Third Raikage

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Third Raikage (三代雷影)
Alias(es)	A; “Strongest Shield”; “Strongest Raikage”; “Strongest in the Ninja World”
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Hidden Cloud Village
Occupation/Role	Third Raikage; Eight-Tails Jinchūriki
Status	Killed by Sahara Mizu; later reanimated 131 132 276
First Appearance	Chapter 27

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Lightning Release Chakra Mode	27	Uses lightning armor to achieve overwhelming speed, defense, and close-range striking power; instantly kills an ANBU jōnin with Lightning Release: Lariat.
Eight-Tails Jinchūriki	105	Reveals that he became the Eight-Tails’ host to gain the power needed to defeat Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Tailed Beast Transformation	105–106	Draws out multiple tails and enters a Tailed Beast state, gaining greater speed, strength, and durability at the cost of rationality.
Eight-Tails-enhanced Lightning Armor	125	Fills the elemental gaps in his Lightning Release Armor with Eight-Tails chakra, neutralizing attacks that exploit Lightning Release’s weaknesses.
Partial Tailed Beast Transformation	127, 129	Demonstrates controlled one-tailed through five-tailed states, rapid regeneration, Tailed Beast Bombs, and sustained combat awareness.
Perfect Jinchūriki fusion	276	States that he had successfully fused with the Eight-Tails and become a Perfect Jinchūriki before his death.

Background & History

Konoha dispatched Tsunade’s team to assassinate the Third Raikage in the Land of Lightning. The mission was compromised: Konoha officials sold Hidden Cloud the squad’s route, composition, and Dan Katō’s Spirit Transformation Technique for twenty million ryō. The Raikage prepared a soul-defense seal and turned the planned ambush into a counterattack. 27 29

He annihilated much of Tsunade’s unit, killing an ANBU jōnin immediately with Lightning Release: Lariat and overpowering Ando Ooyama despite the latter’s self-sacrificial Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique. Dan Katō’s Spirit Transformation Technique was repelled by the seal protecting the Raikage’s mind. 27 29

Sahara Mizu interrupted the battle and became the first opponent known to pierce the Raikage’s “Strongest Shield,” injuring him with a single strike. The Raikage nevertheless continued fighting, impressed and excited by Mizu’s power. Hatake Sakumo later wounded him with the White Fang Short Sword, but the Raikage’s Lightning Release Armor rapidly repaired the damage; Sakumo’s group ultimately retreated. 30 32

After defeating and securing the Eight-Tails, the Raikage sealed it into himself and became its Jinchūriki. He invaded the Land of Fire border seeking information on Sahara Mizu, massacring more than thirty Konoha Police Force members before confronting Sarutobi Hiruzen. 104 105

His battle with Hiruzen forced him into Tailed Beast Transformation. Although Hiruzen’s Reaper Death Seal severely damaged the Hokage’s soul, the Raikage escaped through Shadow Clone Jutsu and Heavenly Transfer Technique. The encounter left him wary of Konoha’s soul-targeting forbidden techniques, causing him to adopt unpredictable hit-and-run attacks. 106 109 120

He later led Hidden Cloud forces through Konoha’s lines, saw through Shimura Danzō’s canyon ambush, and defeated Danzō despite Wood Release and Wind Release attacks. By then, he had reinforced the weaknesses in his Lightning Release Armor with Eight-Tails chakra. 125

During his assault on Konoha’s logistics center, Hatake Sakumo and Namikaze Minato failed to stop him. He escalated from Lightning Release Chakra Mode into Tailed Beast states, regenerating wounds and destroying Minato’s Flying Thunder God kunai to restrict Minato’s mobility. 126 127

Sahara Mizu arrived and fought him alone. The Raikage temporarily achieved closer cooperation with Gyuki, used Tailed Beast Bombs, Shadow Clones, Heavenly Transfer, and Hidden Cloud’s Space Interference and Chakra Absorption Union Barrier. Despite these preparations, Sahara Mizu overwhelmed him, tore off his arm, and killed him with Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void. 129 131

His death, along with that of 176 Hidden Cloud ninja and the Eight-Tails, forced Hidden Cloud’s withdrawal and shifted the war in Konoha’s favor. Sahara Mizu later returned to Konoha carrying the Raikage’s head. 132 134

The Third Raikage was later reanimated. He immediately recognized Sahara Mizu and acknowledged that, even as a Perfect Jinchūriki supported by barriers and allies, he had been defeated head-on by Mizu’s taijutsu. Sahara Mizu subdued him again during the battle with the reanimated Kage. 276 277

Appearance

The Third Raikage is a towering, heavily built dark-skinned man over two meters tall, described as having the imposing frame of a brown bear. His Lightning Release makes his hair and beard stand on end and envelops his body in a crackling layer of chakra. 27 105

• Tall, broad, and exceptionally muscular build. 27
• Dark skin, long hair, beard, and a black afro when reanimated. 105 276
• Often fights bare-chested or with his clothing destroyed by combat. 104 105
• Lightning Release Chakra Mode forms a dense, armor-like membrane around his body. 105
• Tailed Beast transformations produce dark-red chakra, tails, claws, horns, and a beast-like facial structure. 127 129

Personality

The Third Raikage is fiercely proud, confrontational, and contemptuous of enemies he regards as weak. He rejects Hatake Sakumo’s offer to end their conflict and derides Konoha as cowardly, while openly mocking Tsunade’s team after exposing the betrayal that compromised their mission. 29 32

His confidence is matched by combat instinct and practical caution. He anticipated Dan Katō’s soul-based attack, prepared a defensive seal in advance, recognized the elemental weakness in his Lightning Release Armor after fighting Hiruzen, and later reinforced it with Eight-Tails chakra. After narrowly avoiding the Reaper Death Seal, he changed to unpredictable raids rather than blindly charging into traps. 29 120 125

He views Sahara Mizu as an existential threat to Hidden Cloud and the wider balance of power. Fearing that Konoha could produce another Hashirama Senju, he was willing to risk becoming the Eight-Tails’ host and sacrifice his own life to eliminate Mizu. 105 106

Abilities & Skills

Lightning Release Chakra Mode

The Raikage’s defining technique covers his body in Lightning Release chakra, drastically increasing his physical activation, speed, offense, and durability.

• Moves fast enough to appear as a blur or teleport-like afterimage to other shinobi. 27 105
• Can charge directly through forests, terrain, ninjutsu, and groups of shinobi. 27 106 125
• Withstands powerful Fire, Wind, Earth, and combined Five Element Release attacks. 105
• His version emphasizes absolute offensive and defensive power rather than his son’s speed-focused approach. 127
• Initially vulnerable to elemental counter-effects that create gaps in dense chakra; he later fills these gaps with Eight-Tails chakra. 125

Hell Stab and Lightning Release Taijutsu

He combines Lightning Release with brutal close-range taijutsu, using his body as both weapon and armor.

• Lightning Release: Lariat — A high-speed lightning-wreathed strike that instantly decapitated an ANBU jōnin. 27
• Hell Stab: Four-Finger Nukite — A lightning thrust used against Tsunade. 27 29
• Hell Stab: Three-Finger Thrust — A concentrated chakra blade capable of piercing multiple targets in a charge. 106
• Uses kicks, hand blades, claws, and body charges powerful enough to shatter bones and tear through formations. 29 125 127

Eight-Tails Jinchūriki Power

After voluntarily sealing the Eight-Tails into himself, he gains access to Gyuki’s chakra and transformations.

• Produces Tailed Beast cloaks and transformations from one tail to a full eight-tail state. 105 127 131
• Regenerates major injuries, including deep sword wounds and broken limbs, though severed arms cannot be restored. 127 131
• Fires Tailed Beast Bomb beams and rapid volleys of smaller Tailed Beast Bombs. 129 131
• Temporarily loses rationality under heavier transformations, but later achieves coordinated control with Gyuki. 106 129 130
• States after reanimation that he had become a Perfect Jinchūriki before his death. 276

Sealing and Tactical Countermeasures

The Raikage prepares specialized defenses and battlefield contingencies against known threats.

• Carried a soul-defense seal across his brain, which repelled Dan Katō’s Spirit Transformation Technique. 29
• Used Shadow Clone Jutsu and Heavenly Transfer Technique to evade Sarutobi Hiruzen’s Reaper Death Seal. 106
• Coordinated with Hidden Cloud’s Space Interference and Chakra Absorption Union Barrier to suppress Sahara Mizu’s Limitless Technique. 130 131
• Recognized ambushes quickly, including Danzō’s canyon trap, and exploited them to attack Konoha forces. 125

Physical Conditioning

His physical body is the basis of his reputation as the “Strongest Shield.”

• Endures attacks that could pierce the Eight-Tails’ defense. 31
• Can force dislocated shoulders and dented ribs back into place mid-battle through muscle control and conditioning. 31
• His title derives from extreme personal training rather than the inherent rank of Lightning Release Chakra Mode. 238

Relationships

• Sahara Mizu — Primary adversary and eventual killer. The Raikage considered Mizu a future threat comparable to Hashirama Senju and made extensive preparations to eliminate him; Mizu ultimately killed him and later subdued his reanimated body. 31 105 131 276 277
• Gyuki / Eight-Tails — His tailed beast and combat partner. The Raikage sealed Gyuki within himself, initially struggled with the transformation’s mental strain, then obtained closer cooperation and eventually described himself as a Perfect Jinchūriki. 105 106 129 130 276
• Tsunade — Targeted by her assassination squad. He defeated her team, killed or maimed her comrades, and left her traumatized by their encounter. 27 29 126
• Sarutobi Hiruzen — Kage-level rival. Their battle pushed the Raikage to reveal his Jinchūriki status; Hiruzen’s Reaper Death Seal made the Raikage significantly more cautious afterward. 105 106 120
• Hatake Sakumo — A high-speed opponent who cut through the surface of his lightning armor but could not decisively penetrate his defense. 32 127
• Namikaze Minato — Opposed him during the logistics-center assault. Minato’s Rasengan briefly opened a gap in the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, but the Raikage’s Tailed Beast-enhanced state overwhelmed their efforts. 127
• Shimura Danzō — Attempted to capture him and the Eight-Tails in a canyon ambush; the Raikage saw through the plan, defeated Danzō, and took Danzō’s severed arm for Hidden Cloud research. 125 126
• A — His son, who grieved his death and later inherited the Raikage title. 132 188

Notable Quotes

“No matter what, we won't allow another Hashirama Senju to appear in Konoha!” 105

“Cloud Village has never had cowards like you Konoha people!” 32

“That kid is simply a monster!” 276

Trivia

• He was regarded as both the “Strongest Shield” and “Strongest Spear,” making him the decisive factor in Hidden Cloud’s earlier advances against Konoha. 31 134
• His death was followed by Hidden Cloud’s retreat and Konoha’s successful counteroffensive into the Land of Lightning. 132 134
• Even after being reanimated, he remained unable to accept the scale of Sahara Mizu’s power and attempted to resist despite being immobilized. 277