Third Hokage

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Hiruzen Sarutobi
Alias(es)	Third Hokage (三代目)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure; Sarutobi Clan; later an ally of Akatsuki
Occupation/Role	Third Hokage of Konohagakure; later reinstated as Hokage
Status	Active as an Impure World Reincarnation
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Background

Third Hokage and retired powerbroker

During the Nine-Tails’ Rebellion, Hiruzen organized Konoha’s sealing team after the beast was subdued and asked Uchiha Gen to remain in the village as security while the seal stabilized 3 4.

He later relinquished the Hokage title to Namikaze Minato, but continued to exercise substantial influence over village affairs. He attempted to order Uchiha forces to the Kirigakure front without going through Minato, provoking Fugaku’s open defiance 18 19. Suspecting Fugaku had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, Hiruzen considered using Danzō to test him rather than confronting him himself 20.

Hiruzen maintained Root as a source of Elder Council influence and carefully managed Danzō’s ambition, concealing information and steering him back toward his role as Root’s leader 27 42.

Conflict with the Uchiha Clan

The Uchiha Clan’s growing strength became Hiruzen’s chief political concern. Learning of its Dōjutsu Transfer plan, he feared that freely transferable ocular power could make the clan stronger than the Senju at its height 63. He cultivated Uchiha Shisui’s loyalty to Konoha, framing Fugaku as selfish and seeking to divide the clan internally 64.

After learning that Uchiha Gen’s Mangekyō Sharingan might be failing, Hiruzen convened the elders and Minato to prepare an assassination attempt against Gen 110. He later presented Uchiha Kouotsu with a secret proposal based on the Second Hokage’s research: artificially evolving Three-Tomoe Sharingan into Mangekyō Sharingan, while insisting the experiments remain hidden from the wider clan 181 182.

Return to office

Following Minato’s presumed death, Hiruzen called a meeting of elders and clan heads to decide Konoha’s succession. He publicly deferred the decision to the Land of Fire’s daimyo while his allies supported his return 150. Seven days later, the daimyo formally reinstated him as Hokage 151.

As Hokage again, Hiruzen approached Uchiha Itachi with promises of an Anbu position and praise for his “Will of Fire,” hoping to win the young Uchiha over to Konoha’s leadership 152 153.

Reanimation and the Sarutobi Clan massacre

Uchiha Gen later revived Hiruzen through Impure World Reincarnation 189. Orochimaru took control of his reanimated body and forced him to attack the Sarutobi Clan, despite Hiruzen’s internal resistance 190 193.

While under Orochimaru’s control, Hiruzen used large-scale ninjutsu and his Adamantine Staff against his own clansmen. The massacre killed over a thousand Sarutobi ninja and tens of thousands of ordinary clan members; Hiruzen also killed his eldest son, Shinnosuke 191 192 193.

Yamanaka Arashi later used Impure World Reincarnation to revive Hiruzen again, hoping to restore his faction’s influence in Konoha 245. Hiruzen subsequently agreed to cooperate with Akatsuki against Uchiha Gen and the Uchiha Clan, while intending to regain power within Konoha 247.

Appearance

In his reanimated state, Hiruzen’s body is marked by the distinctive cracks of Impure World Reincarnation 190 195.

• Carries and fights with the Adamantine Staff, associated with Enma 192 193.
• Uses a crystal ball as the focus for the Telescope Technique 264.
• Is frequently depicted smoking a pipe during political discussions 27.

Personality

Hiruzen is a calculating political operator who favors indirect pressure, manipulation, and institutional influence when direct authority or personal strength is insufficient. He maintained Danzō’s loyalty by withholding information and exploiting Danzō’s need for recognition, while preserving Root as a useful instrument of the Elder Council 27 42.

He is deeply distrustful of the Uchiha Clan and consistently interprets its growing power as a threat to Konoha. This prejudice drives his efforts to split the clan through Shisui, recruit Itachi into Anbu, investigate Gen’s weakness, and secretly pursue Mangekyō experimentation 64 110 153 182.

Hiruzen repeatedly invokes the “Will of Fire” and the phrase “for Konoha” to justify difficult or self-serving decisions. Even after being revived, he readily aligned with Akatsuki when it offered a route to oppose Gen and restore his own influence 247.

Abilities & Skills

Five Nature Transformations and large-scale ninjutsu

Hiruzen is described as a master of all five basic nature transformations, giving him a broad conventional ninjutsu repertoire 34.

• Five Elements Great Barrage — In his reanimated state, he can use this large-scale technique repeatedly as an ordinary attack because of the chakra supplied by Impure World Reincarnation 190.
• Multi-Shadow Clone Technique — Used during the Sarutobi Clan massacre 191.
• Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique — One of his signature techniques used in his reanimated rampage 191.
• Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags — Used for indiscriminate bombardment against Sarutobi Clan reinforcements 191.
• Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning — Used against Shinnosuke during their confrontation 193.

Adamantine Staff

Hiruzen wields the Adamantine Staff, identified by Konoha shinobi as one of his signature weapons 192 195.

• Used for close-range attacks powerful enough to create large craters and overwhelm multiple opponents 192 193.
• Its association with Enma makes it difficult for observers to mistake the reanimated attacker for an impostor 193.

Telescope Technique

Hiruzen uses the Telescope Technique through a crystal ball to observe distant locations 264.

• Gathered intelligence on public activity and potential threats through remote observation 264.
• Repeatedly used the technique to spy on women bathing, leading Tsunade to destroy his crystal ball and order protections around bathhouses 264 278.

Transformation Technique

After joining forces with Akatsuki, Hiruzen used the Transformation Technique to assume Yamanaka Arashi’s appearance and conceal his revival from Konoha 247.

Impure World Reincarnation body

Hiruzen’s current body was created through Impure World Reincarnation rather than his own technique 245.

• Regenerates after being physically destroyed, as demonstrated when Tsunade shattered much of his body 264.
• Does not need to fear death unless he is sealed 247.
• Can be controlled by the user of the reanimation technique, as Orochimaru did during the Sarutobi Clan massacre 190 193.

Equipment

• Adamantine Staff / Enma — Hiruzen’s signature staff weapon 192 193.
• Crystal ball — Focus for the Telescope Technique; destroyed by Tsunade 264.
• Pipe — Commonly used while Hiruzen conducts political discussions 27.

Relationships

• Namikaze Minato — Successor as Fourth Hokage. Hiruzen supported Minato’s appointment but continued to intervene in village policy after retiring, including attempting to direct Uchiha deployments without Minato’s approval 18 19.
• Shimura Danzō — Longtime teammate and Root leader. Hiruzen manipulated Danzō’s emotions and ambition to keep him loyal and useful 27.
• Uchiha Shisui — Hiruzen exploited Shisui’s devotion to Konoha to pressure the Uchiha Clan and encourage internal division 18 64.
• Uchiha Gen — Political enemy Hiruzen viewed as a major threat to Konoha’s upper echelon; he planned to assassinate Gen after concluding that Gen’s Mangekyō might be failing 110.
• Uchiha Itachi — A prospective Anbu recruit whom Hiruzen praised as a bearer of the Will of Fire and potential future leader 152 153.
• Orochimaru — Former student who later controlled Hiruzen’s reanimated body and forced him to massacre the Sarutobi Clan 190 193.
• Tsunade — Former student and Fifth Hokage. Tsunade attacked him after discovering his Telescope Technique spying and later received his intelligence concerning Akatsuki 247 264.
• Yamanaka Arashi — Loyal follower who resurrected Hiruzen and was promised the Anbu Commander position in return for serving his plans 245 247.
• Akatsuki — Hiruzen entered a conditional alliance with the organization to oppose Uchiha Gen and the Uchiha Clan 247.

Notable Quotes

“Everything is for Konoha.” 247