Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, is often termed as the worst Hokage. Despite being chosen as a leader, Naruto fans doubt his intentions and capabilities, and for good reason. He let Naruto grow up alone and could not stop some major disasters.
But as a fan, you need to know the full story behind the scenes and why Hiruzen acted in the way he did. In fact, another character should also be held responsible for Naruto’s neglect.
Why do Naruto Fans Hate the Third Hokage?
Before diving into anything else, first, you need to understand why Hiruzen Sarutobi was hated so much despite being the Third Hokage. The first reason that made Naruto fans hate Sarutobi was his neglect towards Naruto. Before the death of Minato, he asked the Third Hokage to look after his son and protect him, as Naruto was just a newborn at that point.
However, Hiruzen could not fulfill his promise and left Naruto alone. The protagonist spent the majority of his childhood being neglected by everyone around him. He was always alone as well as abused by the villagers since he was the jinchuriki for the Nine-tailed fox.
After Minato’s death, Sarutobi resumed the duties of a Hokage, despite retiring. He allowed the creation of Root, a secretive organization whose methods were unethical. He gave Danzo full power over the unit, which led to the creation of a merciless squad. Chosen candidates were ruthlessly trained from a young age to forget their emotions and be devoted to Root.
The nail in the coffin was probably the massacre of the Uchiha Clan. When Itachi informed that the Uchiha clan was planning a coup, Danzo suggested the massacre of the entire clan. Hiruzen, being the leader, could have stopped it, but he let the tragedy happen, which ultimately led to Itachi being framed for it.
Naruto’s Lonely Upbringing Wasn’t Completely Hiruzen’s Fault
Hiruzen did commit some major errors during his time as a Hokage. However, letting Naruto live alone wasn’t completely his fault. After all, he was a Hokage who had numerous duties to attend to. You can look at Naruto, for example. In Boruto, Naruto is the Seventh Hokage, and his job often keeps him away from his family.
Naruto was often an absent father to Boruto. As a Hokage, he is often stuck with the paperwork and other duties that come with his position and pulls all-nighters at his office. In fact, sometimes, he sends his clones to spend time with his family rather than showing up himself. This proves how hectic of a job it is to be a Hokage.
Sarutobi had to deal with the aftermath of Minato’s death and resume the Hokage duties when he was too old. Naturally, the duties must have weighed him down more than when he was young. While he could not be physically present in Naruto’s life, he still provided for the boy and encouraged his development as a shinobi.
But there’s another person who cannot be excused for his behavior, like Sarutobi. It was stated in the series that Jiraiya was Naruto’s grandfather. After the death of one’s parents, it is often the godfather/godmother who looks after the orphaned children; however, Jiraiya was nowhere to be found till Naruto was around 13.
Jiraiya was a spy who was always traveling, and being with him was dangerous, so obviously, he could not keep a child around. The Toad Sage might be a great teacher, but he lacks the decency to be a caretaker of a child. However, there can be no excuse for not even visiting the boy for years.
You can read Naruto on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll.
