7 most awful things Danzo has done in Naruto

The Naruto franchise introduced an extensive host of characters, invoking a range of emotions from fans. But few characters in the series are as unanimously hated as Shimura Danzo is.

The man was single-handedly responsible for a number of incidents that snowballed into issues beyond repair, harming several innocent people in the process.

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Top 7 of Danzo’s worst offenses in the Naruto series

7) Tried two assassinate attempts on the Third Hokage

Danzo always suffered from an inferiority complex when it came to Sarutobi Hiruzen. His resentment towards his former teammate only grew after Tobirama chose Hiruzen to become the next Hokage.

After the Nine Tails’ attack, Hiruzen was forced to take up the mantle of Hokage again, due to Namikaze Minato’s untimely death. Danzo even tried to have him assassinated again to usurp the position for himself.

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6) Wanted to manipulate the other Kage with Kotoamatsukami

Tsunade became comatose after using excessive chakra during the Pain arc of Naruto Shippuden. In his stead, Danzo was appointed as Hokage and had to attend the Five Kage Summit in the Land of Iron.

The five Kages discussed strategies to deal with the Akatsuki with Lord Mifune as moderator. Mifune suggested the five Nations form an alliance with Danzo as leader. But Mizukage’s bodyguard Ao discovered Danzo using the Shisui's genjutsu ability Kotoamatsukami to manipulate Mifune’s decision.

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5) Stole Uchiha Shisui’s eye

The Naruto series showed that the Uchiha clan had long been at odds with others due to the fear and distrust inspired by the legendary powers of the Sharingan, which only got worse after the Nine Tails’ attack.

When Shisui found out about the clan planning a coup d’état against the village, he revealed their plans to the Third Hokage and resolved to use his unique Mangekyo ability, Kotoamatsukami, to suppress the rebellion.

Danzo remained skeptical of a plan being dependent on the loyalty of an Uchiha, and used it as an opportunity to steal Shisui’s right eye. Shisui escaped and gave his left eye to Itachi for safekeeping before committing suicide.

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4) Allowed Orochimaru to conduct human experimentation

It was revealed via flashbacks in both the Naruto manga and anime that Danzo had dealings with Orochimaru in the past.

He aided the latter not only in secretly conducting his experiments but also in gathering human test subjects. He did so either by kidnapping people from Konoha or by collecting orphaned children from the Konoha orphanage.

Orochimaru made several modifications to Danzo’s body, including implanting him with Hashirama’s cells and replacing his right eye with Shisui’s stolen Sharingan.

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3) Implanted Uchiha eyes into his arm

Alongside Hashirama’s cells and Shisui’s eye, Danzo also had Orochimaru surgically transplant an arm implanted with several Uchiha sharingan. The arm was harvested from one of Orochimaru’s former test subjects, Shin. He became obsessed with the Uchiha, and even took on the Uchiha name.

This was the same arm which allowed Danzo to repeatedly use Izanagi against Uchiha Sasuke during their fight on Samurai Bridge.

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2) Killed the messenger frog to prevent Naruto from finding out about Pain’s attack

Throughout the Naruto series, Danzo had always cited the protection of Konoha as the motivation for his actions. But when Pain attacked Konoha, Danzo tried to prevent Naruto's return to Konoha by killing the messenger frog Tsunade dispatched to Mount Myoboku.

Moreover, he ordered the ANBU Root division to not protect Konoha during the attack. That way he sought to protect the Nine Tails' powers being taken away while bringing about Tsunade's downfall, even at the cost of civilian lives.

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1) Orchestrated the Uchiha genocide

The multiple crimes already mentioned in this list seem paltry compared to Danzo's orders to have an entire clan wiped out. Shisui's death marked the end to any peaceful resolution to the impending Uchiha coup d'état.

Danzo ordered Uchiha Itachi, who was a member of the ANBU under him, to massacre his own clan. Danzo believed that Itachi was the only one fit for the job because only an elite Uchiha shinobi like him could defeat them if they resisted.

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This list is, of course, far from every awful thing Danzo did in the Naruto series. If the numerous instances of his indirect involvement are counted in, almost eighty percent of the problems in the series were born out of his actions. These range from helping Hanzo kill off Yahiko, holding Karin hostage during his fight against Sasuke, to making Kabuto kill Nonou, who he considered a mother figure.