In the Naruto franchise, Lady Tsunade made history as Konohagakure’s first female Hokage. The fifth person to take up the leadership role, she initially didn’t even want it. Having left the village years earlier, she essentially gave up the shinobi lifestyle to live on her own terms. The Naruto Shippuden era showed her coming into her own as a leader.

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In addition to leading the village against Orochimaru, the Akatsuki, and into the Fourth Shinobi World War, Lady Tsunade made time to continue training those around her. She taught her assistant Shizune basic medical ninja skills, but she also became mentor to both Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka. There’s a lot more to her than simply her leadership skills.

When Did Tsunade Graduate From The Academy?

Before a shinobi can go out on official missions, they have to complete a lot of training. That training involves enrolling at the Academy. The courses usually take a few years. The better a child’s aptitude for the skills required, the earlier they can enter the Academy and graduate.

In Naruto’s generation, most of the students graduated at the age of 12. Lady Tsunade, however, attended the Academy generations before them, and she was certainly advanced for her age. She graduated at just six years old, but so did the members of her three-man-squad. Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya became a team at a very young age.

What Strange Phobia Did She Develop?

Tsunade And Dan In A Naruto Flashback

Tsunade spent her formative years training for battle. She was no stranger to violence and gore. As a young adult, however, she developed haemophobia, which is the fear of blood.

The phobia developed following the death of the man she thought she would spend the rest of her life with. Tsunade lost both her little brother and her boyfriend during the events of the Second Shinobi World War. She tried to save her boyfriend Dan, but her own medical abilities weren’t strong enough at the time. When he died, her hands were covered in his blood, and the sight haunted her for a long time.

How Did Tsunade Gain The Legendary Sannin Title?

The Legenday Sannin vs Hanzo

Though by the time they fought in the war they technically weren’t a shinobi team any longer, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya teamed up to take on enemies of Konohagakure. When they went up against Hanzo outside of Amegakure with a full platoon of shinobi soldiers in battle, they were the only survivors.

Hanzo was incredibly impressed with their skills in battle, and he dubbed them the Legendary Sannin. After battling him and surviving, the three shinobi went their separate ways. Tsunade continued to work for Konohagakure during the war, but Jiraiya stayed behind to help orphaned children, and Orochimaru began his experiments. Just as they earned the title, the team split up for good.

What Is Tsunade’s Blood Type?

Orochimaru Jiraiya and Tsunade In Naruto

Blood type might seem like an odd topic to question, but in Japanese pop culture many fictional characters and famous figures have blood types listed in personality profiles. That’s because there is a prevalent personality theory in Japan that proposes blood types can affect different personality traits. Many of the Naruto characters have their blood types listed in the franchise’s data books.

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Tsunade has Type B blood. Those with that particular blood type are said to be passionate and creative. They can also be selfish and impatient. Tsunade definitely exhibits those traits throughout the series, but she’s not the only one. She shares the same blood type with Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Naruto.

What System Is She Credited With Developing For Konoha?

Tsunade Doing Medical Research In Naruto Shippuden

Though Konohagakure has always had shinobi who focus their skills on medicine, it’s Tsunade who makes medical ninjas a true part of shinobi training. While still a young shinobi, she proposed that all units in the field needed their own medical ninja - or at least someone with sufficient training to help their teammates.

Her proposal wasn’t implemented until long after Tsunade suggested it, but it’s clearly well in place by the time she’s Hokage and sending her shinobi into battle in the Fourth Shinobi World War. Many shinobi leave their teams behind to help with medical emergencies instead. Sakura, who was always willing to jump into fights with her teammates, for example, spent a lot of her time in the latter part of Naruto Shippuden using her medical skills instead.

How Did Tsunade Make An Enemy Of A Suna Elder?

Lady Chiyo In Naruto Shippuden

“Filler” arcs of the anime arm of the franchise were employed to help stall while the anime waited for events to unfold in the manga. While a lot of those episodes aren’t considered canon by Naruto purists, many of them do provide additional information on characters that aren’t always at the center of the story.

When Sakura and Lady Chiyo of Sunagakure teamed up to combat a poisoning, Lady Chiyo was first suspicious of Sakura. That’s because the young woman’s methods were the same ones Lady Tsunade employed in the Second Shinobi World War. Lady Chiyo considered Lady Tsunade to be her nemesis because while the former specialized in poisons during the war, her efforts were always thwarted by the latter’s medical prowess. Lady Tsunade was credited with ending (and winning) the war for Konahagakure, something Lady Chiyo hated.

Which Other Character Did She Share A Voice Actress With?

During the run of the franchise, the same voice actresses (Masako Katsuki in Japanese and Debbie Mae West in English) provided Tsunade with her words. In the video games, however, another franchise veteran voiced her. 

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Mary Elizabeth McGylnn provided the vocals for Tsunade in eight of the Naruto video games. She also provided the voice for Kurenai Yuhi, the sensei for Team Eight, during the anime. 

What Is Tsunade’s Star Sign?

Jiraiya and Tsunade argue over drinks in Naruto

The Naruto franchise doesn’t have much room for Western Astrology beliefs, but if it did, Tsunade’s August 2 birth date would make her a Leo.

Leos born at this point in the cycle are known for being creative, stubborn, and optimistic. While the first two traits certainly apply to Tsunade, she’s not exactly an optimist. Tsunade was typically someone who always planned for the worst possible outcome, though she did always hope for good luck while gambling.

When Does She Make Her First Manga Appearance?

Tenten is surrounded by her weapons and scrolls in Naruto

Tsunade didn’t appear in the flesh until well into the manga and anime. She only appeared once Jiraiya and Naruto go looking for her in Chapter 139 in the manga. Her reputation, however, did precede her.

Tsunade got her first mention in the manga over fifty chapters earlier. In Chapter 84, Rock Lee and Gaara battled during the Chunin Exams. Neither of them mentioned Tsunade. Instead, it’s Lee’s teammate Tenten who made mention of her for the first time. While not much is known about Tenten’s background or family life, she did aspire to become a medical ninja like Tsunade when she was a child.

What Does Her Name Mean?

Tsunade activating her abilities in Naruto Shippuden

Like Jiraiya and Orochimaru, Tsunade got her name, and the inspiration for many of her abilities, from the folk tale “The Tale Of The Gallant Jiraiya.” Her name, however, was also tied into her family.

Her name translates to “mooring rope,” as in the kind of rope that keeps a watercraft secured to its home location. Nawaki, her little brother, also had a name that referenced the ties that bind. His name translates to “rope tree.”

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