Third Hokage

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Hiruzen Sarutobi
Alias(es)	Third Hokage (三代火影); Shinobi World's Professor
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure; Sarutobi Clan
Occupation/Role	Third Hokage of Konoha; later former Hokage and temporary reinstated Hokage
Status	Active 258
First Appearance	Chapter 5

Hokage Tenure

Period	Position	Notes
Early story–Chapter 210	Third Hokage	Leads Konoha through its escalating conflict with the Uchiha and the other great villages.
Chapter 210	Resigned Hokage	Resigns after framing the Uchiha catastrophe as a tactical mistake; Jiraiya is selected as Fourth Hokage.
Chapters 211–249	Former Hokage	Continues influencing policy, military projects, and the old advisory faction from behind Jiraiya’s administration.
Chapter 250 onward	Temporary Hokage	Removes Jiraiya through deception and issues orders restoring himself to the office during the war against U Hidden Village.

Appearance

An elderly man with a weathered face, Hiruzen commonly appears in formal Hokage robes and is frequently depicted smoking a pipe or cigarette in his office. 7 90 133

• Wears the traditional robes of the Hokage. 7 143
• Often surrounded by tobacco smoke during political meetings. 90
• Carries himself with the composed public image of a veteran village leader, even when privately distressed. 133 204

Personality

Hiruzen presents himself as a measured, benevolent leader who insists that the Uchiha are part of Konoha and should be treated equally. Early on, he rejects Danzō’s attempt to claim Uchiha Chuan directly, citing the limits of Hokage authority over clan affairs. 5 10

Behind that restraint, he is deeply threatened by the Uchiha’s independence, Sharingan, and potential to challenge the Hokage faction’s control of Konoha. He seeks to weaken their influence through education, surveillance, public opinion, and internal division rather than open confrontation. 29 38 40

As the political crisis worsens, Hiruzen repeatedly justifies increasingly cruel measures as necessary for Konoha. His guilt remains genuine—particularly after seeing Jiraiya’s faith collapse—but he cannot bring himself to admit wrongdoing or reverse course. 113 204

History

Conflict with the Uchiha

Hiruzen first takes notice of Uchiha Chuan when the child sleeps through a Will of Fire speech, publicly calling him out before the other students. 7 As Chuan’s talent becomes known, Hiruzen refuses Danzō’s request to take the boy from the Uchiha Clan, arguing that Konoha cannot interfere in the clan’s internal affairs. 5

His position hardens as the Uchiha gain political confidence. Hiruzen decides that control of the Ninja Academy and Will of Fire instruction is the key to gradually influencing younger Uchiha, while later accepting plans to alter history textbooks and spread rumors intended to turn the clan against itself. 29 40

He also approves constant ANBU surveillance of Kushina to prevent contact with Uchiha Chuan. The decision drives Kushina into open defiance and pushes Minato toward the Uchiha. 113

Uchiha Crisis and Resignation

As Uchiha Naruto Chronicle appears to contain genuine prophetic information, Hiruzen joins the other Kage in treating the Uchiha as an international threat. He contributes forty Jonin from the Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado clans to a Five Kage guarantee agreement targeting the “Uchiha problem.” 183

After the apparent destruction of the Uchiha Clan, Hiruzen panics over Uchiha Chuan’s apparent death, the collapse of clan confidence in Konoha, and the loss of control over village institutions. 196 At the Jonin assembly, he claims he was framed by the other villages and resigns after admitting only to a serious tactical error in withholding reinforcements. 210

Shadow Government and Return to Office

Even after Jiraiya becomes Fourth Hokage, Hiruzen secretly develops the Impure Reincarnation Jinchuriki project to strengthen the Sarutobi Clan and preserve Konoha’s military position. 225 226

When Jiraiya resists a war against U Hidden Village, Hiruzen captures and seals Orochimaru, uses transformed Shadow Clones to impersonate Jiraiya and Orochimaru, and issues an order stripping Jiraiya of the Hokage title. He then resumes the office temporarily and joins the Five Great Villages’ war effort. 250 255

Abilities & Skills

Impure World Reincarnation

Hiruzen learned the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu from Tobirama Senju’s complete research notes, giving him access to information omitted from the Scroll of Seals. 143

• Reincarnated his father, Sasuke Sarutobi, as an undead adviser. 143
• Summoned 299 deceased Sarutobi elders and persuaded them to empower living clan descendants. 226
• Treats the technique as a strategic weapon rather than solely a resurrection method. 225 236
• Its use requires secrecy and involves disturbing the dead, sealing reincarnated ancestors into living hosts, and using descendants as vessels. 225 226

Impure Reincarnation Jinchuriki Creation

Hiruzen’s signature military project seals reincarnated Sarutobi ancestors into living clan members, granting the hosts the regenerative bodies, immense chakra, and assistance of the dead. 225

• Sealed Sasuke Sarutobi into his son Asuma. 225 236
• Completed 299 documented Impure Reincarnation Jinchuriki by the end of the Sarutobi ritual. 226
• Offered the same method to the Utatane and Mitokado clans to create further elite forces. 236
• The project is motivated by fear that Konoha cannot match Uchiha Chuan’s growing influence through conventional means. 143 236

Five Release: Great Combo Technique

The Five Release: Great Combo Technique is identified as Hiruzen’s signature ninjutsu. After becoming Sasuke Sarutobi’s Jinchuriki, Asuma uses the technique with unlimited chakra and elemental enhancement. 226

• Combines multiple elemental releases into a single high-level attack. 226
• Its demonstrated use depends on the extraordinary chakra supply provided by the Impure Reincarnation Jinchuriki process. 226

Transformation, Clones, and Sealing

Hiruzen uses deception-oriented ninjutsu to remove political opponents and maintain control during the succession crisis. 250

• Creates Shadow Clones and transforms them into Jiraiya and Orochimaru to sustain a false public narrative. 250
• Uses a sealing scroll to imprison Orochimaru after exposing his disguise. 250
• Escapes Minato’s Flying Thunder God and Rasengan assault with an Earth Substitute. 255

Political Strategy and Information Control

Hiruzen is an experienced administrator who treats education, surveillance, propaganda, and clan institutions as tools of state power.

• Plans to reinforce Will of Fire education to counter Uchiha ideology among future generations. 29
• Approves textbook revisions and rumors intended to provoke Uchiha internal conflict. 40
• Uses ANBU surveillance against Kushina and monitors Uchiha activities closely. 74 113
• Attempts to use public hostility toward the Uchiha to restore his own political relevance after Jiraiya rejects war. 223

Relationships

• Shimura Danzō — Longtime political ally, rival, and ideological counterpart. Hiruzen confines Danzō when his actions become politically costly, yet later expects Root to handle Konoha’s “darkness” and covertly pursue the Rinnegan. 29 219
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura — His closest elder advisers and frequent collaborators in anti-@@REF_ENTITY_16943407@@ policy, clan militarization, and the Impure Reincarnation Jinchuriki expansion. 40 236
• Jiraiya — His disciple and chosen successor as Fourth Hokage. Hiruzen later removes him because Jiraiya refuses to support a preemptive war against U Hidden Village. 210 250
• Asuma Sarutobi — His son. Hiruzen makes Asuma the host of Sasuke Sarutobi and promises him power sufficient to rival Obito and Kakashi. 143 225
• Sasuke Sarutobi — His deceased father, whom Hiruzen resurrects through Impure World Reincarnation. Sasuke becomes both Hiruzen’s adviser and Asuma’s sealed ancestor. 143 225
• Uchiha Chuan — His central political adversary. Chuan’s influence over the Uchiha and ability to produce new talents drive Hiruzen toward surveillance, manipulation, and forbidden techniques. 67 143
• Fugaku Uchiha — Uchiha clan head and direct political opponent. Their conflict intensifies over Kushina, the Police Force, and Uchiha autonomy. 90 113
• Kushina Uzumaki — The Nine-Tails jinchūriki whom Hiruzen places under constant ANBU surveillance, provoking her ambition to remove him and become Hokage herself. 113
• Orochimaru — His disciple and a dangerous political variable. Hiruzen ultimately seals him away when Orochimaru becomes an obstacle to the war plan. 236 250

Notable Quotes

“Everything I did was for Konoha.” 258

“How could an Uchiha possibly become Hokage?” 258