Hanzo

Hanzo
Overwatch 2 Overwatch 1
"Honor is all I have left."
Real Name	Hanzo Shimada (島田 半蔵)
Birth	November 3rd
Age	40 (Overwatch 2) 38 (Overwatch)
Nationality	Japanese
Occupation	Assassin Mercenary (temporary)
Base	Hanamura, Japan (formerly)
Affiliation	Shimada Clan (formerly)
Relations	Rumiko Shimada (mother), 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 (Mainland Mandarin) Kang Dian-hong (Taiwanese Mandarin) Krzysztof Cybiński (Polish) Reginaldo Primo (Brazilian Portuguese, 1st voice) Rodrigo Horta (Brazilian Portuguese, 2nd voice) Ilya Isaev (Russian) Miguel Ángel Montero (European Spanish) Dan Osorio (Latin American Spanish)
Cosmetics	Cosmetic page
Quotes	Quotation page
Role	Damage
Health	250
Character Video

Hanzo is a Damage hero in Overwatch. He is one of the 21 heroes included in the game's release on 24 May 2016.

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

Role: Damage

Type

Passive Ability

Damaging an enemy temporarily reduces their healing received.

Duration:

2 seconds

• Details

Ability details:

• Does not stack with itself or the passive from another damage role hero.
• Stacks multiplicatively with other modifiers that affect healing received.
• Objects that deal damage, such as turrets, may also apply the effect.
• Self-damage does not apply the effect.

Wall Climb

SPACE

Type

Passive Ability

Effect Type

Movement

Jump at walls to climb up them.

Duration:

Up to 1 second

Movement speed:

7.15 m/s (vertical)

• Details

Ability details:

• Wall Climb ends when the player stops holding the button, the wall ends or the duration is up. It cannot then be used again until the player has landed on a walkable surface.
• Hanzo will grab and mantle ledges if the input is held while facing a ledge of a walkable surface.
  • This does not count as starting Wall Climb, and can be done even if Wall Climb was already used.
• Can reach up to 8.8m height (10m with Lunge) due to momentum being kept after Wall Climb ends.

Storm Bow

Type

Weapon

Effect Type

Arcing projectile

Hold to charge then release to launch arrows further.

Damage:

125 (max charge)
25 (min charge)

Headshot:

✓ (x2)

Rate of fire:

0.77 shots/s (max charge)
2 shots/s (min charge)

Ammo:

∞

Spread angle:

None

Mov. speed penalty:

-30%

Projectile speed:

110 m/s (max charge)
25 m/s (min charge)

Projectile radius:

0.1 meters

Hanzo nocks and fires an arrow at his target.

• Details

Ability details:

• Damage per second: 96.15 at full charge, 50 at min charge
• Fire recovery stops while using melee.
• The max draw time is not limited.
• The arrow can deal damage no earlier than 0.032 second after being launched.
• Takes 0.8 seconds to reach maximum draw.
• The minimum draw time required to kill a full health target (without armor) with a single headshot:
  • 150 HP = ~0.41 seconds.
  • 175 HP = ~0.51 seconds
  • 200 HP = ~0.61 seconds.
  • 225 HP = ~0.7 seconds.
  • 250 HP = 0.8 seconds.
• Hanzo can undraw with Reload or Secondary Fire.
• An arrow takes ~6 seconds to land when fired straight up with minimum charge.

Example Video

Sonic Arrow

LSHIFT

12 seconds

Type

Ability

Effect Type

Arcing projectile
Area of effect

Reveals enemies for a short time upon impact.

Headshot:

✓ (x2)

Duration:

6 seconds

Area of effect:

9 meter vision radius

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.

• 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, damage or projectile radius of the arrow. Pressing the key again before firing changes it back.
  • Being hit by crowd control or releasing the draw does not change the arrow back.
• The cooldown starts when the arrow is fired.
• If the arrow becomes stuck on a moving target (e.g. an enemy hero), the effect follows.
  • If the target becomes invalid (e.g. destroyed, retracted, cleansed), the arrow will fall off and continue its effects in its current location.
• A visual effect indicating the scan area is shown to enemies when Sonic Arrow lands.
• Enemies can hear a sound while near an attached Sonic Arrow.

Example Video

Storm Arrows

E

8 seconds

Type

Ability

Effect Type

Arcing projectile

The next 5 arrows ricochet and fire instantly at reduced damage.

Damage:

75

Headshot:

✓ (x2)

Rate of fire:

4 shots/s

Ammo:

5

Cast time:

0 + 0.29 seconds

Duration:

Up to 5 seconds

Spread angle:

None

Projectile speed:

110 m/s

Projectile radius:

0.175 meters

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

• Details

Ability details:

• Damage per second: ~300 while firing
• Cooldown starts when the ability ends.
• Storm Arrows travel at the same speed as fully charged Storm Bow arrows.
• Can be manually cancelled by pressing the ability key again.
• Each arrow from Storm Arrows will bounce off a surface once.
  • If a Sonic Arrow is fired while Storm Arrows is active, it will stick to a surface only after it has bounced once.
• The enemy cannot interrupt the ability with crowd control, such as a stun or sleep.

Lunge

SPACE

4 seconds

Type

Ability

Effect Type

Movement

Double Jump.

Max. range:

7.85 meters

Movement speed:

15.66 m/s

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

Dragonstrike

Q

1850 points

Type

Ultimate Ability

Effect Type

Projectile (initial arrow)
Area of effect (dragons)

!

!

!

!

Launch a deadly Dragon Spirit that devastates enemies it passes through.

Damage:

125 (initial arrow)
150 damage per second, per dragon (dragons)
Up to 800 damage against a stationary target

Headshot:

✓ (x2)

Cast time:

0.94 + 0 seconds (charging)

Duration:

0.5 seconds (initial arrow)

Max. range:

10 meters (initial arrow)
Infinite (dragons)

Area of effect:

4 meter radius, 40 meter length (dragons)

Projectile speed:

20 m/s (initial arrow)
15 m/s (dragons)

Projectile radius:

0.175 meters

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.

• Details

Ability details:

• Hanzo can gain ultimate charge while Dragonstrike is active, but the damage dealt by it does not generate any charge.
• The initial arrow can headshot with the default 2x multiplier.
• The initial arrow and the AoE pierce enemies, barriers and other objects and cannot be blocked by walls.
  • Also damages the barriers and objects it passes through.
• The initial arrow can be destroyed by Defense Matrix, Kinetic Grasp and Javelin Spin and reflected by Deflect before turning into AoE.
• The initial arrow is affected by damage amplification, but the AoE is not.
• 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.
  • Deals ~57.6 damage every 0.192 seconds if the target is between the dragons.
  • Deals ~28.8 damage every 0.192 seconds if the target is not between the dragons
• Does not drain nor interrupt Storm Arrows.

Example Video

Hero-specific options

Setting name	Options	Description
Automatically climb walls	Off (default)	While facing a wall, hold Jump and Forward to wall climb.
	On	While facing a wall, hold Forward while airborne to wall climb.

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. Storm Bow's travel time makes and arc it hard to at long range, requiring him to be good at predicting where the enemy is about to move or 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.
  • Fully drawn headshots deal 240 damage, which leaves most non-tank heroes at 10 hp. Try to follow up quickly with an instantly released arrow, Storm Arrows or quick melee to finish them off.

• 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.
  • An arrow fired in the air at minimum charge takes 6 seconds to land, but the cooldown starts immediately. With Sonic Arrow lasting 6 seconds on the ground, the next one can this way be fired immediately after the first one is about to expire, allowing an area to be continuously revealed for total of 12 seconds.

• 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.
  • Storm Arrows provides Hanzo with the fastest way to eliminate enemies. Most non-tank heroes can be taken out with a double headshot from Storm Arrows. Against tanks Storm Arrows can take a large chunk of their HP away, which can lead to an elimination or at least force them on defensive.
  • Each arrow from Storm Arrows will bounce off a surface once, which can be helpful in hitting enemies behind cover and getting a sonar arrow to specific angles without the risk of peeking.

• 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, as enemies can rather easily see and hear when it's coming due to its rather slow travel speed and long startup. Use it to force enemies out of cover or when they 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.

General Strategies

• Like Widowmaker, Hanzo can also be played from long range, however he 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.

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	Orisa's large hitbox makes her an easy target, but you generally want to avoid shooting Orisa. She can mitigate a lot of damage to herself by rotating her abilities, and has little means to block damage to her teammates. However, if she mismanages her abilities you can try to burst her down with storm arrows. Orisa doesn't have any gap closers, so she isn't a major threat, but watch out for her Energy Javelin, as it can deal notable burst damage if it knocks you into a wall.	Orisa can use her abilities to knock enemies out of cover into your line of sight. Dragonstrike can be comboed with Terra Surge, similar to Zarya's Graviton Surge, or used to take away an escape route.
Reinhardt	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. Use high ground and off-angles to get around his barrier and stay out of his hammer's reach. If Reinhardt's barrier goes down or he charges in recklessly, he can be rather easily bursted down.	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, your range easily allows you stay out of his hook's range in most situations. Having no mobility, Roadhog isn't very threatening at range, and his large hitbox and lack of armor means Hanzo can quickly charge his ultimate off of him. However, similarly to Orisa, Roadhog is very durable and lacks means to protect his allies, so it is often better to ignore him and go for the squishies.	Be ready to follow Roadhog's hook with burst damage.
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 eenmies like, 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 to land crits on her. 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)
Cassidy	Much like Ashe, you out-damage Cassidy 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)
Doomfist	You have advantages over Doomfist, at range, you can easily shoot at him with barely any means for Doomfist to retaliate and be left exposed without abilities, Sonic arrow can be used to more easily track him, and if he manages to get close to you your storm arrows can deal devastating damage, if not outright kill him, don’t get too cocky though, if you’re missing your shots or the enemy Doomfist is flanking you, he can usually kill you before you can kill him.	(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. Although not very common, enemy Genji can deflect Dragonstrike if he is close and clever enough. Shooting it against walls will prevent this.	Use your sonic arrow to assist Genji in killing other players.
Echo	(To be added)	(To be added)
Hanzo	(To be added)	(To be added)
Junkrat	(To be added)	(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. 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	Sombra is very threatening to you if you are alone, as it is easy to land shots on you while you are slowed by your draw and her Virus damage can finish you off even if you manage kill her or fend her off, so stick close to your supports. Use your Sonic Arrow to scout for locations where she could be coming from to ruin her element of surprise.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 a couple of 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 with her Blink ability. 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 Wall Climb to get to a higher location where she can't chase you or try to land a headshot on her for a quick kill; Tracer's 175 HP makes her susceptible to be one-shot by Storm Arrow or headshot > melee combo from Strom Arrows.	Tehre is no notable synergy between Hanzo and Tracer. Howeve, enemies distracted by Tracer may move more predictably from your POV, making them easier to hit easier to hit.
Widowmaker	Widowmaker is one of the few heroes that can still be one-shot without a damage boost. Ultimately, the battle with Widowmaker at anything but close-mid range is in her favor as your arrows' travel time will make it difficult to hit her while her weapon is hitscan. If you need to duel her, try to surprise her from and unexpected angle or when whe is shooting at someone else. If she misses her shot, try to predict when she's about to shoot again and prefire where she might try peek from next.	(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 and at range, 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 if you miss too many of yours.	(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)	Mercy's damage boost bumps the headshot damage from Storm Bow to 300, which allows Hanzo to one-shot almost all non-tank heroes.
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.	Like Mercy's damage boost, headshots from Storm Bow against a target tagged by his Orb of Discord deal 300 damage, which can one-shot most non-tank heroes.

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 has a cynical view on the nature of the world, and believes that compassion has no place in battle.

In addition to his skills with the bow, Hanzo is likewise skilled with the sword, but has sworn off using such a weapon. He considers crossbows to be "toys for children," and refuses to use firearms, as "they make killing too simple." He carves wooden charms as a hobby, and dislikes cities, preferring quieter areas such as Kanezaka. He similarly avoids people in general.

Childhood

“	You cared too much about how the family perceived you Have you ever been the eldest son?	„
	~ Genji and Hanzo

Hanzo was the eldest son of Sojiro Shimada of the Shimada clan; 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 Sojiro's firstborn, Hanzo was bound by duty to succeed his father and rule the Shimada empire, dealing with expectations that his younger brother, Genji, did not. While he overshadowed Genji in his status, Hanzo preferred to have his brother beside him.

In his youth, Hanzo spent preferred the quiet of Kanezaka rather than the heart of Tokyo. On the rare occasions he accompanied his father on business trips into the city, he found it too bright and busy. Sojiro often told his sons children's stories to remind them of their duty.

The Shimada brothers train under Asa

From a young age, Hanzo 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. He was instructed in the ways of the sword by Asa Yamagami alongside his younger brother, Genji. She also taught them how to wall climb. One lesson Asa taught Hanzo was that it was just as important to know how to disarm an opponent without lifting a weapon. That often you could do it by saying the right thing or smiling the right way. Another lesson of Asa's was "You must learn when to strike and when not to strike. Sometimes you are better off waiting for the right opportunity to make your move." At the time, Hanzo found the lesson counterintuitive.

Once, Hanzo bragged that he could beat Genji while blindfolded and with his hands tied behind his back. Asa overheard and used Hanzo's boast as a teaching moment.

Through Asa, the brothers learned alongside Asa's daughter, Kiriko, who became a "cute, little niece" figure to them. While younger than the brothers, she often tagged along after them. Hanzo watched Kiriko and Genji play in the Kanezaka arcade, as Genji chased one high score after another. While Genji and Kiriko were close, Hanzo kept himself at arm's length, given the duty he had to prepare for. He regarded Kiriko as "the brat," and treated her as a nuisance.

After Hanzo and Genji's mother abandoned her family, Asa became the closest thing the Shimada brothers had to a mother. But like an entitled prince, Hanzo looked down on the Yamagamis as mere servants.

One night, after the End of Summer Festival, Sojiro told Hanzo, Genji, and Kiriko a story from the history of the Shimada clan. How centuries ago, a rival clan attempted to end the Shimada's rule by setting their orchards aflame, as well as the city's Fox Shrine. The rival clan anticipated that the Shimada would move to protect their fields rather than the people of Kanezaka, but instead, the opposite happened. The Shimada aided their people first, and united with the clan, the Kanezakans made short work of the rival clan lying in wait at the orchards. The lesson, as Sojiro imparted to the three children, was that a leader's relationship must be mutually beneficial with their people, or else, they were nothing more than a parasite.

Dragon's Fall

Hanzo in Shimada attire

When Sojiro was assassinated by the Hashimoto clan, Hanzo and Genji were allowed a small time to mourn. After his death, Kiriko brought the brothers a plate piled with mochi—a small sign that she cared.

With Sojiro's death, Hanzo was thrust into the role of leadership. He found himself ill prepared and overwhelmed, as Sojiro's death had left the Shimada clan exposed to threats from rival clans, law enforcement, and Overwatch, and it became apparent just how much the clan's illicit activities had put the people of Kanezaka at risk. The clan elders tried to use Hanzo as a puppet, and instructed Hanzo to straighten out 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. When he left, he felt his father was a fool. In his mind, the age of honor and respect that Sojiro had derived his beleifs from was long gone, and for all of Sojiro's stories about duty and honor, it was easy to moralize and say empty words when you were the one holding power.

After Hanzo left the clan, he was stripped from access to its finances. He began roaming the world in solitude as self-punishment. Hanzo swore to never again wield a sword, and would forevermore rely on his skills with the bow. He began to write poetry in an attempt to find peace. 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 before the Overwatch recall. Over the following decade, Hanzo travelled 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.

Hanzo visited Kanezaka every year after Genji's supposed death to honor him. Every year, he saw more of the Hashimoto's baleful effects upon Kanezaka.

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 into the night, leaving nothing but a single drifting sparrow feather in his wake. With much to contemplate, Hanzo returned to the main room to finish his offering.

Dragon's Flight

“	After some time, the dragon journeyed home to recover what he had left behind. During his absence, a tiger moved into his cave and was terrorizing the countryside. And so, the dragon disguised himself and walked among his people, the better to know his enemy.	„
	~ Sojiro Shimada, as recalled by Hanzo

Shaken by his reunion with Genji, Hanzo fled Tokyo. Though it shamed him, he'd been running so long, he didn't know what else to do. He distracted himself with work as a mercenary, ignoring the truths that weighed on him.

Two years after his reunion with Genji, Hanzo was training at Okinawa when he saw news footage of Null Sector's global invasion. For the first time in fourteen years, Hanzo heard his father's voice in his head, to the extent that he briefly thought his father had returned. However, he realized that he was alone. However, hearing his father's voice summoned him back to Tokyo. To where, perhaps, he was needed to be.

Where Honor Lives

The Tiger's Cave

“	Look at this guy! What, you going to fight all of us with a bow? I don't expect much of a fight.	„
	~ Topknot and Hanzo

When Hanzo arrived in Tokyo, he found a command ship outside the city proper, yet to attack. People clogged the streets as they tried to escape. Hanzo knew that when Null Sector attacked, many civilians would be caught in the crossfire, and that most of the people attempting to flee wouldn't make it out. He made his way to the command ship, and while he saw no sign of police officers, he did see Hashimoto men in the shadows. He saw some Hashimoto tormenting an old man, and he wondered if this was what his father had wanted him to see. He watched the Hashimoto move on, and guessed that they'd been recalled to their stronghold to prepare for Null Sector's attack. He decided to follow them, hoping they could lead him to their base.

He followed the Hashimoto into an alley, but found a dead end before him, and Hashimoto around him, having planned an ambush. He loosed a warning arrow at the thugs' leader—one he refused to heed as the Hashimoto rushed Hanzo with knives and later, guns. Against the former, Hanzo had little trouble, but a bullet from the latter wounded him. The Hashimoto advanced with swords, and Hanzo noted that the swords' energy fields were unstable. Apparently the Hashimoto had tried to copy the design of the Shimada clan's blades, but they'd failed to fully replicate the technology. Hanzo stood his ground, but blood loss began to affect him. Losing patience, Hanzo engaged the Hashimoto in close-quarters, but while the Hashimoto lacked discipline, they made up for it in numbers. Down to his last arrow, Hanzo unleashed his Dragonstrike. Only Topknot and a couple of his henchmen survived the attack, and realized they were dealing with a Shimada.

At this point, Hanzo fell to the ground, exhausted, and still bleeding. Topknot ordered him taken to their stronghold. Before passing out, Hanzo noticed graffiti that had been painted on a wall—"If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub."

The Swordmaster

“	Toshiro-sensei. What are you doing here? Surviving. By arming parasites like the Hashimoto? I do not expect you to understand the difficult choices my family has been called to make during your long absence.	„
	~ Hanzo and Toshiro Yamagami

When Hanzo awoke, he found himself in a cell. He asked his omnic jailer how long he'd been out, but the robot refused to answer, until it finally relented to give Hanzo a glass of water. Hanzo drifted in and out of conciousness for what felt like hours until he heard a familiar voice. A man had entered his cell, one he recognized as Toshiro Yamagami. Putting recent events together, he realized that Toshiro had created the blades the Hashimoto had used. He accused Toshiro of abetting the clan, but Toshiro reminded him that Hanzo had been absent for a long time, and that he had his family to consider. Hanzo silently accepted the point. He had assumed that the Yamagamis would have moved on after the destruction of the Shimada clan, but apparently not. In regards to the blades, he told Toshiro that his work was shoddier than it had once been, to which Toshiro responded that he was forced to work with inadequate materials. He wondered if this was true, or if Toshiro was intentionally making inferior blades. Toshiro pointed out Hanzo's long years of absence, pointing out that he was in no position to take the moral high ground. Toshiro confirmed that Asa was still in Kanezaka.

Toshiro told Hanzo that it was good to see him, but that coming here was a mistake. The Hashimotos had realized who Hanzo was when he'd used his storm bow, hence why they'd sent Toshiro to confirm his identity. Now that they had the Shimada scion, they would execute him to break the will of Kanezaka's people. Hanzo pointed out that the Shimada clan was long dead, and that he was no true heir, but Toshiro pointed out that as long as children lived, so did people's hopes for them, and the world they would inherit. Whatever Hanzo thought of himself, as long as he was alive, he was still a symbol of the Shimada clan and their more benevolent rule. Toshiro told Hanzo that he would tell his superiors that it would be a mercy to kill Hanzo, and that Hanzo had destroyed the Shimada legacy more effectively than they ever could, and that Hanzo's next actions would reveal the truth behind those words.

Before he left, Toshiro requested that if Hanzo ever made it out of here, to find Kiriko. To tell her that he wished he could have written more and have been there for her. That he was proud of her actions in keeping the Hashimoto in check. He also told Hanzo that Sojiro would have been proud of him for returning to Tokyo, and that despite Hanzo's doubts, Sojiro had been proud of him in life.

The Fox Ninja

“	I no longer bear my father's name. You might abandon the name, but it does not abandon you. Dragons are dragons. Until they are dead. You are the last of your family, of our enemy. And today we end the Shimada for good, and for all to see.	„
	~ Hanzo and the Hashimoto elders

Hanzo's next visitors were a pair of Hashimoto clan members, including Topknot. They explained that Hanzo was to be executed in front of the clan leaders before they evacuated. Hanzo played along, but the thugs didn't even bother blindfolding him (though they did bind his hands). Remembering Asa's lesson about knowing when to strike, Hanzo bid his time. He was taken to a spacious conference room, where he was brought in front of the clan elders. Hanzo told them that he no longer bore his father's name, but they were having none of it. He may have abandoned the Shimada name, but he was still a Dragon. The last Shimada. He would be executed for all of Kanezaka to see, and despite Hanzo's taunts, they weren't going to do anything like a duel, but rather, just shoot him.

It nearly came to that until the lights suddenly flickered, followed by a blue kitsune bounding into the room. In the confusion, Hanzo incapacitated Topknot, and a kunai thrown through the air sliced the plastic zip binding his wrists. In the gloom, he saw a woman in white and scarlet miko clothing. The two fought back to back, but more and more Hashimoto kept charging in. Hanzo could tell the fox ninja was pushing herself to her limit, while on his end, his bullet wound had re-opened. Sometime during the fight, Hanzo realized that the ninja was Kiriko, but he remained silent. The two managed to escape, along with Hanzo's bow. Emerging outside, they saw Null Sector's command ship in the sky. Drop pods rained down on the city, and despite the efforts of Tokyo's police and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, ground was being surrendered to Null Sector by the minute. Taking the hint, the Hashimotos abandoned their stronghold in an armored convoy.

Hanzo wanted to pursue them, but the fox ninja refused, telling Hanzo they were needed here. He was briefly overwhelmed by the sounds and smells of the carnage—while he had seen Null Sector's attack on Paris via the news, this was far more personal. He also knew that if Tokyo fell, a domino effect would be triggered in Japan, not to mention that the small towns in the outlying prefectures were defenseless against the drone ships Null Sector would send to attack them.

Reunion

“	When the victorious dragon entered his old cave, he found it empty and cold. The tiger had despoiled everything. The dragon realized that he was not seeking treasure or vassals at all. Through his good deeds, he had reclaimed the most precious thing he'd lost: the worthiness to return home.	„
	~ Sojiro Shimada, as recalled by Hanzo

Hanzo and Kiriko

Working together, Hanzo and the fox ninja held their ground at the Hashimoto stronghold, destroying Null Sector's attacking warbots while allowing civilians to take refuge inside the structure. With a lull in the fighting, he revealed to Kiriko that he knew who she was, and she revealed that she knew who he was in turn. While their reunion was strained given their rocky history, they were glad for each other's aid, as Kiriko made clear in her usual, overly-expressive way. He told Kiriko that he'd seen her father in the stronghold, and imparted Toshiro's message. Given how the Yamagamis had all fought against the Hashimoto in their own way, Hanzo felt ashamed for his cowardice.

Kiriko asked if he thought Overwatch would come to aid Tokyo. Hanzo doubted it, even though he knew Genji was now part of Overwatch, having seen him on the Paris feed. While it would bring him joy to see his brother again, he did not feel ready for it. Kiriko concluded that there was no-one left to protect Kanezaka, and while she had friends back there, they wouldn't be able to handle Null Sector. Hanzo suggested that they both return to Kanezaka—he now owed Kiriko his life, and she offered him an ofuda for healing. Hanzo reflected that Kiriko's parents had forged him into the person he was, and that the Yamagamis were still setting an example as to how to become a better man. The Yamagamis had served the Shimadas for centuries, and now, he would serve both them and the people. It was a lesson his father had tried to teach him, but one that he'd needed time to understand.

The pair advanced down the street, destroying every Null Sector warbot they encountered on their way home.

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.
• Despite popular belief, Hanzo's Dragonstrike is not magic.
• Equipping Hanzo's 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 is one of few heroes who doesn't often speak in their native language. While most heroes have various dialogue in their native language, Hanzo only speaks their native language during his Ultimate ability. This is presumably because his voice actor Paul Nakauchi is American and isn't a fluent Japanese speaker.

Cultural References

• 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.
• 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.
• Hanzo's voice line "Shot through the heart. And I'm to blame" is a paraphrase/reference to American rock band Bon Jovi's 1986 hit song You Give Love a Bad Name.

In Other Games

• Both Genji and Hanzo are playable heroes in Heroes of the Storm.
• Hanzo appeared in Loverwatch, taking on the role of Cupid.

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.
• A "Demon Hanzo" Cute but Deadly figure is available.
• A Genji vs. Hanzo Nendoroid diorama is on sale.
• As part of Hasbro's Overwatch Ultimates Series, they released a Hanzo and Genji 6" figure dual pack in August, 2019.

Misc. Character Information

• Hanzo has delicate ankles, leading him to wear greaves.
• Hanzo "loves" geometry.
• As a general rule, Hanzo avoids cities.

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's old Scatter Arrow is one of the few abilities that were removed in Overwatch. It was instead replaced with Storm Arrows, which has been in his kit ever since.

Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2 Skin Concept Art by Kejun Wang

Like almost all Overwatch Heroes, Hanzo was redesigned and given a new look for Overwatch 2. Kejun Wang was the concept artist behind his Overwatch 2 look, but otherwise not much is known about the idea behind it. It was stated that the general scheme concept for all new hero looks for Overwatch 2 to be aimed at keeping the "essence" of the hero, while showing some evolution and character growth in the design.

Removed Abilities

Scatter Arrow

10 seconds

Type

Ability

Effect Type

Initial shot: Arcing Projectile

Hanzo shoots a fragmenting arrow that ricochets off walls and objects and can strike multiple targets at once.

Damage:

Initial shot: See Storm Bow
Scattered:

• Fully charged: 75 per arrow
• Uncharged: 22 per arrow

Headshot:

✓ (x2)

Rate of fire:

See Storm Bow

Bullets per shot:

6 scattered arrows

Projectile speed:

See Storm Bow

• Details

Ability details:

• Replaced by Storm Arrows in May 3, 2018 Patch.
• The projectile will scatter if it directly hits an enemy.

Example Video

Hanzo's Broken Heart / Depression

One of the most common phrases used to describe the event where the Shimada Clan's elders forced Hanzo to attack Genji is "The event broke his heart." While most likely an expression, there does exist a real-world heart condition called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, commonly referred to as Broken Heart Syndrome. This condition can be caused by grief from the death of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, job, or money—all of which apply to Hanzo. He abandoned his clan and, by extension, gave up his wealth and status as the Scion of the Shimada Empire in order to escape his abusive family.

Broken Heart Syndrome is usually temporary, but some people may continue to feel unwell even after the heart has healed. In some cases, feelings of stress, anger, and experiencing trauma triggers can exacerbate the condition and can even be fatal in some cases. Because of this, it’s logical to assume that after the event, any form of stress, anger, fear, or anything that triggers his trauma (Such as holding a sword or simply being at the Shimada Castle or in Hanamura) could pose a serious risk to Hanzo's health, and could very well kill him.

While the condition itself can be treated with medical care, it's unlikely that Hanzo received any treatment he needed, as it’s implied he's been self-isolated since leaving the clan. Another possibility is that Hanzo intentionally doesn't seek any medical treatment or therapy to help his possible condition due to feeling "unworthy" of receiving help. In an interaction where Hanzo says he doesn't fear death, Genji says that Hanzo "finds living to be the challenge." Which strongly implies that Hanzo suffers from severe depression and may even be suicidal, or at the very least, wants to die but continues to live as a form of self-punishment. It's also worth mentioning that Hanzo has, on several accounts, said that he is unworthy, beyond redemption, and thinks his father would be disappointed in him.

In Overwatch 1, his select quote is "With every death, comes honor. With honor, redemption" could suggest that Hanzo believes that taking his own life is the only way he can redeem himself and regain honor for killing his brother. This is further proven by his select quote in Overwatch 2, where he says, "Honor is all I have left,"  which could also imply that Hanzo is on a serious mental decline and may be experiencing more suicidal thoughts or acts of self-harm and might've even come close to doing it.

Media

Concept Art

• 

  Casual Skin Concept Art by Hicham Habchi

• 

  Cupid Skin Concept Art by Cecilia Deyne

• 

  Cupid Skin Weapon Concept Art by Cecilia Deyne

• 

  Cyber Dragon Skin Concept Art by Yuzuke Kozaki

• 

  Cyberninja Skin Concept Art by Hicham Habchi

• 

  Daitengu Skin Concept Art by Kejun Wang

• 

  Drake Master Skin Concept Art by Emily Siu

• 

  Huang Zhong Skin Concept Art by Shan Qiao

• 

  Scion Skin Concept Art by Anh Dang

• 

  Wave Skin Concept Art by Anh Dang

• 

  Azure Flame Skin Concept Art by TB Choi

Balance Change Logs

For more information, see Patch Notes.

• Overwatch 2 PvP
• Overwatch 1

Overwatch 2 PvP

Patch

Description

12 Nov 2024

Developer Comments: The Dragonstrike change enables it to damage non-player entities such as barriers, turrets, traps, and mines. This should increase its usefulness even when not eliminating opponents as it can now help clear the battlefield of other obstacles as well.

Storm Bow

• Time to fully charge decreased from 0.87 to 0.80 seconds.

Dragonstrike

• Now damages enemy buildable objects.

15 Oct 2024

Developer Comments: We are reverting Hanzo back to his previous health now that it's possible to take out an opposing Hanzo with a well-aimed headshot thanks to the weapon damage changes.

• Base health increased from 225 to 250.

17 Sep 2024

Developer Comment: This change restores Hanzo's one hit headshot kill against 250 health heroes, though it will require more accuracy with the smaller projectile size and is now slower to charge shots to reduce the frequency of projectiles being thrown out. After trying the recent iterations of Hanzo post Season 9, we feel the one-shot capability is too essential to the core gameplay feel of these sniper heroes (similar to Widowmaker) without a much larger rework. Being limited to a smaller range of heroes that could be one shot (225 HP and below) added some texture to the hero matchups but wasn't a satisfying compromise for either side.

Storm Bow

• Normal arrows are no longer affected by global projectile size increases.
• Maximum damage increased from 120 to 125.
• Time to fully charge increased from 0.72 to 0.87 seconds.

20 Aug 2024

Developer Comment: Hanzo doesn't quite fit the category of being as highly mobile as the other heroes we're moving to 225 HP, but like Widowmaker, has the potential long-range lethality merits, as he is now able to one-shot the 225 HP heroes. It's also nice for the Hanzo mirror match to be more decisive as well.

• Base health reduced from 250 to 225.

14 May 2024

Developer Comment: The Dragonstrike ultimate hasn't been very effective outside of being used in a combo with other abilities that restrict enemy movement, so we're increasing its speed to help position it as less of a zoning tool and more likely to deal some damage.

Dragonstrike

• Speed increased from 12 to 15 meters per second.

12 Mar 2024

General

• Global projectile size modifier for travel time projectiles with a speed greater than 50 meters per second reduced from 0.1 to 0.075 meters.

Hero

Developer Comments: We’re reverting the previous change to the base projectile size of Hanzo's arrows and replacing it with the general global reduction, which affects all travel time projectiles with a speed greater than 50 meters per second, resulting in Hanzo's arrow projectile staying the same total size as before this patch.

• Base projectile sizes increased from 0.075 to 0.1 meters. The total projectile size, when combined with the general hero change, is still 0.175 meters.

21 Feb 2024

• Base projectile sizes reduced from 0.1 to 0.075 meters. Total projectile size is now 0.175 meters.

13 Feb 2024

General updates

Most damage-dealing projectile sizes have been increased by a new global modifier added to their base size.

• +0.05 meters for hitscan projectiles with a high rate of fire or spread (e.g., Tracer's Pulse Pistols or Reaper's Hellfire Shotguns).
• +0.08 meters for hitscan projectiles that are more precise (e.g., Cassidy's Peacekeeper or Soldier:76's Heavy Pulse Rifle).
• +0.05 meters for travel time projectiles that are shotguns or have a very high rate of fire (e.g., Roadhog's Scrap Gun or Ramattra's Void Accelerator).
• +0.10 meters for travel time projectile with a speed greater than 50 meters per second (e.g., Zenyatta's Destruction Orb).
• +0.15 meters for travel time projectile with a speed less than or equal to 50 meters per second (e.g., Pharah's Rocket Launcher).
• Very large projectiles with a base size greater than 0.5 meters have been excluded from these increases (e.g., Orisa's Energy Javelin or Reinhardt's Fire Strike).

Hero combined HP (base health/armor/shields) increased by 15-25%.

• 150-175 HP heroes increased by 25 HP.
• 200-300 HP heroes increased by 50 HP.
• 300+ HP (Tanks) increased by 75-100 HP.
• Each hero's precise health increases are listed in their patch notes below.

Ultimate Charge

• All Ultimate ability costs increased by 10%.

Regenerative Passive for All Heroes

• All heroes now regenerate 20 health per second after 5 seconds of not taking damage.

Damage Role Passive

• Reload speed bonus on elimination has been removed.
• New role passive: Dealing damage reduces enemy healing received by 20% for 2 seconds.

Quick Melee

• Damage increased from 30 to 40.

Hero updates

• Health increased from 200 to 250.

Storm Arrows

• Damage increased from 65 to 75.
• Cooldown reduced from 10 to 8 seconds.

10 Aug 2023

Developer Comments: Despite being conceptually strange, this gameplay mechanic felt good and fluid to use as Hanzo. However, it often resulted in some frustrating behavior for enemy players that can be alleviated without impacting Hanzo’s overall effectiveness too significantly.

Storm Bow

• Arrow draw progress is no longer preserved while wall climbing.

13 Jun 2023

Developer Comment: The Storm Bow damage adjustment is a small but significant change so that heroes with 250 health won't be eliminated with one critical damage shot. We've also updated the sound and visual for when Sonic Arrow initially lands to give nearby enemies more awareness that the ability was used.

Storm Bow

• Maximum damage reduced from 125 to 120.

Sonic Arrow

• Impact sound effect now plays for enemies.
• Visual effect is now briefly visible to enemies when first deployed.

7 Mar 2023

Developer Comment: Hanzo has high burst damage potential with Storm Bow and Storm Arrows and strong utility with Sonic Arrow but still underperforms compared to other heroes in the same role. This change increases his survivability without directly improving his strengths.

Lunge

• Lunge cooldown decreased from 5 to 4 seconds

26 Apr 2022
(beta)

Storm Arrows

• Damage reduced from 70 to 65

Overwatch 1

Patch

Description

6 Jan 2022

Storm Arrows

• Arrows ricochet once upon impact

12 Jan 2021

Storm Arrows

• Shot recovery time reduced from 0.3 to 0.25 seconds

Developer Comment: This rate of fire change improves the feel and effectiveness of the Storm Arrows ability and though small, adds up over the course of firing 5 arrows.

19 Nov 2020

Storm Arrows

• Can now be manually canceled

16 Jun 2020

Storm Arrows

• Damage increased from 60 to 70

Developer Comment: The previous combination of changes to the projectile speed and the damage of Storm Arrows impacted Hanzo more than intended so we're reverting the Storm Arrow damage back its previous value.

28 Jan 2020

Storm Arrows

• Damage reduced from 70 to 60

16 Jan 2020

Storm Bow

• Maximum projectile speed reduced from 125 to 110

Developer Comment: The increased projectile speed Hanzo received in his rework ended up making his arrows too good at longer ranges. Decreasing the speed will reduce his sniping capability while still keeping him strong at mid-range.

13 Aug 2019

Storm Arrows

• Storm Arrows ammo reduced from 6 to 5

Developer Comment: The overall damage output of Storm Arrows was too high so we’re reducing the maximum number of shots.

19 Mar 2019

Sonic Arrow

• Detection radius increased from 7 to 9 meters

Developer Comments: Because of how dense the environment is on some maps, the Sonic Arrow can feel ineffective in some areas. Increasing Sonic Arrow’s detection radius should make it more effective.

9 Aug 2018

Lunge

• Cooldown increased from 4 to 5 seconds

Developer Comments: Hanzo’s Lunge ability allows him to be a bit too evasive, so we’re increasing the cooldown to make him easier to catch.

24 Jul 2018

Storm Arrows

• Duration reduced from 6 to 5 seconds
• Cooldown increased from 8 to 10 seconds

Developer Comments: Hanzo’s new kit has proven to be a bit too powerful, especially his new Storm Arrows ability. We’re lowering the frequency that he can have this ability available to make it more reasonable to play around.

22 May 2018

Storm Arrows

• Damage reduced from 80 to 70

Developer Comments: Hanzo’s Storm Arrows are doing too much damage considering his other changes, such as Lunge and projectile speed. This damage reduction will give Hanzo’s enemies a more reasonable chance to react and fight against him while using Storm Arrows.

3 May 2018

Storm Bow

• Projectile speed increased from 85 to 100

Sonic Arrow Cooldown decreased from 20 seconds to 12 seconds

• Duration decreased from 10 seconds to 6 seconds
• Radius decreased from 10 meters to 7 meters

New Abilities

Lunge

• Press jump while in the air to leap horizontally

Storm Arrows

• Replaces his existing Scatter Arrow ability
• Hanzo can now rapidly fire up to 6 arrows that deal reduced damage but are always fired at full power

Developer Comments: The goal of these Hanzo changes is to allow him to have new options and maintain his high damage output, while removing the frustration of fighting against the old Scatter Arrow. Hanzo is now much more mobile with his new Lunge ability, and with the combination of the bow projectile speed increase and the new Storm Arrows ability he can now deal his high damage more consistently than ever before.

23 May 2017

General

• Removed the attack cooldown from Hanzo’s wall climbing ability, allowing him to engage with enemies immediately after he finishes climbing

Storm Bow

• Increased charge speed by 10%
• Charged arrows now maintain their charge after climbing a wall, provided the button is continuously held

Developer Comments: Decreasing Hanzo’s draw time gives him more overall DPS, while also letting him fully charge an arrow and more quickly return to full movement speed when needed. And, like the change to Genji’s wall climbing, this is a quality of life change that will make climbing feel better.

1 Sep 2016

General

• Hanzo will now experience a 30% decrease in speed while aiming (formerly 40%)
• Maximum projectile speed has been increased by 30%
• Arrow size has been reduced by 33%

Developer Comments: Hanzo has the potential to deal a lot of damage, but he can feel really inconsistent, even at a medium distance. By increasing the projectile speed, we’re extending his reliable range, making it easier to land shots without having to perfectly predict enemy movement. To compensate for the increased projectile speed, we’ve decreased the size of his arrows, meaning his shots now require a bit more accuracy.

External Links

• Official Site - Hanzo
• Hanzo Guide on Icy Veins