Naruto is one of the most popular anime and manga today and it is that the history of the ninja world has surprised us all, especially for its amazing characters that are part of Naruto’s journey to become Hokage, a position that , carries a great deal of responsibility for the village.
The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, gave his own life to face the Nine-Tailed Fox and drive Obito Uchiha away, all in one night. With his and Kushina’s deaths, young Naruto was left alone, and it fell to the retired Third Hokage (Hiruzen Sarutobi) to take over and take care of Naruto. How did that turn out?
In hindsight, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s handling of the situation was uneven. The newborn Naruto Uzumaki had no family in the Leaf Village, and everyone feared the demon fox that lived inside him. The Third Hokage didn’t shirk his duty, but on the other hand, he probably could have taken some extra steps for Naruto’s sake.
Try to find a host family
Many ninja families reside in the Hidden Leaf Village, from the Yamanaka Clan to the Hyuga family and the Aburame family. Some of these families have well-kept secrets and can’t easily adopt children, but other ninja families may be open to the idea.
It is true that Naruto faced the stigma of the fox within him, and many people rejected him. But surely there was at least one family in the entire Hidden Leaf Village who would have adopted him, perhaps secretly.
Introducing Naruto to his grandson, Konohamaru, before
The Third Hokage’s grandson is none other than the boy named Konohamaru, who has Asuma Sarutobi as an uncle. Little Konohamaru never suffered the fear and rejection that Naruto faced on a daily basis, but he did resent being in the shadow of his grandfather, who was quite elongated. He was lonely, despite not being a jinchuriki.
In fact, Naruto and Konohamaru became friendly rivals when they met very early in the story, but one wonders if Hiruzen could have arranged this meeting sooner, and actively ensured that both boys had a friend. This should have been an obvious step.
Provide free advice and a therapist for Naruto
There is no doubt that being a total outcast in the Hidden Leaf Village had a huge effect on Naruto’s mind. In the Hidden Sand Village, Gaara of the Sand suffered in the same way, and his mind was warped and twisted as a result. That could have been Naruto too.
Surely Hiruzen would be aware that all of this would weigh heavily on young Naruto, and the Third Hokage should definitely have set up free counseling and personally appointed therapists to help care for Naruto’s mental well-being. Even if Naruto wasn’t cooperative at first, it would have been a good idea.
Give Naruto a bigger assignment
If finding an open-minded adoptive family for young Naruto Uzumaki didn’t work out, then the Third Hokage could have given Naruto at least a bigger assignment. A young boy doesn’t need so many things, but Naruto feels bitterly lonely and unhappy, so the Hokage could partially fill the void with a better life situation.
Naruto could have been given a nicer apartment in the village, along with a steady allowance for groceries, household items, and clothing. In an early episode, Naruto is seen drinking slightly spoiled milk; Perhaps he couldn’t afford a new carton right away?
Hire a personal trainer for Naruto
Naruto was allowed to train at the ninja academy like everyone else, but he didn’t have a good time there. The other students didn’t like Naruto’s antics to get attention, and the instructors didn’t like it too much either. Perhaps Naruto needed a totally different learning environment.
Instead, the Third Hokage could have hired a private tutor who was willing and able to deal with Naruto personally and instill some good jutsu in him. If Hiruzen could have hired Ebisu for Konohamaru, he could have hired someone for Naruto as well.