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OOC Information
Name: KJ
Personal Journal: nisacharakj
Contact: AIM: Insomniac KJ | Plurk: nisachara
Other Characters: N/A
Activity proof: N/A


IC Information
Character Name: Hashirama Senju
Canon: Naruto [Link to the Naruto Wiki here and Hashirama’s character profile page found here]
Canon Point: After his death. That is, after Konoha has been established as a village and he passes on the title of Hokage to his younger brother.
Age: There is no definite age provided for this character in canon, but it is safe to say that he would have at least been in his late forties by the time he died. (He died a grandfather)

House: Heimdall
Power: Energy lending

Personality:

“The fellow countrymen of Konoha make up each part of my body... Those of the village believe in me, and I believe in them. That is what it means to be Hokage.”

As the first leader of Konohagakure, a village that Senju Hashirama built upon an ideal and a dream, he has always been revered as the strongest shinobi of his time. His strength and skill as a shinobi was so vast that he holds responsibility for sculpting the landscape of the village itself, for being able to heal himself without the use of any hand seals, and also for being able fight man to man with the fearsome Uchiha Madara (who had both the eternal mangekyo sharingan and the nine-tailed demon fox on his side) and still win. However, at the end of the day, it was not merely his abilities as a shinobi that allowed him to become leader of the many clans he had brought together in Konoha. Where he was almost equally matched with Uchiha Madara on the aspect of skill, it was Hashirama’s deep sense of loyalty and his caring nature, his wisdom and strength of heart that tipped the scales and won him the vote for Hokage. While he has become an almost legendary figure to his people, he is also remembered and honored for the love and loyalty that he showed his people during his time as Hokage.

In a nutshell, Hashirama’s personality may be compared to a great tree: roots deeply embedded in Konoha, his loyalty to his people running well below the surface, branches spreading out as far as they can go protectively, the Will of Fire burning for the generations to come. And the trunk: steady, unshakeable, but not invincible.

Hashirama is hailed as a revolutionary leader of his time, well known for his charisma, an attribute that, along with his skill in negotiation, made him an exceptional leader of his clan. It was under Hashirama’s leadership that the Senju clan reached its peak, grabbing the limelight as the strongest clan at the time, rivals only to the powerful and battle-hungry Uchiha.

Coming from an era where ninja were merely hired assassins paid to do a politician’s dirty work and where shinobi clans fought and sought to outdo each other in order to grab the limelight on the battlefield, Hashirama saw his fair share of war, meaningless fighting, death, and despair. What he experienced was enough that, despite his feared reputation as the strongest shinobi of his time, Hashirama found himself more inclined to settling things the peaceful way, avoiding bloodshed whenever he could later on, striking deals with other nations and clans instead. He was also very aware of the fact that the combined strength of shinobi from various strong clans would be a greater advantage to them in that the shinobi world could find a means of stable income with set rules and negotiations between their patron nations. His political prowess and shrewdness made it possible to finally approach the Uchiha and work out a truce, ending the years-long bloodshed. Not only would this diplomatic move help him further in establishing Konohagakure no Sato, but the promise of peace that came with the revolution easily gained him more respect and admiration from the people.

At some point in his life when he was Hokage, Hashirama gained control over several tailed beasts, all of which he distributed among the other shinobi villages as a means to equalize power. This was his safeguard against attracting too much envy from the neighboring nations, a move that could have severely disrupted the peace. Again, it was in Hashirama’s foresight to not succumb to the temptation of grabbing all the power, but to compromise and negotiate for the greater good.

Senju Hashirama was also known to be a calm and collected individual, not prone to rash and impulsive behavior, not easily angered. He would be expected to harbor a great deal of tolerance too, as well as an open mind, personality traits that somewhat mirrored the earth element, and was in contrast to the element of fire-- something that his greatest rival, Uchiha Madara, possessed. While aware of the importance of power to a shinobi, Hashirama has never let that alone rule his life. Neither did he encourage this among his people. The difference between Madara and himself could be seen here, where the former took his loss during the election for the position of Hokage as a threat to his clansmen (the Uchiha with their rare and powerful bloodline limit), while Hashirama never wanted to draw lines within their village and separate the clans in the first place. Despite Uchiha Madara deflecting from the village and returning with every intent to destroy Hashirama and prove himself worthy of the title of Hokage, Hashirama has always held a great respect for the man, an honorable trait where he is able to show respect where respect is due.

Hashirama also cares for his people from his heart. This is probably his strongest point. To him, family extends far beyond just the clan, but also to his comrades, and the people of Konoha. And for this family he is willing to put his life on the line, protecting what he loves regardless of the price he has to pay for it: a selfless goal. This is, in essence, Hashirama’s view of what a Kage should be; if one did not feel for one’s people, if their hearts did not beat as one, then one was not worthy of being their leader. Hashirama considers his fellow countrymen the very substance he is made of, the parts that make up his body, the reason he lives and fights for. And with this view comes a deep seated loyalty, a crucial attribute he asked of his people upon becoming Hokage, the only criterion that was required of the residents of Konoha for them to consider themselves as belonging to the village. It was his idea to establish a common goal, something like a national identity for the people of Konoha to believe in, be proud of, protect, serve, and pass on. This ideal is what he would call ‘the Will of Fire’.

Above all, it should be noted that Hashirama is a dreamer. Not just any dreamer, but one who strives to make those dreams reality. And yet his dreams are not utopian, for Hashirama, despite the peace treaties, fully recognizes the fact that “Whenever you live, there will always be war.” He is, therefore, also a realist, aware that the road ahead isn’t always a straight one.


Samples:
Network Sample:

|VIDEO|

[ When the feed is turned on, Hashirama can be seen wearing a smile that is barely there. He isn’t exactly happy to be here, only because he has yet to wrap his mind around both being revived as well as to waking up in an entirely different world. But as of yet, there doesn’t seem to be any imminent threat, and he decides that he wouldn’t adopt a stoic posture. ]

My name is Senju Hashirama, originally from Konohagakure no Sato. From what I have been informed-- [ He leans back in his seat then and pauses to glance briefly at the dreary walls around him, shifting his attention back to the communicator immediately after. ] Well, this is proof enough. We have been summoned here to help, if I understand correctly? At least with bringing back color to this world? ...Though I must admit it is strange logic to bring a dead man back to bring life to a place.

[ His lips twitch a little more at the corners. It was hard to overlook the irony of his situation. Collecting himself, he presses on. ]

I am aware that those of us who arrive here are stripped of all previous powers and are unable to leave at the moment, but beyond that, my understanding of the place is basic at the most. I do intend to explore myself, but I am sending this message out to say that if anyone has any tips for this ‘traveler’, it would be greatly appreciated.

[ He may have added some artificial stress on the word traveler there. The idea is something he still needs to get used to. ]


Log Sample:
The Senju listened as Madara dismissed his plans for peace, regarding it merely as a senseless wish that would still not be completely impervious to conflict and war. There was some truth in the Uchiha’s words, Hashirama noted, but it wasn’t a point that had escaped him either. Hashirama let the other speak at length, only intervening when Madara called peace a ‘bad joke’. “It is not.” Love, understanding, peace; how were those a joke?

Hashirama was not one to give up on an idea so easily, especially when he realized that the only obstacle standing in his way was Uchiha Madara, and the only stone in the Uchiha’s path seemed to be the man’s pride. So he sat, enduring whatever he had to. He would persevere. After all, this dream - which was on the brink of becoming very real - would be of benefit to many, themselves included. He was aware that Madara’s pride was too big of a flame to dim down, but surely the other man had to see the long term advantages that this plan brought them?

He blew softly over the brim of his mug, the tea rippling gently in its holder. Hashirama was well aware that previous animosity was hard to shed overnight and that trust was something he had yet to build on with his rival. Change. This was all about change. Bringing the clans together had been the first step, but Hashirama could see that for the Uchiha, it was a giant leap; a giant leap with a wobbly landing. At this stage therefore, Hashirama hypothesized, compromise was probably not in Madara's vocabulary.

It was late already, and they were on their fourth cup of tea. Hashirama was trying to savor it, and chose the opportunity to allow Madara to disagree at length once more. They had grown up in an era where bloodshed had been the norm, but he knew that their parents and grandparents had seen better days. Hashirama wanted that for their children, and their children's children. One couldn't assume that there was no way out just because it was the only 'reality' they had ever known. We make our own reality, he thought. Why couldn't it be a happy one? At least, if not completely happy, just happier than what it already is. They deserved at least that.

But Madara brought Hashirama back from this momentary reverie, calling him out for trying to change things all by himself and force change upon others. Hashirama’s tea didn’t taste so good anymore.

Placing his cup carefully down in front of him, Hashirama looked the other in the eye. When he spoke, his voice was as firm and steady as the ground he was sitting on.

“Change is inevitable. Change will come whether we like it or not. Whether it is to be a good change or bad change, that is to be seen. And you are absolutely right. One man cannot change the world. Who said I was the only one who thought this way? Who said I intended to force change? Almost every one of us wants this senseless fighting to end. This is our necessity. This is the change our generation is looking for. This is what we have to fight for. And we start by changing ourselves. One by one. If one man finds the courage in him to change, he will be the beacon for others to follow suit. Not by force, but through example. All it takes is just one man. To create, or destroy, all it takes is just one.”

Having said that, the Senju reached for his mug again. Perhaps now that tea would taste better.