Shimura Danzō

Biodata

Background / History

Danzō was a student of Tobirama Senju and became the leader of Root and a member of Konoha’s Elder Council. Despite his influence, he coveted the Hokage position and regarded Hiruzen Sarutobi as his chief political rival. His health was deteriorating with age, though Orochimaru still considered killing him discreetly difficult 4 7 35 44.

Conflict with Shisui

After Shisui Uchiha killed three Root ninja who had pursued him, Danzō confronted him outside Konoha. He initially accused Shisui of murdering village shinobi, then accepted Shisui’s claim that the dead men were foreign spies and offered him command of Root second only to himself 5 6.

Shisui refused, declaring that he answered only to the Third Hokage. Danzō attacked under the pretext of correcting his ninjutsu, but Shisui countered his Wind Release and immobilized him with ordinary genjutsu. Danzō subsequently revealed that he had not truly been incapacitated and planned to exploit a similar encounter to kill Shisui and steal his eyes 6.

Danzō later urged Hiruzen to place Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan under their control. Hiruzen warned him not to touch Shisui, but Danzō privately imagined using the stolen eyes to dominate Konoha and potentially the entire shinobi world 9.

Hokage Ambitions and Secret Research

Danzō backed Orochimaru in the selection of the Fourth Hokage. When Minato Namikaze won, he redirected his efforts toward Orochimaru’s research into Hashirama Senju’s cells and the Sharingan, believing those powers would enable him to become Hokage 7.

Their partnership deteriorated over slow results and insufficient experimental material. Unknown to Danzō, Orochimaru had already agreed to cooperate with Shisui’s identity, Senju Ye, against him and was withholding valuable findings 4 27.

Danzō also used Root to investigate potential obstacles within Konoha. After learning that Teacher Chen had accepted Itachi Uchiha as a disciple, he executed a subordinate for repeated mission failures and ordered other operatives to test Hiruzen’s remaining strength 18.

Alliance Against the Uchiha

Obito Uchiha entered Root headquarters while claiming to be Madara Uchiha and proposed an alliance to destroy the Uchiha Clan. Danzō agreed, but insisted that Konoha itself remain untouched 27.

During the Nine-Tails crisis, Shisui confronted Danzō in his Wood Release disguise. Danzō wanted to capture him as experimental material and use him as a scapegoat, but his attacks failed. Shisui imprisoned Root headquarters, intercepted its messenger, and used a Wooden Man to knock Danzō unconscious before burying him and his men beneath rocks 29 30.

After Minato died sealing the Nine-Tails, Danzō and Hiruzen learned that Senju Ye had subdued the beast and that Fugaku Uchiha held Naruto. They temporarily set aside their rivalry to reclaim the child. Their attempt failed when wounded Uchiha guards and angry civilians blocked Danzō’s entry into the compound, and Fugaku refused Hiruzen access to Naruto that night 35 36.

Funeral Scheme and Exposure

Danzō sought to take custody of Naruto for himself rather than allow Hiruzen to do so. He deployed Root operatives among civilians and coordinated with agents planted inside Anbu ahead of Minato and Kushina’s funeral 38 39.

At the cemetery, he revealed that the Nine-Tails was sealed inside Naruto, provoking panic and demands for revenge. His intended next step was to have hidden followers assassinate Fugaku during the disorder, blame the crowd, and force Shisui into negotiations over his eyes. The scheme stalled because his planted operatives failed to act; allied clans had subdued his guards while Shisui attacked Root headquarters 39 40 41.

Senju Ye then prevented Danzō from leaving and questioned the familiar chakra in his arm. When Hyūga Hiashi activated the Byakugan to investigate, Danzō used a Root member as a shield, ordered an attack, and escaped with Wind Release. Hiashi publicly revealed Hashirama’s cells in Danzō’s arm and a transplanted Sharingan most likely belonging to Kagami Uchiha 43 44 45.

Hiruzen abandoned Danzō and ordered Anbu to support Senju Ye’s operation against him and Root. Konoha’s assembled clans joined the pursuit 45.

Defeat and Bargaining for Survival

Shisui deliberately allowed Danzō to flee long enough to reveal his concealed forces. Danzō called upon dozens of jōnin-level operatives disguised as civilians, Anbu, and ninja from other villages, but the pursuers killed them. Still unaware that Root headquarters had been destroyed, he expected reinforcements and mistook Senju Ye’s restraint for weakness 46.

After Fugaku defeated his remaining followers, Danzō charged Senju Ye and attempted to use his Sharingan. A figure revealed as Shisui severed his arm and gouged out the transplanted eye 46.

Hiruzen publicly accused him of numerous crimes, including responsibility for the Nine-Tails incident; Danzō protested that this accusation was a frame-up. Civilians then beat him while Senju Ye prevented the shinobi from killing him 47.

Obito attempted to take Danzō away, but Shisui’s Shadow Clone interrupted the escape. Obito’s Susanoo stomped Danzō into the ground and rendered him unconscious. Senju Ye ordered medical treatment under Uchiha protection because Danzō still had uses 48.

Following Obito’s covert advice, Danzō offered to surrender Root’s authority in exchange for his life. He then accused Orochimaru of conducting the First Hokage cell experiments and claimed that evidence remained at Root headquarters. His ultimate fate is not established in the provided chapters 50.

Appearance

Danzō is an aging man whose bandages conceal transplanted body parts 4 6 45.

• Bandaged arm — Contains Hashirama Senju’s cells 45.
• Bandaged eye — Conceals a Sharingan attributed to Kagami Uchiha 45.
• Later injuries — Loses one arm and the transplanted Sharingan during his final confrontation with Shisui 46.

Personality

Danzō presents his pursuit of power as necessary for Konoha’s prosperity. He believes himself better suited to lead than Hiruzen and treats the Uchiha Clan as an inherently dangerous force, even while coveting its ocular abilities 6 7 35 36.

He is ruthless toward subordinates and regards allies as expendable. He kills a Root member for failure, uses another as a human shield, and considers sacrificing Orochimaru to save himself. His confidence in Root’s hidden strength repeatedly leads him to underestimate Shisui; when those resources collapse, he begs for mercy while privately hoping to regain power 18 44 46 50.

Abilities & Skills

Wind Release

Danzō uses wind chakra for projectile attacks and cutting techniques 6 30 44.

• Wind-chakra shuriken — Opens his confrontation with Shisui using chakra-enhanced throwing weapons 6.
• Vacuum Wave — Expels a scythe-like gale; Shisui destroys it with Uchiha Style: Gale Sword 6.
• Vacuum Great Sphere — Fires a large air bullet; fails to kill Shisui or overcome his Wooden Man 30.
• Wind-Blowing Jade — Used during Root’s counterattack; intercepted by the Wooden Man 30.
• Vacuum Sphere — Releases successive bullet-like chakra blasts to clear his escape route 44.

Transplanted Enhancements

Danzō possesses Hashirama’s cells and a transplanted Sharingan, though their acquisition is not shown 45.

• Hashirama-cell arm — Confirmed through Hiashi’s Byakugan examination; no successful Wood Release technique by Danzō is documented 45.
• Sharingan — Most likely taken from Kagami Uchiha. Danzō attempts to activate its ability against Senju Ye, but Shisui removes it before the ability is demonstrated 45 46.
• Loss of enhancements — His arm and Sharingan are taken in the same encounter 46.

Deception and Covert Operations

Danzō relies on recruitment, infiltration, planted agents, and concealed military assets 6 39 46.

• Offers Shisui high rank in Root to test and redirect his loyalty 6.
• Feigns incapacitation after Shisui’s ordinary genjutsu, intending to set up a future fatal counterattack 6.
• Maintains followers inside Anbu and disguised among civilians 39 40.
• Controls dozens of hidden jōnin-level operatives, including agents associated with other ninja villages 46.
• Root secretly controls streets and foreign trade, assets Shisui uses to secure cooperation from other clans 40.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Longsword — Carried at his waist; used to execute a Root subordinate 18 39.
• Shuriken — Enhanced with wind chakra during his first direct clash with Shisui 6.
• Kunai — Uses Shisui’s discarded kunai to stab the Wooden Man, unsuccessfully 30.

Relationships

• Hiruzen Sarutobi — Long-standing rival and intermittent political ally. Their cooperation against the Uchiha ends when Hiruzen publicly condemns Danzō and orders his capture 7 35 38 45.
• Shisui Uchiha / Senju Ye — Enemy whose Sharingan Danzō covets. Shisui uses his separate identities to dismantle Root, expose Danzō’s implants, and defeat him 6 9 40 46.
• Orochimaru — Research partner and unsuccessful Hokage candidate backed by Danzō. Danzō ultimately implicates him in the cell experiments to bargain for survival 7 27 50.
• Obito Uchiha — Ally posing as Madara Uchiha. Partners with Danzō against the Uchiha, attempts to remove him from the battlefield, and advises him to expose Orochimaru 27 48 50.
• Uchiha Fugaku — Opponent in the struggle over Naruto’s custody; intended assassination target at the funeral and the fighter who defeats Danzō’s remaining followers 35 40 46.
• Naruto Uzumaki — Target of Danzō’s custody ambitions. Danzō publicly exposes his jinchūriki status to incite hostility against him 38 39.
• Hyūga Hiashi — Exposes Danzō’s concealed transplants using the Byakugan 44 45.
• Tobirama Senju — Former teacher 35.
• Root — Organization under his command; its personnel, infiltrators, and economic holdings form the basis of his power 6 39 40 46.

Notable Quotes

“Root has no need for useless trash.” 18

“If you spare me, I’m willing to surrender all authority over Root. I only ask that you let me live!” 50