Tsunade

Biodata

Background

During the Second Shinobi World War, Tsunade lost her younger brother and her lover, Dan, on the battlefield. The losses left her with hemophobia and a deep hatred of war 8 32.

Tsunade repeatedly proposed assigning a dedicated medical-nin to every four-person squad. The plan was controversial and could not be fully implemented with Konoha’s resources, but the Third Hokage adopted it in part by training Ninja Academy graduates as medical-nin. Gekkō Byakuya entered Konoha Hospital through this program 4.

Appearance

Tsunade has long blond hair that falls over her shoulders 8 20.

Personality

Tsunade is protective of her medical staff and willing to confront powerful figures on their behalf. She challenged Danzo over Root’s attempt to take Byakuya, even after blood from Danzo’s injured hand triggered her hemophobia 12.

She can be teasing and sharp-tongued with people she knows, particularly Byakuya and Jiraiya 8 20 47. Her concern for Byakuya also makes her reluctant to expose him to battlefield danger; she initially pleaded with him to remain at the hospital rather than join a reconnaissance mission 48.

Abilities & Skills

Medical Ninjutsu

Tsunade is an accomplished medical-nin and surgeon. Byakuya observed her performing a difficult emergency operation with steady hands and precise movements, and she later directed medical-nin at Kikyo Castle 8 48.

• Mystical Palm Technique: She gave Byakuya her personal notes to help him learn the technique 8.
• Antidote development: At Kikyo Castle, she developed an antidote to Chiyo’s new poison after three days of work 46.
• Limitation: Exposure to blood can trigger her hemophobia. Byakuya’s Kaidō can temporarily soothe her condition, but it does not cure it 8 12 15.

Medical Organization

Tsunade advocated placing medical-nin in combat squads and later oversaw medical personnel at Kikyo Castle 4 47 48.

• She appointed Byakuya to the Special Medical Unit, giving him a position within the Medical Corps 13.
• At Kikyo Castle, she ordered the reinforcement unit and its medical-nin to rest before reporting to the hospital 47.

Relationships

• Gekkō Byakuya — Medical colleague and trusted confidant. He treats her hemophobia with Kaidō; she protects him from Root, shares her medical notes, and recommends him for a Chunin assessment 8 11 12 13.
• Dan Katō — Her deceased lover. His death on the battlefield contributed to her trauma 8 12.
• Shizune — Tsunade’s disciple and Dan’s niece. She stays close to Tsunade and helps care for her during an episode 13 32.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi — Her teacher and the Third Hokage. He considers her as a possible successor and later appoints her commander of the western vanguard 12 41.
• Jiraiya — A fellow Konoha Sannin. Tsunade restrains him from rushing toward the Nine-Tails when doing so might worsen the situation 4 17.
• Danzo — An adversary in the dispute over Byakuya. Tsunade opposes Root’s attempt to recruit him and argues that using his bloodline ability too often could worsen his illness 12.
• Yakushi Nonō — An old acquaintance and fellow medical-nin. They reconnect after being separated during the Second Shinobi World War 13.

Story Role

Konoha Hospital and Root

In Konoha Year 42, trainee Byakuya assists Tsunade during an emergency operation. Afterward, she suffers a hemophobia episode and cuts her hand; he secretly uses Kaidō to calm her and treats the injury. She asks him not to tell anyone what happened 8.

Two years later, Tsunade reveals that she recognized Byakuya’s unusual chakra and knew of his involvement in saving Hatake Sakumo. She keeps his secret, gives him her Mystical Palm Technique notes, and assigns him to Sakumo’s hospital care 8 32.

When Root tries to take Byakuya to Danzo, Tsunade agrees to intervene in exchange for help suppressing her hemophobia. She confronts Danzo before the Third Hokage, who orders Root not to trouble Byakuya again. She subsequently appoints him to the Special Medical Unit and recommends him for a Chunin assessment 11 12 13.

Nine-Tails Incident

When the Nine-Tails runs wild, Tsunade stops Jiraiya from rushing in and urges him to trust Minato, Kushina, and Byakuya. After the crisis, she checks on the exhausted Byakuya and reports that Minato and Kushina are out of danger 17 18.

Western Front

After Sunagakure invades the Land of Fire, the Third Hokage appoints Tsunade commander of Konoha’s western vanguard at Kikyo Castle. He also sends Byakuya to help keep her hemophobia under control 41.

Tsunade develops an antidote to Chiyo’s poison and performs multiple operations while concealing her condition. Exhausted, she meets Byakuya’s reinforcement group before it reaches Kikyo Castle and receives treatment from him 46.

At the castle, Tsunade reluctantly allows Byakuya to join Hizashi Hyuga’s reconnaissance force after he argues that his sensory abilities can prevent casualties. Following the mission, she gives him a Summoning Contract for Katsuyu, believing Katsuyu and his unusual chakra could help him advance his Medical Ninjutsu 48 50.