Third Hokage

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Hiruzen Sarutobi 4
Alias(es)	Third Hokage; 三代 4
Gender	Male 47 48
Affiliation	Konohagakure; Sarutobi Clan; Konoha High Command 4 7 15
Occupation/Role	Hokage of Konoha; leader of the Hokage faction 7 16
Status	Alive and serving as Hokage in the provided appearances 44 48
First Appearance	Chapter 4 4

Background / History

Human-Experimentation Scandal

A year before Shinichi’s confrontation with Root, Kakashi helped Hiruzen uncover Danzo’s human-experimentation program and rescue Yamato. The scandal also led to the defection of Hiruzen’s student, Orochimaru 5.

By the time the Kumogakure delegation visits, Konoha has lost Sakumo, Minato, and Minato’s wife, while the Sannin have left the village. These losses leave Hiruzen governing a village whose depleted top-level fighting strength makes another war especially dangerous 12.

Naruto’s Guardianship

Hiruzen receives detailed ANBU reports on Naruto’s movements. When Shinichi drives away Naruto’s bullies and buys him ramen, Hiruzen permits the contact, judging Shinichi a kindhearted, mediocre chunin who poses no threat. He already knows what Naruto’s daily life is like but does not intervene further 4.

After Root attempts to take Shinichi away, the Hatake brothers visit the Hokage’s office with staged injuries. Shinichi exaggerates the encounter into an attempted assassination, then confronts Hiruzen over Naruto’s hunger, isolation, and neglect 5.

Shinichi secures permission to care for Naruto by invoking the Will of Fire, warning that isolation could undermine the boy’s control of the Nine-Tails, and pledging the Hatake Clan’s honor. Hiruzen trusts Shinichi and considers Kakashi’s involvement an assurance of continued oversight. He also sees the arrangement as a way to settle the Root dispute with only a verbal warning to Danzo 6.

When Danzo, Koharu, and Homura challenge the decision, Hiruzen refuses to reverse it. He warns Danzo that unauthorized action against the Hatake Clan could alarm the other clans and reminds all three advisors that he is the Hokage 7.

Shinichi’s Sharingan and Appointment

After Shinichi defeats Hizashi, Hiruzen examines his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and accepts his fabricated account of having possessed the eyes since birth. Shinichi’s claimed childhood memory loss leads Hiruzen to conclude that he may be half-Uchiha 15.

Hiruzen subsequently accepts Shinichi’s claim that the eyes awakened when Sakumo died and that he stayed home to support Kakashi through his grief. He offers Shinichi an ANBU position, but approves a Military Police assignment instead when Shinichi presents himself as a suitable intermediary and covert observer of the Uchiha 16.

Danzo urges Hiruzen to detain and interrogate the Hatake Clan over Shinichi’s concealed strength. Hiruzen rejects the demand, declaring both brothers loyal members of his faction 16. He later reaches an agreement with Fugaku appointing Shinichi as a Military Police squad leader 29.

Kumogakure–Hyuga Crisis

Before the Kumogakure delegation arrives, Hiruzen instructs Shinichi to keep Naruto safe and prevent the visitors from approaching him. At this point, he still considers Shinichi too weak to protect Naruto without Kakashi and covert protection 12.

The crisis escalates after Hiashi kills Matsushita while rescuing Hinata from an abduction attempt. With the Fourth Raikage entering the Land of Fire, Hiruzen faces the prospect of either surrendering a Hyuga clansman or risking a war Konoha cannot afford. Impressed by Shinichi’s analysis, he permits Shinichi to confront the Raikage 21 22.

Hiruzen buys time by requesting three days to investigate Dodai’s accusation of murder 23. When Hiashi volunteers to die, an urgent border report confirms Shinichi’s victory. Hiruzen celebrates him as Konoha’s new hero and views the result as a potential source of years of peace 26.

Shinichi asks Hiruzen to exploit the victory in negotiations, but the delegation flees before Hiruzen can confront it further 26 28.

Succession and Political Control

Hiruzen publicly defends Shinichi’s Police Force appointment and orders his advisors not to damage Shinichi’s reputation. Privately, however, he expects to retain control over Shinichi even if the younger man becomes Hokage, believing he had exercised similar control over Minato 35.

Koharu and Homura interpret the appointment as a political trap: the unpopular Police Force could make Shinichi enemies and weaken his standing against Hiruzen’s established prestige 35.

When complaints about Shinichi’s conduct fill the Hokage’s office, Hiruzen tries to stop his deliberate destruction of his own reputation. He openly states that he wants to groom Shinichi as his successor, but Shinichi evades the discussion 42.

Military Police Reform

Fugaku offers to surrender 70 percent of the Uchiha’s Military Police positions, allowing Hiruzen to choose replacements. Hiruzen accepts the concession as evidence of loyalty after Fugaku promises to handle opposition within his clan 43.

Shinichi then raises the displaced officers’ need for employment and proposes exchanging their roles with those of incoming Police personnel. Hiruzen hesitates over whether villagers would accept Uchiha in other posts, prompting Shinichi’s pointed parable about an owner who starves his horses and blames them for poor performance 43.

Persuaded by Shinichi’s appeal to the Will of Fire, Hiruzen brings the reform before the major clan heads. With support from the Hyuga, Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka, and Aburame clans, he overrules his advisors’ opposition. His assurance that Shinichi can forcibly suppress any dangerous Uchiha action helps justify the decision 44.

Appearance

• Has an aged face, described as kindly when he greets Shinichi and worry-lined during the Kumogakure crisis 12 22.
• Wears the Hokage’s haori during his introductory appearance 4.
• Frequently appears holding or smoking a pipe, including while reviewing urgent intelligence 4 26 43.

Personality

Hiruzen maintains a calm, accommodating public manner and places considerable importance on the dignity of his office. He conceals displeasure when Shinichi questions him and restrains his anger even when Shinichi eats and criticizes his snacks 6 43.

The Will of Fire is central to his judgment of loyalty. Shinichi repeatedly uses it to soften Hiruzen’s attitude, secure Naruto’s guardianship, and win approval for reform. These successes are also aided by Shinichi’s Talk no Jutsu King talent 6 15 16 44.

His decisions often combine genuine concern for village stability with political expediency. Entrusting Naruto to the Hatake brothers improves the child’s circumstances while quietly closing the Root dispute; supporting Shinichi’s career also gives Hiruzen a potential subordinate and successor whom he hopes to control 6 35.

Although he repeatedly tolerates conflict with Danzo, Hiruzen can assert his authority directly. He blocks demands to interrogate the Hatake brothers and later dismisses the advisors’ objections to Police Force reform 16 44. He also acknowledges Shinichi’s superior strength, even after Shinichi’s threatening presence frightens him 44.

Equipment / Items

• Smoking pipe — His recurring personal accessory in office meetings and intelligence briefings 4 26 43.
• Hokage’s haori — Worn while receiving the ANBU report about Shinichi’s contact with Naruto 4.

Relationships

• Hatake Shinichi — Trusted subordinate, prospective successor, and frequent source of frustration. Hiruzen accepts his cover stories and relies on his strength, while Shinichi privately blames Hiruzen for Sakumo’s death and plans to replace Konoha’s leadership 15 16 34 35 42.
• Hatake Kakashi — ANBU operative and member of Hiruzen’s faction. His presence helps convince Hiruzen that Naruto can safely live with the Hatake family 5 6 16.
• Naruto Uzumaki — Konoha’s closely monitored Nine-Tails jinchūriki. Hiruzen knows of his mistreatment, later authorizes Hatake guardianship, and emphasizes his future contribution to the village 4 6 7.
• Danzo — Longstanding comrade and rival for authority. Their disputes concern Root’s actions, Naruto’s care, Shinichi’s influence, and Uchiha policy 4 7 16 35 44.
• Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura — Old comrades and advisors who challenge his decisions alongside Danzo. They also recognize the calculation behind his treatment of Shinichi 7 35.
• Uchiha Fugaku — Clan leader and Police Force commander. Hiruzen welcomes his surrender of Police positions as a pledge of loyalty, unaware that Fugaku distinguishes loyalty to Konoha from loyalty to its current rulers 29 43.
• Hyuga Hiashi — Clan head caught in the Kumogakure crisis; later supports Hiruzen’s Police Force reform proposal 26 44.
• Orochimaru — Former student who defects following the exposure of human experiments 5 27.
• Asuma Sarutobi — Son. Asuma appeals to Hiruzen to punish Shinichi after being brought to the office bound in rope 47 48.

Notable Quotes

“Very well. I'll leave Naruto in your care from now on.” 6

“I am the Hokage of Konoha. Before you do anything, make sure you obtain my approval as Hokage first.” 7

“Young people these days... they're truly remarkable!” 44