Sarutobi Hiruzen

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Sarutobi Hiruzen (猿飞日斩)
Alias(es)	Third Hokage; Hokage-sama; Clan Head
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure; Sarutobi Clan
Occupation/Role	Third Hokage of Konoha; head of the Sarutobi Clan
Status	Alive; later expelled from Konoha with Sarutobi Clan members 960 961
First Appearance	Chapter 12

Appearance

An elderly man with a wrinkled face and a habitual smoking pipe, Hiruzen commonly presents himself as calm, gentle, and approachable in formal settings. He conceals his identity with ordinary clothes and a straw hat when visiting Root's hidden laboratory. 12 53 622

• Frequently smokes a pipe while deliberating or questioning subordinates. 12 79
• Adopts an amiable expression and measured tone to cultivate trust. 13 53
• Later becomes disheveled as his fixation on revenge and reanimation worsens. 867 869

Personality

Hiruzen publicly frames his decisions around Konoha's stability, peace, and the Will of Fire. He is an adept political operator who uses a kindly, paternal image to win loyalty, notably persuading Shisui and Itachi to serve village interests over their clan. 13 53 175

Behind that image, he is calculating, distrustful of independent power, and strongly protective of Sarutobi influence. He surveils or suppresses potential threats—including Uchiha Xuanyu, Naruto, the Uchiha Clan, and Wood Release users—while presenting coercive actions as necessary for Konoha. 57 84 269 580

After losing political control and members of his family, Hiruzen's pursuit of revenge becomes increasingly overt. He relies on Impure World Reincarnation, civilian sacrifices, and revived shinobi to pursue the destruction of the Uchiha and the unification of the Shinobi World under Sarutobi rule. 628 718 779 790

Abilities & Skills

Ninjutsu Proficiency

Hiruzen is known as the “Professor,” reputedly capable of using a wide range of ninjutsu, though Tobirama criticizes him for failing to master any single technique to its highest level. 790 834

• Uses Fire Release and prepares a large-scale fire technique against dissenting villagers. 783
• Employs the Telescope Technique through a Crystal Ball to observe events across Konoha. 84 192 207
• Can summon Enma, who transforms into an extending staff in battle. 471
• Possesses the forbidden Reaper Death Seal, which can seize and seal souls. 772

Impure World Reincarnation

Hiruzen adopts Impure World Reincarnation as his primary means of rebuilding military power and pursuing revenge.

• Can maintain approximately 50–60 reincarnated shinobi with his Chakra. 628
• Uses civilians and captured enemy ninja as sacrifices for reanimation. 718 790 869
• Reanimates Sarutobi Shuo and Sarutobi Daqing, former Sarutobi Clan heroes. 625 626
• Reanimates prominent Konoha shinobi, including Hatake Sakumo, Nara Ka, Akimichi Ke, Hizashi Hyuga, Dan Katō, and Nawaki. 720
• Attempts to revive Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, and Minato Namikaze; Hashirama and Tobirama manifest, while Minato does not. 790 792
• Later revives Sarutobi Asuma, Sarutobi Konohamaru, and Shimura Danzō using three Land of Lightning jōnin as sacrifices. 869

Political Manipulation

Hiruzen uses surveillance, controlled information, selective punishment, and emotional appeals to maintain authority.

• Pressures Shisui to monitor the Uchiha Clan and to shape Itachi according to the Will of Fire. 12 13
• Promises Uchiha representation in Konoha's leadership to secure Shisui's loyalty. 13
• Uses Itachi's concern for Sasuke to retain leverage over him after the attempted Uchiha massacre. 175
• Publicly denounces Itachi and issues a wanted order after the massacre attempt, distancing himself from the operation. 208 213
• Conceals his own role behind advisors Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura when unpopular policies require blame. 623

Equipment

• Smoking Pipe — regularly used while considering plans or conducting interrogations. 12 79
• Crystal Ball — used to conduct the Telescope Technique and monitor Konoha. 84 192
• Storage Scroll — carries personal relics for use in Impure World Reincarnation. 867
• Kunai — used to kill sacrifices during the attempted revival of the former Hokage. 790

Background / History

As Third Hokage, Hiruzen presides over a Konoha in which the Sarutobi Clan occupies extensive institutional influence. He watches the Uchiha Clan with suspicion, treating its dissatisfaction as a threat to village stability and using Shisui as an internal informant. 12 13 17

He pressures the Uchiha to surrender half of the Police Force's authority and later exploits divisions within the clan. After Shisui awakens the Mangekyō Sharingan, Hiruzen agrees with Danzō that the Uchiha should eventually be eliminated, though he postpones action against Shisui because he still considers him useful. 25 47 79

When Shisui reveals an ability capable of altering another person's thoughts, Hiruzen outwardly endorses Shisui's plan to stop Fugaku's rebellion, but privately decides that Shisui and the Uchiha pose too great a danger. He assigns Danzō to eliminate Shisui and prepares to destroy the clan. 143

Hiruzen's massacre operation fails when Xuanyu and other Uchiha resist Root and Itachi. He publicly condemns Itachi, lists him as Konoha's most wanted criminal, and attempts to preserve plausible distance from the assault while continuing to regard the Uchiha as an uncontrollable threat. 207 208 213 225

As the Uchiha gain allies among the Hyuga, Aburame, Akatsuki, and other powers, Hiruzen escalates from covert operations to a campaign of reanimation and open repression. His plans eventually cost him Konoha's support, leaving him expelled and leading resentful Sarutobi clansmen beyond the village. 580 626 718 905 960 961

Story Role / Major Arcs

Uchiha Surveillance and Division

• Questions Shisui about alleged Uchiha dissatisfaction and directs him to monitor the clan. 12
• Cultivates Shisui's loyalty with promises of eventual Uchiha advancement within Konoha. 13
• Demands that the Uchiha relinquish half of the Police Force's management rights. 25
• Uses Itachi's reports on the Merchant Guild Police Force to deepen Uchiha factionalism. 47

Uchiha Extermination Scheme

• Accepts Danzō's proposal to eliminate the Uchiha Clan after three years. 79
• Plans to use Shisui's mind-altering Mangekyō ability while secretly ordering Danzō to kill him if necessary. 143
• Supports the operation involving Itachi and Root, then publicly frames Itachi as the sole culprit when the plan collapses. 175 208 213
• Continues planning to use Sasuke to fracture the Uchiha internally. 220

Conflict with Konoha's Clans and Akatsuki

• Orders the Sarutobi Clan's ninja not to leave Konoha after suffering losses attributed to a mysterious Akatsuki assassin. 131
• Attempts to capture or recruit a Wood Release user under the pretense of protecting him. 269
• Moves against Neji Hyuga to preserve the Hyuga Main Family's authority and the Caged Bird system. 465
• Is forced out of the Hyuga grounds by Deidara, Neji, and Tenten, damaging the prestige of the Hokage. 474

Reanimation Campaign

• Recruits Sarutobi clansmen as willing sacrifices by accepting requests concerning their families. 623 624
• Reanimates Sarutobi elders and prepares an army of revived shinobi to eliminate the Uchiha. 625 628
• Manipulates the revived by portraying the Uchiha as rebels threatening Konoha. 718
• Summons former Konoha elites and later the First and Second Hokage to reinforce his forces. 720 790

Downfall and Exile

• Declares that unifying the Shinobi World will end war, while Tsunade identifies his desire for worship and personal glory. 779
• Refuses to release imprisoned civilians and calls their deaths honorable sacrifices for Konoha. 772 782
• Attempts to kill dissenting villagers before Orochimaru intervenes. 783
• Following defeat and the Sarutobi Clan's loss of power in Konoha, attacks Land of Lightning and Land of Earth ninja to acquire sacrifices for further reanimations. 869 960 961

Relationships

• Shimura Danzō — longtime ally, co-conspirator, and fellow architect of the Uchiha extermination and reanimation programs; Hiruzen later revives him after their defeat. 79 143 628 869
• Uchiha Shisui — trusted Uchiha operative whom Hiruzen manipulates into monitoring his clan; Shisui's Mangekyō ability later makes Hiruzen regard him as a threat. 12 13 143
• Uchiha Itachi — cultivated as a loyal Uchiha asset, then used in the massacre operation and discarded publicly when the plan fails. 13 175 208
• Uchiha Xuanyu — a target of surveillance, assassination attempts, and escalating hostility; Xuanyu repeatedly disrupts Hiruzen's plans. 57 112 208 779
• Naruto Uzumaki — ward and strategic asset whose Jinchūriki identity Hiruzen hides while attempting to secure Naruto's dependence and loyalty. 84 389 657
• Sarutobi Asuma — Sarutobi family member and trusted operative who carries out investigations, provocations, and reanimation-related tasks. 47 112 718
• Sarutobi Konohamaru — Hiruzen's grandson, whom he personally trains in Impure World Reincarnation and seeks to position as a future Hokage. 720
• Jiraiya and Tsunade — former disciples who ultimately oppose Hiruzen's civilian sacrifices and reanimation army. 772 773 779
• Tobirama Senju — Hiruzen's former teacher; after being reanimated, he advises Hiruzen while also criticizing his limited mastery of ninjutsu. 834 867
• Orochimaru — former associate driven from Konoha after being blamed for experiments; later intervenes to protect villagers from Hiruzen. 389 783

Notable Quotes

“This Shinobi World must change. As long as so many villages exist, war will never cease. What I'm doing is unifying the Shinobi World so there will never be war again!” 779

“They deserve to die for insulting me!” 783

Trivia

• Hiruzen considers Naruto's potential as a Perfect Jinchūriki a future asset for Konoha and possibly for conquering other villages. 657
• He is explicitly criticized by Tobirama for broad proficiency without true mastery of a single ninjustu discipline. 834
• Hiruzen initially believes Xuanyu to be a weak Uchiha child without the clan's Kekkei Genkai, badly underestimating him. 175