Naruto: Why Jiraiya refused to become a Hokage? Explained

In Naruto, Jiraiya is listed among the strongest shinobis that Konoha has ever produced. As one of the three legendary Sannins, Jiraiya was a force to be reckoned with, as even the S-Ranked rogue shinobis like Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki chose to retreat rather than confront him head-on. Besides being undeniably strong, he was also the most hysterical character in Naruto.

Having been hailed as one of the most powerful shinobis of his generation, Jiraiya was ultimately the best Hokage candidate. Unlike others, Jiraya never dreamed of ever becoming a Hokage in his village, and even refused to take the position despite being offered multiple times.

Other than claiming he was not cut out to be a Hokage, several other reasons made Jiraiya turn down the offer of taking on such a responsibility.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Naruto series.

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Jiraiya believed his achievements were insignificant next to the previous four Hokage in Naruto

Jiraiya constantly admired the Hokage’s job and considered it the most honorable position that even someone as strong as him deemed himself unworthy of. As a student of Hiruzen Sarutobi, he was familiarized with the responsibilities of Hokage.

Jiraiya’s gregarious and eccentric personality was one thing, but the most basic requirement of a Hokage he lacked was solemnity, which he even acknowledged.

However, his usual personality has never been a hindrance to becoming a Hokage in Naruto. For most of his life, Jiraiya drowned in his own ocean of regrets that caused him to consider he could never stand next to the people he always looked up to. After Hiruzen’s retirement, Jiraiya was offered the chance to succeed as the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, but he refused the position.

Initially, Hiruzen wanted Orochimaru to succeed him. However, the latter’s antagonistic traits and the potential evil lurking within him made the former reconsider his choice. Eventually, one of his students, Minato Namikaze, became the Fourth Hokage of Konoha. Jiraiya believed Minato to be a child of prophecy.

After the Konoha invasion by Orochimaru, where Hiruzen was killed after performing the Death Reaper Seal, the village had no other shinobi besides Jiraiya. He would be the only one capable enough of taking the role of a Hokage.

The Daimyo (feudal lord) of the Land of Fire and Konoha’s chief counselors, Homura Mikado and Koharu Utatane, nominated Jiraiya for the Fifth Hokage position. However, once again, he turned down the offer.

Jiraiya proposed that Tsunade be a better candidate than he could ever be. Before heading to Amegakure for his investigation, Tsunade told Jiraiya that one of the reasons that stopped him from reluctantly declining Hokage’s position was that he couldn’t bear the fact of stopping Orochimaru from turning evil.

Jiraiya considered Orochimaru to be one of his closest friends. After the latter defected from Konoha, Jiraiya never stopped pursuing him. He also relentlessly tried to convince him to have second thoughts. Failing to give Orochimaru a change of heart was one of the major regrets that stopped Jiraiya from ever thinking of becoming a Hokage.

Even in his last moments, he despised himself for failing to guide Nagato. Jiraiya has always believed that it takes more than skills and strength to become a Hokage.

Being infatuated by all the previous Hokage, this ninja from Naruto desired to die as gloriously as them. For the first and last time in his life, before closing his eyes forever, Jiraiya heartfully expressed his pride by saying: "Just barely glorious, but glorious indeed.”

All of Jiraiya’s regrets weighed heavily on him, but he still performed his duties efficiently rather than succumbing to grief. The fact that Jiraiya groomed the Fourth Hokage: Minato Namikaze, and the Seventh Hokage: Naruto Uzumaki, speaks a lot about the shinobi he was in his lifetime.