Danzo

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Danzo (团藏)
Gender	Male
Clan	Shimura Clan 22
Affiliation	Konohagakure; Root 5 21
Occupation/Role	Leader of Root; aspirant to the Hokage position 5 20
Status	Deceased; killed by his own Reverse Four Symbols Seal during his confrontation with Uchiha Yi and Tsunade 22
First Appearance	Mentioned in 3; appears directing Root operatives in 5

Background / History

Uchiha Massacre and Surveillance

Before the Uchiha massacre, Uchiha Yi considers Danzo an opponent he cannot confront directly. Itachi likewise understands Danzo’s methods and initially sees little alternative to following Konoha’s leadership, until Yi offers another means of protecting Sasuke 3.

On the massacre night, Danzo attempts to send Might Guy away on a mission. Hiruzen refuses, allowing Yi to remain at Guy’s home rather than return to the Uchiha compound 8. Danzo later openly acknowledges the Uchiha’s extermination when confronted about his stolen Sharingan, describing the clan as evil and its members as sacrifices for his use 21.

Root continues watching Yi after the massacre. Yi identifies Danzo’s observers through Vision Resonance, alongside the Anbu also monitoring him 4.

Attempts to Capture Yi

Danzo places Kawaguchi Ichiro and Kobayashi Shino in Yi’s Team 4 as undercover Root operatives. Believing Yi has not awakened his Sharingan, he orders them to provoke its awakening 5. After receiving reports of a one-tomoe Sharingan, he calls Yi easy to manipulate and orders continued observation 6.

Repeated bandit-extermination missions push Yi’s apparent Sharingan development. Root then ambushes the squad, with Kawaguchi and Kobayashi attacking Yi while other operatives occupy Genma. Yi defeats the group with genjutsu and conceals his actual strength. Hiruzen, recognizing Danzo’s interference, transfers Yi to Team 7 to prevent further alienation from Konoha 6.

Danzo subsequently sends the elite jōnin Kuhito to abduct Yi. Yi kills him with Fire Release and Amaterasu. Danzo suspects Yi’s involvement but postpones investigating because heightened Anbu vigilance restricts Root’s movements 9 10.

Hokage Ambitions and Public Exposure

After Orochimaru’s attack leaves Hiruzen’s health deteriorating, Danzo focuses on becoming Hokage. Tsunade’s return threatens that ambition, while Yi’s private meetings with Hiruzen and sudden advancement arouse his suspicion. He sends Torune Aburame to summon Yi, but Yi refuses and burns Torune’s attacking insects 20.

Danzo then has three Root operatives forcibly transport Yi to headquarters using the Flying Thunder God Formation. When Yi refuses to submit, Danzo orders his death. Yi overwhelms Root’s defenses and defeats Danzo’s Wind and Wood Release with Susanoo 21.

Once Hiruzen and other Konoha ninja arrive, Danzo accuses Yi of rebellion and warns that his Mangekyō could control the Nine-Tails. Yi instead exposes Danzo’s Sharingan-covered arm and accuses him of exploiting the First Hokage’s body and collaborating with Orochimaru. Hiruzen orders Danzo to surrender; Danzo escapes behind a dust screen while Root fights the village’s forces 21.

Death and Aftermath

Yi and Tsunade intercept Danzo outside Konoha using a Flying Thunder God mark Yi has already placed on him. Danzo survives repeated lethal attacks through Izanagi, then attempts to control Yi with Kotoamatsukami. The apparent Yi is actually Torune, disguised through genjutsu, so the attempt fails to reach its intended target 22.

Cornered, Danzo activates the Reverse Four Symbols Seal to take his opponents with him. Yi transports Tsunade to safety, and the resulting explosion kills Danzo permanently. Tsunade publicly claims responsibility for eliminating him to shield Yi from political repercussions 22.

The ensuing investigation destroys Root and exposes underground laboratories, human experimentation, and the theft of corpses from prominent Konoha graves—including those of the First and Second Hokage and Hiruzen’s eldest son. The Shimura Clan’s assets are confiscated because its wealth funded Danzo. The revelations also shatter Hiruzen’s belief that Danzo’s extremism ultimately served Konoha; Hiruzen steps down, and Tsunade becomes Fifth Hokage 22.

Appearance

Danzo normally presents a single visible eye; his concealed eye and altered right arm become central to his final battles 10 21 22.

• Eye patch: Removed when he attempts Kotoamatsukami against Yi 22.
• Sharingan-covered right arm: Contains eleven implanted Sharingan, exposed during the destruction of Root headquarters 21 22.
• Modified body: Yi identifies the altered arm and adjoining tissue as grown from the First Hokage’s flesh; later investigations uncover Danzo’s tampering with the Hokage’s remains 21 22.

Personality

Danzo combines deep hostility toward the Uchiha with a willingness to exploit their abilities. He calls Yi a sinner who can be manipulated, orders traumatic experiences to develop his Sharingan, and later portrays the stolen eyes of the exterminated clan as a legitimate resource 5 6 21.

His ambition to become Hokage drives his later actions. Suspicious that others are taking the position he expects to inherit, he treats Tsunade’s return and Yi’s promotion as threats requiring investigation 20 21 22.

Danzo repeatedly justifies his conduct as service to Konoha. Even after his bodily modifications are exposed, he labels Yi the true danger and invokes the possibility of another Nine-Tails disaster. When Hiruzen refuses to support him, Danzo flees rather than surrender; his final responses are attempted mind control and a suicidal sealing attack 21 22.

Abilities & Skills

Izanagi

Danzo uses the Sharingan implanted in his arm to return after otherwise fatal attacks 22.

• His eleven arm-mounted eyes provide eleven available uses 22.
• He survives being cut in half by Yi and crushed by Tsunade 22.
• Repeated revival does not overcome Yi’s ability to track and intercept him 22.

Kotoamatsukami

Danzo possesses Shisui’s eye and attempts to use its mind-control technique to turn Yi into an ally 22 46.

• He exposes the concealed eye when cornered during his escape 22.
• Yi redirects the attempt by making Torune appear to be him 22.
• Yi preserves Shisui’s eye after defeating Danzo and later presents it to Itachi 46.

Wood Release

Danzo’s modified body allows him to use Wood Release 21.

• Great Forest Technique: Sends massive trees toward Yi 21.
• Violent Spear Tree: Used to oppose Susanoo’s black-flamed Lightning Blade, but split apart by the attack 21.
• Silent Killing Binding Technique: Attempts to restrain Tsunade; she crushes the branches 22.
• His roots and trees cannot withstand Yi’s Susanoo 21.

Wind and Fire Release

Danzo uses elemental techniques both offensively and to facilitate escape 21.

• Wind blades: Strike Susanoo’s chest without making it move 21.
• Fire Release: Dust Concealment Technique: Creates the cover for his flight from Root headquarters 21.

Sealing Techniques

Danzo employs seals to enforce Root’s secrecy and as a final weapon 6 22.

• Tongue curse seals: Paralyze Root members if they speak about protected information, preventing Yi from obtaining answers through interrogation 6.
• Reverse Four Symbols Seal: Activated as a suicidal attempt to take his pursuers with him; Yi saves Tsunade through teleportation 22.

Root Command and Covert Operations

Danzo directs a network capable of surveillance, infiltration, abduction, and clandestine research 4 5 6 22.

• Embeds operatives in Yi’s genin team under friendly disguises 5.
• Coordinates ambushes that separate a target from his instructor 6.
• Commands operatives capable of using the Flying Thunder God Formation 21.
• Maintains secret underground bases and human-experimentation laboratories beneath Konoha 22.

Relationships

• Uchiha Yi — Surveillance target and eventual nemesis. Danzo tries to develop and seize his Sharingan, then orders his death; Yi exposes his crimes and helps bring about his final defeat 4 5 6 21 22.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi — Longtime political associate who repeatedly tolerates his extremism as service to Konoha. Hiruzen finally orders his surrender after the public exposure of his crimes 6 21 22.
• Tsunade — Rival to his Hokage ambitions and one of his pursuers. She fights him alongside Yi, claims credit for his elimination, and leads the confiscation of Shimura assets 20 22.
• Kawaguchi Ichiro and Kobayashi Shino — Root subordinates assigned to monitor Yi, provoke his Sharingan, and assist in capturing him 5 6.
• Kuhito — Elite jōnin subordinate sent to abduct Yi. His death prompts Danzo’s suspicions but no immediate investigation 9 10.
• Torune Aburame — Root subordinate dispatched to summon Yi; later used by Yi as the disguised target of Danzo’s Kotoamatsukami 20 22.
• Orochimaru — Publicly linked by Yi to Danzo’s bodily experiments and the acquisition of material from the Hokage’s corpses. Orochimaru’s responsibility for creating Danzo’s Sharingan-covered arm remains Yi’s speculation in later discussion 21 42.
• Shimura Clan — His clan and source of financial support. Its assets are confiscated after his death because they funded his activities 22.

Notable Quotes

“Find a chance to provoke him. We must force him to awaken his Sharingan!” 5

“Everything I've done has been for Konoha! What do you know?” 21