Why Tobirama Senju Is The Worst Hokage In Naruto
"Naruto" puts a lot of emphasis on the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village. In fact, many, like Hashirama, Minato, and Naruto, are considered some of the strongest shinobi ever to exist. It's a common sentiment amongst the fandom to believe that Sarutobi is the worst Hokage, but Tobirama has done more than enough to earn that title.
Fans can trace most of the problems plaguing the shinobi world during Naruto's youth to Tobirama's tenure as Hokage. The divide between the Uchiha clan and the rest of the Hidden Leaf began under Tobirama's rule, as he alienated them, which led to the rise of radical members like Obito, Sasuke, and a reincarnated Madara.
Speaking of reincarnated shinobi, Tobirama is also responsible for the Fourth Great Shinobi War, even though it began decades after his reign. While shinobi throughout "Naruto" regard Tobirama as a genius Jutsu inventor, his most notable work with now-forbidden Jutsus resulted in the creation of the Edo Tensei. While he may have meant for good to come from his Jutsu, shinobi only used it for evil, with Orochimaru using it to kill Tobirama's successor, Sarutobi. To make a bad situation worse, Kabuto later mastered the Jutsu, leading to the reanimation of countless shinobi, including Tobirama, and the death of many more. Without his Jutsu-inventing obsession and the inhumane treatment of the Uchiha, Madara and Obito would never have formed their plan to rid the world of war using the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Where did things go wrong for Tobirama?
Growing up alongside Hashirama Senju, who many consider the most powerful Hokage, Tobirama should have been set up for success as the Hokage, continuing what his brother started for the Hidden Leaf Village. So, where did it go wrong?
"The Life of Tobirama Senju" gives a masterful rundown of the Second Hokage's life, showcasing how Tobirama and Hashirama focused on creating a new life for the shinobi world after growing up in a war-ridden world. Because of the ongoing feud between the Senju and Uchiha clans, Tobirama killed Madara's brother Izuna, solidifying Madara's hatred towards the Senju and the shinobi world. Throughout his life, Hashirama urges his brother to accept peace between their people and the Uchiha, but when Tobirama became Hokage, he further marginalized them.
Tobirama's disdain for the Uchiha began when he was just a boy, as his father used him as a pawn in the two clans' war. The belief that "all Uchiha are bad" was ingrained into Tobirama from the start, so it's no surprise that he always saw them as a threat to Konohagakure's future. When Orochimaru reincarnates the Hokages during the Fourth Great Shinobi War, he informs Tobirama about the legacy he left behind, including how his mistreatment of the Uchiha and his development of Forbidden Jutsus brought them to where they are now.