Third Hokage

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Third Hokage
Alias(es)	Hiruzen Sarutobi; “Monkey”
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure
Occupation/Role	Third Hokage; later reinstated as Hokage within the God of Machines’ false reality
Status	Resurrected; active 469 515
First Appearance	Chapter 11

Background / History

Hiruzen intervened when Naruto’s beating of Sasuke caused Sasuke to awaken the Sharingan, stopping the fight and apologizing to Itachi for the incident 11.

During Naruto’s childhood, Hiruzen deliberately allowed rumors identifying Naruto with the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox to spread. He believed that experiencing rejection would teach Naruto pain and make him value Konoha, but Naruto instead withdrew from public life and later became independent through his unusual Kekkei Genkai 15.

At the Academy opening ceremony, he avoided confirming whether Naruto was Minato’s son despite the villagers’ questions. He instead delivered a speech on protecting one’s cherished people and the Will of Fire; Naruto’s identity was later officially announced from the Hokage Building 15 17.

Hiruzen monitored Naruto’s increasingly extreme training and acted to limit dangerous techniques. After learning that Wind Release: Blood Burst Technique had reduced Danzō to a bloody mass and could only be survived by Naruto’s recovery ability, he deleted the technique to prevent other children from dying while attempting it 30.

During the Chūnin Exams crisis, Hiruzen confronted Orochimaru inside a barrier while Orochimaru’s reanimated First and Second Hokage attacked him. After Naruto and Sasuke subdued Shukaku, Hiruzen used the Reaper Death Seal against Orochimaru, sacrificing his own soul and sealing only part of Orochimaru’s soul; Orochimaru consequently lost the use of his hands 95.

Orochimaru later exploited a loophole in the Death God ritual, releasing the souls trapped within it. At Naruto’s request, Orochimaru reanimated Hiruzen, who immediately continued complaining in his sleep about Naruto’s behavior in the living world 172.

Nagato later resurrected Hiruzen and Tobirama at their physical primes. Hiruzen objected to being pulled back from the Pure Land, but remained involved in Konoha’s reconstruction and repeatedly worried about the trouble Naruto and Team 7 would cause 288.

During the Underground City crisis, Hiruzen accepted Naruto’s harsh plan to use danger as motivation for the population to become stronger, though he considered the approach inhumane. He and Kakashi also concluded that Konoha’s inhabitants needed to learn the truth of their circumstances and improve rather than remain complacent 428 429.

When the God of Machines imposed a false reality and crippled much of Konoha’s remaining chakra, Hiruzen was reinstated as Hokage. He opposed the machine’s plan for a peaceful scripted world, arguing that a world without struggle or growth would leave the Shinobi World unable to face future threats 468 469.

Appearance

Hiruzen is depicted as an elderly man with a wrinkled face and beard, though his resurrection restores him to his prime physical condition 68 288.

• Wears the Hokage cloak while performing official duties 469.
• Uses a combat uniform and carries the Enma Staff during emergencies 389.
• Often smokes a pipe while handling village matters 35 82.
• Regularly carries blood-pressure medication, especially after Naruto, Konohamaru, or Konoha’s wider chaos causes him stress 86 284.

Personality

Hiruzen is deeply attached to Konoha and consistently prioritizes its survival, inhabitants, and future. His decisions can be paternalistic: his attempt to make Naruto experience social pain was framed as being for the village’s benefit, but it failed to produce the result he expected 15.

He is a strict disciplinarian toward Naruto, Jiraiya, and Tsunade. He reacts especially strongly when their actions disrespect Konoha’s dead, exploit villagers, or embarrass the Hokage position 82 221 222.

Despite his exasperation, Hiruzen retains faith in Naruto’s underlying character. He considered Naruto annoying but reliable during the battle against Orochimaru, and later trusted that Naruto would not deliberately harm the people of Konoha 95 421.

Abilities & Skills

Reaper Death Seal

Hiruzen can invoke the Reaper Death Seal, summoning the Death God to seize an opponent’s soul.

• Used against Orochimaru during the Chūnin Exams invasion 95.
• Removed part of Orochimaru’s soul, disabling Orochimaru’s hands 95.
• Required Hiruzen’s own soul as the price, resulting in his death 95.

Shadow Clone Jutsu

Hiruzen employed Shadow Clone Jutsu in his final battle with Orochimaru before beginning the Reaper Death Seal 95.

Enma Staff Combat

Hiruzen fights with the Enma Staff when personally entering combat.

• Carried the staff while trying to stop Konohamaru from joining a battle against an airborne attacker 389.
• Used a Black Receiver as a disciplinary weapon while reanimated, beating Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kakashi without causing serious lasting harm 221 222.

Village Administration

Hiruzen has extensive experience in Konoha’s administration and crisis response.

• Restricted access to a lethal ninjutsu after assessing its danger to inexperienced users 30.
• Directed civilian evacuation during Konoha’s destruction and reconstruction 284.
• Helped assess Underground City defenses, including the use of AI identification systems to reduce the need for Anbu monitoring 449.
• Was reinstated to lead despite being overwhelmed by Konoha’s post-disaster conditions 469.

Equipment / Items

• Enma Staff — Hiruzen’s combat staff 389.
• Black Receiver — Used to punish his disciples while in Impure World Reincarnation 221 222.
• Pipe — Frequently used while contemplating reports or reprimanding others 35 82.
• Blood-pressure medication — Kept on hand due to recurring stress caused by village affairs and his family 86 284.
• Bamboo hat — Worn to conceal his identity after being reanimated 219 221.

Relationships

• Naruto Uzumaki — Hiruzen oversaw Naruto’s childhood and initially tried to shape him through isolation and hardship. Though frequently frustrated by Naruto, he later recognized his reliability and trusted him to protect Konoha 15 95 421.
• Konohamaru Sarutobi — His grandson. Hiruzen worries that Konohamaru imitates Naruto’s reckless “door art,” but remains protective of him in dangerous situations 68 389.
• Jiraiya — One of Hiruzen’s disciples. Hiruzen repeatedly reprimands him for enabling Naruto’s misbehavior and for joining Tsunade’s deceptive business scheme 82 221 222.
• Tsunade — One of Hiruzen’s disciples and the Fifth Hokage. Hiruzen is concerned by her conduct in office and fears the chaos she might cause if she abandons the position 221 284.
• Orochimaru — His former, most promising disciple turned enemy. Hiruzen died attempting to stop Orochimaru’s path and later relied on Orochimaru’s reanimation expertise to return 68 95 172.
• Kakashi Hatake — A shinobi who reports important developments to Hiruzen and later shares responsibility for Konoha’s reconstruction and Underground City defense 35 419 449.
• Hashirama Senju — The First Hokage, who calls Hiruzen “Monkey.” Hashirama urged Hiruzen and Tobirama to work together for Konoha after their resurrection 284 288.
• God of Machines — Hiruzen openly rejects its false, peaceful reality, viewing the removal of hardship and personal growth as a threat to the Shinobi World’s future 468.

Notable Quotes

“When you want to protect the people you cherish, the power of the ninja will truly be revealed.” 15

“Naruto will definitely stop you.” 468

Trivia

• Hiruzen’s recurring use of blood-pressure medication becomes well known enough that Konohamaru gives Tobirama a supply as a “gift” 323.
• He was so displeased with Naruto’s conduct in the Pure Land that his first reanimated words were a complaint to Kushina about Naruto causing trouble among the living 172.
• Although he repeatedly asks to return to the Pure Land, Naruto continues bringing him back into current affairs 219 288.