Danzo

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Rivalry with Hiruzen

Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi had known each other since childhood and both studied under Tobirama Senju. Danzo resented Tobirama’s decision to recommend Hiruzen as Hokage, believing that he—not Hiruzen—had inherited their teacher’s uncompromising approach. Surpassing Hiruzen and obtaining the Hokage position remained central ambitions throughout his life 4 15 47 48.

As Root’s leader, Danzo used coercion to obtain intelligence operatives. He threatened the inhabitants of Yakushi Nonō’s orphanage to force her back into espionage, then used the orphanage’s funding to demand a child recruit. Kabuto volunteered to protect the other children. Danzo later engineered a confrontation in which Kabuto unknowingly killed Nonō, intending to eliminate both operatives because they knew too much 15.

Actions Against the Uchiha

Before the main story, Danzo led Root in stealing Shisui Uchiha’s right eye. He distrusted the proposal to use Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami to resolve the Uchiha conflict, arguing that someone capable of controlling the clan’s leaders could also control Konoha’s government. He preferred to possess that power himself 47.

After the Uchiha massacre, Danzo urged Hiruzen to kill the surviving Xia Yu and Sasuke. Hiruzen refused, citing both Itachi’s condition that Sasuke remain alive and the suspicion another death would attract. Danzo also supplied Uchiha corpses to Orochimaru and collected Sharingan from the massacre victims for his own enhancement 4 47.

Exploiting Xia Yu’s Clan Revival

Danzo initially treated Xia Yu’s marriages and plans to rebuild the Uchiha as an opportunity. He opposed restricting Xia Yu’s number of wives, expecting him to die from exhaustion while leaving behind children Konoha could raise as loyal assets. He was willing to massacre those children if they resisted control 14 15.

During this period, Danzo received his Sharingan-covered replacement arm from Orochimaru. In exchange for continued cooperation, he arranged for Kabuto to become a Konoha genin and repeatedly enter the Chunin Ninja Exams to gather intelligence. He knowingly left Orochimaru’s agent in the village because he expected any conflict between Orochimaru and Hiruzen to benefit him 15.

Failed Assassination and Public Exposure

When Xia Yu remained healthy after more than six months, Danzo ordered Root to kill him, seize his newborn children, and knock Sasuke unconscious so he would not witness the operation. Root captain Terai attacked Xia Yu at Konoha Hospital, but Xia Yu’s resistance drew Konoha’s major ninja forces to the scene 17 18 19.

Hiruzen diverted the captured Root operatives away from Inoichi Yamanaka’s investigation. When Xia Yu publicly accused Danzo, Danzo attacked him directly. During their fight, Xia Yu revealed that the child recently born to Danzo’s young wife was actually Xia Yu’s 20 21.

After Xia Yu manifested Susanoo, Danzo attempted to pierce it with a kunai and was crushed. His revival exposed the Sharingan embedded in his arm. He continued attacking with Baku and Wind Release, but Shikaku, Kakashi, and Might Guy restrained him after his attacks endangered villagers and destroyed houses 22 23.

Hiruzen and Choza prevented Xia Yu from killing the captive Danzo. Before Danzo could be taken away, Xia Yu gouged out Shisui’s eye and severed his implanted arm, removing both his intended escape method and his remaining source of Izanagi. The exposure destroyed Danzo’s public standing 23 24.

Feigned Madness and Death

Danzo endured a full day of Ibiki Morino’s interrogation without speaking. As pressure mounted to transfer him to Inoichi, he began proclaiming himself Hokage and demanding a place on Hokage Rock. Hiruzen used his apparent breakdown to suspend the investigation and place him under guarded medical confinement 32 33.

Hiruzen subsequently claimed that doctors had diagnosed Danzo with mental illness and persuaded Xia Yu to stop pursuing the case. Xia Yu agreed to drop the matter while securing the Uchiha’s return to control of the Military Police Force 36 37.

Half a month into his confinement, Danzo admitted to Hiruzen that he had feigned madness to protect their shared secrets. He confessed to stealing Shisui’s eye, obtaining Hashirama’s cells through Orochimaru, and harvesting the Sharingan on his arm. He then demanded release and proposed another Uchiha massacre, including Sasuke 47.

Hiruzen instead decided that Danzo’s concealed schemes had become a danger to him and stabbed him with a kunai. Before dying, Danzo expressed relief that Hiruzen had finally shown ruthlessness and warned him that Kabuto was Orochimaru’s spy. Hiruzen ordered his body collected and told Anbu that Danzo had killed himself 47 48.

Appearance

• Concealed right eye: Bandages hid the Sharingan stolen from Shisui. After Xia Yu removed it, Danzo continued covering the empty socket 20 47.
• Implanted right arm: Snow-white, bearing ten Sharingan and a face resembling Hashirama Senju on the shoulder 15.
• Metal arm guard: Commissioned to conceal the arm’s Sharingan and Hashirama-cell tissue 15.
• Cane: Used while walking; discarded when he began his public attack on Xia Yu 17 20.
• Later injuries: Lost his right eye and replacement arm to Xia Yu and was still adjusting his balance during his hospital confinement 24 47.

Personality

Danzo justified coercion, assassination, and the exploitation of children as necessities for protecting Konoha. He openly dismissed the opinions of people without strength and regarded both living Uchiha and their corpses as resources belonging to the village. His willingness to seize Xia Yu’s children extended the same approach to the next generation 4 14 17 23.

His hostility toward the Uchiha coexisted with a desire to possess their abilities. He described the clan as inherently dangerous while implanting their eyes into his own body. He also believed his ruthlessness made him more qualified to govern than Hiruzen 47.

Danzo’s ambition was tempered by pride and concern for legitimacy. Although he considered using Kotoamatsukami to force Hiruzen to surrender the Hokage position, he wanted Hiruzen’s genuine acknowledgment. He also feared that the Hyuga’s Byakugan would expose the stolen eye and ruin his prospects of public support 20.

His rivalry with Hiruzen did not erase their attachment. Even after Hiruzen fatally wounded him, Danzo said he did not blame him, offered a final warning about Orochimaru, and died in his arms 48.

Abilities & Skills

Wind Release

Danzo used several offensive Wind Release techniques during his confrontation with Xia Yu.

• Vacuum Wave: Expels a sharp, blade-like gust from the mouth. Xia Yu dodged it 20.
• Vacuum Great Sphere: Launches a concentrated, high-pressure wind projectile. Danzo used it to divert Xia Yu’s fireball rather than extinguish it, leaving other ninja to protect the village 21.
• Vacuum Serial Waves: Prepared as a rear attack while Baku distorted Xia Yu’s Susanoo; Xia Yu struck before Danzo could release it 23.

Shisui’s Sharingan and Kotoamatsukami

Danzo kept Shisui’s stolen right eye concealed as his most important contingency.

• Considered controlling Hiruzen to obtain protection or force him to relinquish the Hokage position 20 23.
• Sought Hashirama’s living cells because controlling the Mangekyō Sharingan proved difficult 47.
• Feared that Hiashi Hyuga could recognize Shisui’s chakra with the Byakugan 20.
• Lost the eye before he could use it to escape his arrest 23 24.

Izanagi

The Sharingan in Danzo’s replacement arm allowed him to overturn fatal outcomes.

• Revived after Susanoo crushed him and again after Xia Yu pounded him into the ground 22 23.
• Expended stolen Sharingan to sustain these reversals; Xia Yu compared the eyes to “revival coins” 23.
• Could not activate it quickly enough to prevent Xia Yu from removing Shisui’s eye 24.
• Lost access to the implanted eyes when Xia Yu severed the arm 24.

Summoning Technique: Baku

Baku, the Dream-Devouring Beast, supplied powerful suction during Danzo’s attack.

• Appeared several times larger than Xia Yu’s skeletal Susanoo 23.
• Tore apart nearby houses and distorted Susanoo’s structure, creating an opening for Danzo to attack from behind 23.
• Was countered when Xia Yu fired a Great Fireball directly into its open mouth 23.

Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal

Danzo placed this seal on every Root member to prevent disclosure of information about him.

• Paralyzed a bearer who attempted to reveal his secrets, as demonstrated when Terai began saying his name 19 20.
• Protected against ordinary questioning but not Inoichi’s direct examination of a captive’s thoughts 19.

Resistance to Interrogation

• Withstood an entire day of Ibiki’s torture without speaking, including the Summoning Technique Torture House 32.
• Feigned a mental breakdown when transfer to the Intelligence Department threatened to expose his secrets 32 47.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Kunai — Used in his unsuccessful attempt to stab through Susanoo; the weapon snapped against its defense 22.
• Metal arm guard — Concealed his implanted arm and its forbidden enhancements 15 22.
• Eye bandages — Hid Shisui’s Sharingan and later the socket left after its removal 20 47.
• Cane — Carried before his confrontation with Xia Yu 17 20.

Relationships

• Hiruzen Sarutobi — Childhood friend, fellow disciple, political partner, and lifelong rival. Hiruzen repeatedly shielded him from investigation before ultimately killing him 4 20 33 47 48.
• Tobirama Senju — Teacher whose will Danzo claimed to represent more faithfully than Hiruzen 4 47.
• Uchiha Xia Yu — Assassination target who exposed his stolen Sharingan, defeated him publicly, and removed his implanted eye and arm 17 22 23 24.
• Orochimaru — Secret collaborator who supplied his replacement arm and provided access to Hashirama-cell implantation 15 47.
• Kabuto Yakushi — Former Root operative and later surgeon. Kabuto concealed his hatred for Danzo over Nonō’s death while carrying out Orochimaru’s orders 15.
• Yakushi Nonō — Former Root intelligence specialist whom Danzo coerced back into service and later arranged for Kabuto to kill unknowingly 15.
• Shisui Uchiha — Victim whose right eye Danzo stole to obtain Kotoamatsukami 20 47.
• Konoha’s clan heads — Resented his forced recruitment of young clansmen. His demands brought Yamanaka Fū and Aburame Torune into Root; Torune volunteered to spare Shino 21.
• Unnamed young wife — Gave birth to a child Danzo believed was his until Xia Yu claimed paternity during their fight 21.

Notable Quotes

“To protect Konoha, the cost in human lives is not worth mentioning.” 15

“Hmph, the Sharingan are precious indeed, but haven't you already fathered plenty of reserves for me? Once I kill you, I'll take charge of all your children!” 23

“I'm glad. After all these years, I've finally seen you be ruthless for once. I... I don't blame you...” 48