The Reaper Death Seal was used to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikazee, which accounts for the majority of the Hokage's fatalities in Naruto. Tobirama Senju also perished while serving as a distraction. Hashirama Senju, one Hokage, is the only one whose demise is still a mystery.
Since neither the anime nor the manga discusses the specifics of the First Hokage's death, no one is aware of how he passed away. Fans have been left to make assumptions about possible causes of death in the absence of any official information. Over the years, a variety of theories and conclusions about Hashirama have been developed using the information that is currently available.
Who Was Hashirama Senju in the Naruto Series?
Hashirama Senju was the powerful Senju clan's leader, the only one powerful enough to compete with the Uchiha. He also co-founded the Hidden Leaf Village with his old foe, Madara Uchiha. His signature Wood Style Jutsu and his mastery of Sage Jutsu were his most powerful weapons. He went on to become the first Hokage, the village's leader and best ninja. He is in charge of many aspects of the modern ninja world, such as the village system and rank-based assignments. He was a kind, humble, and simple man, but he would kill anyone who threatened him, his clan, or his village.
Why the Death of Hashirama in Naruto Is a Mystery?
A big issue with discerning the circumstances of Hashirama's death is how powerful he was. In his lifetime, he was the strongest ninja in history, which earned him the title "God of Shinobi." His power wouldn't be surpassed until Naruto's era, which came long after his passing. The only person who ever came close before then was Madara, who was put out of commission by Hashirama himself. For how powerful he was, it's a wonder what or who even could kill him.
What Are the Top Hashirama Death Theories in Naruto?
There are a few different scenarios that could have played out if Hashirama did indeed perish in battle. If he is truly stronger than this Raikage, it would take a force of more than 10,000 shinobi to defeat him, as was the case with the Third Raikage. He could have also been murdered, but given that Kakuzu canonically avoided doing so, that seems unlikely as well. Madara may have seriously hurt him during their final fight, which would have negatively impacted his ability to perform in subsequent battles and ultimately cost him his life. He might have made a selfless sacrifice, which would be entirely in line with who he was. There are many ways to lose a fight, strong or not.
Many believe Hashirama died a natural death, either from old age or from disease. Such an uneventful death wouldn't have a reason to be shown on-screen, which would explain why it was never covered. It's also comforting to think a man who spent his career in pursuit of peace was allowed to pass on peacefully.
However, natural death is often rebuffed because of the Reanimation Jutsu. This technique apparently brings people back in whatever state they were in at the point of death; this includes their age and whatever clothing they were wearing. Because Hashirama came back looking fairly young and fully armored, it's assumed he died in battle. Again, for how strong he was, that's difficult to believe.
There may be another explanation for Hashirama coming back the way he did. After all, Madara was reanimated in a similar state, but his death is confirmed to be as an old man in robes. It's possible that, under the right circumstances, the user of the Reanimation Jutsu has some control over how subjects are brought back. That would add up, because Hashirama and Madara were brought back by Orochimaru and Kabuto, respectively; one is a scientist and the other his successor. These two would likely try to modify the Reanimation to bring Hashirama and Madara back when they were at their best. That would also explain why Hiruzen was reanimated as an old man; nobody had time to modify his body, so he came back precisely as he died. If this is all true, then the real cause of Hashirama's death would reasonably remain a mystery.
According to some theories, Hashirama's ability to heal caused him to die in an ironic way. Madara claimed that he was capable of regeneration and didn't even require a hand signal to do so. However, using the same method might have decreased his lifespan by either causing Hashirama to reach his Hayflick limit or by causing cancerous tumors. Additionally, Hashirama might have passed away from a disease. He might have contracted something that ultimately led to his demise, like Itachi and Kimimaro. Even the God of the Shinobi is susceptible to illness.
The real cause of Hashirama's death may never be revealed. For all the things that could kill him, there's a way to say he could survive it. That's what truly makes it so difficult to imagine him dying.
