Hello anime fans, welcome back to AniWorldTV! Today, we’re going to do something important a fact check on Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village.
When I first watched Naruto, I also thought that Hiruzen could have done much better for Naruto and the village. Many fans believe he didn’t care about Naruto’s welfare, that he was the weakest Hokage of his time, and that his choices caused unnecessary pain.
But is that really true? Recently, I started rewatching Naruto for the third time, this time with more focus, and I realized something — a lot of the accusations against Hiruzen Sarutobi are not entirely fair. In this article, we’ll go through those points and clear up the misunderstandings.
In our earlier article, “10 Most Hated Characters in Naruto”, we placed Hiruzen at number 10. But honestly, I don’t think he truly deserves to be on that list. Instead of hate, maybe it’s time we understand him better.
Main Topics We’ll Cover About Hiruzen Sarutobi:
- Did Hiruzen really ignore Naruto’s welfare?
- The truth behind Naruto’s lonely childhood.
- Why Hiruzen’s decisions may not have been as heartless as they seemed.
- His leniency towards Orochimaru
- Why he couldn’t bring himself to kill his student.
- Allowing Danzo to act unchecked
- How Danzo’s influence and secret actions escalated.
- The role this played in the Uchiha massacre.
- Was he really the weakest Hokage?
- A closer look at his skills, title of “The Professor,” and his final battle.
- Why the “weakest Hokage” label may be misleading.
So, let’s get started and take a closer look at Hiruzen Sarutobi: The Misunderstood Hokage.
1. Did Hiruzen Really Ignore Naruto’s Welfare?
1. The truth behind Naruto’s lonely childhood
It’s true that Naruto’s childhood could have been different and maybe even better, but that was not completely Hiruzen’s fault. We also need to remember how troublesome Naruto was as a kid — he was mischievous, didn’t listen to anyone, and often caused chaos. Now, you might say, “That’s why he was alone, and Hiruzen didn’t take care of him.” But here’s the thing: if Hiruzen had given Naruto too much attention or treated him like someone special, the entire village — and even enemies outside the village — would have quickly connected him to the Fourth Hokage. After all, Naruto was born the same night the Fourth Hokage died during the Nine-Tails attack. Any extra care would have revealed the truth about his parentage, putting Naruto in even greater danger.
Now, let’s talk about why Hiruzen never confronted the villagers about their behavior toward Naruto. There are two big reasons:
- Hate Could Have Become Worse: If Hiruzen openly told the villagers to stop mistreating Naruto, it could have backfired. Since they didn’t know Naruto carried the biggest burden — the Nine-Tails sealed inside him — people might have hated him even more. Some could have even turned violent toward him.
- Protecting Naruto From Extra Attention: By staying quiet, Hiruzen avoided drawing more eyes to Naruto. He believed that stepping in too directly might make Naruto an even bigger target, not just for the villagers but for outside enemies as well.
2. Why Hiruzen’s decisions may not have been as heartless as they seemed
We shouldn’t forget how mischievous Naruto really was. Despite Naruto pulling countless pranks — like painting the Hokage Monument — Hiruzen never gave him harsh punishments. He always tried to be gentle and understanding.
But Hiruzen’s authority wasn’t absolute. Danzo and the other elders often opposed him, especially when it came to Naruto. They didn’t want Naruto to get any kind of special treatment, which limited what Hiruzen could do.
And we also need to remember: Hiruzen wasn’t only responsible for Naruto. In his old age, he was still protecting the entire village from outside threats, dealing with dangerous enemies, and at the same time searching for a worthy successor to become the Fifth Hokage.
2. His leniency towards Orochimaru
1. Why he couldn’t bring himself to kill his student
Some people think Hiruzen couldn’t kill Orochimaru because he was weak. That’s not true. When Orochimaru’s crimes were exposed, Hiruzen was already in his late 50s while Orochimaru was in his prime. We’ve seen later how difficult it is to kill Orochimaru — he survived battles against Jiraiya, Naruto in Four-Tails form, and even Itachi’s Totsuka Blade, which can seal anything. Yet, Orochimaru still found ways to come back and is alive even in Boruto.
Yes, in the manga (chapter 122), Hiruzen admitted that his feelings for Orochimaru as his student stopped him from killing him, and that was indeed his weakness. But even if Hiruzen had fought him one-on-one, completely seriously, there’s no guarantee he could have killed Orochimaru.
Also, think about this: Naruto himself spends the entire series trying to bring Sasuke back to the village, even though Sasuke killed many ninja and joined Akatsuki. Yet Sasuke is not ranked in “most hated characters” polls. So, blaming Hiruzen for not killing Orochimaru feels unfair when the same theme runs throughout Naruto’s story — bonds with students and friends.
3. Allowing Danzo to act unchecked
How Danzo’s influence and secret actions escalated
Many fans say Hiruzen never checked Danzo’s actions, but that’s not completely true. Hiruzen confronted him many times. The problem was Danzo was not foolish — he worked in the shadows and had Root, an organization that operated secretly. Even if Hiruzen ordered surveillance, Danzo always found ways to avoid being caught.
We also can’t forget that Danzo wasn’t just some rogue ninja — he was one of the elders and an important figure in Konoha’s politics. While his actions were extreme and often cruel, he did believe he was protecting the village. Hiruzen’s challenge was balancing that influence without splitting the village leadership apart.
The role this played in the Uchiha massacre
Some fans think the Uchiha massacre happened only because Hiruzen didn’t stop Danzo. But the truth is more complicated. When the Uchiha clan began planning a coup, it was Danzo who pushed Itachi into making the final decision. He forced Itachi to choose between his clan and the village, threatening Sasuke’s life if he refused.
If the Uchiha had started a civil war, it could have escalated into a full-scale conflict inside Konoha. Other clans and powerful ninja would have crushed the Uchiha completely. That’s why Itachi accepted the mission — to protect his brother and avoid a war that could have destroyed the entire village.
So while Danzo played a dark role, blaming Hiruzen alone is oversimplifying what happened.
4. Was he really the weakest Hokage?
1. A closer look at his skills, title of “The Professor,” and his final battle
We never truly saw Hiruzen Sarutobi in his prime. Tobirama Senju chose him as the Third Hokage because he was wise, skilled, and one of the most talented shinobi of his time. He earned the title of “The Professor” because he had mastered nearly every jutsu in the village.
During his 40+ years as Hokage, the Hidden Leaf enjoyed long periods of peace with no major invasions until the very end of his reign. Even in his old age, he showed incredible willpower during the Chunin Exams when he fought Orochimaru and the reanimated First and Second Hokage. Despite his age and weakened body, he still managed to seal them and protect the village.
2. Why the “weakest Hokage” label may be misleading
It’s easy to call Hiruzen the weakest Hokage when comparing raw power. He wasn’t as godlike as Hashirama, as tactical as Tobirama, or as fast as Minato. But being Hokage is not only about strength — it’s about leadership, wisdom, and carrying the Will of Fire.
Hiruzen mentored countless shinobi, including the Legendary Sannin — Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. He shaped an entire generation and kept the Leaf strong for decades. Even in his last moments, when his body was frail, his spirit never broke.
So, calling him the weakest Hokage is unfair. He might not have been the strongest in battle, but he was one of the strongest in leadership and heart.
Conclusion
In my opinion, Hiruzen does not deserve the hate he often gets. He was a great Hokage, not the weakest. Don’t forget, even in his old age he fought against Hashirama, Tobirama, and Orochimaru simultaneously. If he hadn’t sealed the First and Second Hokage, Konoha could have been destroyed or fallen into Orochimaru’s hands. That alone shows how strong his will and dedication were.
Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn’t perfect — but he was far from the villain or failure many make him out to be. He was, truly, The Misunderstood Hokage.
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