Board Thread:Versus Debates/@comment-26005711-20150717132317/@comment-26005711-20150718140738

Madez wrote: Hiruzen didn't do jack in the 4th war. He was struggling to fight spiral zetsu, which Karin was able to own. Suigetsu even got behind him and blew his brains out. There's a reason Hiruzen was barely involved, and why he didn't get to face Madara. Because he was the weakest of the bunch.

Minato on the other hand faced both Obito and Madara and was still standing long after Hashirama and Tobirama had been dealt with. Kishi had to keep Hiruzen away from these fights to stop him from being helpless. I don't think he is the weakest of first four Hokages, in his prime he can defeat Tobirama for sure. Hiruzen is really strong, he was able to seal Oro's hands in his old age, in his prime, he has much chakra, he is prodigy in Nature Transformations, he can summons Monkey King (Enma) and he was really good in Taijutsu in his old age. Yet he is a Third Hokage, and he leaded Konoha in First, Second and Third Shinobi World War. Hiruzen is known as "God of Shinobi" (he is the second person with that nickname; first is Hashirama). You underestimating Third's power. Hiruzen is really powerful because he has the same nickname as First Hokage, and I doubt that he got that nickname for nothing. But has he chances against Fourth? Pardon, Hiruzen is the third shinobi with this nickname.