Third Hokage

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Hiruzen Sarutobi
Alias(es)	Third Hokage; “Ninja Scholar” 129
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure
Occupation/Role	Third Hokage of Konohagakure; later a former Hokage who remains active in village affairs 440 468
Status	Alive; abdicated the Hokage position to Yamanaka Xing Ran 440 441
First Appearance	Chapter 8

Background / History

Hiruzen was a disciple of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. His position as Hokage made him a central political force in Konoha, particularly as a politician and educator capable of keeping influence concentrated around himself. 66 399

He first relinquished the Hokage title after the Third Shinobi World War, with Minato Namikaze becoming the Fourth Hokage. Minato’s early death allowed Hiruzen to return to office; two years later, his age was visibly catching up with him, leaving him white-haired, wrinkled, and stooped. 8 434

During his second tenure, Hiruzen handled Konoha’s external disputes through negotiation where possible, arguing that peace was hard-won. He personally intervened in the Hyuga kidnapping incident, capturing the conspirator known as the Samoyed and rescuing the Hyuga child, which forced Kumogakure into an unfavorable peace settlement. 8 98

His second abdication followed the Five Kage Summit rehearsal battle, where his declining strength and Konoha’s failure against the Akatsuki convinced him that the village needed a younger Hokage. Yamanaka Xing Ran formally received the Hokage hat from him at the succession ceremony. 408 440 441

Appearance

In his later years, Hiruzen is an elderly man with almost completely white hair, pronounced wrinkles, and a frail, stooped frame. 8 325

• Frequently smokes a pipe in the Hokage’s office. 8 36
• Wears the traditional Hokage robes while acting as village leader. 373
• Carries a giant golden staff, the Ruyi Jingu Bang, in battle. 372 399
• Can summon a demon ape to fight beside him. 372

Personality

Hiruzen prefers restraint, diplomacy, and stability over immediate military escalation. He rejected Danzō’s push for a forceful response to suspected Iwagakure activity, instead seeking a diplomatic resolution. 8 Even Danzō recognizes that Hiruzen can solve problems through political maneuvering that he himself cannot replicate. 42

He is highly conscious of Konoha’s public image and institutional stability. After Danzō killed Shisui, Hiruzen was enraged but still chose to shield Danzō in order to preserve his reputation and avoid further instability. 363 During the Uchiha departure, he chose not to pursue the retreating clan because Konoha could not sustain more losses. 373

Hiruzen’s greatest personal weakness is his attachment to Orochimaru. Although Orochimaru defected and became a threat to Konoha, Hiruzen remained willing to risk personnel and resources for the possibility that his former disciple might return and repent. 400 484

He also retains strong emotional ties to Danzō despite their lifelong rivalry. Danzō’s death leaves him openly grief-stricken. 498 500 501

Abilities & Skills

Ninjutsu Scholarship

Known as the “Ninja Scholar,” Hiruzen possesses an exceptional breadth of ninjutsu knowledge and can interpret information others might overlook. 129

• Mastered all five basic elemental transformations. 401
• Uses the personal super-ninjutsu Five Release Ninjutsu: Great Exploding Bullet. 401
• His aging body and diminished chakra reserves increasingly limit his ability to sustain high-level techniques. 403 404

Shuriken and Fire Release Techniques

Hiruzen can rapidly chain techniques in combat, combining widespread projectile pressure with powerful Fire Release. 399

• Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique — multiplies thrown shuriken into a dense barrage. 399
• Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet — follows his shuriken assault with a large fire attack. 399
• His reflexes remain sharp enough to evade a sudden assassination attempt by Tobirama’s Flying Thunder God Slash. 400

Summoning and Staff Combat

Hiruzen fights with a giant golden staff and can call upon a demon ape summon for support. 372 399

• Uses the Ruyi Jingu Bang as a weapon in battle. 399
• Summons the demon ape during the confrontation with Uchiha Fugaku’s Susanoo. 372

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Pipe — routinely used while working or considering political problems. 8 36
• Hokage robes — worn while representing Konoha as its leader. 373
• Ruyi Jingu Bang — giant golden staff used in combat. 399

Relationships

• Tobirama Senju — Former teacher. Hiruzen is ashamed to meet Tobirama again when Orochimaru reanimates him. 399
• Shimura Danzō — Lifelong rival, advisor, and old comrade. Their opposing methods repeatedly clash, but Hiruzen mourns Danzō deeply after his death. 42 498 501
• Orochimaru — Favored former disciple. Hiruzen’s attachment to him drives repeated attempts to bring him back to Konoha. 400 484
• Jiraiya — Trusted senior ninja whose judgment Hiruzen accepts during the debate over the next Hokage. 408
• Yamanaka Xing Ran — Initially a favored young talent and later his successor as Fifth Hokage. Their relationship becomes strained by Xing Ran’s hands-off leadership and Hiruzen’s continued political maneuvering, though Xing Ran saves Hiruzen during the battle against Orochimaru and the reanimated Hokage. 103 405 468 484
• Uchiha Fugaku — Political opponent during the Uchiha crisis. Hiruzen refuses Fugaku’s demand for the clan’s departure, but ultimately allows the Uchiha to leave rather than inflict further losses on Konoha. 372 373
• Hatake Kakashi — Trusted Anbu operative. Hiruzen assigns Kakashi to investigate Orochimaru’s abandoned research facility and later considers granting him access to the Flying Thunder God Technique. 217 432
• Uzumaki Naruto — Hiruzen takes steps to support and protect Minato’s son, including arranging the Scroll of Seals with Naruto in mind and approving Naruto’s training at Mount Myōboku. 103 468

Story Role / Major Arcs

End of the Third Shinobi World War

Hiruzen resolves the Hyuga–Kumogakure kidnapping conspiracy by capturing the Samoyed and rescuing the abducted Hyuga child. His intervention secures leverage for Konoha during the peace negotiations that end the war. 98

Conflict with Danzō and Root

After Xing Ran cripples twenty-eight Root ninja, Hiruzen acts as mediator between Xing Ran and Danzō while focusing heavily on the financial and personnel burden the incident creates for Konoha. 259 He later opposes an unsupervised revival of the Wood Release project because of the deaths caused by prior experiments and Orochimaru’s subsequent descent. 268

Uchiha Crisis

Hiruzen attempts to prevent a coup by allowing Shisui to use Kotoamatsukami on Fugaku and by stopping Danzō from intervening directly. 357 Shisui’s death and Danzō’s conflict with Fugaku trigger open internal strife, culminating in the Uchiha clan’s withdrawal from Konoha. 363 372 373

Five Kage Summit Battle

Hiruzen personally confronts Orochimaru because of their master-and-disciple history. 398 He battles Orochimaru alongside the reanimated Hashirama and Tobirama, employing Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique, Fire Dragon Bullet, and Five Release Ninjutsu: Great Exploding Bullet. 399 401 His failing stamina leaves him vulnerable until Xing Ran uses Flying Thunder God to rescue him from Hashirama’s attacks and Chibaku Tensei’s battlefield chaos. 403 405

Second Abdication

After the summit battle, Hiruzen concludes that his declining power makes him unfit to continue as Hokage. He rejects Danzō’s bid for the office in favor of a younger successor, ultimately handing the title to Xing Ran. 408 440 441

Orochimaru’s Proposed Return and Danzō’s Death

Though no longer Hokage, Hiruzen secretly supports a mission connected to Orochimaru’s proposed return to Konoha, hoping his former student can be redeemed. 484 When Danzō dies during the operation, Hiruzen is devastated and later mourns him openly at the funeral. 498 500 501

Notable Quotes

“Peace is hard-won.” 8

“...And if I refuse?” 372

“The village cannot afford any more losses...” 373