Summary
From the time when the post of Hokage was introduced in Masashi Kishimoto’sNaruto, there has been a sense of prestige associated with it,as only the strongest shinobi from Konohagakurehave ever held the rank for a substantial amount of time. Similarly, the other hidden villages in the Five Great Shinobi Countries have also been lead by extremely powerful individuals who brought about both positive and negative changes in the ninja world.
Thetitle of Kage is not one to be taken lightly, as many incredibly gifted shinobi inNarutowho rose to this rank, met early deaths in wars, assassinations, or other tragedies. Only a few Kage enjoyed lengthy tenures in the position as a consequence of the hazards associated with the role. Considering the vast influence that each village leader has exerted on the shinobi world over the years, which of the Kage reigned for the longest time?
Why Do So Many Kage Meet An Early Demise?
Beingappointed as the Kage of a hidden villagemay be an honor for most shinobi, but it also makes them a target for their nation’s enemies. Quite a few of the Kage inNarutoperished relatively early on in their lives, either due to war, external attacks, or other causes. Some, such as the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, were even subdued and controlled by those who sought to exploit their power for personal gain.
A similar case could be made for the Third Kazekage, who was killed by Sasori, one of the shinobi from his own village. Consequently,a large portion of the Kage that have reignedover hidden villages in the shinobi world till date, only enjoyed brief terms in office, which generally did not exceed a decade’s time. Those who rise to the rank of Kage are always exceptional shinobi in their own right, but living in constant fear of death can take a toll on even the most self-assured among them.
This is one of the main reasons why every Kage has a personal guard of extremely talented shinobi from the village, who accompany them to virtually all of their official and personal obligations. However, even this standard of protection may not be enough to deal with every threat to a Kage’s life, especially in times of conflict. This turned outto be true for the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, the Third Raikage, the Second Mizukage Gengetsu Hozuki, and the Second Tsuchikage Mu, who all perished in battle.
A Contest Between The Strongest Kage Of Their Time
By studying the series' timeline, there are a few obvious names who stand out in terms of the lengths of their reigns as Kage. Since he was only a youth when he was appointed to therank of Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi is one ofthe main front-runners for the title, as his tenure in the position outlasted the Second and Third Shinobi World War, continuing until the Konoha Crush in Part I of Naruto.
While he did go into retirement for a year or twowhen Minato Namikaze was Hokage, he was soon forced to return to his duties after his successor’s untimely death during the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha on the day of Naruto’s birth. The next contender would have to be the Third Tsuchikage Onoki, who inherited the title from his mentor Mu sometime between the First and Second Shinobi World Wars. His reign continued well into Part II ofNaruto, and only concluded during the blank period before the start ofBoruto.
Althoughthe tenures of most other Kage have notbeen revealed in too much detail, it may be safe to also consider the Third Kazekage, the Fifth Kazekage Gaara, the Fourth Mizukage Yagura Karatachi, as well as the Third and Fourth Raikages. Even in this cohort, only the Third Kazekage, as well as the Third Raikage and Fourth Raikage could compete with the longevity of Onoki and Hiruzen, which essentially makes this a two-horse race for the most part.
Iwakgakure’s “Onoki Of Both Scales” And “The Professor” Of Konohagakure
On one hand, Onoki’s reign far outlasted Hiruzen’s,since he was still the Tsuchikage for some timeafter the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War. The only thing standing in his way of being crowned the longest serving Kage, is the fact that his year of appointment has not been revealed, and there are few clues that could offer estimates of how long he has been in power.
Conversely, it is fairly well-knownthat Hiruzen was made Hokageon the battlefield of the First Shinobi World War by the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, who sacrificed his life to allow his subordinates to escape Kumogakure’s Kinkaku Force. Most estimates place the First Shinobi World War around 30 to 35 years prior to Naruto’s birth, which means Hiruzen must have been Hokage for around 40 to 45 years. In Onoki’s case, it is assumed that he rose to power either before, during, or shortly after the Second Shinobi World War, but this is a large time frame to base estimates on.
Given that Onoki must have been in power for at least5-10 years after the Fourth Shinobi World War, and the gap between the First and Second Shinobi World War was 20 years, approximations of his tenure as Tsuchikage can also range from 40 to 50 years at the minimum. Hence, both can lay a claim to the title of the longest serving Kage inNaruto, until Masashi Kishimoto provides a clearer indication of the respective timelines of their reigns.
