Tsunade

Biodata

Background

Tsunade is the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, Konoha’s First Hokage. As a child, she heard his belief that a ninja’s power should be used to protect, not destroy. Her younger brother Nawaki and her lover Dan Katō both died after giving their lives for the village 2 10 27.

A disciple of Hiruzen Sarutobi alongside Jiraiya and Orochimaru, Tsunade left Konoha and wandered for years, burdened by her losses. After the Heavenly Screen showed Pain devastating the village, she set out to return but initially stopped at a nearby outpost with Shizune. She eventually entered Konoha, insisting she had no intention of becoming Hokage as shown in the footage 2 13 27 30 46.

Appearance

Tsunade is tall, with long golden hair and golden or amber eyes. She wears the Strength of a Hundred Seal on her forehead 10 49 50 54.

• The seal’s markings spread across her body when she activates the Strength of a Hundred Technique 56.
• As Hokage, she wears Hokage robes; she also wears a white coat while treating the wounded 43 49.

Personality

Tsunade is outspoken and quick-tempered, but deeply protective of Konoha. Although grief initially made her reluctant to return or accept leadership, the Third Hokage’s death pushed her to focus on treating the wounded and rebuilding the village 27 30 43.

She can be gentle with patients and students: she welcomed Karin to Konoha, treated her injuries, and later ordered an exhausted Sakura to rest. Tsunade also dislikes paperwork and recruited Shikamaru to help manage it 32 123 126.

Abilities & Skills

Medical Ninjutsu

Tsunade is a leading medical ninja and an instructor in advanced treatment and Chakra control 13 46.

• She treated Karin’s injuries and identified severe Chakra depletion, advising her to rest 32.
• She used Medical Ninjutsu to seal Danzo’s Chakra flow and prevent him from forming hand seals 101.
• In Heavenly Screen footage, she healed Gaara and Ōnoki and restored Ōnoki’s strength during the battle against Madara 51 58.
• The Mystical Palm Technique is identified as one of her specialties 27.

Strength of a Hundred Technique

In the Heavenly Screen’s future footage, Tsunade activates Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth: Strength of a Hundred Technique by releasing the seal on her forehead 56.

• It lets her regenerate wounds without hand signs, including an abdominal injury caused by a Chakra sword 57.
• Its Chakra is finite: the technique was exhausted during the fight with Madara 58.
• Tsunade’s medical-ninja rules prohibit abandoning a living teammate, fighting on the front lines, or dying before one’s squad. Her fourth rule permits those who have mastered the technique to break the other three 56.

Monstrous Strength

Tsunade’s physical strength is formidable in both combat and destructive force 13 43.

• In the projected battle against Madara, her punch cracked Susanoo’s skeleton 56.
• She destroyed Danzo’s defensive barrier with one punch during the raid on Root’s base 101.

Slug Summoning

During the Heavenly Screen’s depiction of Pain’s invasion, Tsunade summoned numerous slugs to help treat the wounded 2.

Equipment

• First Hokage’s necklace — Tsunade wears it in the present-day timeline. In the future shown on the Heavenly Screen, she gives it to Naruto; it attempts to restrain his out-of-control power before he crushes it 6 67.

Relationships

• Hashirama Senju — Her grandfather and an influence on her belief that power should protect others 10.
• Nawaki — Her younger brother, who dreamed of becoming Hokage and died in war 27.
• Dan Katō — Her deceased lover. In the projected battle with Madara, his spirit saves her from a fatal attack 27 58.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi — Her teacher and the Third Hokage. His death leads her to help rebuild Konoha and assume the Hokage’s responsibilities 43 44 46.
• Jiraiya — Her former teammate and fellow Sannin. He encourages her return and supports Konoha after the invasion 30 43.
• Orochimaru — Her former teammate and fellow student of Hiruzen. He traps Tsunade before attacking Konoha and killing their teacher 42 43 46.
• Shizune — Her disciple and close aide, who accompanies her on her return and assists her as Hokage 30 44.
• Sakura Haruno — Her medical apprentice. Tsunade instructs her at the hospital and looks after her when she overworks 46 126.
• Karin — A distant relative through the Senju and Uzumaki clans. Tsunade treats and teaches her 32 47.
• Danzo Shimura — A political opponent whose interference and Root operations lead Tsunade to place him under surveillance and ultimately capture him 72 86 97 101.
• Shikamaru Nara — Her special assistant, assigned paperwork and archive duties 123 139.

Story Role

Return and succession

Before the Chunin Ninja Exams attack, Orochimaru lures Tsunade away using a figure resembling Dan, seals her Chakra, and confines her underground. An Anbu squad finds her after the attack; she breaks the seal and returns to Konoha upon learning that Hiruzen has died 42 43.

Tsunade begins treating the wounded and takes responsibility for reconstruction. By the following chapter, she has assumed the position of Fifth Hokage, though her official succession ceremony has not yet taken place 43 44 45.

Diplomacy and the Five Kage Summit

Tsunade prepares for Chiyo’s Sunagakure delegation by strengthening prison security and watching the village entrances. In negotiations, she demands compensation for the attack on Konoha; Sunagakure offers payment, mining rights, troop withdrawals, and a Puppet Technique scroll 49 60 61.

Mei Terumi subsequently proposes closer ties between Konoha and Kirigakure, offering the Three-Tails’ sealing formula in exchange for medical aid. At the Five Kage Summit, Tsunade proposes joint surveillance, intelligence sharing, and a team to hunt Orochimaru and Kabuto. The Kage reach a preliminary alliance agreement and later establish a joint intelligence network 62 72 86.

Conflict with Root

After the Heavenly Screen shows Sasuke announcing a revolution, Tsunade rejects Danzo’s demand to designate him a missing-nin and have him assassinated. She later leads Anbu and elite Jonin in a raid on Danzo’s base, captures him, and calls for a public trial after Root’s members are detained 89 97 101 102.

Preparing for future threats

Tsunade sends Anbu reinforcements to protect Naruto and Jiraiya, orders searches for Orochimaru and Kabuto, and places Might Guy on a priority protection list. Facing pressure from Kumogakure, she also sends Kakashi and an elite force north for border exercises 111 114 123 148.

After the Heavenly Screen reveals the Ōtsutsuki threat, Tsunade discusses preparations with Shikamaru and Shizune and vows to defend Konoha 175.

Heavenly Screen: Pain and Madara

The screen shows a possible future in which Tsunade coordinates Konoha’s defense during Pain’s invasion and treats casualties with summoned slugs. After exhausting much of her Chakra, she faces the Asura Path before Naruto intervenes 2 3.

In another projected battle, she fights Edo Madara alongside the other Kage. She activates the Strength of a Hundred Technique, heals allies, and challenges Madara’s belief that hatred is the only inheritance. Madara ultimately overwhelms the Kage and cuts Tsunade in two; these events occur in the screen’s footage, not the present-day timeline 56 58 59.

Notable Quotes

“The will of the dead inspires the living, and in turn manifests as power!” 56

“Sasuke is a Konoha ninja. He’s my subordinate! As Hokage, I’ll decide how to handle him!” 89

“Konoha can’t remain shrouded in shadow any longer...” 97

Trivia

• Tsunade gambles despite a poor run of luck: she loses seventeen consecutive rounds at a casino before Orochimaru’s trap 42.
• She is fond of sake and frequently drinks with Jiraiya 30 46.