Danzo Shimura (志村ダンゾウ, Shimura Danzō) was an elder of Konohagakure. As the founder and leader of Root, Danzo gained notoriety as The Darkness of the Shinobi (忍の闇, Shinobi no Yami, English TV: The Shinobi of Darkness) because of his frequent unsanctioned actions and his often-suspected (but rarely proven) undermining of specific Konoha personnel. Despite his decades of suspicious deeds, Danzo only ever acted in what he believed were the village’s best interests. He was appointed the Sixth Hokage Candidate (六代目火影候補, Rokudaime Hokage Kōho, literally meaning: Sixth Fire Shadow Candidate) after Pain’s assault on the village. Prior to being inaugurated officially into this post, Danzō would flee the Five Kage Summit and died in battle against Sasuke Uchiha at the Samurai Bridge.

Born into the Shimura Clan to his shinobi father, Danzo went onto joining the Academy, where he was amongst the first few hundred of students to graduate. From his genin days, he was acquainted with Hiruzen Sarutobi, whom he became rivals with in everything. Danzo once saw the First Hokage in battle, where he witnessed Hashirama’s formidable Wood Release ninjutsu.

During the First Shinobi World War, Danzo, as part of the Escort Unit alongside Kagami Uchiha, Torifu Akimichi and Team Tobirama, became surrounded by Kumogakure’s Kinkaku Squad. Having concluded that a member of their team had to sacrifice themselves as a decoy in order for the rest of them to escape, Danzo struggled to bring himself to volunteer. As Hiruzen proclaimed to take the role, Danzo called himself weak while a part of him was relieved. Lashing out at Hiruzen for volunteering before he could, the Second Hokage decided to be the decoy instead, while appointing Hiruzen as his successor to Danzō’s shock. The team then managed to escape at the cost of Tobirama’s life.