruto. Right from the very beginning, the Hokage was described as the most powerful and dependable ninja in the entire village who protects everyone. Konoha has seen multiple Hokage over the years, with Naruto Uzumaki being the last official Hokage and Shikamaru standing as the temporary Hokage in his absence.
Now, 10 years after the beginning of the Boruto series, Konoha is officially moving towards appointing a new Hokage and dismissing Shikamaru Nara. The plotline was already established with the involvement of Kobu in the Mamushi arc of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, and with the beginning of a new arc, Shikamaru faces grave danger as Konoha gets ready to elect a completely new leader.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Officially Sets Up Shikamaru's Dismissal From Hokage Position
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 35 marked the beginning of a new arc on June 18, 2026. With this chapter came a lot of exposition on the politics unfolding in the background in Konoha. While the Shinju are the primary focus and big battles are being lined up, Konoha is experiencing a drastic shift that not enough fans are paying attention to.
With Kobu being directly involved in an interrogation in Konoha in the previous arc, this plotline is slowly but surely leading to the dismissal of Shikamaru Nara. Previously, Shikamaru was appointed as the 8th Hokage of Konoha after the confirmation of the death of Naruto Uzumaki. However, he never fully accepted this position, and as far as he was concerned, he only believed this to be a temporary position. That said, Shikamaru could not refuse this position forever, and Konoha could not wait for him forever either.
Shikamaru: Sai, take Lord Kobu to the medical unit.
Sai: Grab onto me.
Kobu: What were they?
Shikamaru: They were the Shinju. Now, do you understand? They must be dealt with, stat. Please let me do my job.
Kobu: Do what you must. However, my investigation into you isn't over, Shikamaru Nara. You'd better not think you can sweep this under the rug.
— Kobu shows deep mistrust towards Hokage Shikamaru, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #31
Slowly but steadily, everything seemed to build towards the village electing a new Hokage, and the new Post-Mamushi arc, which is set to continue on July 20, 2026, is most certainly going to address that as well. Kobu is already suspicious of Shikamaru Nara. If the Daimyo of the Land of Fire agrees with him, then Shikamaru is set to be ousted from his position as 8th Hokage and potentially even arrested. What's more, Konoha will then get a completely new Hokage, and there is a big chance that this figure is going to be none other than Konohamaru Sarutobi.
Why Konoha Is About To Get A New Hokage In Two Blue Vortex's Upcoming Arc
Konoha is getting a new Hokage for two main reasons. The first is the established plot point, which isolates Shikamaru Nara as a traitor to the Hidden Leaf and puts him in a difficult situation, thereby creating an exciting and intense story surrounding this beloved character from the Naruto series. The second and more important reason why Konoha is getting a new Hokage is that it connects directly to the dreams of some of the new generation characters, such as Konohamaru Sarutobi. For way too long, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex has pushed back upon the dreams of these characters, and with multiple individuals vying for the same position, some would have to be left behind.
"There are no shortcuts to becoming Hokage. Remember that! If you want to be the Hokage, beat me first!" — Naruto Uzumaki instills the dream of Hokage in Konohamaru, Naruto Chapter #2
For instance, Sarada Uchiha and Konohamaru both wanted to become the Hokage, but if Sarada gets to become the Hokage next, then Konohamaru will never be able to fulfill his dream. To create the perfect circumstances for things to flow, removing Shikamaru Nara from office is the perfect pathway to making Konohamaru the next Hokage and then following him up with Sarada Uchiha.
"Lord Seventh once brought my dad back, who had gone rogue and committed all sorts of crimes. He became Hokage while still a Genin. My role model is Lord Seventh, not you." — Sarada declares her goal to Shikamaru, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #2
As such, it should be expected in the next few chapters for the story to continue this exciting storyline pertaining to Shikamaru Nara's dismissal from the position of Hokage. A new leader for Konoha will eventually be elected to properly lead the village in the absence of the likes of Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. We are all incredibly excited to see this plot line move forward. Hopefully, Mikio Ikemoto and Masashi Kishimoto will deliver.
The Perfect Candidates For Konoha's 8th Hokage Position
Konoha currently has multiple candidates that can be said to be perfect for the position of Hokage. For one, there is Sakura Haruno, who is the protege of Tsunade Senju, the 5th Hokage of Konoha. Sakura is both smart and powerful enough to lead the village as Hokage, but she is not going to be given this important job in the Boruto series, especially given her status as the wife of a perceived traitor, Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke himself will likely return soon at the end of the ongoing arc focusing on Hidari, but once again, his traitorous status will never let him become the Hokage of the village.
“Being Hokage isn't about being recognized in your Village. Only those who are admired and recognized will ever become the Hokage.” — Itachi Uchiha
In the absence of Shikamaru Nara, the only Jonin that Konoha trusts and respects enough to install as the 8th Hokage is Konohamaru Sarutobi. As such, Konohamaru should be the next Hokage of the village, and unlike Shikamaru, he won't be the unofficial Hokage or someone only holding the seat until Naruto returns. In Konohamaru's case, his position is going to be permanent, and he is most certainly going to lead Konoha into a new age. With this new position, Konohamaru is also expected to get a significant power-up in the future because he deserves more spotlight. After all, a Hokage cannot be as weak as he is right now, and he must become strong enough to fight the likes of the Otsutsuki. In the future, we can only hope that Mikio Ikemoto and Masashi Kishimoto deliver a great power-up when it comes to Konohamaru Sarutobi, and hopefully, things will line up for this character, and he will redeem himself in the future.
All the chapters of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, written and illustrated by Mikio Ikemoto under the keen supervision of Masashi Kishimoto, are available to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media. The upcoming chapter 36 of the Manga is expected to be released on July 20, 2026, at 11 AM EST.
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