Posthumously

I dislike this misrepresentation of Hiruzen and Danzos characters a lot. Hiruzen has basically boiled down to "Manipulative evil mastermind" or "Super soft guy who can't stomach doing anything bad" and Danzo has boiled down to "Super evil guy who is a power-hungry coward and does everything for his own benefit" or "someone Kishimoto created to make Konoha look like a really good place, with one black spot" Half of the stuff people contribute to these characters just NEVER happened, or are half-baked theories which make no sense if you just think for a few seconds. I don't believe that Danzo was selfish or power hungry at all. He stayed underground, only really known as "The Shinobi of Darkness" doing everything to support the village, not seeking recognition for 40 - 50 years of his life. Pretty sure the first time Danzo actively attempts to become Hokage is around the Pein Arc. (The attempted assassination on Hiruzen is filler) Some common reasons people hate Danzo are: Killing the Frog. The reason he did this was because he didn't want to risk The Kyuubi which Minato sacrificed himself to seal into Naruto. Taking Shisuis Sharingan: Danzo did this because he believed the plan just wouldn't work, and that Shisui would eventually side with his clan over the village. Itachi himself agreed with this. Shisui also says that Danzo doesn't trust him, and that he intended to protect the village in his own way, not because he want's Shisuis power. (in the Novels) Killing the Uchiha: Pretty obvious, they were planning a Coup, Danzo did NOT spread information about the Kyuubi attacking the village, that was pretty obvious from the gigantic Fox attacking the Village having a Sharingan in its eye, Danzo didn't allow them to fight the Kyuubi because of the suspicious nature of that. Danzo DID offer to sacrifice himself even if hesitated allowing for Hiruzen to offer first, he believed that the Hokage sacrificing their life for the village was illogical, he was offering himself up so that Tobirama would live, seeing Tobirama as the most crucial point for Konohas success, using Asuma/Shikamarus "King" idea, he believed Tobirama/The Hokage to be the King. There is a reason the Elders and Hiruzen believed that Danzo would do ANYTHING for the Village, and that was him volunteering and protesting Tobirama sacrificing himself so they could live. Danzo was the ONLY one still regretting that decision 50 years later. The Elders were fine letting the others do it, he also put less worth in his own life than Hiruzens (as he believed himself to be inferior as a Shinobi) Even when Danzo was dying for the village, attempting to seal Sasuke and Tobi (finally accepting that Hiruzen and Tobirama were right, and that the Hokage should be willing to sacrifice themselves for the village) he believed his actions to be for the village, and that they were needed. still seeing himself as the Yin/Darkness needed for Hiruzens Yang/Light to be worth anything. He believed that Tobirama was the best Hokage for that reason. He could fill both positions by himself, when Hiruzen needed Danzo, and Danzo couldn't have been Hokage without Hiruzen. Danzo is an amazing character. (Massive Wall of Text)