Danzo

Biodata

Background / History

Attempt to Detain Obito

When Obito returned to Konoha, Danzo ordered Root to capture him, using his unexplained disappearance during a mission as grounds for questioning. After the dispatched Root ninja were killed, Danzo accused Obito of potentially defecting and demanded that the Uchiha clan surrender him 34 36.

Uchiha Fugaku refused, leading to an armed standoff outside the clan compound. Danzo intended to pressure the Uchiha and weaken their position before the approaching war, but underestimated Fugaku’s commitment to protecting Obito. Namikaze Minato intervened and staked his life on his student’s innocence, forcing Danzo to withdraw 37.

Obito’s subsequent display of Susanoo alarmed Danzo, who declared that he must be eliminated. Danzo also demanded that Obito surrender his potion inventions to the village, a demand Obito rejected 41.

Research Funding and Wartime Schemes

Danzo financed Orochimaru’s forbidden research, including experiments on Senju Hashirama’s cells. In exchange for money and rare materials, he received access to research results and special experimental subjects. Their partnership deteriorated when thefts from Danzo’s treasury prevented him from delivering promised funding and supplies 47.

Hiruzen assigned Danzo and Orochimaru to negotiate with the Uchiha over wartime potion production. Hiruzen deliberately placed Danzo in a visible role to limit his opportunities for interference. After prolonged negotiations, Danzo accepted arrangements allowing the Uchiha to produce medicine behind the front lines 50 51.

Danzo nevertheless plotted to prevent the medicine from reaching the front, intending to pressure the Uchiha into surrendering its formula. The operation involved Matsumoto, Root, and Stone ninja, but failed when Shisui escaped their interceptions. Danzo berated Kadokawa and ordered him to contact Orochimaru about renewed funding 56.

Destruction of Root Headquarters

The Uchiha’s growing influence and two thefts by “Lu Yan” intensified Danzo’s anxiety. He feared that anyone capable of emptying his treasury undetected could also assassinate him. When Root reported Obito’s meeting with Might Duy, Danzo dismissed Duy as an insignificant genin and ordered his interrogation 66.

Root abducted Might Guy and used threats against him to pressure Duy. Duy broke free and fought through the headquarters to rescue his son. Danzo ordered his subordinates to attack Guy, then personally confronted Duy after Kadokawa was killed 66 67.

Danzo’s Wind Style attacks and binding curse failed to stop Duy. After opening the Gate of Wonder, Duy unleashed Daytime Tiger, devastating Root headquarters. Danzo survived by taking shelter inside his summoned Baku, but emerged severely wounded; the Baku was left dying 67.

Afterward, Danzo claimed that Duy’s contact with Obito proved a conspiracy and requested rebuilding funds. Hiruzen rebuked him for asking for money despite his years of embezzlement 68.

Renewed Operations Against the Uchiha

News that Uchiha Madara might still be alive prompted Hiruzen to provide funds and personnel for rebuilding Root and monitoring the Uchiha. Danzo understood that Hiruzen expected him to perform the dirty work and potentially take the blame, but accepted the opportunity to retaliate against Duy and the clan sheltering him 84.

A later rumor campaign attributed to Danzo backfired: villagers shifted their anger toward Kirigakure and voiced support for the Uchiha. Danzo proposed treating the clan’s threatened secession as confirmed betrayal and exterminating it. Hiruzen halted the plan, judging that such a loss would seriously weaken Konoha 92.

Assassination Plot and Death

When Hiruzen announced that Minato would become the Fourth Hokage, Danzo reacted with rage and jealousy. He accepted an alliance with an apparent otherworldly invader, demanding the deaths of Minato, Obito, and Hiruzen as proof of sincerity. The supposed invader was actually Obito in disguise 95 96.

Obito arranged a forest meeting, sealed the area with a barrier, and revealed his identity. His Senbonzakura overwhelmed the accompanying Root ninja, while Danzo’s wind-enhanced kunai failed to breach the barrier 96.

Mortally wounded, Danzo claimed to possess an important secret to lure Obito closer, then activated the Reverse Four-Character Sealing Technique inscribed on his body. Obito used Kamui intangibility to evade it and killed Danzo with Senbonzakura. The attack left no chakra traces, only the distinctive aura of a Zanpakuto. Anbu discovered the remains seven days later 96.

Personality

Danzo has an extreme need for control and regards developments outside his authority as threats. The Uchiha’s rise and the thefts from his treasury expose his insecurity: he becomes increasingly anxious, lashes out at subordinates, and fears assassination. His fixation on becoming Hokage leads him to regard himself as more suitable than Hiruzen’s chosen candidates 51 56 66.

He repeatedly justifies coercion and murder as necessary for Konoha’s welfare. This stated loyalty coexists with attempts to assassinate Hiruzen, a willingness to collaborate with an apparent otherworldly invader, and orders targeting a child during combat. He values the Sharingan as a treasure while wishing for the Uchiha clan’s extinction 56 67 84 95.

Abilities & Skills

Wind Style

Danzo uses large-scale Wind Style ninjutsu and channels wind-attribute chakra through weapons 67 96.

• Vacuum Great Sphere and Vacuum Serial Waves — unleash powerful energy waves and cutting wind blades; his barrage also catches nearby Root ninja in the crossfire 67.
• Wind-enhanced kunai — forms a sharp chakra blade for close combat and attempts to cut through Obito’s barrier 67 96.
• Limits — cannot keep pace with Duy’s enhanced taijutsu or break the barrier prepared by Obito 67 96.

Self-Exerting Curse Binding Seal

Danzo creates curse marks using seals and his spilled blood. Blood landing on Duy spreads black markings across his body, impeding chakra flow and gradually restricting movement 67.

• Can restrain an opponent while Danzo is already injured 67.
• Duy’s surge of chakra after opening the Gate of Wonder forces the markings back and restores his mobility 67.

Reverse Four-Character Sealing Technique

A sealing technique inscribed on Danzo’s body releases expanding, spherical black runes when activated 96.

• Used as a final attempt to take Obito down with him 96.
• Fails because the runes pass through Obito’s intangible body 96.

Baku Summoning

Danzo summons a Baku and takes refuge inside its body immediately before Daytime Tiger strikes 67.

• The shelter allows him to survive the attack 67.
• Danzo remains severely injured, and the Baku is left dying 67.

Intelligence and Covert Operations

As Root’s leader, Danzo directs surveillance, arrests, interrogations, ambushes, and political interference 34 56 66 84 92.

• Maintains agents who report on Obito’s contacts and Uchiha activities 66 84.
• Positions Root guards around the meeting site for his supposed alliance with an invader 96.
• Remains vulnerable to deception: Obito’s impersonation draws him into a prepared killing ground 95 96.

Equipment / Items

• Kunai — channels Wind Style chakra through it to create a cutting blade; his final battle features a custom-made kunai 67 96.
• Blue-purple contact card — left by the disguised Obito and later used to initiate the assassination agreement 95.
• Private treasury — contains funds and valuable materials used to support Orochimaru’s research; raided twice by Lu Yan 47 66.

Relationships

• Uchiha Obito / Lu Yan — Principal enemy and eventual killer. Danzo initially treats Obito and the thief Lu Yan as separate threats, unaware that Lu Yan inhabits Obito’s body 1 66 96.
• Sarutobi Hiruzen — Longstanding political associate and rival. Hiruzen uses Root for covert work while restraining Danzo’s more destructive plans; Danzo repeatedly plots against him 50 84 92 95.
• Namikaze Minato — Opponent who blocks Obito’s detention and later becomes the chosen Fourth Hokage. Danzo includes him among the targets of his assassination agreement 37 95.
• Orochimaru — Research partner and recipient of Danzo’s financial backing. Missing funds and materials severely damage their partnership 47 56.
• Uchiha Fugaku — Clan leader who refuses to surrender Obito and openly resists Root’s pressure 36 37.
• Kadokawa — Root commander and subordinate. Danzo berates him for failed operations and orders him to attack Might Guy during Duy’s escape 56 67.
• Might Duy and Might Guy — Victims of Root’s interrogation operation. Duy rescues Guy, defeats Danzo, and destroys Root headquarters 66 67.

Posthumous Portrayal

• Obito’s false tribute: During negotiations with Rasa, Obito claims that Danzo was his benefactor and died of grief after Lu Yan stole his retirement savings. Rasa recognizes the account as nonsense; Danzo actually died at Obito’s hands 96 145.
• New Year gala satire: Uchiha Kenichi portrays Danzo in a skit advertised as a commemoration. The performance depicts him ordering killings over refusals to serve Root or surrender techniques, then hiding when powerful enemies attack. These are scenes within the skit, not independently documented incidents 168.
• Audience reaction: Villagers initially respond sympathetically to the skit’s language of sacrifice, but turn against its portrayal of Danzo’s self-serving decisions 168.

Notable Quotes

“Hiruzen, you be the shadow of Konoha, guarding the light, while I shall be the root of Konoha, defending the darkness.” 36

“The position of Hokage is mine. It must be mine.” 56

“Everything I do is for the sake of the Hidden Leaf.” 95