Determining who is the oldest living shinobi is an interesting question for fans of the Naruto universe. The shinobi way of life is dangerous and many ninja die young in battle or training accidents. However, some skilled and lucky few manage to live into old age despite the occupational hazards.
Candidates for Oldest Living Shinobi
There are several potential candidates for the title of oldest living shinobi in the Naruto world:
Onoki
Onoki, also known as Onoki of Both Scales, is an elder of Iwagakure and the Third Tsuchikage. During the Fourth Great Ninja War, he was over 80 years old but still fought on the front lines using his Dust Release ninjutsu. Onoki’s extreme longevity may be attributed to his mastery of Dust Release, which allows him to fly and be more evasive in battle. His age and experience make him a candidate for oldest living shinobi.
Koharu Utatane
Koharu Utatane is one of the three Konoha elders along with Homura Mitokado and Danzo Shimura. She was a teammate of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi when they were young. During the First Great Ninja War, she fought with the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju. Koharu is likely less than 10 years younger than Onoki, making her age around 70-80 years old during the main Naruto storyline. Her advanced age and status as an active elder and advisor in Konoha make her a possible contender for oldest living shinobi.
Homura Mitokado
Homura Mitokado is another Konoha elder who serves along with Koharu Utatane. He was also a teammate of the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi. His age is likely similar to Koharu’s, estimated around 70-80 years old during the main Naruto storyline. Homura’s ongoing role providing guidance in Konoha shows his impressive longevity as a shinobi into old age.
Danzo Shimura
Danzo Shimura was the third Konoha elder before his death in the Five Kage Summit arc. He was once a rival for Hokage but lost out to Hiruzen Sarutobi. Danzo led the secretive ANBU sub-unit Root with the goal of protecting Konoha through any means necessary. Before his death at age 72, Danzo had possession of multiple Sharingan eyes and Hashirama Senju’s cells to extend his life. His efforts to prolong his shinobi abilities make him a contender for oldest living, though he did not surpass 80 years.
Estimating Character Ages
To better compare the ages of the candidate shinobi, it is helpful to estimate their ages relative to key timeline events in the Naruto universe:
Event | Estimated Year |
---|---|
Founding of Konoha | Year 0 |
First Great Ninja War | Year 50 |
Second Great Ninja War | Year 70 |
Third Great Ninja War | Year 90 |
Kyuubi Attack | Year 105 |
Uchiha Clan Massacre | Year 110 |
Fourth Great Ninja War | Year 125 |
Character | Estimated Age During Fourth War |
---|---|
Onoki | 80+ years old |
Koharu Utatane | 70-80 years old |
Homura Mitokado | 70-80 years old |
Danzo Shimura | 72 years old (deceased) |
Based on these estimated ages, Onoki appears to be the oldest of the living shinobi who were active during the Fourth Great Ninja War. He was over 80 years old at that time, while Koharu and Homura were likely in their 70s. Danzo had extended his lifespan to 72 using Hashirama’s cells before his death.
Accounts of the First Hokage’s Lifespan
To assess if any shinobi may have exceeded Onoki’s age, we can look at accounts of the lifespan of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage and one of the founders of Konoha.
Hashirama was regarded as having exceptionally strong life force and stamina. This allowed him to live at least until the point when he passed on his title as Hokage to Tobirama Senju, his younger brother. Most accounts suggest Hashirama lived to around 60-70 years old.
During the First Great Ninja War, Tobirama said he had lived roughly as long as his older brother Hashirama. Since Tobirama died during this war at age 56, this aligns with estimates that Hashirama was only in his 60s when he died.
However, one legend about Hashirama was that he survived up to the First Great Ninja War, around 50 years after Konoha’s founding. This would make Hashirama’s age at death potentially over 100 years old. But most concrete sources contradict this myth, suggesting Hashirama still died relatively young for such a powerful shinobi.
Accounts of Mū’s Lifespan
The Second Tsuchikage Mū is another Kage noted for his exceptionally long life. He was a master of the Dust Release like Onoki and also split his body into a living spirit to extend his lifespan.
During the Second Great Ninja War about 70 years after Konoha’s founding, Mū was still leading Iwagakure along with his student Onoki. However, Mū disappeared from the war before its conclusion.
If Mū lived to around 100 years old, he would have been the oldest known shinobi on record. However, it is more likely he died shortly after disappearing in the Second Great Ninja War. This would put Mū’s age at death likely in his 80s or 90s, still older than most shinobi but not surpassing Onoki’s age.
Accounts of Hiruzen Sarutobi’s Lifespan
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, was said to be the longest-living and longest-reigning Kage in history. He retained his title as Hokage from a relatively young age until his death at age 69 during the Invasion of Konoha arc.
During the Second Great Ninja War, Hiruzen was estimated to be in his late 30s or early 40s based on flashbacks. By the time he died around 70 years after Konoha’s founding, he was age 69.
His nearly 30-year tenure as Hokage was remarkably long, but he did not exceed his 70s in age. So Hiruzen does not appear to have challenged Onoki for oldest living shinobi title before his death.
Concluding Analysis
Based on available information in the Naruto mythology, Onoki stands out as most likely to be the oldest living shinobi during the main timeline. Key points supporting this analysis:
- Onoki remained an active combatant and Kage into his 80s during the Fourth Great Ninja War
- His rivals for oldest shinobi Koharu, Homura, and Danzo were likely in their 70s at max
- Legends of Hashirama, Mū, and Hiruzen living past 100 are unlikely to be accurate
- No definitive account exists of any shinobi exceeding 100 years old
- Onoki’s Dust Release techniques probably allowed him to extend his life more than most
Barring discovery of a shinobi who lived in seclusion past age 100, Onoki stands as the most likely candidate for oldest living shinobi during the key Naruto storyline. His mastery of ninjutsu and evasive techniques allowed him to defy norms and live into advanced age even by Kage standards. Onoki’s extreme longevity is a testament to his skills sustaining him as an active shinobi into his 80s and possibly beyond.