Tsunade

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Tsunade Senju (纲手)
Alias(es)	Princess of Konoha; one of the Sannin
Species/Race	Human; Senju Clan
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Konohagakure
Occupation/Role	Medical ninja; Sannin; Fifth Hokage
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Innate Super Strength	11	Her Super Strength is stated to be innate; during sparring, she creates a large crater when she stops holding back. 11
Creation Rebirth	305	Activates Creation Rebirth in battle against Orochimaru, with black markings spreading across her face; her enhanced physique raises her taijutsu and burst power. 305
Regeneration Potion enhancement	229, 233	Orochimaru injects her with a regenerative serum made from Uzumaki Clan cells and Hashirama Cell genes, intended to strengthen her Senju cells. After three days unconscious, she awakens rejuvenated and physically invigorated. 229 233

Background / History

Tsunade returned from a mission in Amegakure and reunited with her lover, Dan Katō, shortly before Sunagakure launched an attack on Konoha. While Tsunade fought Chiyo in a medical-ninjutsu duel, Dan was gravely injured after defeating more than twenty enemy shinobi. Tsunade desperately attempted to save him, but he later died. 1

She had previously lost her younger brother Nawaki and gave the Crystal Pendant inherited from the First Hokage to both Nawaki and Dan. Both died after receiving it, causing Tsunade to regard the pendant as cursed. 6

Following Nawaki and Dan's funeral, Tsunade remained alone at their gravesite until Orochimaru consoled her. She entrusted him with the pendant and spoke openly about her loneliness, disappointments, and grief. 5 6

Tsunade later trained regularly with Orochimaru at the Senju training ground. Her grief and accumulated pressure erupted after an intense spar, after which Orochimaru comforted her. 11 She also began caring for Shizune as family, promising to teach her medical ninjutsu and to grow stronger alongside her. 14 15

Her trauma led to hemophobia, preventing her from performing surgery. Orochimaru gradually exposed her to red-colored food as “food therapy,” allowing her to make progress without reacting to the color associated with blood. 15 30

Tsunade eventually left Konoha with Shizune after twelve years of companionship with Orochimaru. Before departing, she received blue and green traveling clothes from him. 114

Years later, she reunited with Orochimaru while traveling. He secretly administered a regenerative serum tailored to her Senju physiology; she awoke three days later with a restored youthful appearance and heightened vitality. 228 229 233

After Hiruzen Sarutobi's death, Tsunade returned to Konoha and accepted the office of Fifth Hokage. She appointed Jiraiya as ANBU captain, Nara Shikaku as Hokage Advisor, and Asuma as captain of the Konoha Military Police Force. 309

Appearance

Tsunade is described as a striking woman with heroic eyebrows, full red lips, rosy cheeks, and a proud, commanding bearing. Her appearance is restored to an even more youthful state after Orochimaru's Regeneration Potion. 9 233

• Fair complexion and fair legs. 113
• Heroic eyebrows, red lips, and rosy cheeks. 9
• Often wears a comparatively conservative outfit, later changing into traditional clothing resembling the outfits Orochimaru gave her. 227
• Her Creation Rebirth manifests as black markings across her face. 305

Personality

Tsunade is proud, forceful, and fiercely independent. She refuses to tolerate Jiraiya's advances, answering them with Water Release rather than patience. 25 Despite her prestige as the First Hokage's granddaughter and one of the Sannin, she has little personal ambition for the Hokage position and spent over a decade away from Konoha. 9

Loss left her emotionally vulnerable and deeply disillusioned. The deaths of Nawaki and Dan caused her isolation, drinking, and hemophobia, yet she retains a gentle, protective side around Shizune. 6 9 15 Her relationship with Orochimaru shifts between anger, competition, trust, and mutual concern; she remains guarded toward him after he becomes a rogue ninja. 7 228 348

Abilities & Skills

Super Strength

Tsunade possesses innate Super Strength and uses it through close-quarters combat.

• Can create enormous craters with her strikes. 11
• Her physical attacks are fast and overwhelmingly powerful. 305
• Primarily relies on taijutsu and has fewer ranged options than more well-rounded fighters. 305

Medical Ninjutsu

Tsunade is an elite medical ninja capable of competing directly with Chiyo in medical ninjutsu.

• Fought Chiyo in a medical-ninjutsu duel during Sunagakure's raid. 1
• Intended to pass her medical knowledge to Shizune. 15 40
• Hemophobia temporarily prevented her from operating or entering a kitchen. 15

Creation Rebirth

Tsunade can release Creation Rebirth to greatly enhance her combat performance.

• Produces black facial markings upon activation. 305
• Raises her physical ability beyond her already enhanced baseline. 305
• After her physique is strengthened, her unreleased burst power becomes comparable to her former released state. 305

Water Release

Tsunade can use Water Release offensively.

• Repels Jiraiya when he attempts to approach her during the waterfall outing. 25

Equipment / Items

• Crystal Pendant — An ice-blue pendant left by the First Hokage. Tsunade gave it to Nawaki and Dan before their deaths and considers it cursed. 6
• Blue and green traveling outfits — Given to her by Orochimaru before she left Konoha with Shizune. 114

Relationships

• Dan Katō — Lover; Tsunade was devastated while trying to save him from fatal injuries during Sunagakure's raid. 1
• Nawaki — Younger brother; his death, followed by Dan's, defined much of Tsunade's grief. 5 6
• Orochimaru — Fellow Sannin, training partner, confidant, and complicated former companion. He supported her through grief, helped her confront hemophobia, and later enhanced her with a regenerative serum. 6 11 30 229
• Jiraiya — Fellow Sannin and longtime comrade; Tsunade dismisses his flirtation but later fights beside him against Orochimaru. 25 305
• Shizune — Adopted daughter and medical-ninjutsu student; Tsunade is affectionate and protective toward her. 14 15 40
• Hiruzen Sarutobi — Former teacher and Third Hokage; Tsunade ultimately succeeds him as Hokage. 309
• Naruto Uzumaki — Initially clashes with Tsunade over her suitability to become Hokage; she challenges him to learn the Rasengan within three days. 303
• Chiyo — Sunagakure medical-ninjutsu rival who fought Tsunade during the attack on Konoha. 1

Story Role / Major Arcs

Dan Katō's Death and Funeral

Tsunade attempts to save Dan after the Sunagakure raid, then mourns both Dan and Nawaki at their joint funeral. Her shared grief with Orochimaru establishes their closer bond. 1 5 6

Training and Recovery

She spars with Orochimaru, releases pent-up grief after battle, and begins relying on Shizune as a source of purpose. Orochimaru's gradual food therapy helps her overcome part of her fear of blood. 11 15 30

Departure from Konoha

Tsunade leaves Konoha with Shizune, ending a twelve-year period of companionship with Orochimaru. 114

Reunion and Metamorphosis

Tsunade reunites with Orochimaru as a rogue ninja, receives his regenerative serum without her knowledge, and awakens with renewed youth and vitality. 228 229 233

Fifth Hokage

Following Konoha's leadership crisis, Tsunade returns and is inaugurated as the Fifth Hokage, immediately filling major positions in the village administration. 309

Akatsuki Intelligence Conference

As Hokage, Tsunade travels to the Land of Gold with Shikaku, Shizune, Kakashi, Might Guy, and Inoichi to exchange intelligence on Akatsuki with the Raikage and Orochimaru. 348