Hyūga Elder

Age shows in his long grey hair, which falls to his back, while the featureless white eyes shared by everyone of his line mark his heritage. He favors traditional dress: a loosely worn kimono closed with a plain sash, topped by a brown haori that stops at the waist. Short in stature, he still moves with surprising spring for his years.

Loyalty to the clan governs everything he does, to the point that shielding the Byakugan outweighs even the life of his own son. That single-minded devotion can read as cold, as though preserving the bloodline's kekkei genkai at any cost is his only concern. The anime softens him somewhat, showing a man willing to admit when he is wrong and to applaud Hinata openly once she exceeded what he had expected of her.

As a former head of the Hyūga, the elder shaped a defining decision for the clan: after the Hyūga Affair involving Kumogakure's head ninja, it was reportedly his idea that Hizashi serve as Hiashi's body double. When his elder son wrestled with the choice, he framed it as the burden each clan head eventually shoulders, and the very reason the branch family exists. His command of the house's secret arts is presumed deep given his rank, and he carries the Byakugan with its near all-around vision; anime scenes show him holding a Hyūga taijutsu stance against invaders.

In the anime he watched Hinata and Neji train, stepping in when Neji turned on Hinata, which prompted Hiashi to discipline the boy with the cursed seal. He later spoke with young Hanabi, explaining the branch house's duty to guard the Byakugan, and after seeing Hinata progress he urged Hiashi to groom Hanabi as heiress, then attended the sisters' decisive duel. During the Chūnin Exams he came to the hospital after Neji badly hurt Hinata and watched his grandson face Naruto Uzumaki in the finals.

When Suna and Oto forces struck during the Konoha Crush, he joined the defense and rushed to stop two Kumo ninja from seizing Hinata, only to be blindsided by an Oto attacker; Neji found him, and on waking he begged the young man to bring Hinata home. He later mourned at the Third Hokage's funeral. In the arcs that followed he observed Hanabi struggle with the Revolving Heaven, saw Hinata stand against Pain, and remained in the village with Hanabi as most of the clan marched off to the Fourth Shinobi World War.