Orochimaru

Biodata

Background / History

Konoha Career and Defection

Orochimaru grew up in Konoha and studied under Hiruzen Sarutobi. Alongside Jiraiya and Tsunade, he earned renown as one of the Sannin, fighting beside them on the battlefield. He was celebrated as a hero of the Third Shinobi World War before his research into forbidden jutsu led to his becoming an S-rank missing-nin 11 80 82 84.

Before leaving Konoha, he taught Mitaraishi Anko and experimented on her with the Cursed Seal of Heaven. She was the only surviving test subject. Orochimaru abandoned her in the village because he considered her personality unsuitable for accompanying him 84 85.

Founding Otogakure

After defecting, Orochimaru took control of the Land of Fields’ daimyō and secretly established Otogakure. He recruited wandering ninja, orphans, and fugitives, providing them with a secure home. Many low-ranking Sound Ninja consequently regarded him with near-religious devotion 81.

From his concealed base, he conducted human experiments and maintained a spy network spanning the Shinobi World. His intelligence kept him informed about Gengetsu’s rise and the downfall of Konoha’s former leadership 81.

Cooperation with Danzō

Orochimaru secretly worked with Shimura Danzō, combining Hashirama Senju’s cells with implanted Sharingan to create a Wood Release arm. Knowledge of the transplants was restricted to Orochimaru and a few trusted insiders 14 52 82.

After Gengetsu destroyed the original arm, Danzō contacted Orochimaru for a replacement. Orochimaru made another, although limited materials meant it contained fewer Sharingan. Danzō later used this replacement during his attack on Konoha Hospital and release of the Nine-Tails 52 69.

Defeat at Otogakure

When Konoha’s researchers struggled to develop practical civilian ninjutsu, Gengetsu sought Orochimaru’s expertise. With a lead supplied through Jiraiya and Toad Road, Gengetsu traveled to Otogakure accompanied by Yugito Nii 79 80 81.

Orochimaru initially feared retaliation over Danzō’s arm, but his desire for Gengetsu’s Sharingan, Wood Release, and body outweighed his caution. He rejected the proposed cooperation and attacked, surviving an apparent crushing death through an Earth Release substitution. His subsequent snake techniques and ninjutsu failed to penetrate Gengetsu’s Susanoo 82 83.

Gengetsu then unleashed Perfect Susanoo and destroyed Otogakure with one sword strike. Orochimaru escaped underground through a large white snake, but the aftershock left him gravely wounded and nearly depleted of chakra. Yugito captured him using Complete Tailed Beast Transformation. After Gengetsu reiterated that he wanted cooperation rather than his death, Orochimaru agreed to return to Konoha 83.

Return and Research Agreement

Orochimaru returned openly under Gengetsu’s protection and admired Konoha’s rebuilt streets and prosperity. His arrival provoked Anko, whose cursed seal reacted painfully to his proximity. He easily defeated her attack before Gengetsu intervened and dismissed the Military Police 84 85.

At Konoha’s Ninjutsu Research and Development Department, Gengetsu assigned him a private laboratory and requested techniques for agriculture, electricity, and other everyday needs. Orochimaru praised the idea but demanded compensation. After rejecting another demand for his body and Sharingan, Gengetsu offered information about chakra’s origin and the supposedly immortal Ōtsutsuki Clan 86.

Orochimaru completed more than a dozen simplified techniques within one week. Gengetsu restored his Konoha ninja status, warned him against harming the village, and revealed further information about a wounded Ōtsutsuki hiding in the Shinobi World. Orochimaru became captivated by the prospect of finding this individual and seizing his body and bloodline 87.

Appearance

• Eyes: Golden, with slit pupils 82 84.
• Tongue: Long and scarlet; frequently used to lick his lips while expressing curiosity or greed 81 86.
• Clothing: Wide sleeves conceal or release snakes during combat 82 83.
• Voice: Characteristically hoarse, often accompanied by a low, unsettling laugh 82 85.

Personality

Orochimaru’s central ambition is eternal life, pursued through forbidden techniques, biological experimentation, and the study of chakra. Knowledge that might advance this goal can outweigh other rewards: Gengetsu’s information about the Ōtsutsuki immediately captures his attention and motivates a week of intensive research 86 87.

His intellectual curiosity coexists with cruelty and greed. He threatens to turn a subordinate into experimental material for interrupting his work, and his fixation on Gengetsu’s body drives him to attack despite knowing the danger. Even after being defeated, he raises the same demand again before a direct threat makes him withdraw it 81 82 86.

He can nevertheless recognize ideas outside his usual interests. Though initially astonished by the proposal to use ninjutsu for farming and infrastructure, he sincerely praises Gengetsu’s vision and governing ability. His return also reveals an emotional attachment to Konoha, where he remembers his childhood, companions, teacher, and former disciple 84 86.

Abilities & Skills

Ninjutsu and Forbidden-Technique Research

Orochimaru’s foremost specialty is understanding, developing, and applying ninjutsu 79 82 83.

• Developed numerous A-rank ninjutsu and S-rank forbidden techniques 86.
• Combined Hashirama cells and Sharingan into functional replacement arms for Danzō 52 69.
• Created the Cursed Seal of Heaven; Anko was its only surviving test subject, and her seal resonates painfully near him 85.
• Rapidly translated Gengetsu’s civilian-use concepts into accessible, low-cost techniques 86 87.

Snake Techniques and Bodily Manipulation

Orochimaru uses snakes for direct attacks, battlefield saturation, weapon delivery, and escape 82 83.

• Giant python attack: Releases an enormous python from his sleeve 82.
• Multiple Hidden Shadow Snake Hands / Many Snakes Formation: Floods the battlefield with venomous snakes emerging from his sleeves and mouth; the snakes can extend sword blades from their mouths 83.
• Extended-neck sword attack: Stretches his neck unnaturally and attacks with a Kusanagi Sword expelled from his mouth 83.
• Control over snake techniques: Neutralizes Anko’s Hidden Shadow Snake Hands by drawing her attacking pythons into his sleeve without hand seals 85.
• Underground escape: Survives Otogakure’s destruction by escaping through a large white snake, later emerging from its mouth 83.

Elemental Ninjutsu and Substitution

• Earth Release: Substitution Technique: Escapes Susanoo’s crushing grasp, leaving an apparent corpse that dissolves into mud 82.
• Wind Release: Great Breakthrough: Exhales a violent wind attack that forms numerous cutting blades 82.
• Limitation: Neither his snake attacks nor his successive ninjutsu breach Gengetsu’s skeletal Susanoo 83.

Living Corpse Reincarnation

• Researched Living Corpse Reincarnation in pursuit of eternal life; the technique is explicitly described as flawed 86.
• Seeks exceptional bodies and bloodlines, first targeting Gengetsu and later considering the wounded Ōtsutsuki described by him 82 87.

Combat and Survival

• Easily evades Anko’s kunai attack and knocks her down with a single strike 85.
• Possesses enough escape methods that Gengetsu brings Yugito specifically to help prevent him from fleeing 80 83.
• Survives Perfect Susanoo’s destructive attack, but suffers severe internal injuries and near-total chakra exhaustion. His capture by Yugito occurs in this weakened state, not at full strength 83.

Everyday Ninjutsu Development

Within one week, Orochimaru creates more than a dozen techniques with minimal chakra costs and only two or three hand seals. Fresh genin and apprentices with small chakra reserves can use them; Gengetsu classifies them as E-rank 87.

• His completed scroll becomes the basis for Gengetsu’s E-rank mission category, covering everyday services, farming, and infrastructure work 87.
• The program is intended to give low-level genin and unsuccessful apprentices useful employment while supporting Konoha’s development 87.

Equipment / Facilities

• Kusanagi Sword — Expelled from his mouth for a close-range attack; his attacking snakes also produce Kusanagi blades 83.
• Otogakure laboratory — Equipped for human experimentation; destroyed alongside his local equipment and research materials by Perfect Susanoo 81 83.
• Other secret base — Intended destination for recovery after escaping Otogakure, before Yugito intercepted him 83.
• Konoha private laboratory — Prepared by Gengetsu within the Ninjutsu Research and Development Department 86.
• Everyday-ninjutsu scroll — Records more than a dozen newly developed practical techniques; delivered to Gengetsu after one week 87.

Relationships

• Uchiha Gengetsu — Initially a coveted body and opponent; later his research patron. Gengetsu secures his cooperation through overwhelming force, laboratory resources, and information about the Ōtsutsuki 82 83 86 87.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi — Former teacher. Orochimaru later judges Hiruzen’s governing ability far inferior to Gengetsu’s 11 86.
• Jiraiya — Former battlefield companion among the Sannin. Jiraiya remains protective enough to question whether Gengetsu intends to kill Orochimaru before helping locate him 80.
• Tsunade — Fellow Sannin and former battlefield companion 80.
• Shimura Danzō — Secret collaborator and recipient of Orochimaru’s Sharingan-bearing Wood Release arms 14 52 69 82.
• Mitaraishi Anko — Former disciple and surviving cursed-seal test subject. Her resentment over his betrayal and abandonment leads her to attack him upon his return 84 85.
• Yugito Nii — Captures him after Gengetsu’s attack leaves him critically weakened, then accompanies his return to Konoha 83 84.
• Sound Ninja — Followers whose loyalty stems from the shelter and security he provided through Otogakure 81.

Notable Quotes

“I truly never imagined that one day, I would return to Konoha...” 84

“Hehehe... What a magnificent idea, Gengetsu.” 86

“In a week at most, you'll have every ninjutsu you want!” 86