Third

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Hiruzen Sarutobi 30
Alias(es)	Third; Third Hokage; Lord Third 26 30
Gender	Male 67
Affiliation	Konohagakure; Sarutobi Clan 108
Occupation/Role	Third Hokage; teacher of the Sannin; later a retired Sarutobi Clan elder 108 111 113
Status	Deceased; died of old age in Konoha Year 70 166
First Appearance	Mentioned in Chapter 15; first depicted in the provided passages in Chapter 26 15 26

Background / History

Return to Office and the Uchiha Relocation

Following Minato Namikaze’s death during the Nine-Tails Incident, Hiruzen resumed the Hokage position. His immediate concern was that other villages would exploit the Fourth Hokage’s death to attack Konoha again 26 50.

At the subsequent leadership meeting, Danzo accused the Uchiha Clan of involvement in the rampage. Hiruzen publicly expressed trust in Fugaku Uchiha but nevertheless ordered the clan’s residence and police headquarters moved to the village outskirts. The decision deepened Fugaku’s sense of betrayal 26.

Recruitment of Yuzuru Hyuga

Hiruzen personally granted five-year-old Yuzuru Hyuga his forehead protector, recognized him as a Genin, and recruited him into ANBU. Although he praised Yuzuru’s talent by comparing him with Minato, he briefly questioned whether sending such a young child into ANBU was appropriate 30.

He assigned Kakashi Hatake to guide Yuzuru, hoping the partnership would help Kakashi form new bonds rather than remain trapped in grief. However, he also worried that their growing closeness could complicate village politics because of Yuzuru’s position within the Hyuga Clan 30 51.

Danzo’s Assassination Attempt

During an escort mission to the Land of Fire Daimyo’s residence, Danzo’s operatives ambushed Hiruzen and his ANBU escort. Hiruzen escaped an apparent impalement through substitution and returned to Konoha ahead of the team 33 34.

After confronting Danzo, Hiruzen declined to hold him responsible, presenting their cooperation as necessary to balance Konoha’s light and darkness. He stated that this forgiveness would apply only once, but later attacks on Kakashi still resulted in punishment that left Danzo in power 35 89.

Human Experiments and Root Oversight

Hiruzen knew that live human experimentation had taken place and publicly ordered the project stopped after excessive deaths. Although he suspected that Danzo and Orochimaru continued obtaining subjects secretly, he neither investigated nor closely monitored their actions 43.

Yuzuru’s assistance to the surviving Iburi Clan therefore benefited Hiruzen by preventing the victims from spreading damaging accounts of Konoha. Hiruzen reassigned Orochimaru’s pursuit and privately questioned Kakashi about Yuzuru’s mission performance 43.

His distrust of Danzo nevertheless increased after the assassination attempt. He assigned Kakashi to monitor Root, considering him dependable because Danzo had failed to recruit him and Kakashi had reported Danzo’s actions 51 86.

Border Conflict and the Hyuga Reforms

After roughly a year of defensive border operations, Hiruzen recalled Yuzuru and Kakashi in November of Konoha Year 52. With Kumogakure and Iwagakure occupied by their own conflict, he decided to pressure Kumogakure offensively and force a peace treaty. He promoted Yuzuru to Chunin and assigned him to Shisui Uchiha’s squad 50 51.

Hiruzen later arrived at the conclusion of Yuzuru’s rebellion against the Hyuga Main House. Once Hiashi surrendered the clan leadership to Hizashi, Hiruzen and the other village officials withdrew 94.

The resulting Hyuga–Uchiha alliance alarmed Konoha’s leadership. During their discussions, Hiruzen rejected Danzo’s proposal to place Itachi and Izumi in Root as leverage over Yuzuru, but accepted the possibility of their later entry into ANBU. Yuzuru and Hizashi also directly challenged his authority, citing Danzo’s continued freedom and the unchecked rumors against the Uchiha 96.

Growing Reliance on Yuzuru

When Yuzuru raised suspicions that Root was involved in attacks on Konoha’s ninja, Hiruzen initially insisted that Root should be trusted without evidence. He also opposed granting the Uchiha control over an organization with authority over life and death 100.

Their confrontation ended with Hiruzen agreeing to test Yuzuru’s judgment and delegate greater authority. Privately, he began considering whether Danzo had colluded with foreign forces and Akatsuki to endanger Konoha. Yuzuru’s later return earned him promotion to Jonin and access to the Scroll of Sealing 100 102.

Hiruzen continued relying on Yuzuru to handle sensitive personal and political matters. He approved Izumi Uchiha’s ANBU application after Yuzuru vouched for her, encouraged him to guide Naruto, and entrusted him with resolving tensions caused by the Uchiha’s New Year celebrations 103 105.

Transfer of Power and Retirement

Danzo’s confession letter exposed Root’s crimes and alleged that persecution of the Uchiha had occurred under Hiruzen’s secret direction. Facing demands for Uchiha control of key institutions, Hiruzen acknowledged his repeated leniency toward Danzo, mishandling of the Uchiha, and failures in governing Konoha 108.

Rather than allow Fugaku to dominate the Hokage office, he appointed Yuzuru interim Hokage. He simultaneously announced Fugaku’s appointment to lead Root, Shisui’s appointment to lead ANBU, and Itachi’s appointment to head the Police Force 107 108.

Hiruzen helped Yuzuru meet clan representatives and stabilize the transition. He subsequently attended leadership meetings as a Sarutobi Clan elder, publicly supporting the new administration before withdrawing into seclusion 108 113.

In retirement, he recognized that Yuzuru’s visible achievements surpassed his own and felt ashamed by the comparison. He later spoke at Yuzuru’s formal inauguration and died of old age in Konoha Year 70 123 147 166.

Appearance

• Elderly face: Pronounced wrinkles, which appear deeper as village crises accumulate 26 50.
• Sparse hair: Often described as standing upright when he is not wearing his hat 43 51.
• Hokage hat: Wears a conical hat while serving in office 30.
• Pipe: Frequently smokes during meetings, interviews, and confrontations 26 35 84.
• Imposing presence: His sharp gaze and stern demeanor can replace his usual elder-like warmth when asserting authority 43 51 100.

Personality

Hiruzen combines a reassuring manner with careful political calculation. He presents his early conversation with Yuzuru as an informal exchange between an elder and a junior, yet continually assesses the boy’s loyalties, ambitions, and relationships. His concern for Kakashi’s emotional recovery coexists with anxiety about Kakashi becoming too closely connected to the Hyuga Clan 30 51 84.

His central weakness is leniency toward Danzo. Even after an attempt on his life, he treats Danzo as a necessary partner; suspected abuses are often left uninvestigated, and confirmed attacks do not immediately end Danzo’s authority. This pattern damages Kakashi’s faith in both Hiruzen and the village’s professed ideals 35 43 89.

He is particularly wary of concentrated Uchiha power, arguing that their perceived extremism makes control of life-and-death decisions dangerous. Nevertheless, when his administration reaches a deadlock, he admits his failures and entrusts Konoha to Yuzuru rather than insist on remaining Hokage 100 108.

Abilities & Skills

Substitution and Tactical Deception

Hiruzen uses substitution to escape an assassination attempt while making the attackers believe they have struck him 33.

• Avoids an apparent fatal attack involving wooden spikes 33.
• Returns to Konoha while his ANBU escort finishes fighting the ambushers 34.

Chakra and Intimidation

Despite his age, Hiruzen retains substantial chakra and an imposing presence 26 100.

• During his confrontation with Yuzuru, their opposing chakra causes office furniture to tremble 100.
• Uses a stern, forceful manner to challenge Yuzuru’s political judgment and willingness to accept responsibility 100.

Leadership and Political Maneuvering

Hiruzen directs military strategy, personnel assignments, and negotiations among Konoha’s factions 26 50 108.

• Changes Konoha’s approach from border defense to offensive pressure against Kumogakure 50.
• Uses promotions and team assignments to cultivate promising ninja 30 51 102.
• Builds support for Yuzuru’s interim administration through introductions and public endorsement 108.
• His oversight is weakened by tolerance of Danzo and reluctance to investigate suspected wrongdoing 43 89.

Equipment / Items

• Smoking pipe — Regularly carried and used in the Hokage office 26 35 84.
• Hokage conical hat — Worn during his tenure and removed during his admission of failure to Yuzuru 30 108.
• Scroll of Sealing — Grants Yuzuru access to it after promoting him to Jonin 102.

Relationships

• Yuzuru Hyuga — Recruit, political protégé, critic, and successor. Hiruzen increasingly entrusts him with village affairs before appointing him interim Hokage 30 96 103 108.
• Danzo — Longstanding political partner and rival. Hiruzen forgives his assassination attempt, but repeated abuses eventually undermine their relationship and Hiruzen’s administration 35 89 100 108.
• Kakashi Hatake — Trusted ANBU operative and a candidate Hiruzen personally considered for future Hokage. Kakashi’s loyalty deteriorates over Hiruzen’s treatment of Danzo 51 86 89.
• Minato Namikaze — Fourth Hokage. His death forces Hiruzen back into office and leaves him fearing renewed foreign aggression 26 50.
• Fugaku Uchiha — Clan leader whose relationship with Hiruzen worsens after the Uchiha relocation. His later demands for institutional power help precipitate Hiruzen’s resignation 26 108.
• Hizashi Hyuga — Hyuga leader whose alliance with the Uchiha unsettles Hiruzen. Hizashi openly questions whether Hiruzen can truly represent Konoha 96.
• Asuma Sarutobi — Son. Asuma both admires and resents him, frequently disputing his decisions while seeking recognition 67.
• Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru — His students, collectively the Sannin. Jiraiya and Tsunade become dissatisfied with his leadership, while Orochimaru’s defection exposes failures in his oversight 35 43 91 111 113.
• Yakumo Kurama — Rejects a proposal to kill her and instead supports confinement at Satomi Hill Villa. He is innocent of her parents’ deaths, though her condition fails to improve under this arrangement 118.

Notable Quotes

“Danzo, I trust Clan Head Fugaku.” 26

“I apologize, I am an unqualified Hokage.” 108

“Konoha's future... is entrusted to you.” 108

Trivia

• Chapter 26 compares post–Nine-Tails Konoha to a strong hand of cards, then describes Hiruzen’s handling of the Uchiha as leading with a valuable card prematurely. This political criticism gives the chapter its title, “Third? No, Gambling Monster!” 26.