<p>There are a couple of possible reasons for this, though as far as I know, it hasn't been explained in the manga.</p>

<p>The first possible reason is that Sasuke hadn't mastered it well enough to bring him back at his full power. As is stated on page 10 of chapter 620, if the summoner doesn't have full mastery of the summoning, the reincarnated individual might not be brought back with the full power they had in life.</p>

<p>Also, according to <a href="http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Summoning%3a_Impure_World_Reincarnation" rel="nofollow">here</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>As a downside, the reincarnated seem to retain any permanent body damage and physical limitations they received during their lifetime. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>This could include aging. The First and Second Hokage also seem to appear the same way as they did whenever they were shown in flashbacks.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-10T07:16:48.427Z
Sasuke? I think it was Orochimaru who performed the jutsu, since later he mentioned that unlike the Second Hokage, the First Hokage has enough strength to free himself from Orochimaru's control.
絢瀬絵里
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-06T15:35:33.320Z
@絢瀬絵里 The first hokage even complimented Orochimaru because he was able to stop the second from moving/escaping by just focusing his chakra on the jutsu.
Gravinco
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-08T20:58:20.137Z
2013-04-08T20:58:20.137Z
kuwaly
<p>All of the characters have been reanimated in their most iconic form, we've always known Third Hokage as an old man.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-04T16:28:19.673Z
2018-08-04T16:28:19.673Z
Jamie S Lall
<p>Madara is a weird case though. He hadn’t awakened his rinnegan until he was very old, yet when he was resurrected he was young again with his new eyes in tact. His most iconic form is him young with eternal MS not old with rinnegan. Maybe how a person is resurrected is purely based on their summoner’s skill, the more skilled the more powerful the resurrected person is. Lol that makes me think of what would happen if Donzo was brought back by Kabuto, would Donzo have his arm full of eyes back working at full capacity?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-11T06:39:11.333Z
Please include relevant sources/references.
W. Are
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-10T19:30:37.427Z
2019-10-10T19:30:37.427Z
Jesse Contreras
<p>As you can see, all the revived character in naruto was revived in the form before they died. The third hokage died at an old age that's why he was not revived at his prime. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-28T03:26:40.777Z
so you mean that the first hokage didn't die at old age because he was also revived at his prime age. So what's the possible reason of the death of the first hokage?
janbert
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-28T10:12:12.137Z
Not every revived character was revived in the form before they died... Look at Madara, revived at a much earlier age, plus with abilities he only acquired at a later age. Or Itachi, who was revived without his disease.
JNat
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-28T10:32:20.407Z
@JNat - maybe it depends on the who summoned them back. Whether it's Orochimaru or Kabuto.
janbert
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-28T11:31:31.127Z
@JNat Kabuto has the advanced control over his summons that's why he was able to revived the character at his full power.
janbert
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-28T03:25:13.227Z
2013-02-28T03:25:13.227Z
janbert
<p>Why was the Third Hokage not revived at his prime? He could be much stronger because it was believed that he already surpassed the previous Kage of Konoha. At that point, he knew all the techniques in Konoha.</p>

<naruto>
Why was the Third Hokage not revived at his prime?
# Why was the Third Hokage not revived at his prime?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-02-28
Why was the Third Hokage not revived at his prime? He could be much stronger because it was believed that he already surpassed the previous Kage of Konoha. At that point, he knew all the techniques in Konoha.
**Tags:** naruto
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## 4 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2013-04-08. Score: 3
There are a couple of possible reasons for this, though as far as I know, it hasn't been explained in the manga.

The first possible reason is that Sasuke hadn't mastered it well enough to bring him back at his full power. As is stated on page 10 of chapter 620, if the summoner doesn't have full mastery of the summoning, the reincarnated individual might not be brought back with the full power they had in life.

Also, according to [here](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Summoning%3a_Impure_World_Reincarnation):

> As a downside, the reincarnated seem to retain any permanent body damage and physical limitations they received during their lifetime.

This could include aging. The First and Second Hokage also seem to appear the same way as they did whenever they were shown in flashbacks.
> **Comments:**
> **username_2** (2015-12-10): Sasuke? I think it was Orochimaru who performed the jutsu, since later he mentioned that unlike the Second Hokage, the First Hokage has enough strength to free himself from Orochimaru's control.  
> **username_3** (2018-08-06): @絢瀬絵里 The first hokage even complimented Orochimaru because he was able to stop the second from moving/escaping by just focusing his chakra on the jutsu.  
---
### Answer by username_4 on 2018-08-04. Score: 0
All of the characters have been reanimated in their most iconic form, we've always known Third Hokage as an old man.
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### Answer by username_5 on 2019-10-10. Score: 0
Madara is a weird case though. He hadn’t awakened his rinnegan until he was very old, yet when he was resurrected he was young again with his new eyes in tact. His most iconic form is him young with eternal MS not old with rinnegan. Maybe how a person is resurrected is purely based on their summoner’s skill, the more skilled the more powerful the resurrected person is. Lol that makes me think of what would happen if Donzo was brought back by Kabuto, would Donzo have his arm full of eyes back working at full capacity?
> **Comments:**
> **username_6** (2019-10-11): Please include relevant sources/references.  
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### Answer by username_0 on 2013-02-28. Score: -1
As you can see, all the revived character in naruto was revived in the form before they died. The third hokage died at an old age that's why he was not revived at his prime.
> **Comments:**
> **username_0** (2013-02-28): so you mean that the first hokage didn't die at old age because he was also revived at his prime age. So what's the possible reason of the death of the first hokage?  
> **username_7** (2013-02-28): Not every revived character was revived in the form before they died... Look at Madara, revived at a much earlier age, plus with abilities he only acquired at a later age. Or Itachi, who was revived without his disease.  
> **username_0** (2013-02-28): @JNat - maybe it depends on the who summoned them back. Whether it's Orochimaru or Kabuto.  
> **username_0** (2013-02-28): @JNat Kabuto has the advanced control over his summons that's why he was able to revived the character at his full power.  
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