Third Hokage

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Hiruzen Sarutobi
Alias(es)	Third Hokage; “Old Man Third”
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure
Occupation/Role	Third Hokage of Konoha; leader of the Allied Shinobi Forces
First Appearance	Chapter 9

Background / History

Hiruzen Sarutobi serves as Konoha’s Third Hokage during the childhood of Uchiha Hiko, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru. He notices Hiko’s diligence at the Ninja Academy, requests the boy’s file, and begins watching his development closely 9 10.

He personally intervenes to redirect Uchiha attention away from Hiko and Tsunade, though neither child initially realizes he has done so 32. Later, he forms the Sarutobi Squad from Hiko, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, becoming their teacher despite being unable to accompany them consistently because of his Hokage duties 39 40.

As Hiko’s fame and influence grow, Hiruzen repeatedly becomes caught between his disciple, the Uchiha Clan, Danzō, and the Elder Council. He initially intends Hiko to become a bridge between Konoha and the Uchiha, not a tool for the village 78. He eventually identifies Hiko as his preferred successor, although Koharu and Homura strongly oppose the prospect of an Uchiha Hokage 594.

Appearance

In his earlier years as Hokage, Hiruzen is still in his prime rather than the shorter, elderly figure he later becomes 9. Years of administrative work and political strain visibly age him 85 631.

• Frequently smokes a pipe while working or thinking through difficult decisions 9 195.
• Is described as looking much older after years of constant labor 85.
• By the period of Hiko’s succession, his aging is apparent enough that his efforts to prepare a replacement become increasingly direct 631.

Personality

Hiruzen is patient, conciliatory, and deeply committed to Konoha’s stability. He considers the Uchiha members of the village and refuses to adopt Tobirama’s view that they are inherently evil 57 82. He prefers dialogue and gradual reform, hoping to reduce the distance between the Uchiha and Konoha’s leadership through Hiko 78.

His restraint is also a major weakness. He often compromises with the Elder Council and is frustrated by his inability to improve the Uchiha Clan’s situation quickly 127 169. Hiko and others perceive him as overly hesitant when decisive action is needed 126 179.

Despite his mild manner, Hiruzen can be firm when Konoha’s authority or safety is at stake. He refuses Uchiha Shuu’s demand to remove Hiko from the Sarutobi Squad, rejects Danzō’s request to recruit Hiko into Root, and is willing to use his authority against parties that threaten to escalate conflict 79 82.

Leadership and Administration

Hokage Authority

Hiruzen handles mission assignments, intelligence, village departments, Anbu affairs, clan disputes, and diplomacy personally. His workload is repeatedly described as immense, with the Hokage’s Office serving as the center of Konoha’s decision-making 40 273 565.

• Personally chooses high-risk missions and weighs their political consequences before assigning personnel 183 273.
• Retains direct authority over Anbu and rejects attempts by the higher-ups to treat it as their private force 169.
• Reorganizes the Logistics Department under his own management while leaving the Medical Department under the Senju Clan and Tsunade 560.
• Considers village-wide reforms carefully, including Hiko’s proposal to use retired and disabled shinobi as Academy instructors 483.

Diplomacy

Hiruzen consistently prioritizes preventing internal disputes from damaging Konoha’s standing.

• Interrupts a public clash between Uchiha and Senju representatives and redirects discussion away from Konoha’s clan tensions 117.
• Sends Hiko to the Land of Whirlpools as Konoha’s representative, trusting him to respond to provocation without unnecessarily worsening relations with the Uzumaki Clan 273.
• Supports a possible alliance with Amegakure while recognizing that expanding ambitions among the villages could trigger another war 327.
• Reveals intelligence on Akatsuki to unite the Five Great Shinobi Villages against a common threat 747.

Military Command

Though often viewed as gentle in peacetime, Hiruzen proves capable in war. During the conflict with Sunagakure, he goes to the front personally, reorganizes Konoha’s forces, and gradually reverses the village’s disadvantage 540 542.

When the Five Kage gather against Akatsuki, Hiruzen initially nominates Ōnoki to lead the Allied Shinobi Forces despite their history. The other Kage instead support Hiruzen, and he accepts command in the interest of unity and victory 772.

Mentorship

Hiruzen chooses Hiko for the Sarutobi Squad partly because he considers him the most steady and composed of the four children. He expects Hiko to restrain Tsunade’s temper, Jiraiya’s recklessness, and Orochimaru’s detachment during missions Hiruzen cannot personally lead 40.

His teaching is limited by the demands of the Hokage position, but he ensures his students receive resources unavailable to ordinary shinobi 40. The four become close enough to call him “Old Man Third,” a nickname they regard as familiar rather than disrespectful 66.

Hiruzen recognizes Orochimaru’s growing darkness long before it becomes public, though he remains reluctant to abandon trust in his disciple. He agrees to grant Orochimaru access to the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu only after Hiko accepts responsibility for the request 604.

Relationships

• Uchiha Hiko — Disciple and preferred successor. Hiruzen protects Hiko from Uchiha pressure, entrusts him with politically sensitive missions, and sees him as a potential bridge between Konoha and the Uchiha Clan 78 79 273 594.
• Tsunade — Disciple. Her fierce attachment to Hiko leads her to destroy Hiruzen’s desk when he assigns Hiko the Seven-Tails mission 183.
• Jiraiya — Disciple. Hiruzen worries over Jiraiya’s impulsiveness but maintains a familiar, tolerant relationship with him 40 66.
• Orochimaru — Disciple. Hiruzen recognizes Orochimaru’s darker tendencies and trusts him less readily than Tsunade and Jiraiya 604.
• Shimura Danzō — Former fellow disciple and political rival. Hiruzen rejects Danzō’s request to place Hiko in Root and repeatedly clashes with his anti-Uchiha views 82 540.
• Uchiha Shuu — Political opponent over Hiko’s future. Hiruzen refuses to surrender Hiko’s education and squad placement to the Uchiha Clan 78 79.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura — Elder Council representatives whose interference repeatedly limits Hiruzen’s freedom of action 127 273.
• Ōnoki — Longstanding rival among the Five Kage. Hiruzen nevertheless nominates him to command the Allied Shinobi Forces before accepting the role himself when the other Kage choose him 772.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Formation of the Sarutobi Squad

Hiruzen selects Hiko, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru as his students and tests their judgment, teamwork, and ability to act as a unit 39 40. He expects Hiko to serve as the squad’s stabilizing leader during missions 40.

Uchiha–Konoha Tensions

Hiruzen attempts to protect Hiko while reducing hostility between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha’s leadership. His efforts are repeatedly misunderstood by Uchiha Shuu and undermined by Danzō and the Elder Council 78 79 127.

Seven-Tails Mission

Recognizing Hiko as uniquely suited to the task, Hiruzen sends him alone to capture the Seven-Tails despite the mission’s danger and the objections of Hiko’s comrades 183. He waits anxiously for the outcome after the mission is already underway 183.

Second Ninja War

Hiruzen manages Konoha’s political and military interests as Hiko commands forces in the Land of Rain. He is gratified when Hiko’s strategies inflict major losses on Iwagakure and Sunagakure while minimizing Konoha’s casualties 368.

Succession and Retirement

As he ages, Hiruzen increasingly presses Hiko to accept the possibility of becoming Hokage 631. He publicly moves to make Hiko his successor, proposes allowing the villagers to validate the choice, and ultimately steps down when Hiko becomes the Fourth Hokage 594 742.

Allied Shinobi Forces

Hiruzen exposes Akatsuki as a threat requiring cooperation among the Five Great Shinobi Villages 747. During the alliance’s leadership selection, he places collective victory above personal rivalry and becomes commander-in-chief after the other Kage support him 772.

Trivia

• Hiruzen’s pipe is a recurring sign that he is stressed, frustrated, or deep in thought 9 195 500.
• He is one of the few people willing to tolerate the Sarutobi Squad calling him “Old Man Third” 66.
• Although he is capable of exercising broad Hokage authority, he is frequently constrained by his own preference for compromise and by the Elder Council’s opposition 79 127.