Hiruzen

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Hiruzen Sarutobi (猿飛日斬)
Alias(es)	Third Hokage; “Professor” 143
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure; Sarutobi Clan
Occupation/Role	Third Hokage of Konohagakure; later a reanimated former Hokage
Status	Deceased; later revived through Impure World Reincarnation 144 316
First Appearance	Chapter 2

Background / History

Hiruzen served as Konoha’s Third Hokage during the Third Shinobi World War. He presided over high-command meetings, received reports of the Uchiha clan head’s death, and consulted the Uchiha on wartime decisions. He recognized Uchiha Xuandou as a promising junior, entrusted him with an urgent mission related to Kikyo Pass, and accepted the Uchiha’s deployment of three hundred Police Force elites to the front. 2 3 4 11 12

After the war, the Land of Fire Daimyo ordered Hiruzen to retire after one further year in office. Hiruzen accepted the decision calmly, named Minato and Xuandou as candidates for succession, and assigned the Uchiha Police Force to address Konoha’s worsening public order. 29

Minato became Fourth Hokage, but died during the Nine-Tails Incident. Hiruzen and the Anbu attempted to restrain the Nine-Tails before Minato’s return to the battlefield. Following Minato’s death, Hiruzen resumed the Hokage position with the support of Konoha’s clan heads, frustrating Danzō’s own ambition for the office. 48 51

During his renewed administration, Hiruzen increasingly clashed with Xuandou and the Uchiha. He refused Fugaku’s request for additional village missions, excluding the Uchiha from a high-level meeting that discussed their growing influence. He also approved Danzō’s proposal to arrest Xuandou and curb the Uchiha, while cautioning against excessive force. 58 74

Hiruzen appropriated the assets held in Minato’s account—including Kushina’s inheritance from Mito—for Konoha’s reconstruction, then offered Kushina and Naruto a replacement apartment. He defended the decision by promising a monthly allowance, but was unable to provide an itemized accounting when challenged by Xuandou. 62 63

After Xuandou killed Danzō, Hiruzen attempted to arrest him and defend his own authority. Xuandou publicly accused Hiruzen of failing Minato’s family and of allowing Kushina and Naruto to be mistreated, causing the Anbu present to question Hiruzen’s conduct. 83

When the Uchiha departed Konoha, Hiruzen rejected Utatane Koharu’s proposal to attack them, fearing the consequences. He instead accepted Mitokado Homura’s plan to recruit the Chinoike Clan as a replacement military force. 88 89 108

Konoha later came under pressure from Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure. The major clans refused to reinforce Hiruzen’s forces due to their loss of faith in his leadership, leaving him to mobilize one thousand inexperienced Sarutobi clan ninja and deploy the Chinoike Clan under Homura. 119 138 139

Hiruzen fought the Five-Tails Jinchūriki Han on the Iwagakure front, using all five chakra natures and the Adamantine Staff to hold his ground. Kumogakure then struck Konoha’s rear; the Fourth Raikage injured Hiruzen with Double Lariat, and Jiraiya evacuated him from the battlefield. 141 142

Too badly injured to continue, Hiruzen sought to pass the Hokage position to Jiraiya. Jiraiya declined and recommended Tsunade, who became Fifth Hokage after Hiruzen’s death. 142 143 144

Asuma later had Hiruzen revived through Impure World Reincarnation in an effort to clear his name. Upon learning that the Sarutobi Clan had declined following the exposure of its embezzlement, Hiruzen was shocked; he later privately acknowledged that he had diverted Kushina’s funds to Konoha while pocketing separately allocated reconstruction money, and had also skimmed mission, pension, and construction funds. 316 319

Appearance

Hiruzen is an elderly man commonly depicted seated behind the Hokage’s desk amid pipe smoke. Following his revival, he retains an aged face marked by wrinkles and appears in plain burial clothes beneath a Hokage robe. 2 316

• Often smokes a pipe while conducting official business. 2 58
• Wears the Hokage robe when personally leading Konoha’s forces. 120 139
• Was buried in a Hokage robe before his Impure World Reincarnation. 316

Personality

Hiruzen presents himself as calm, courteous, and measured in formal settings. He listens to clan representatives, gives Xuandou opportunities to speak in meetings, and initially assigns important responsibilities based on perceived ability. 2 3 4 11

His leadership is also marked by indecision and a strong attachment to office. He resumed the Hokage role immediately after Minato’s death, resisted confronting the Uchiha too directly despite viewing them as a threat, and became increasingly desperate as Konoha’s military position collapsed. 51 74 88 138 143

Hiruzen is protective of his family’s standing, especially Asuma’s future. When faced with a choice between admitting wrongdoing and preserving Asuma’s pride, he chose to bear the scandal himself; when offered a way to erase Konoha’s memory of the accusations, he was willing to make Asuma apologize and to work for Hidden Mystic. 320

Abilities & Skills

Five-Nature Ninjutsu

Hiruzen is an experienced ninjutsu user capable of casting techniques from all five chakra natures during battle. 141

• Used Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet against the Five-Tails Jinchūriki Han. 141
• His breadth of ninjutsu and battlefield experience allowed him to temporarily fight Han’s partial Tailed Beast transformation to a standstill. 141
• His combat performance declined against the Fourth Raikage’s speed and the combined pressure of multiple fronts. 141 142

Adamantine Staff Combat

Hiruzen wields the Adamantine Staff with close-combat proficiency. 141

• Used the staff to redirect a Tailed Beast Bomb. 141
• Combined staff combat with elemental ninjutsu while defending Konoha’s position against Iwagakure. 141

Command and Administration

As Hokage, Hiruzen directed Konoha’s military, Anbu, Police Force assignments, and succession process. 4 29 120

• Ordered Anbu support for village patrols when Uchiha Police Force personnel deployed to the front. 12
• Ordered the mobilization of all available jōnin and Anbu during Kumogakure’s attack. 120
• Personally deployed the Chinoike Clan to the northern front as Konoha’s hidden trump card. 138
• His preferential protection of the Sarutobi Clan left many of its ninja inexperienced in war. 139

Equipment / Items

• Pipe — regularly used while reviewing reports or conducting meetings. 2 58
• Hokage robe — worn during military mobilization and kept as part of his burial attire. 120 139 316
• Adamantine Staff — used in his battle against Han. 141

Relationships

• Shimura Danzō — longtime political associate and rival; Hiruzen repeatedly frustrated Danzō’s Hokage ambitions, yet later reflected that Danzō had been useful in handling Konoha’s “dirty work.” 23 51 88
• Uchiha Xuandou / Gento — initially viewed as a promising young ninja and used his strategic insight, but later suppressed the Uchiha’s access to missions and became one of Xuandou’s foremost political opponents. 2 4 58 83
• Namikaze Minato — successor as Fourth Hokage; after Minato’s death, Hiruzen resumed the Hokage office. Xuandou accused him of breaking his promise to protect Minato’s family. 51 83
• Uzumaki Kushina — widow of Minato whose assets Hiruzen used for reconstruction; he offered her and Naruto a replacement apartment and allowance. 62 63
• Uzumaki Naruto — Minato’s son; Hiruzen’s treatment of Naruto became central to Xuandou’s accusations against him. 83
• Jiraiya — former student who rescued Hiruzen from the battlefield; Hiruzen asked him to become Fifth Hokage. 142 143
• Tsunade — former student and eventual successor as Fifth Hokage. 143 144
• Sarutobi Asuma — son who revived Hiruzen through Impure World Reincarnation and attempted to clear his father’s name. 137 316
• Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu — longtime advisors whose inaction and later military failures contributed to Hiruzen’s declining position. 83 139 143

Notable Quotes

“It is time for this old man to step down as well.” 29

“This is an order, not a negotiation!” 120

“Mitokado Homura is an amateur.” 143