Tsunade

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Tsunade (纲手)
Alias(es)	Lady Tsunade; “Little Tsuna,” used by Hashirama 327
Gender	Female
Clan	Senju; also has Uzumaki ancestry through her grandmother 101 154
Affiliation	Konohagakure; the Sannin 92 99
Occupation/Role	Fifth Hokage; medical-ninjutsu specialist; mentor to Karin and Sakura 99 101 140
Family	Granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage 92
Teacher	Hiruzen Sarutobi 249
Status	Alive and serving as Fifth Hokage at her reunion with the reincarnated Hokage 327

Background / History

Tsunade is a princess of the Senju Clan and Hashirama Senju’s granddaughter. Her grandmother belonged to the Uzumaki Clan, whose longstanding friendship with the Senju later influences her decision to accept Karin as a disciple. She studied under Hiruzen Sarutobi and became one of the renowned Sannin 92 101 154 249.

Before becoming Hokage, Tsunade spent years away from Konoha, wandering between casinos without a fixed residence. Zhou Cheng initially considered her a potential source of Sage Body talent but dismissed searching for her as too time-consuming. Jiraiya, however, believed he could locate her through news from gambling establishments 45 92.

Appearance

• Build: A curvaceous figure with a notably large bust 101 244.
• Hair: Worn in twin ponytails during her reunion with Hashirama 327.
• Distinctive clothing: An outfit bearing the character for “gamble” on its back 327.
• Official attire: Wears the Hokage robe upon taking office 99.

Personality

Tsunade is blunt, temperamental, and unwilling to quietly accept disrespect. During peace negotiations, she slams the conference table when visiting delegates repeatedly accuse Konoha of insincerity. Her exchanges with Zhou Cheng mix teasing, irritation, and arguments over how much work he should undertake for the village 154 174 249.

Her early leadership favors stability. Aware of Konoha’s depleted senior ranks and the younger generation’s limited combat experience, she initially fears that purging Root would cause upheaval the village cannot afford. Nevertheless, she listens to Zhou Cheng’s criticism and increasingly supports training and military reform 117 169 174.

Despite frequently complaining about the Hokage position, Tsunade remains committed to its responsibilities. She exhausts herself performing delicate surgery and refuses to surrender Naruto when Pain threatens Konoha. Her desired retirement is far less solemn: traveling the shinobi world and gambling at every casino 167 286 293.

Abilities & Skills

Medical Ninjutsu and Surgery

Tsunade is described as one of the foremost authorities on Medical Ninjutsu; Zhou Cheng calls her the best medical-ninjutsu practitioner in the shinobi world 155 165.

• Evaluates prospective students for both character and talent 101.
• Performs demanding eye transplants involving nerve and muscle connections 167 209.
• Organizes specialist teams and secure operating locations for politically sensitive procedures 166 206.
• Prolonged surgery can leave her severely exhausted. Zhou Cheng restores her strength with Yang Release chakra after two documented operations 167 209.

Procedure	Chapter	Outcome / Requirements
Konohamaru’s Byakugan transplant	167 169	Leads five other medical-nin through an operation lasting more than five hours. Requires three days of bandaged observation for rejection; Konohamaru later stabilizes safely.
Uzuki Yugao’s Sharingan transplant	167 169	Zhou Cheng proposes implanting Shisui’s stolen right eye. The subsequent surgery proceeds smoothly, with no concerning rejection signs.
Itachi and Sasuke’s eye exchange	206 209 211	Coordinates the replacement of four eyes with Sakura, Karin, Ino, Haku, and Zhou Cheng assisting. The brothers subsequently show no eye problems.

Monster Strength Technique

Tsunade’s physical attacks can produce enormous craters. Her Heaven-Shaking Kick clashes with Zhou Cheng’s Tai Chi Inch Power, creating a crater more than ten meters across 99.

• The impact makes Zhou Cheng’s hand ache despite the toughness of his Sage Body 99.
• Zhou Cheng remains standing, while Tsunade takes half a step back and is astonished that someone can match her strength 99.
• Sakura and Karin later learn her Monster Strength Technique 146 156.
• Jiraiya considers Tsunade no weaker than himself when recommending her for Hokage 92.

Katsuyu Summoning and Shikkotsu Forest Access

Tsunade holds Shikkotsu Forest’s summoning contract and can summon Katsuyu. She provides Zhou Cheng with the contract and helps arrange his qualification to study under the Great Slug Sage 169.

• Summons a Katsuyu only a few dozen centimeters long using a small amount of chakra 169.
• Knows that individual Katsuyu are fragments of the Great Slug Sage and share their vision 169.
• Teaches Sakura and Karin the Summoning Technique; their Katsuyu summons are smaller than hers 169.
• Sends multiple Katsuyu during the crisis surrounding Zhou Cheng’s battle in the Land of Lightning 194.

Command and Crisis Management

Tsunade’s command experience predates her Hokage appointment: she once led a battlefield front. Years spent drinking and gambling leave her slow to recover those instincts during the three-village invasion, but she later coordinates Konoha’s response to Pain directly 122 291.

• Orders the highest alert level and evacuation of civilians and Academy children 291.
• Directs informed shinobi to share intelligence on the Six Paths of Pain 291.
• Requires teams to devise effective strategies rather than attack merely because they know an enemy’s abilities; casualties begin decreasing within ten minutes 291.
• Rallies frightened defenders by declaring that Konoha will not betray Naruto 293.

Equipment / Items

• Thunder God Sword — Gives it to Zhou Cheng, who agrees to conduct another limited Special Training Camp in repayment 113.
• Shikkotsu Forest contract scroll — Contains Sakura and Karin’s names before Zhou Cheng signs it 169.
• Flying Thunder God kunai — Receives one from Zhou Cheng during the three-village invasion so he can reach her quickly if needed 122.
• Chakra Cloak plans and Akatsuki intelligence — Receives upgraded cloak designs and information on every Akatsuki member from Zhou Cheng as Konoha prepares for an attack 281.

Relationships

• Hashirama Senju — Grandfather. Their reunion after his reincarnation is affectionate but awkward when Zhou Cheng jokes that Tsunade inherited his gambling habit 327.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi — Teacher. Tsunade cites being his student, alongside her Senju heritage, among the obligations binding her to the Hokage position 249.
• Jiraiya — Fellow Sannin, adviser, and trusted defender of Konoha. He loves her, but she gently stops his attempted confession and says their relationship is fine as it is 92 175 286.
• Zhou Cheng — Powerful subordinate, reform partner, and prospective successor. She initially orders him monitored, later entrusts him with major training and leadership assignments, but continues to challenge his coercive methods 99 156 185 249.
• Karin Uzumaki — Disciple. Karin’s ancestry moves Tsunade to accept her, and she teaches her medical knowledge, Monster Strength, and Katsuyu summoning 101 156 169.
• Sakura Haruno — Student. Sakura trains under her after Sasuke’s departure and later assists with the Uchiha brothers’ surgery 140 146 169 206.
• Shizune — Longtime attendant who carries out her administrative instructions and relays information during emergencies 155 291.
• Danzo — Political enemy. Tsunade orders his arrest after his collaboration with invading villages is exposed and vows to execute him after the war 122.
• Homura and Koharu — Advisors whose status complicates her handling of Zhou Cheng. She initially objects to his genjutsu interrogation of them, then permits it to continue provided no one dies 185 186.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Becoming the Fifth Hokage

Following Hiruzen’s death, Jiraiya identifies Tsunade as the strongest candidate for Fifth Hokage, citing her lineage, Sannin reputation, and strength. She is subsequently named the candidate and takes office amid political instability 89 92 96 99.

Her early confrontation with Zhou Cheng turns into a strength test. Although impressed by his ability to withstand her attack, she questions whether his forceful conduct truly serves Konoha and orders Jiraiya to keep watch over him 99.

Root and the Three-Village Invasion

Tsunade welcomes Root’s announced dissolution as a bloodless outcome, but its members remain loyal to Danzo and continue occupying their headquarters. Zhou Cheng urges her to eliminate the organization rather than preserve a fragile peace 103 117.

When Kirigakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure attack, she orders Danzo arrested but prioritizes the village’s defense. Accepting Zhou Cheng’s deployment plan, she leads the force opposing Iwagakure, while Kakashi faces Kirigakure and Zhou Cheng confronts Kumogakure 122.

During subsequent peace talks, she follows Zhou Cheng’s recommendation to suspend meetings for seven days. She has Shizune announce that she is ill, openly acknowledging that the excuse need not be believable to keep visitors away 154 155.

Strengthening Konoha

Tsunade uses Zhou Cheng’s request for access to Shikkotsu Forest to secure another month-long training camp. Her objective is to spread Chakra Mode among selected shinobi and help Konoha catch up with Kumogakure’s Lightning Armor 169.

She initially selects thirty shinobi, then accepts Zhou Cheng’s demand to include civilian trainees. After the camp, he reports that every participant improved by at least a third and learned Chakra Mode. Tsunade proposes turning them into a strike force and appointing him commander; he refuses and recommends Kakashi’s battlefield experience instead 171 174.

With rival villages investigating Zhou Cheng and his associates, she also restricts the Konoha 15 to village training until they reach elite-jonin strength 174 175.

The Advisors’ Abduction Plot

After Hinata disappears, Tsunade arrives with ANBU to stop Zhou Cheng’s treatment of Homura and Koharu. He accuses her of protecting influential officials through double standards and threatens to leave Konoha 185 186.

Tsunade ultimately orders ANBU not to interfere and allows the interrogation to continue without fatalities. Homura confesses that the advisors conspired with Kumogakure; Zhou Cheng leaves to rescue Hinata. His spatial escape makes Tsunade realize that capturing him may be impossible 186.

Succession and the Burden of Office

Tsunade increasingly sees Zhou Cheng as someone capable of renewing Konoha. Nevertheless, she resists letting clan leaders dictate succession solely around their interests and establishes five possible acting Hokage candidates 156 201 202.

Acting Hokage candidate	Basis documented in the succession meeting
Zhou Cheng	Unanimously proposed by the assembled leaders; Tsunade recognizes the benefits his appointment would bring their clans 202.
Kakashi Hatake	Included in the final five-candidate contingency list 202.
Hiashi Hyuga	Included in the final five-candidate contingency list 202.
Inoichi Yamanaka	Included in the final five-candidate contingency list 202.
Asuma Sarutobi	Included in the final five-candidate contingency list 202.

She later assigns Zhou Cheng to lead Konoha’s delegation to Iwagakure’s worldwide Chunin Exams as a test of his leadership. Privately, she hopes to hand him the Hokage position and escape an office that leaves no time for cards or drinking 249.

Her retirement remains blocked: Jiraiya refuses the post, Kakashi lacks interest, and the elders oppose Zhou Cheng on the stated grounds of his youth. Tsunade remains Hokage despite wishing she had never accepted the position 286 287.

Defending Konoha Against Pain

With Naruto and Zhou Cheng away training, Tsunade manages evacuations and spreads tactical intelligence as Pain’s attack causes mounting casualties. When the Six Paths demand Naruto’s surrender, she refuses and restores the defenders’ morale 291 293.

Later Political and Family Events

• Uchiha rehabilitation: Publicly identifies Itachi and Sasuke as Konoha spies, presenting Itachi as an undercover operative who stopped the Uchiha rebellion and Sasuke as an infiltrator who killed Orochimaru. The villagers accept her account 211.
• Foreign training requests: Attempts to use other villages’ requests for Zhou Cheng’s instruction as a diplomatic opportunity, but accepts his refusal 317.
• Reincarnated Hokage: Reunites with Hashirama and the other former Hokage during the reincarnated army’s attack; her position as Fifth Hokage is confirmed 327.

Notable Quotes

“What are you thanking me for? I did it for Konoha too!” 167

“Whoever wants this lousy Hokage job can have it!” 249

“You want the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? Then step over our corpses! Konoha Ninja will never betray their friends!” 293