Danzo

Biodata

Background / History

Danzō leads Root, Konoha’s covert Anbu organization. Root carries out operations that the village cannot openly acknowledge, but its secrecy also lets him act without informing the Third Hokage. After Orochimaru attacks a Root stronghold and takes its files, Danzō withholds the incident from the Hokage and mobilizes Root himself 183 184.

He has longstanding ties to Orochimaru: Kinoe says Danzō helped Orochimaru escape Konoha, and Danzō later seeks to use Orochimaru’s research for Root 184 188. Although the Third Hokage distrusts him, he considers Root important to Konoha’s security and postpones confronting Danzō during a crisis 188 194.

Danzō views the rising power of the Uchiha clan as a threat. He spreads false information about the clan and Naruto after the Nine-Tails’ attack, and later targets Ye Han for both his potential and his Sharingan 42 182. At a Konoha leadership meeting, he opposes improving the Uchiha clan’s treatment, but the Third Hokage decides in its favor 299.

Appearance

Danzō is an elderly man whose right side is typically concealed 181 280.

• Bandages — Cover his right arm and right eye 280.
• Scar — An X-shaped mark on his chin 181.
• Transplanted eyes — His revealed right arm bears ten Sharingan 239.

Personality

Danzō presents his actions as necessary to protect Konoha, while pursuing influence and the Hokage position for himself 43 194 2438. He treats Root operatives’ obedience as absolute and is willing to have fellow Konoha ninja killed when he judges them a threat 194 202. His interest in Sharingan and the Rinnegan also drives his pursuit of ocular power 195 367.

Abilities & Skills

Izanagi and transplanted Sharingan

• Danzō uses Sharingan implanted in his arm as consumables for Izanagi, repeatedly reappearing after Ye Han destroys his body 240 241.
• The transplanted eyes are connected to his visual nerves and give his arm a 360-degree field of vision 241.
• Their use depletes his supply: after his confrontation with Ye Han, only one eye remains open on his arm 245.

Wind Release

• Wind Style: Vacuum Bullets — Fires multiple air bullets; Danzō uses it while attacking Ye Han from behind 240.

Command of Root

• Root operatives follow Danzō’s orders even when they conflict with the Hokage’s knowledge or with their own doubts 183 194 202.
• He deploys Root for covert intelligence work and assassinations, including an order to kill people named in an intelligence report 117 188.

Relationships

• Sarutobi Hiruzen — The Third Hokage relies on Root but distrusts Danzō’s methods and challenges his actions against Konoha ninja 188 194 2438.
• Uchiha Ye Han — Danzō seeks his Sharingan and repeatedly attempts to kill him; Ye Han retaliates against Root and confronts Danzō directly 182 194 236 239.
• Kinoe — Root subordinate ordered to assassinate Ye Han despite his reservations 194 195.
• Orochimaru — Former collaborator whose escape Danzō helped facilitate; Danzō later tries to obtain value from his research 184 188.
• Nagato and Konan — Blame Danzō for his role in the Amegakure civil war and later intercept him 367 394.

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Rumors after the Nine-Tails’ attack — Danzō orders false information spread about Naruto and the Uchiha clan 42.
• Conflict over Ye Han — He sends Kinoe on a mission that conceals an order to kill Ye Han and take his Sharingan 194 202.
• Raid on Root headquarters — Ye Han’s group discovers Danzō’s Sharingan collection and battles through Root to face him 236 237 239.
• Political fallout — At a subsequent hearing, Ye Han exposes Danzō’s knowledge of an attack involving Oki and argues that the Hokage could remove him from command of Root 246.
• Secret strongholds — Danzō builds forces outside Konoha; Ye Han and Yamato attack his bases, prompting Danzō to renew his determination to eliminate Ye Han 278 279 280.

Notable Quotes

“There are no ‘buts’! Have you forgotten the duty of a ninja? Do you dare to question my orders?” 194

“You are a leaf bathed in sunlight, while I am a root in the darkness.” 2438