NARUTO COLUMNS
08/02/2024
[Birthday Column] Celebrating Tsunade's Birthday on 8/2! Looking Back on the Fifth Hokage Who Guides Konoha and Holds Tight to Feelings That Never Fade!
A column celebrating the birthdays and achievements of everyone's favorite ninja!
Today we'll be reminiscing about the medical ninjutsu expert who was revered as a member of the "Legendary Three" alongside Orochimaru and Jiraiya: Tsunade!
Today we'll be reminiscing about the medical ninjutsu expert who was revered as a member of the "Legendary Three" alongside Orochimaru and Jiraiya: Tsunade!
■Tsunade
・Birthday: August 2nd (Leo)
・Favorite Food: Chicken tenderloins, liquor
The Legendary Three
As the granddaughter of First Hokage Hashirama Senju, Tsunade's pedigree marks her out from her peers from the day of her birth.
After graduating from the Ninja Academy, she is placed on a team with Jiraiya and Orochimaru, and together the three young shinobi polish their skills under Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
After graduating from the Ninja Academy, she is placed on a team with Jiraiya and Orochimaru, and together the three young shinobi polish their skills under Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.
When wartime results in the trio battling Hanzo, the leader of the Hidden Rain, he dubs them "The Three Great Shinobi of Konoha" out of respect for their ability.
Eventually, this appellation shifts to simply "The Legendary Three".
Love and Loss
During the ongoing war, Tsunade supports Konoha with both her high-level medical ninjutsu and impressive combat ability, but a series of tragic events leads to her losing the ability to love and abandoning her life as a shinobi.
Tsunade has a younger brother named Nawaki, whom she dotes on due to the large age gap between them.
He looks up to their grandfather and also hopes to be Hokage someday, so for his 12th birthday she gives him the First Hokage's necklace.
Tsunade has a younger brother named Nawaki, whom she dotes on due to the large age gap between them.
He looks up to their grandfather and also hopes to be Hokage someday, so for his 12th birthday she gives him the First Hokage's necklace.
"'CUZ TO BE HOKAGE IS MY DREAM."
But the very next day, Nawaki is killed on the battlefield.
Nawaki's death drives Tsunade to push for the presence of medic ninja in war zones and the establishment of a system for their training.
This leads to her meeting a shinobi named Dan, who supports her proposals.
This leads to her meeting a shinobi named Dan, who supports her proposals.
Both Tsunade and Dan know the pain of loss, and this draws them closer together. After hearing about Dan's desire to become Hokage and protect his comrades, Tsunade finds herself once more giving away the First Hokage's necklace.
However, while the two are on a mission together, Dan is wounded beyond what Tsunade can possibly hope to heal. Despite her best efforts, his blood continues to pour out, and he is lost to her as well.
"STOP IT...
STOP SPURTING...!
STOP IT...! STOP! STOP! STOP!
I SAID, STOP IT...!!"
The trauma from being unable to save Dan as he bled out in front of her causes Tsunade to develop hemophobia. The grief of losing those she loves one after another brings with it a deep sense of emptiness, and she leaves the village to spend her days wandering from one gambling house to another.
Meeting Naruto and Becoming Hokage
After the Third Hokage's death during Orochimaru's attack on Konoha, Jiraiya is sent to ask Tsunade to serve as the Fifth Hokage.
However, she bluntly turns him down.
However, she bluntly turns him down.
"...SORRY...
NO THANKS!"
The truth is, she has already been approached by Orochimaru with a very different offer—to restore his arms in exchange for him bringing Dan and Nawaki back to life—and is preoccupied with debating whether or not to accept it.
Jiraiya continues attempting to persuade her, but Tsunade's callous dismissal of the previous Hokage and the title of Hokage itself causes Naruto to fly off the handle!
Jiraiya continues attempting to persuade her, but Tsunade's callous dismissal of the previous Hokage and the title of Hokage itself causes Naruto to fly off the handle!
During their scuffle Naruto tells Tsunade of his dream to become Hokage, and she cannot help but see Nawaki and Dan in him.
She makes a bet with Naruto on whether or not he can master Rasengan, saying she'll give him the First Hokage's necklace if he wins.
She makes a bet with Naruto on whether or not he can master Rasengan, saying she'll give him the First Hokage's necklace if he wins.
The day she has promised Orochimaru an answer arrives. Filled with thoughts of Nawaki and Dan, Tsunade appears to accept...
"THE POSSIBILITY THAT I COULD TRULY SEE DAN AND NAWAKI AGAIN...
YES. THE MOMENT I FELT IT...
...I REALIZED...
...I WAS A HOPELESS FOOL..."
"...'EVERYTHING DECAYS EVENTUALLY...'
YOU SAID THAT... BUT..."
"THIS ONE FEELING...
...NEVER DECAYS..."
But it is precisely her memories of them and their dreams that help her see her own foolishness.
She engages Orochimaru in combat instead of healing him.
She engages Orochimaru in combat instead of healing him.
Naruto and the others arrive to back up Tsunade as she struggles against Kabuto, who is also a medic ninja.
Tsunade sees Naruto push forward through sheer force of will and finally master Rasengan—just as he told her he would.
She decides to place one last bet on a ninja who dreams of becoming Hokage.
Tsunade sees Naruto push forward through sheer force of will and finally master Rasengan—just as he told her he would.
She decides to place one last bet on a ninja who dreams of becoming Hokage.
"ONCE MORE...
JUST ONCE MORE...
I PUT THE ODDS ON YOU..."
Tsunade's long-numbed heart is reignited by Naruto, and she risks her life to protect both the village...and the boy she believes will one day lead it.
"FROM HERE ON OUT...IT'S MY LIFE ON THE LINE!!"
"THAT'S BECAUSE...
I'M...KONOHAGAKURE'S...FIFTH HOKAGE!!"
Filled with resolve, Tsunade overcomes her fear of blood, heals herself using Ninja Art: Mitotic Regeneration, and activates a summoning jutsu!
After working together with Jiraiya to drive off Orochimaru, Tsunade gives the First Hokage's necklace to Naruto as promised, plus a kiss on the forehead for good luck as he works toward his dream.
"BECOME A GOOD MAN, OKAY...?"
"AND...A GREAT HOKAGE, TOO."
As Hokage
"FROM NOW ON, I WILL BE THE PROTECTOR...
I'M THE FIFTH HOKAGE."
After taking up the mantle of Hokage, Tsunade helps the Hidden Leaf recover from Orochimaru's attack, and engages in diplomacy with foreign nations to avoid war.
She also finds time to use her medical expertise for the sake of the village.
Thanks to Tsunade, Sasuke and Kakashi are able to recover from the effects of Itachi's jutsu, and Lee—whose prospects of full recovery had previously been nonexistent—is successfully treated via surgery.
Later on, she also heals those gravely wounded during the mission to retrieve Sasuke.
She also finds time to use her medical expertise for the sake of the village.
Thanks to Tsunade, Sasuke and Kakashi are able to recover from the effects of Itachi's jutsu, and Lee—whose prospects of full recovery had previously been nonexistent—is successfully treated via surgery.
Later on, she also heals those gravely wounded during the mission to retrieve Sasuke.
When Sakura resolves to become stronger after Sasuke's defection, Tsunade takes her on as an apprentice. The Fifth Hokage teaches Sakura not only medical ninjutsu but also how to wield her body itself as a weapon, training her to be a first-rate medic ninja with monstrous physical strength.
Tsunade moves quickly to address the threat posed by the Akatsuki, and Jiraiya praises her leadership, even going as far as to tell her "There is no better Hokage in Konoha right now than you!"
However, excellent shinobi such as Asuma and Jiraiya himself still fall as Konoha combats the criminal organization.
However, excellent shinobi such as Asuma and Jiraiya himself still fall as Konoha combats the criminal organization.
While Tsunade maintains a strong front in public, in private she grieves for Jiraiya.
But despite losing yet another person she cares for, she holds on to the ideals of those she's lost and stands firm as Konoha's Hokage.
Protecting the Village
When Pain, the Akatsuki's leader, attacks the village, Tsunade decides to call Naruto back from his Sage Jutsu training.
Though Konoha's counselors fear the village's Jinchuriki could be stolen and oppose the idea, Tsunade confronts them head-on.
Though Konoha's counselors fear the village's Jinchuriki could be stolen and oppose the idea, Tsunade confronts them head-on.
"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!
STILL TREATING HIM LIKE A MERE CHILD!!
HE'S ADOPTED THE KONOHA WILL OF FIRE! HE'S GROWN.
NARUTO IS CURRENTLY TRAINING TO SURPASS JIRAIYA!!
HE IS NOT A BACK-UP WEAPON TO BE HIDDEN AWAY!
HE IS UZUMAKI NARUTO,
TRUE SHINOBI AND DEFENDER OF KONOHA!"
"JUST AS MY GRANDFATHER THE FIRST HOKAGE BELIEVED IN YOU AND ENTRUSTED KONOHA TO YOU...
...IT IS NOW YOUR TURN TO DO THE SAME FOR THE CURRENT YOUTH OF KONOHA!!"
Denouncing the counselors' more conservative proposal, Tsunade moves boldly, her heart aflame with the strength of her belief.
She gives everything she has to protect the village, and when Pain's Almighty Push results in massive casualties, she summons Katsuyu and uses up her own chakra to save villagers via the giant slug and Mitotic Regeneration.
At the end of her strength, she collapses after leaving the village's defense in Naruto's hands.
Even after the battle's conclusion she remains comatose, but awakens before the start of the Fourth Great Ninja War, taking up the title of Hokage once more.
With more battles looming, there is much work yet to be done!
The Fourth Great Ninja War
To face the overwhelming threat presented by Madara Uchiha, the Five Principle Shinobi Territories form the Allied Shinobi Forces, and Tsunade serves as part of its leadership.
United in purpose, the Five Kage assemble to face Madara!
Tsunade draws on the strength that comes from the Will of Fire she has inherited from the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
"MY TRUE POWER LIES IN THE WILL OF FIRE!!"
Revealing the secret fourth rule of the Medical Law she teaches her students, Tsunade challenges Madara!
However, all the Kage together are not enough to defeat him. They are on the verge of being defeated by Madara's Susano'o when the Reanimation Jutsu is suddenly undone.
Madara's final attack before he disappears is aimed at Tsunade, but she dodges suddenly despite having been rendered unable to move!
When she looks up amidst the chaos, she sees...
When she looks up amidst the chaos, she sees...
"LONG TIME NO HELLO, TSUNADE...
IT'S ME.
DAN."
...Dan, who had been brought back by the Reanimation Jutsu and used his Ghost Transformation Jutsu to fly to her aid.
Reunited with him after so long, Tsunade tells Dan about her own journey.
Reunited with him after so long, Tsunade tells Dan about her own journey.
"DAN! I RAN FROM MY MEMORIES OF YOU FOR A LONG TIME AFTER YOUR DEATH.
BUT I'VE CHANGED!
AND NOW I CAN MAKE UP FOR YOUR REGRETS AND THE THINGS YOU WANTED TO DO...
...ONCE MORE!"
After hearing Tsunade's words and seeing how she has fulfilled his dream of becoming Hokage, Dan entrusts her with taking care of an even more important dream—Tsunade herself.
Tsunade heads into the final stages of the war alongside the Allied Shinobi Forces, keeping everything she's received from Dan deep in her heart.
That's all for Tsunade's birthday column!
Take this opportunity to reread the manga and look back on her boldness and strength!
Take this opportunity to reread the manga and look back on her boldness and strength!
Article and Composition: Mio Chimasu (Caramel mama)
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