Third Hokage

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Sarutobi Hiruzen
Alias(es)	Third Hokage; Ninjutsu Professor 52
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure
Occupation/Role	Third Hokage of Konoha; later retired former Hokage 529 654
Status	Alive; retired from Konoha’s leadership after abdication 529 654
First Appearance	Chapter 6

Background / History

Hiruzen served as Konoha’s Third Hokage for decades, directing ANBU operations and personally responding to threats beyond the village. Early in his tenure, he sent his guard Elephant to investigate Hanzo of the Rain Village, treating the mission as serious enough to require a Hokage guard’s deployment 6.

He recognized Uchiha Shin’s unusual potential while Shin was still a child. After discussing Shin’s early Academy graduation and the possibility that he could become another Uchiha Madara, Hiruzen ordered ANBU Haru to protect him in secret 41. He later supported Shin’s research into seal-less ninjutsu, purchasing a large batch of Shin’s chakra-reactive ninja tools for Konoha 52.

As Hokage, Hiruzen sought to keep Konoha’s clans integrated rather than concentrating authority in any one family. He mediated the Uchiha–Hyuga dispute by approving a jointly managed monitoring department, and later removed three obstructive higher-ups before appointing Chiken to lead the Konoha Research Department and Aoko to manage the Shopping Street 39 154.

During the conflict with Mist Village, Hiruzen led Konoha’s defense personally. When the Rinnegan-wielding corpses of the Third Mizukage and Hanzo infiltrated Konoha’s camp, he immediately ordered a retreat, identified signs that the Mizukage was already dead, and fought alongside ANBU, Root, Danzo, and Enma 363 364. He later negotiated a ceasefire between Konoha and Mist Village 391.

Hiruzen initially intended to guide Shin toward the Hokage position, believing Shin needed only to place Konoha above the Uchiha clan to qualify 184. He ultimately entrusted Shin with representing Konoha’s military power at the Five Kage Summit and viewed him as the village’s next Hokage 413 425.

His long tolerance of Danzo became his defining political failure. After exposing Danzo’s wartime profiteering, Hiruzen removed him from all duties and barred him from the Hokage Building 405. When Danzo was later imprisoned, Hiruzen abdicated because of his role in shielding him; Uchiha Shin was elected Fourth Hokage 529. In retirement, Hiruzen accepted the outcome of the Land of Ninja council election and acknowledged his own shortcomings as a leader 654.

Appearance

By his later years, Hiruzen is an elderly man who continues to carry himself as a combat-ready shinobi when danger arises 583.

• Keeps a Sarutobi clan-crest pendant capable of storing his attire 416.
• Wears a black bodysuit and Robe of the Gods when acting as Hokage 416.
• Uses notably eccentric pajamas while resting in the Hokage Building 416 429.

Personality

Hiruzen is patient, politically pragmatic, and focused on Konoha’s collective interests. He accepts that internal clan disputes remain tolerable so long as loyalty to Konoha is maintained, and he supports the Uchiha when their contribution to the village outweighs perceived risks 74 154.

He is willing to make difficult decisions, but his attachment to old comrades repeatedly complicates them. His reluctance to abandon Danzo allows their friendship to become a burden on Konoha, though he eventually dismisses Danzo when presented with proof of wrongdoing 405 529.

Despite his authority, Hiruzen has an informal, argumentative rapport with Shin. He alternates between indulging Shin’s inventions and antics, reprimanding him, secretly monitoring him, and openly calling him the candidate for the next Hokage 52 166 425.

Abilities & Skills

Five Nature Transformations

Hiruzen possesses all five basic chakra natures and is known as the “Ninjutsu Professor” 11 52.

• Performs coordinated Fire, Wind, Water, Earth, and Lightning Release through the Five Release: Great Consecutive Shots Technique 364.
• Has mastered thousands of ninjutsu, allowing him to rapidly adapt his offense to an opponent’s weaknesses 364.
• Used Fire and Earth Release in combination to restrain and pressure Hanzo during the Rinnegan corpse attack 363.

Elemental Chakra Mode

Hiruzen developed the Elemental Chakra Mode, a high-risk combat state that enhances his physical fighting ability 363 364.

• Entered the mode to attack the Third Mizukage through a missile swarm 363.
• Used Wind Release chakra through his fingers to shatter the Mizukage’s bone spikes at close range 364.
• Its demands leave him visibly exhausted after extended combat 364.

Tactical Analysis

Hiruzen assesses enemy abilities while fighting and acts decisively to protect Konoha’s forces.

• Ordered an immediate retreat after detecting the black rods disrupting camp communications 363.
• Deduced that the Third Mizukage was likely a corpse or remotely controlled body because it neither absorbed ninjutsu nor defended effectively in close combat 363 364.
• Recognized that the unseen controller behind the Rinnegan corpses was avoiding direct confrontation 364.

Summoning: Enma

Hiruzen fights in cooperation with Enma, using the summon as both a weapon and a close-combat partner 363.

• Uses Enma’s staff form to strike opponents and intercept Hanzo’s poisoned scythe 363.
• Extends and enlarges the staff to sweep away multiple summoned creatures 364.

Equipment

• Hokage hat — Carried and worn while performing official duties 74 521.
• Sarutobi clan-crest pendant — Stores his combat clothing 416.
• Personal phone — Used to assess the black-rod communication disruption during the camp infiltration 363.
• Enma — Summoned combat partner and staff weapon 363 364.

Relationships

• Uchiha Shin — Recognized Shin’s potential early, arranged covert ANBU protection for him, funded his ninja-tool research, and later backed him as Konoha’s future Hokage 41 52 184 425.
• Shimura Danzo — Childhood friend and political counterpart whose increasingly extreme methods forced Hiruzen to remove him from office; Hiruzen’s past protection of Danzo contributed to his own abdication 364 405 529.
• Sarutobi Shinnosuke — His son. Hiruzen initially rejected Shinnosuke’s request to join ANBU because of its danger, struggling to separate his duties as Hokage from his role as a father 200.
• Elephant — Trusted ANBU guard and intelligence operative dispatched to investigate Hanzo; later reported directly to Hiruzen during the camp infiltration 6 363.
• Haru — ANBU operative ordered to secretly protect Shin and provide analysis of his potential 41.
• Orochimaru — Former student whom Hiruzen assigned an S-rank long-term mission to train Team One while investigating the Rain Village 74.
• Jiraiya and Tsunade — Former students whose contrasting personalities and future paths trouble Hiruzen as he reflects on the changing era 546.
• Enma — Summoning partner who assists Hiruzen in close combat against the Rinnegan-controlled forces 363 364.

Notable Quotes

“The Hokage is not his endpoint.”
— Regarding Uchiha Shin’s ambitions 521

“If the real body hasn’t appeared... Then it proves that the opponent is nothing more than a rat!”
— During the battle against the Rinnegan-controlled Mizukage and Hanzo 364

Trivia

• Hiruzen secretly reads Jiraiya’s “thin books” in the Hokage Tower restroom; one was lost in the toilet when the Ninja Academy caught fire 28.
• He watches a drama produced by Shin and identifies with its staff-wielding protagonist, while comparing another lecherous character to Jiraiya 93.