Hanzo

Hanzo
"With every death comes honor. With honor, redemption."
Real Name	Hanzo Shimada (島田半蔵)
Age	38
Nationality	Japanese
Occupation	Mercenary, Assassin
Base	Hanamura, Japan (formerly)
Affiliation	Shimada Clan (formerly)
Relations	Sojiro Shimada (father) Genji Shimada (younger brother)
Voice	Paul Nakauchi (English) Lionel Tua (French) Bernd Vollbrecht (German) Lorenzo Scattorin (Italian) Shūhei Sakaguchi (Japanese) Han Shin (Korean) Liu Beichen (Mandarin(China)) Kang Dian-Hong (Mandarin(Taiwan)) Reginaldo Primo (Brazilian Portuguese) Dan Osorio (American Spanish) Miguel Ángel Montero (European Spanish)
Cosmetics	Cosmetic page
Quotes	Quotation page
Role	Damage
Health	200
Character Video

Hanzo is a Damage hero in Overwatch.

Overview

Hanzo’s versatile arrows can reveal his enemies or rapid fire to strike multiple targets. He can scale walls to fire his bow from on high, or summon a titanic spirit dragon.

Abilities

Wall Climb

Type

Passive Ability

Jump at walls to climb up them.

Max. range:

Up to 4 meter vertical climb

Move. speed:

7.15 meters per second (vertical)

Storm Bow

Type

Weapon

Effect Type

Arcing projectile

Hanzo nocks and fires an arrow at his target.

Damage:

27.2 - 125 (depending on charge)

Headshot:

✓

Rate of fire:

Up to 0.75 seconds to charge
0.5 second recovery

Ammo:

∞

Spread angle:

Pinpoint

Move. speed:

-30% penalty

Projectile speed:

25 - 110 m/s

• Details

Ability details:

• Hanzo can undraw by pressing the reload key.

Example Video

Sonic Arrow

12 seconds

Type

Ability

Effect Type

Arcing projectile

Hanzo launches an arrow that contains a sonar tracking device. Any enemy within its detection radius is visibly marked, making them easier for Hanzo and his allies to hunt down.

Duration:

6 seconds

Area of effect:

9 meter radius

• Details

Ability details:

• Pressing the ability key turns the next arrow from Storm Bow or Storm Arrows into a Sonic Arrow. (This does not change the speed or damage.) Pressing the key again before firing changes it back.
• If the arrow becomes stuck on a moving target (e.g. an enemy hero), the effect follows.

Example Video

Storm Arrows

10 seconds

Type

Ability

Effect Type

Arcing projectile

Hanzo’s next several arrows fire instantly, but at reduced damage.

Damage:

70 per shot

Headshot:

✓

Rate of fire:

1 shot per 0.3 seconds (3.33 shots per second)

Ammo:

5

Duration:

Up to 5 seconds

Spread angle:

Pinpoint

Projectile speed:

110 meters per second

• Details

Ability details:

• Storm Arrows travel at the same speed as fully charged Storm Bow arrows.

Lunge

5 seconds

Type

Ability

Hanzo can double jump, allowing him to change direction mid-jump.

Max. range:

7.85 meters

Move. speed:

15 meters per second (horizontal)

Dragonstrike

Q

1680 points

Type

Ultimate Ability

Effect Type

Projectile (initial shot)
Area of effect (dragons)

Hanzo summons a Spirit Dragon which travels through the air in a line. It passes through walls in its way, devouring any enemies it encounters.

Damage:

Arrow: 125
Dragons: 150 damage per second, per dragon
Up to 993.6 damage against a stationary target

Headshot:

Arrow: ✓
Dragons: ✕

Rate of fire:

1.5 seconds charging

Cast time:

0.9 seconds (charging)
0.6 seconds (arrow before becoming dragons)

Max. range:

Infinite travel distance

Area of effect:

4 meter radius

Projectile speed:

20 meters per second

• Details

Ability details:

• Hanzo passively generates 1% Ult Charge every 3.36 seconds.
• Does not damage deployed objects such as turrets.
• If shot directly and the target is still, the damage will last for 3.33 seconds.
• The hitbox is actually both dragons, meaning the ultimate deals less damage at the edges, and combined at the center.[1]
• Does not drain nor interrupt Storm Arrows.

Example Video

Strategy

Hanzo is a medium-range sniper with strong team utility and area denial abilities. The relatively silent and hard-to-see nature of his arrows makes him a stealthier sniper than Widowmaker, able to get kills and then retreat before his enemies see him. His downsides include the poor aim of Storm Bow at long range, often requiring him to get dangerously close to his opponents to accurately hit them.

Weapons & Abilities

• Wall Climb (Passive): Hanzo can climb up any flat, vertical surface by pressing and holding the jump button while next to that surface. Hanzo can release the jump button and press it again to leap off the wall at any point during the climb.
  • Hanzo's main method of moving around the map. Use side routes to appear in the areas your enemies least expect, as it will make it easier for you to get kills.

• Storm Bow: Hanzo's main weapon. Pressing and holding the primary fire button will cause Hanzo to draw the bow back. Releasing the primary fire button will fire a projectile arrow from the bow. The damage and range of the arrow depends on how long the primary fire button was held down, up to a maximum amount. You can press the secondary fire button at any time to drop the shot without firing an arrow.
  • The arrows from Storm Bow can headshot, greatly increasing the damage they deal. You should try to aim for headshots if your enemy is either stationary or moving in a predictable way. Otherwise, aim for bodyshots.
  • The arrows travel in a slight arc. Be sure to compensate for this at longer distances by aiming slightly above your target.
  • Try to always charge your shots fully before firing. You should only quick nock (press and immediately release the primary fire button) if it will guarantee you a kill. This is typically only done at close range when combined with a quick melee attack.

• Sonic Arrow: When activated, Hanzo prepares a special Sonic Arrow, which is fired the next time he uses his Storm Bow. After the Sonic Arrow impacts a solid surface, it sends out a series of sonic pulses for a brief period of time, revealing all nearby enemies by silhouetting them in red (akin to Widowmaker's Infra-Sight). Hanzo can cancel Sonic Arrow's deployment by activating the ability again.
  • Sonic Arrow allows Hanzo (and other teammates) to see enemies as they round corners, making it easier for him to prepare shots with his Storm Bow.
  • Sonic Arrow is relatively silent and has a greater arc in comparison to Hanzo's other arrows.

• Storm Arrows: Upon activation, the Storm Bow will be pulled to the maximum, and will be engulfed in wind. For a few seconds, Hanzo will be able to fire multiple arrows instantly, at full projectile speed, but reduced damage.
  • This greatly, but briefly improves his fire rate and damage per second, making it a great tool for attacking enemies or barriers.
  • The reduced damage means Hanzo can no longer kill certain enemies in one hit with headshots.

• Lunge: When Hanzo jumps in midair, he will jump horizontally in the direction currently held, much like Tracer's Blink.
  • Useful for either engaging or disengaging from enemies, reach locations that are farther away, and get back to the fight faster.

• Dragonstrike (Ultimate): Hanzo's Ultimate ability. When activated, Hanzo will, after a short cast time, fire a special arrow that creates a pair of spiraling twin dragons that will fly straight forwards in the direction of his crosshairs. These dragons will pass through all solid surfaces or barriers, dealing damage over time to any enemies that come in contact with them. The closer an enemy is to the center of the twin dragons, the more damage they will take.
  • Dragonstrike is mostly used as an area denial tool, like a more powerful Storm Arrow attack. Use it when your enemies are occupied fighting in a tight space that they have few ways of escaping from.
  • Dragonstrike can be combined with abilities that prevent movement like Reinhardt's Earthshatter or Zarya's Graviton Surge to deal extremely high damage. When used in this way, Dragonstrike can be just as powerful as Ultimates like Pharah's Barrage.
  • An enemy Genji can deflect Dragonstrike if he is close and clever enough. Shooting it against walls will prevent this.

General Strategies

• While Widowmaker can usually be played from long range, Hanzo often has trouble accurately hitting shots at this distance, unless his enemies are moving through a narrow space. Use Hanzo's mobility to move to the side or behind your opponents to get into a position that you can both stealthily fire on them and can easily escape from if they choose to go after you. Keep in mind that Hanzo is somewhat deadlier than Widowmaker at close range if he is able to land headshots well, so don't be afraid of standing your ground if only a single person comes after you.

• Hanzo can have a high level of burst damage at close range. A single well-placed arrow from the Storm Bow, combined with a quick melee attack, can instantly kill Tracer.

• Storm Arrows' rather high damage per second is useful for taking down high health targets quickly.

• Lunge can be used in a variety of ways, like in chases, disengaging, and general mobility. For example, it can be used to alternate between the three high platforms in the initial stage of Rialto.

• Dragonstrike, much like McCree's Deadeye, can be used either to score kills or to force enemies away from a certain position. If using it to clear a position, try to fire it in such a way that your enemies will have little choice but to either retreat or move to the side and into the line of fire of your own team. Alternatively, if you have an ally like Reinhardt or Zarya on your team, coordinate your Ultimate with theirs in order to deal devastating damage.

Match-Ups and Team Synergy

Tank

Hero	Match-Up	Team Synergy
D.Va	D.Va can cause a lot of problems at close range, and is more than capable of getting there. She is, however, easy to hit while she's firing, as her movement speed slows to a crawl in the process. Try not to activate Storm Arrows if she has Defense Matrix ready, as she will cause you to waste its duration. Instead, bait it with standard shots while remaining agile, and always try to land critical hits on her cockpit. If you manage to destroy her Mech, one or two arrows will be enough to snuff her out.	(To be added)
Orisa	With her very long barrier uptime, Orisa can easily deny Hanzo most of his damage, since he has no means of getting around a barrier outside of either flanking or his ultimate. In addition, Halt can be used to prevent Hanzo from getting away once she closes the distance. However, once her barrier goes down, her large hitbox makes her an easy target.	Although somewhat difficult to do, Orisa can use her Halt to pull opponents into a Dragonstrike, similar to Zarya's Graviton Surge.
Reinhardt	Like Orisa, Reinhardt's barrier makes it difficult for Hanzo to get his damage off. In addition, should Reinhardt somehow close the distance, Hanzo will be easily dispatched in just a couple of swings. However, once his barrier goes down, Reinhardt can be easily shot down in a few moments.	Earthshatter and Dragonstrike make for a powerful combo, as the long stun duration means the opponent likely won't be able to get out of the way before the dragons hit them.
Roadhog	If Hanzo gets hooked, he will be easy pickings for Roadhog. However, at every other time, Roadhog will be little more than an ultimate battery, as his large hitbox and lack of armor means Hanzo can quickly charge his ultimate off of him. Just be wary of his hook and always have Lunge ready if you suspect he has it off-cooldown.	(To be added)
Sigma	(To be added)	(To be added)
Wrecking Ball	(To be added)	(To be added)
Winston	Winston can quite literally get the jump on you, and once he approaches you he'll most likely put down a Barrier Projector to prevent your allies from helping at range. However his large body is easy to hit with arrows. Use Lunge to get some distance from him and try to lure him out of his barrier where you can land your shots. If he's waiting to lunge on you again, though, try to regroup with your team; even if you land your shots, the damage from his landing in addition to his Tesla Cannon can kill you quickly, no matter how nimble you are.	(To be added)
Zarya	She can quickly build off charge from Hanzo due to his high burst, and if he's caught at close range with her at high charge, he stands little chance. However, without her personal bubble, she is an easy target.	Graviton Surge combos fantastically with Dragonstrike, as it will line up a good number of opponents to be run through by your dragon. Be cautious of an enemy or Zenyatta or Lúcio, though, as their Ultimates can protect their team from this combo.

Damage

Hero	Match-Up	Team Synergy
Ashe	With higher burst at every range as well as more consistent mobility, a Hanzo of equal skill to Ashe can easily kill her without issue. Her large head hitbox also makes it easy to take her out in a single shot. Be wary of her dynamite when alone, however, as it can put you at a massive disadvantage.	(To be added)
Bastion	(To be added)	(To be added)
Doomfist	(To be added)	(To be added)
Genji	If you let Genji approach you (which should be easy for him with Cyber-Agility and Swift Strike), he will trump you at close range. However, you have the upper hand at a distance. Use Sonic Arrow to keep track of his position, and if he tries to approach you, climb walls or air dodge to stay away from him. While it's best to kill him before he can even get to you, if he does make his way towards you, try to fall back to your team while using Storm Arrows to keep him from attacking you. Additionally, try to charge up a shot in front of him without actually firing, this may bait him into using Deflect early and drastically swing the fight in your favor.	(To be added)
Hanzo	(To be added)	(To be added)
Junkrat	(To be added)	(To be added)
File:Icon-mccree.png McCree	Much like Ashe, you out-damage McCree at all ranges and can easily dispatch of him at a distance due to his large headshot hitbox. However, be very careful of him at close-range: if he catches you with his Flashbang, you're as good as dead.	(To be added)
Mei	Always maintain your distance from Mei: you stand no chance against her at close range by yourself. Her Ice Wall can block your arrows for a short period of time, and her Cryo-Freeze can make it difficult to burst her down with anything that isn't a fully-charged headshot. Overall, just keep your distance and don't hesitate to run if she hits you with an icicle.	Thanks to her strong CC capabilities, Mei can combo up well with Hanzo's massive concentrated burst. Like Earthshatter and Graviton Surge, Mei's Blizzard can set up an enemy team for a Dragonstrike for massive damage.
Pharah	Despite not technically being hitscan, Hanzo's projectiles are fast and accurate enough so that a good player can hit her fairly consistently. A tip to use is to try and aim at her abdomen or lower half while she's airborne: more often than not she will descend slightly between shots, so trying to go for only headshots will end up in you missing.	(To be added)
Reaper	At anything other than close range, Reaper will do little more than tickle you and be an easy target. However, if he closes the distance, he can burst you down easily before you can get away. Always watch your back when he's around, and use Sonic Arrow to ruin his element of surprise. If he does get up-close, use Lunge to disengage while firing some shots back at him.	(To be added)
Soldier: 76	(To be added)	(To be added)
Sombra	Your high burst makes you an imminent danger to Sombra at all times, and your Sonic Arrow can reveal her for your team and foil her element of surprise. As such, a good Sombra will try to make you one of her priority targets. Keep Sonic Arrow up as often as possible to make it difficult for her to sneak up easily, and if you get hacked, stand your ground: one good shot can either end the fight or force her to retreat.	(To be added)
Symmetra	At a range, Symmetra is an easy target that can be downed in one or two shots. In addition, since Hanzo is not usually someone to lead a charge, it is unlikely he will get hit by one of her turret nests. However, one must be wary of her Teleporter, as it can easily allow enemies to catch you off-guard at close-range, where you will be very vulnerable. Thankfully, your high burst can allow you to destroy her Teleporter before it has a chance to send allies through it. Whenever you see an opportunity, burst down her teleporter ASAP to relieve pressure both on you and your team.	(To be added)
Torbjörn	Torbjorn's turret is completely static and can be destroyed in just two shots, making you very effective at taking it down. In addition, Torbjorn himself is a very wide target too, so unless he's up close, he stands little chance in a one-on-one fight.	(To be added)
Tracer	Tracer's slim frame is hard to hit with arrows, especially at close range. Her Blink also makes her slippery at long range. With Sonic Arrow, though, you can keep tabs on where she's hiding, and you can prepare an arrow for when she peeks her head out from cover. If Tracer does try to flank you, use Storm Arrows to run through her before she can kill you, or use Wall Climb to get to a higher location where she can't chase you.	(To be added)
Widowmaker	A battle with Widowmaker is ultimately decided by what distance you decide to fight. At close to mid-range, your higher mobility while firing puts you at an advantage. If she's a far distance away, don't risk it: your arrows' travel time will make it difficult to hit her while her hitscan nature makes you an easy target.	(To be added)

Support

Hero	Match-Up	Team Synergy
Ana	Ana's lack of mobility (especially while scoped-in) makes her an easy target for Hanzo, who can kill her quickly without much issue. Additionally, since Hanzo will usually fight close to teammates, Sleep Dart won't be too detrimental to him outside of just leaving him out of the battle momentarily. Even so, don't underestimate her at long range: unlike your arrows, her scoped shots are hitscan and can kill you in just three shots.	(To be added)
Baptiste	(To be added)	(To be added)
Brigitte	Storm Arrows can quickly burst down Brigitte's shield and leave her virtually defenseless, and her larger-than-average hitbox makes her easy to down with just a few shots from a distance. One must be wary of her up-close, however, as she can quickly set you up for her teammates with a Shield Bash.	(To be added)
Lúcio	Lucio's high speed can make him difficult to hit, though his Wall-Ride can sometimes cause him to move in predictable patterns. As for an up-close battle, provided you aren't alone, he likely won't be able to burst you down before you do the same to him.	(To be added)
Mercy	(To be added)	(To be added)
Moira	Never let yourself be caught alone by Moira: if you do, she won't hesitate to take you out. Stick close to teammates to minimize the damage of her orbs and her right-click, and try to burst her down with either Storm Arrows or a headshot before she can use Fade to escape.	(To be added)
Zenyatta	Like Ana, Zenyatta lacks mobility of any kind, and his large head hitbox in particular can make it easy to kill him in just one shot. Even so, don't get too reckless fighting him: his damage may not be as strong as yours, but it is still strong enough so that he can take you down quickly if you run in carelessly.	(To be added)

Story

"With every death comes honor. With honor, redemption."

Mastering his skills as a bowman and an assassin, Hanzo Shimada strives to prove himself as a warrior without peer. He is likewise skilled with the sword, but has sworn off using such a weapon. He considers crossbows to be "toys for children," and believes that compassion has no place in battle. He has demonstrated a cynical view on the nature of the world.

Background

Hanzo in Hanamura

The Shimada family was established centuries ago, a clan of assassins whose power grew over the years, enabling them to build a vast criminal empire out of Hanamura that profited from lucrative trade in arms and illegal substances. As the eldest son of Sojiro Shimada, the family's head, Hanzo was bound by duty to succeed his father and rule the Shimada empire. From a young age, he was trained for that responsibility, displaying a natural aptitude for leadership and possessing an innate understanding of strategy and tactics. He also excelled in more practical areas: he was a prodigy in martial arts, swordplay, and bowmanship.

Upon the death of his father, the clan elders instructed Hanzo to straighten out his wayward younger brother, Genji, so that he, too, might help rule the Shimada empire. When his brother refused, Hanzo was forced to kill him. Unbeknownst to Hanzo, however, Genji narrowly survived the attempt with the help of Overwatch. This act broke Hanzo's heart and drove him to reject his father's legacy, ultimately leading him to abandon the clan and all that he had worked so hard to attain. Furthermore, he swore to never again wield a sword, and would forevermore rely on his skills with the bow. Seeing his abandonment as betrayal, the clan declared Hanzo an enemy and assassins were sent time and again to kill him.

That was ten years ago. Now, Hanzo travels the world, perfecting his skills as a warrior, attempting to restore his honor and put the ghosts of his past to rest, honing his murderous skills all the while. At some point he visited Numbani, but did not find the city to be to his liking.

Dragons

“	Real life is not like the stories our father told us. You are a fool for believing it so! Perhaps I am a fool to think that there is still hope for you, but I do. Think on that, brother.	„
	~ Hanzo and Genji part ways

Hanzo returns to Hanamura

On the tenth anniversary of Genji's death, as he had done every year, Hanzo broke into Shimada Castle and took down the guards before they could alert anyone. In the main room in front of the sword display he lit an incense offering and prayed to honor Genji. He however called out an apparent assassin that he knew to be there, revealed to be a cybernetic ninja. The ninja asked Hanzo about honoring his brother, yet also being his killer.

Hanzo initiated a battle between them, openly admitting that his actions were about duty, but also a burden he carried and that it didn't mean he didn't honor Genji. The ninja countered that to show honor, it should be done through one's actions, not incense offerings. Hanzo tried the Dragonstrike to take down his opponent, only to be shocked when the ninja revealed the Shimada ability to control dragons as well, turning the Dragonstrike right back at him, and took the full brunt of the attack.

Hanzo draws his bow at Genji

Defeated and with the ninja's wakizashi at his neck, Hanzo told him to go ahead and kill him, but the ninja refused, saying he would not grant Hanzo's wish for death and that he still had a purpose in life. To Hanzo's shock, the ninja then called him "brother", revealing himself to be Genji, still alive, and to prove it unlocked his facemask to show his eyes. Hanzo was a bit disturbed at seeing Genji's physical changes, but Genji stated that he was at peace with it and had forgiven Hanzo's actions: now Hanzo needed to forgive himself. Times were changing, stated Genji, and Hanzo would soon have to pick a side. Retrieving a loosed arrow Hanzo aimed it, angrily declaring Genji a fool in believing that real life was like their father's stories. Genji conceded that he might be a fool for believing that there was hope for Hanzo, but nevertheless did, which gave Hanzo pause. Asking him to think about it, Genji vanished with a smoke screen. With much to contemplate, Hanzo returned to the main room to finish his offering.

Achievements

Name	Icon	Description	Reward
The Dragon Is Sated		Kill 4 enemies with one of Hanzo's Spirit Dragons in Quick or Competitive play.	Cute
Simple Geometry		Get 3 killing blows with a single use of Hanzo's Storm Arrows in Quick or Competitive play.	Pixel

Trivia

• Hanzo and Genji were the first playable heroes in Overwatch to be related, followed by Pharah and Ana, and Torbjörn and Brigitte.

• Hanzo has delicate ankles, leading him to wear greaves.

• Despite popular belief, Hanzo's Dragonstrike is not magic.

• The design on Hanzo's pants and scarf is a Japanese pattern called seigaiha, which means "blue sea and waves".

• Hanzo's name could be a reference to the famous samurai and Japanese historical icon, Hattori Hanzō.

• Equipping either his Lone Wolf or Okami skins will change his Dragonstrike's appearance to wolves and will change his voice lines to reference wolves instead of dragons.

• Hanzo's archery theme may have been inspired by Kyūdō, a Japanese martial art of archery.

• The Hanzo National Church was founded in Brazil by Mateus Mognon. This was done to demonstrate the ease of founding a religion in the country.

• Both Genji and Hanzo are playable heroes in Heroes of the Storm.

• A Genji vs. Hanzo Nendoroid diorama is on sale.

• A "Demon Hanzo" Cute but Deadly figure is available.

Merchandise

• The Hanzo vs. Genji LEGO Overwatch, featuring a segment of the dojo where the two fought in Dragons, was revealed by Target in 2018.

Development

An early Hanzo concept, featuring elements of both Genji and Hanzo

Genji and Hanzo were originally envisioned as a single cyborg ninja hero named Hanzo who wielded both a bow and a sword, used parkour, and had an assassinate ability, using artwork for the Assassin class from the cancelled Project Titan. They were split into two distinct heroes early in development.During development Hanzo was known as "Bow Ninja" and Genji as "Sword Ninja." Both Hanzo and Genji's kits drew heavily from an early version of Sombra that predated both heroes, which resulted in the Sombra concept being temporarily shelved. His kit may have also taken inspiration from that of Huntress, a character created for the original Prometheus pitch.

Hanzo Cyberninja skin concept art

Hanzo Casual skin concept art

Hanzo Scion skin concept art

Hanzo's old Scatter Arrow is one of the few abilities that have been removed/replaced in the game.

External links

• Official Site - Hanzo
• Hanzo Guide on Icy Veins