Hashirama Senju

Hashirama Senju is a character in the Naruto series. He was a legendary shinobi, who led the Senju clan prior to and after forming Konohagakure with his rival, Madara Uchiha. After the founding of Konohagakure, Hashirama became the village's First Hokage, decades before being revived multiple times by Orochimaru for different reasons.

Background

Born into the Senju clan before the era of shinobi villages in a time of permanent war, Hashirama grew up as the older brother of two other Senju, Tobirama and Itama. Madara had a third brother named Kawarama, but whether he was younger or older than him is not known. One day, Hashirama met Madara Uchiha by a riverside as he skipped a stone to the other side, which the latter had failed to do. As Madara attempts to try again(and missed again), Hashirama recognized him as a shinobi from the way he threw the rock. After they gave each other their first names, as was traditional at the time, and had a brief talk, the body of an enemy shinobi drifted to the surface, which dashed to and, after recognizing the clan as an enemy, told Madara to go home. Shortly thereafter, Hashirama learned that his brother, Kawarama, had been killed in a battle where the Uchiha clan, the Senju's rival clan, had taken part. After am argument with his father, Butsuma, Hashirama left with his two remaining and younger brothers, Tobirama and Itama. Unfortunately the dying didn't end there, as Itama was soon killed by the Uchiha clan too, leaving Hashirama saddened and depressed. He later encountered Madara again by the riverside, where the latter tried to comfort him, saying he had lost four brothers himself. Hashirama then learned that he and madara shared the same ideals about how to end war. Hashirama and Madara began to meet on a regular basis, training together and discussing the concept of building a village where the children would not have to battle and where peace would reign. While Hashirama had it in mind to want to change the world by building this village, Madara only wanted to watch over his last, younger brother, Izuna. Their meetings were not destined to last, however, as Hashirama father found out about them and attwmpted to set a trap, ordering Hashirama to attain information on the Uchiha by following Madara, or else be considered a traitor. However, Madara's father, Tajima Uchiha, had also found out and attempted to set a trap. Hashirama and Madara both warned each other, and their fathers and brothers confronted each other. Hashirama and Madara intervied in the fight, preventing their brothers from being killed, and Hashirama was shocked when Madara broke off their friendship, declaring their desired dreams wishful thinking, and declared that the next time they met, it would be as enemies on the battlefield, adressing Hashirama by his full name as he gave his own. Despite this, Hashirama still always saw Madara as a friend and never gave up on their dream.

In the years following the trap, from childhood to adulthood, Hashirama and Madara would battle evenly on a daily basis, both eventually becoming the leaders of their clans. One day, Hashirama and Tobirama confronted Madara and his brother, Izuna, each pair backed by some of their clansmen. Hashirama and Madara were evenly matched as always, but during their battle, Tobirama fatally wouned Izuna. Madara rushed to his side, and Hashirama took the chance to offer Madara a truce, which the latter refused at his brother's suggestion. They fled and the remaining Uchiha allied with the Senju and rest later turned on Madara. Later, Hashirama and his clan were confronted by an alone Madara, who had attained a new power; the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan. Hearing that Izuna had died, Hashirama asked about the truce offer he sent, and Madara declared that there would never be peace between them. After a long battle that lasted a full day and night, Madara was finally defeated for the first time. Hashirama prevented Tobirama from killing him and asked him how to earn back his trust, which the latter answered that he must either kill his brother or himself. Hashirama resolved to kill himself and ordered his brother not to kill Madara, only for the latter to stop him, noting his courage and resolve, and the truce was accepted. The Senju, the Uchiha, and all the clans they had conquered formed a pact with the Land of Fire, who needed help controlling their territory, leading Hashirama and Madara to found the village they had dreamed of as children. After the construction of the village was done, Hashirama and Madara stood over it, where Hashirama declared that he wanted Madara to be the First Hokage, who was to be the protector and leader of the village. Bringing up the subject of naming the village, Madara named it Konohagakure, to Hashirama's approval. After he left with Tobirama, Hashirama and his brother talked about the village and Madara, who Tobirama discriminated against and stated that the village would never let him be Hokage. Madara had been listening, and Hashirama agreed that the Hokage would be chosen democratically when he found out about this. After he had been elected Hokage, Hashirama tried to tell Madara that he wanted him as a successor, but the latter stated that would probably be Tobirama and that he would now leave the village to search out his real goal, telling Hashirama that it was unattached to Konoha and that he could not take part in it. Afterwards, Madara left after briefly contesting Hashirama, and began to attack the village in revenge. 

After many attacks by Madara, Hashirama tracked him down, looking to end his reign of terror and their final battle began with them stalemating in physical combat, forcing both to switch to ninjutsu. After summoned Kurama, the Nine-Tails, Hashirama used his Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique to bind the beast, and caught its Tailed Beast Ball with his Wood Release: Wood Human Technique. However, the ball exploded, forcing Hashirama to completely shield himself. Madara used this opportunity to clad Kurama with his perfect form of Susanoo as an armor, greatly shocking and impressing Hashirama. Hashirama caught the blade of Madara's Susanoo Sword with a pair of giant wooden hands and created several others to combat Madara, who bisected them all, as well as six mountains with just one swing of his other Susanoo Sword. Realizing that the landscape would soon be devastated, Hashirama tried to lure Madara to the shoreline, but the latter boomaranged a Tailed Beast Ball on a Susanoo Sword at him. Hashirama used his Tripple Rashoman summoning defense, which barely managed to alter its course, instead sending it flying to the opposite shoreline at the beach. Hashirama attempted to reason with Madara, who rebuked him when he said the words "our brothers". Realizing that victory was impossible otherwise and lamenting that it had come to this, Hashirama entered Sage Mode and used his Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands technique to combat Madara, and the two engaged in colossal, devastating combat. Madara managed to counter Hashirama attack with a barrage of Tailed Beast Balls combined with Susanoo Swords, but Hashirama managed to beat off the Susanoo Armor that clad Kurama. Hashirama then used one of the statue forearms and knocked Kurama unconscious, before confronting Madara directly. The two battled in even, fierce combat wells into the night, resulting in both being severely battered and exhausted, with Madara being forced to deactivate his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and Hashirama being forced out of Sage Mode. Hashirama switched with a wood clone, which dashed with Madara and was struck down and, after his pleas fell on deaf ears again, Hashirama stabbed Madara through the chest from behind, saying that he would not hesitate to strike down a threat to his village, no matter who it was. Madara acknowledges Hashirama had changed and declared that Konohagakure would someday be swallowed by darkness as he seemingly fell dead.

After the battle, which had left the landscape extremely scared, with a huge chasm, and immense waterfall and river forming an entire new valley, Hashirama had his wife, Mito Uzumaki, seal Kurama inside herself and believed Madara was dead, having barely survived himself. In fact, Madara survived and acquired some of Hashirama's DNA, before fading into obscurity. The valley created in their final battle became known as the Valley of the End, and two statue of Madara and Hashirama were built, facing one another in battle poses, symbolizing their undying rivalry. In the following years, Hashirama trained a young shinobi named Hiruzen Sarutobi with his brother and taught him the Will of Fire and what it means to be Hokage. He also, at some point, developed a large scroll full of forbidden techniques, which is considered sacred in Konohagakure in present day. He also defeated Kakuzu, an elite shinobi of Takigakure sent to assassinate him. During his reign, Hashirama called the first meeting of the five Kage by offering a full pact between them, the terms of agreement including dividing the tailed beasts he had collected up even amoung them to balance their power. Hashirama, humbled that all of them came, wasn't overall successful with his goal of having all the villages standing as one and other aspects of the meeting didn't go well either, as the First Kazekage had high demands in return for signing the pact, which nearly caused an argument. Overall, however, the petty disputes were put aside after this meeting and the tailed beasts divided evenly in return for in return was a generous payment, which Tobirama demanded. In later years, having already started a family, Hashirama got to meet his granddaughter, Tsunade, who he spoiled and taught how to gamble. Hashirama was killed during one of the wars of the time, but left Tobirama the title of Second Hokage. Tobirama would later die himself, leaving the title of Third Hokage to Hiruzen.

Naruto

Hashirama, and his brother, Tobirama, were revived by Orochimaru, a major antagonist of the series, during his battle with Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, in order to give Hiruzen the feeling of what it was like to face one's former masters. Before being robbed of their free will, Hashirama and his brother briefly conversed with Hiruzen, Hashirama lamenting that no matter when one lived, their was always war. Afterwards, the two were forced to battle Hiruzen by Orochimaru, who was controlling them. Hashirama, using his Wood Release and taijutsu prowess, and Tobirama, using his Water Release mastery, eventually outmatched Hiruzen to the point of summoning his partner summon, Enma for aid. However, the brothers' perfect attack teamwork still proved to much for him, and he summoned the death god with the Dead Demon Consuming Seal technique. Hashirama(though in the anime it was Tobirama) then used his Genjutsu: Bringer-of-Darkness Technique to drown the area in darkness, but Hiruzen still managed to catch him and Tobirama, allowing the death god to reach into them and grab their souls, despelling the darkness and freeing the brothers from Orochimaru's control. Their consciouness restored, Hashirama and Tobirama apologized to Hiruzen for the trouble they had caused him as the latter sealed their souls into the death god's belly, along with his own.

In part 2, after Orochimaru had been revived, led Sasuke Uchiha, Suigetsu Hozuki, and Jugo to the Uzumaki clan's mask temple and got the death god's mask, and travelled to the Uchiha clan's Nakano Shrine, he performed a ritual that freed the souls of Hashirama Senju, his brother, Tobirama Senju, their student, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage. Having regained his arms in doing so, Orochimaru sacrificed four White Zetsu clones(which were composed of Hashirama's cells) and revived Hashirama and the other previous Hokage so that Sasuke could learn from the ones who know everything. Not recognizing Minato, Hashirama asked him who he was and became excited upon hearing he was the Fourth Hokage, believing the village had been stable for a long time, but was then informed that the latter had died before Hiruzen did and he didn't know if the village was stable or not. Asking who the Fifth Hokage was, Hashirama is surprised and shocked when he learns from Orochimaru that his granddaughter, Tsunade, is and wonders if the village was alright because he had spoiled her in the past. After Tobirama and Orochimaru began to converse about the Impure World Reincarnation and how it should never have been made, Hashirama, agreeing with Orochimaru, began to reprimand his brother for doing so, only to be silenced by Tobirama. After Tobirama began to talk negatively about the Uchiha clan, Hashirama angrily reprimanded him. After hearing that his brother had been responsible for the Uchiha being cornered by giving them the established Konoha Military Police Force position, which made them disliked, Hashirama again reprimanded his brother, saying he had told him many times not to persecute the Uchiha.

After Tobirama begins to speak positively about the Uchiha and how they valued love more than any other clan, as well as in how if they lost a loved one, they gained a hatred even stronger, Hashirama adds in that Madara loved his little brother, Izuna, very much, probably more than Sasuke did his brother, Itachi, when Tobirama cites his case as an example. After he begins speaking insensitively about the Uchiha, Hashirama again reprimands him, saying not to talk that way in front of Sasuke as he was a pure Uchiha child, only to be silenced with his brother by Sasuke, who asks him what the village was and what a shinobi was in the first place. Contemplating Sasuke's question, Hashirama listens as Sasuke says he will make his decision on whether or not to destroy the village after hearing his answer. As Tobirama prepares to attack, Hashirama releases a burst of his chakra, which causes the room to begin to crumble, and orders his brother to back down, which the latter unhesitantly does. He then laughs in apology to Sasuke and says that he had a wonderful big brother who was a better one than himself. Announcing that it would take a while to answer Sasuke's questions in an explanation, Orochimaru told Hashirama that if he could answer them as quickly as possible that would be great, as they don't have much time, informing Hashrama and the other Hokage that Madara Uchiha had been revived and was trying to erase the shinobi of the world.

Lamenting that the world was always at war, Hashirama lamented that Tobirama had gotten dull when the latter tried and failed to resist Orochimaru's control of him, announcing that the latter had used his cells to bind them. Hashirama managed to break free from Orochimaru's control, however, but assured the alarmed Orochimaru that he would first answer Sasuke's questions and relieve him of his confusion, before leaving for the batttlefield. Taking a seat, Hashirama pondered where to start and said that to answer Sasuke's questions, he would have to go back to the beginning of the Uchiha and the Senju, as he flashes back on his memory of his last battle with Madara Uchiha. After concluding his story, Hashirama stated that it was him who had caused Sasuke's brother, Itachi, to do what he did with his own idealogy about the village being above all else in consideration and that Madara could have been a prophet who saw that outcome coming, even though Konohagakure had been everything they had dreamed it would. Hashirama then stated that his choice was made because of his knowledge that to be able to make one's dream come true as a shinobi, they must adapt to the conditions that come with it. After Sasuke reflects on this, Hashirama states that building the village was his dream, but that Madara had found another dream and chose to purdue that. He then asks if anyone can elaborate on Orochimaru's earlier statement about Madara, which Sasuke responds that the Infinite Tsukuyomi was a genjutsu that would allow him to control everthing caught in it, being continents, shinobi, or villages, before telling Hashirama that Itachi had inherited his will and that he would never be able to fully understand what Itachi went through, before stating that he proudly died for Konohagakure, stating that it was kind of ironic that an Uchiha came to share Hashirama's point of view better than anyone.

After sulking when Tobirama stated that he was too naive in his idea of building Konohagakure and that Madara was too skeptical, Hashirama is pleased when Sasuke decides to try and save the village rather than destroy it. Hashirama the orders Tobirama to prepare to teleport them, but the latter is still bound by Orochimaru. Questioning him, Orochimaru tells Hashirama he will join them. Heading outside, Hashirama laments that the village was a sight for sore eyes, before questioning who Karin, the last member of Sasuke's team is when she arrives, to which Tobirama states that she is from the Uzumaki clan. Hashirama then states to the other Kage that they have kept a close watch on the village all this time and implores them to continue their vigilance over their beloved village, to which his brother pats him on the shoulder while lamenting on the sight of his work up state. Hashirama and the other Kage then jump down onto their head carvings in the cliff, Hashirama stating that he couldn't wait to see Madara again and find out what his old friend had been up to since they last met. Hashirama then states that every era has its memorable battles, but that this one would etched into history. After Tobirama had finished warping him and Hiruzen to the battlefield, Hashirama declares that he always loved to crash parties. As Madara Uchiha calls out to him, declaring that he had long awaited this day, Hashirama replies that he would settle their unfinished bussiness later, as the Ten-Tails took first priority. Calling the other Hokage into action, Hashirama and the others utilize the Four Red Suns Battle Encampment technique to trap the Ten-Tails in a giant barrier, Hashirama activating Sage Mode and using his Sage Art: Gate of the Great God technique to bind the beast even more. After Sasuke Uchiha arrives and causes an argument about becoming Hokage, with Naruto declaring he would become Hokage, Hashirama states that while he is glad their were so many candidates for Hokage, now is not the time for this discussion and tells them to mold their chakra for a concentrated attack on the Ten-Tails. 

After Team Seven and the alliance prepare to move on the offensive, Hashirama orders them to halt, as the Ten-Tails had prepared another one of its gargantuan Tailed Beast Balls to try and break out, which Hashirama and the other Hokage managed to hold in mostly, with it only blowing out the top, Hashirama declaring that their barrier was no ordinary one. Hashirama then uses his Multiple Wood Release Clone Technique to create several wood clones, which he send to four different points to make entrances for the alliance to pass through the barrier, and sends one to face Madara, who refuses to fight anyone besides Hashirama himself. Telling everyone to act, Hashirama binds the Ten-Tails' head to the ground, Hashirama opens the barrier at different points and allows the alliance to enter to attack the beast, but it splits of small clones to combat them. Upon seeing Sakura's incredible mastery of his granddaughter's technique, Hashirama becomes impressed, proclaiming that she may have surpassed Tsunade. After the Ten-Tails clones start to become larger, Hashirama comments that they were more troublesome to deal with at their current size. Later, the clone he sent to Madara was dispatched after the latter's hand was forced. After Obito Uchiha arrives back on the battlefield and Madara begins to force him to use the Samsara of Heveanly Life Technique to revive him, Hashirama, realizing whats happening, creates six wood clones and sends them to Madara, ordering Sasuke and Naruto to attack Obito. The clones reach him after Minato thwarts Madara. After Onito uses the opportunity to become the Ten-Tails jinchuriki himself, Hashirama attempts to restrain him with the barrier, which he effortlessly decimates, afterwards destroying Four Red Suns Battle Encampment technique with the same ease. Collectively shocked along with the other Hokage, Hashirama dispels his clones and confronts Obito along with Tobirama and Hiruzen, stating that Obito was even stronger than he was. Before they can react, both Hashirama and Tobirama are ripped through like paper by Obito.

However, it is revealed that Hashirama had sent a wood clone then, which restrains Obito with Wood Release and allows Tobirama to use his Intersecting Explosive Tags technique against Obito, which causes a massive explosion, but does Obito no harm. After ordering some of the alliance not to attack recklessly, Hashirama attempts to enter the fray himself, but is cut off by Madara, who informs him that his time is up, and two give each other a death stare. As their rematch begins, Hashirama tells Madara, as the two activate their respective perfect form of Susanoo and Wood Release: Wood Human technique, to get out of his way, but the latter says that he has no time for this either, but has no choice with things unfolding as they had and that they should entertain each other for a bit longer. As they continue to fight, Hashirama tells Madara they should put their battle on hold for a while, as Obito was about to launch an enormous attack, but the latter says that since they were both under the Impure World Reincarnation, it would not matter if they got hit. Attempting to get through, Hashirama is blocked by Madara, who says he must go through him first. They were both later destroyed by Obito's attack. After reforming, Hashirama, after Obito releases the Ten-Tails in its final form, the Shinju, and it begins to attack everyone and steal their chakra, Hashirama questions what it was, to which Madara answers that it was simply taking back what belonged to, as man first stole chakra from the Shinju, going on to explain that man had always waged war, even before they had chakra. Knowing nothing of what Madara was saying, Hashirama asks him what he was talking about, and listens to him explain the history of the Shinju, and of Kaguya Otsutsuki, the princess who first stole chakra from the Shinju by eating its forbidden fruit, which sprouted only once every thousand years, and who bore a son named Bagoromo, who inherrited chakra from his mother. Hearing Madara explain that the Shinju became the Ten-Tails out of desire to get back the power Kaguya stole, and that Bagoromo defeated and sealed it within himself to tame it, Hashirama asks him how he came to know all this, to which Madara answers that it was written down on the Uchiha's stone tablet(which was passed down by Bagoromo himself). 

After Madara confesses that he fell into utter despair after learning this truth and that Kaguya's decision to end war by taking power from the fruit only made it worse, putting a curse on man, Hashirama, remembering Madara's past statement about the "dreams of the future", asks him if the Infinite Tsukuyomi that he would do through the Shinju was what he mean't back them, to which Madara answers yes. As they continue to clash, Hashirama asks Madara how long until the Shinju would blossom, and, after hearing that it would be able to as long as even trace amounts of Kurama and Gyuki's chakra were inside, is answered that it would take roughly fifteen minutes to blossom, before Hashirama dodges a strike from Madara. Through his wood clone, Hashirama relays this information to the rest of the alliance through Ino Yamanaka, nearly being distracted when Tsunade, his granddaughter, answers him, ordering all the alliance not to give up, as that would bring the same result as them trying and failing to stop Obito and the Shinju. Recollecting the time when he called the first meeting of the five Kage, Hashirama, just like then, pleads with the alliance to help make his dream of the past(that all the shinobi of the world stand as one, regardless of their respective village) come true, just as the five Kage arrive on the battlefield. Hashirama's clone then converses with Tsunade, telling her not to apologize for nothing, before claiming openly that he was responsible for letting the problems of his generation continue into his grandchildren's. After Tsunade tells him that his dream had also continued into their generation and would continue into the future, Hashirama's clone, observing Naruto in battle, says that they would do their best to cut down the Shinju in the meantime, exerting that it what time to chase their hopes and dreams. The clone then leads the Konohagakure shinobi with Tsunade, asserting that they would chop down the Shinju, later being shocked when its sees Sasuke form his Susanoo over Naruto's Kurama form in a similar fashion to how Madara had done so in the past.

Meanwhile, for some period of time, Hashirama continued to battle Madara, with Naruto arriving and preparing a giant Rasenshuriken to attack him with, at which point Hashirama bound Madara with his Wood Dragon to prevent him from countering the attack, also believing this rendered Madara's trump card useless. He isn't, however, defeated by Naruto attack, and Hashirama pins him down with a Sage technique to await someone able to seal him, with Madara having drove several chakra receiver rods into his back. Though Naruto arrives with Sai to do so, Madara manages to fully resurrect himself before he can by having Black Zetsu take control of the now defeated Obito and force him to use the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique on him, allowing him to break free, with Hashirama beforehand believing Madara was bluffing about a counterattack. After this, he and his rival talked some, Hashirama asserting Madara seemed to have studied some nefarious things after leaving the village. Madara then quickly overpowered Naruto and Sai and grabbed him by the throat, absorbing his Sage power, with Hashirama later commenting that Madara had regained his full power as he headed for the tailed beasts. After Sasuke summoned his giant hawk, Hashirama, deprived of his immense powers, calls to him and offers to give him a technique to bind Madara in response the senjutsu chakra the latter had stolen from him. Though Sasuke replies he should use it and that he would only pull out the rods in his back, Hashirama tells him that hes no longer able to mold chakra and that Sasuke reminds him of Madara's brother, stating he may be the only one able to stop his ancestor without using force. Whether Sasuke came up to him and got the technique is unknown.

When Madara later activates his Infinite Tsukuyomi, the powerfuless Hashirama, stunned by this and immune to the effects of the genjutsu himself as a non-living entity, recognizes Madara's God: Nativity of a World of Trees technique he must have learned about earlier when he sees it bind the subdued Sai nearby. When Madara's rods later wither away, Hashirama begins moving to another location. Gathering with the other undead Hokage, Hashirama objects to his brother's idea to use the Impure World Reincarnation on the lower half of Madara's body that had been discarded earlier to see if hes dead, and tries to use his medical ninjutsu on it, only for a chakra incarnation of the Sage of Six Paths, Hagoromo Otsutsuki, to emerge from it instead. After the Sage tells them his plan and summons the souls of many of the previous Kage to help, Hashirama and the others work together with them under Hagoromo's command to teleport into Kaguya Otsutsuki's dimension and retrieve Team Seven, along with the now dying Madara Uchiha. Approaching his old friend and rival, Hashirama and Madara discuss their respective dreams and how the former's was still existing and the latter's wasn't. Assuring Madara as he dies that he still considers them comrades unto the end, Hashirama and the other past Kage are returned to the afterlife by Hagoromo.

Personality

Hashirama is the overall complete opposite of his rival, Madara Uchiha, in personality. He believes that love is crucial to peace, and that war only begats war. Along with this, as Hokage, Hashirama believes that his people are as much a part of him as he is a part of them, and that being Hokage means believing in one's people just as much as they believe in him. These beliefs, known as the Will of Fire, are shared by Hashirama's brother, Tobirama, who with him taught these beliefs to Hiruzen Sarutobi, who would become the Third Hokage. Hashirama possesses great love for everyone in the village, even the Uchiha clan. Despite their rivalry, he possesses a mutual great respect for Madara Uchiha, going so far as to consider him a brother and friend, showing that Hashirama has a sense of honor regarding his opponents. When they were kids, he and Madara shared many of the same hopes and goals and they cared about each other over their own clans, going as far as to warn each other when their fathers attempted to set traps for each. For a brief period as adults, Hashirama and Madara rekindled their friendship, until Madara fell victim to the Curse of Hatred of the Uchiha following Tobirama's negativity towards the Uchiha and lack of trust in Madara for no reason, at which point Hashirama was ultimately forced to battle Madara.

Powers and Abilities

Hashirama is an extraordinarily powerful shinobi, the strongest of his time by far, whose might is considered to be a fairytale, similar to that of the Sage of the Six Paths. His might and prowess is so great, that Kabuto Yakushi once stated that their were no shinobi currently alive that could fight equal to Hashirama. He is the only one powerful enough to defeat Madara Uchiha at the latter's full strength. Despite his pride and confidence in his own immense power, Madara himself has openly admitted that even now, after his revival and with all the greater power he has amassed since their last battle, Hashirama would still be able to stop him during his battle with the five current Kage in unison, all of whom fell to his feet in defeat. Madara also stated that battling the five current Kage in unison was a trivial game compared to battling Hashirama. The most commonly known example of Hashirama's might was his ability to fight equally against and defeat both Madara Uchiha and Kurama, the strongest tailed beast, at once, though it should be noted that Madara and Hashirama were evenly matched after Kurama was removed from the battle and that in the end, Hashirama resorted to using a sneak attack from behind to defeat him after switching with a wood clone to distract Madara, knowing that he couldn't see through it without his dojutsu and that the fight would probably stalemate if he didn't. At the same time, however, it should be noted that Hashirama might have been holding back some to keep from killing Madara so that he could attempt to reason with him some more, as shown before he impaled Madara. Both of their overall combat prowesses together in their final battle created an entire valley. Hashirama is also the most powerful shinobi in the history of Konohagakure.

Hashirama's most famous and distinctive ability is his Wood Release kekkei genkai, which only he possessed out of the Senju. He utilizes it by properly mixing Earth and Water Release chakra natures in his hands, allowing him to grow trees, forests, and other plant life components at will. His skill with Wood Release is said to be equal to, if not greater than that of his rival, Madara, who has shown immense skill with the element since his revival. He was able to construct the buildings of Konohagakure using Wood Release. Part of his ability with Wood Release, and the one that made him partly qualify to become the First Hokage, is his ability to subdue and control tailed beasts, though his ability in this area is less in magnificence if compared to that of the less powerful Madara, who can subdue and control tailed beasts just as easily using just his standard Sharingan, as well as summon them, a feat which Hashirama isn't capable of. Even when using just initial techniques, Hashirama was able to stand against both Madara and Kurama at the same time using Wood Release only, though in the end they were easily overwhelmed. Hashirama's strongest technique is his Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands technique, which he utilizes by activating his Sage Mode(the only one in the series that doesn't have an animal trait develope on the user's appearance, and instead colors Hashirama's face white with red markings), and summoning a gigantic statue with thousands of arms that easily towered over mountains and that was more than twice the size of a full-sized Kurama. This technique's attack was powerful enough to smash through Madara's perfect form of Susanoo that clad Kurama as armor and remove it from play, as well as knock Kurama unconscious with a single attack immediately thereafter. His Wood Release mastery shows Hashirama is very skilled in Water and Earth Release. Hashirama is also the most skilled medical ninja in the series, able to heal his wounds without forming hand seals, which even Madara praised him for, also proving he had great chakra control.

Hashirama possesses great taijutsu prowess, with prodigious speed and strength, able to easily overwhelm Hiruzen, his former student, in physical combat after his first revival. His overall physical combat capabilities equaled those of his rival, Madara Uchiha. In the anime, his physical strength was shown to be so great that he once even disarmed Madara Uchiha of his gunbai in a single move, though it took everything he had. During his lifetime, Hashirama was able to clash with Madara Uchiha in close physical combat equally every time they fought. After his first revival, he showed great teamwork ability in combat with his brother, Tobirama. Hashirama showed great skill in kenjutsu, easily great enough to equal Madara Uchiha's, who himself is extremely skilled in that area. In the manga, He showed tremendous genjutsu prowess after his first revival, able to create darkness that even Hiruzen couldn't dispel. Along with the great skill he possessed in the areas that he was familiar with, Hashirama possessed considerable understanding of techniques and areas that he was otherwise not skilled in, creating a large scroll that is filled with forbidden techniques and considered sacred in the village of Konohagakure.