Hiruzen Sarutobi

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Hiruzen Sarutobi (猿飞日斩)
Alias(es)	Third Hokage; Ninja Professor 157 174
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure
Occupation/Role	Former Third Hokage of Konohagakure; later a Ninja Academy instructor 157 174
Status	Alive; retired from the Hokage position by the time Qingguang serves as Fourth Hokage 169 175
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Hiruzen became the Third Hokage after the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, entrusted Konoha to him. By the time he announced his retirement, he had led the village for eighteen years—nearly as long as the combined tenures of the First and Second Hokage. His administration is credited with binding Konoha’s ninja clans and civilian ninja together through a network of shared interests. 157

He was closely connected to Kagami Uchiha and later extended special care to Kagami’s son, Uchiha Qingguang. Records of Tobirama and Senju Momoka’s Wood Release contingency plans positioned Kagami as both a bridge to the Uchiha and a possible Wood Release subject; after Kagami’s death, Qingguang inherited that role. 1 47

Appearance

At the Uchiha wedding, Hiruzen attended in an ordinary dark-brown kimono rather than Hokage robes, allowing most villagers to mistake him for an unremarkable middle-aged man. His health later visibly declined, with his hair turning white. 37 155

• Often carries and smokes a pipe in his office. 29 161
• Was forty-four when he publicly announced his intention to step down as Hokage. 157
• His informal dress at the Uchiha wedding was deliberately interpreted as a personal visit rather than an official Hokage appearance. 38

Personality

Hiruzen presents himself as warm, patient, and protective toward people he considers part of Konoha’s future. He intervened personally to stop Qingguang’s Wood Release surgery, supported Tsunade’s Medical Department reforms, and was deeply shaken by Danzo’s reported death. 1 33 154

His concern for the village is inseparable from a calculating, controlling side. He is particularly skilled at weighing interests and manipulating public sentiment, but his methods include using Qingguang’s Jinchuriki status to keep him under control, concealing or redirecting Root-related scandals, and treating subordinates such as Dan Katō as disposable political pieces. 38 76 161 169

Hiruzen can put Konoha above even longstanding personal ties. He confronted Utatane Koharu over Medical Department corruption, removed implicated personnel, and later forced Koharu to abdicate when the evidence became unavoidable. 30 33 169

Leadership and Political Methods

• Balancing village factions — He sought to reduce Uchiha–Konoha tensions by placing trust in Qingguang as a bridge, while remaining wary of the clan’s potential threat. His casual attendance at the Uchiha wedding was widely viewed as a meaningful political signal. 3 37 38
• Administrative reform — He investigated corruption in the Medical Department, ordered implicated individuals transferred to Root for interrogation, removed Utatane clan members from their posts, and appointed Tsunade as the department’s new head. 30 33
• Succession planning — Although he initially considered Danzo as a possible Fourth Hokage, he later focused on cultivating Qingguang as Konoha’s next leader and formally opened the Fourth Hokage selection to a village-wide vote. 119 154 157
• Information control — When Root’s existence and Orochimaru’s association with it became public, Hiruzen ordered Anbu squads to redirect blame toward the deceased Danzo in an effort to preserve Konoha’s stability and his own legacy. 161

Story Role / Major Arcs

Wood Release Experiment and Uchiha Reconciliation

Hiruzen abruptly stopped Danzo and Orochimaru’s Wood Release experiment on Qingguang, saving Kagami’s son from the procedure. Qingguang later admitted that he had personally requested the experiment despite Hiruzen’s previous ban, leading Hiruzen to accept his explanation. 1 3

He provided Qingguang with confidential Uchiha history and expressed hope that Qingguang could help reintegrate the clan into Konoha. Hiruzen later attended Yashiro and Akiya’s wedding in plain clothes, lending personal support to the Uchiha’s attempt to improve their public standing. 3 37 38

Medical Department Corruption

After the Police Department uncovered counterfeit medicine, Hiruzen personally inspected the Medical Department alongside Hatake Sakumo. He rejected Koharu’s attempts to protect those implicated and emphasized that Konoha did not belong to any single faction. 30

He subsequently removed Utatane clan personnel from their positions and installed Tsunade as head of the Medical Department. Years later, when Dan Katō exposed further evidence, Hiruzen forced Koharu to abdicate while privately warning Dan not to contact Root again. 33 169

Conflict with Jiraiya

When Jiraiya sought permission to leave Konoha to search for the Child of Prophecy, Hiruzen opposed the request because the Second Shinobi World War was approaching. He viewed Jiraiya’s departure as reckless abandonment of village duty, while Jiraiya prioritized peace across the wider ninja world. 52 53

Despite their rupture, Hiruzen retained affection for Jiraiya as his disciple. He later secretly recalled Jiraiya to assist with the Fourth Hokage election. 157

Second Shinobi World War

During the war with Amegakure, Hiruzen received reports of heavy Konoha casualties following Hanzō’s poisonous-mist assault. He assigned Qingguang the politically important task of organizing Mito Uzumaki’s funeral to reinforce village morale, while internally admitting that he was manipulating Qingguang for Konoha’s security. 76

He also managed negotiations with the Land of Fire’s Daimyo, resisted demands for the immediate release of captured enemies, and debated the strategic value of the Four-Tails Jinchuriki with Danzo. 118 119

Fourth Hokage Succession

Following Danzo’s death and Qingguang’s defense of Konoha against Madara, Hiruzen’s doubts about Qingguang were dispelled. He told Qingguang that he intended to make him the next Hokage. 154

Hiruzen formally announced his retirement and organized a vote for the Fourth Hokage, with Orochimaru, Qingguang, and Tsunade emerging as the principal candidates. During the final deliberations, he considered appointing Orochimaru as Hokage while making Qingguang Hokage Assistant to restrain him, reflecting his continued concern over Orochimaru’s ambition. 157 163

Qingguang later became recognized as the Fourth Hokage, ending Hiruzen’s tenure. 169 175

Retirement and Education Reform

After retiring, Hiruzen supported Qingguang’s Ninja Academy and Chakra Academy reforms, though he warned that empowering ninja education could provoke the Daimyo. 171

Unable to remain idle at home, he volunteered to teach at the Ninja Academy alongside one hundred Konoha Jonin, reclaiming the role of “Ninja Professor.” 174

Relationships

• Uchiha Qingguang — Kagami’s son and Hiruzen’s chosen successor; Hiruzen protects, mentors, monitors, and at times manipulates him for Konoha’s sake. 1 3 76 154
• Shimura Danzo — Former comrade and political counterpart; Hiruzen relied on Danzo for harsher measures, considered him as a Fourth Hokage candidate, mourned his death, and later shifted Root’s public blame onto him. 30 119 154 161
• Tsunade — Disciple; Hiruzen supports her appointment as head of the Medical Department, though she openly criticizes his handling of corruption and Qingguang. 32 33 169
• Jiraiya — Disciple; their disagreement over the Child of Prophecy caused Jiraiya to leave Konoha, but Hiruzen continued to regard him as family. 52 53 157
• Orochimaru — Disciple and major Hokage candidate; Hiruzen fears Orochimaru’s ambition and attempts to delay or contain his political rise. 155 159 163
• Hatake Sakumo — Personal guard and Anbu captain; Sakumo accompanies Hiruzen during sensitive investigations and acts on his direct orders. 30 52
• Utatane Koharu — Longtime associate and Hokage Assistant; their relationship deteriorates as Hiruzen prioritizes accountability and later forces her resignation. 30 33 169
• Mitokado Homura — Hokage Assistant who recognizes Hiruzen’s authority, though he later challenges Hiruzen over Root’s exposure. 30 161
• Mito Uzumaki — Hiruzen swore before her to protect Kushina Uzumaki and respect Kushina’s right to determine her own future. 72
• Dan Katō — A subordinate Hiruzen cultivated and used to monitor Root; Hiruzen provided him with the Spirit Transformation Technique and later warned him to sever his Root ties. 169

Notable Quotes

“Konoha does not belong to the Hokage, but to everyone. Only by gaining everyone’s recognition can one become Hokage.” 157

“Be careful with the Daimyo.” 171

Trivia

• Hiruzen was caught reading an erotic magazine in the Hokage Building while Tsunade confronted him over the counterfeit-medicine crisis. 32
• He became drunk at a family banquet and had to be escorted home by Qingguang, whom he encouraged to carry Konoha’s future. 36
• He privately worried whether Qingguang and Tsunade’s future children should regard him as a grandfather or great-grandteacher. 146