Hokage

The leaders of Konohagakure, from Hashirama Senju to Shikamaru Nara.

Hokage is the title of the leader of Konohagakure in Naruto, held over the course of the series by eight ninja whose faces are carved into the rock face above the village.

Quick Facts

Village: Konohagakure
First hokage: Hashirama Senju
Seventh hokage: Naruto Uzumaki
Eighth hokage: Shikamaru Nara

Facts from the source article.

Background

The village honours its Hokage by carving their likenesses into the mountain overlooking Konohagakure, although the Eighth's face has not been added. The First Hokage is Hashirama Senju, who founded the village together with Madara Uchiha. His younger brother Tobirama Senju, the Second, builds Konoha's system of government and tries to keep the Uchiha from ending up like Madara.

Tobirama's student Hiruzen Sarutobi becomes the Third Hokage and rules for a long time before stepping aside for Minato Namikaze, the Fourth; Hiruzen takes the post back after Minato gives his life to save the village from Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox. Hiruzen is Hokage when the series begins and dies fighting his former student Orochimaru during an invasion of the village.

Tsunade Senju, Hiruzen's student and Hashirama's granddaughter, succeeds him as the Fifth and the first woman to hold the title. After Tsunade falls into a coma defending the village from Pain, Danzo Shimura becomes the unofficial leader and candidate Sixth Hokage, but kills himself after losing a battle to Sasuke Uchiha before taking office; Kakashi Hatake is treated as the Sixth until Tsunade wakes and resumes her duties.

After the Fourth Great Ninja War Tsunade hands the office to Kakashi, who serves for many years until Naruto Uzumaki succeeds him as the Seventh Hokage. Following Naruto's presumed death at the hands of Kawaki, Shikamaru Nara becomes the Eighth Hokage.