

I read everywhere that Orochimaru tried to reanimate the 4th Hokage during the
Chunin exams, but he was unable to reanimate him because he was sealed inside
Soul Reaper's belly. But if he can't reanimate him, what was the point of the
coffin? To perform reanimation, he needs a host first. He must have reanimated
him earlier on a host if it was possible. So what was the point of summoning
that coffin?

According to the Naruto wikia's page on [Summoning: Impure World
Reincarnation](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Summoning%3a_Impure_World_Reincarnation)
([specific
revision](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Summoning%3a_Impure_World_Reincarnation?oldid=885518)),

> To perform this technique, the user must first acquire some of the DNA of
> the person they intend to reincarnate. Kabuto remarks that this basically
> amounts to grave-robbing, although blood stains or organs salvaged after the
> target's death also work. The soul of the intended reincarnated must also
> reside in the pure world (浄土, jōdo); for example, those whose souls have
> been consumed by the Death God cannot be reincarnated. However, if it is a
> case where the souls are freed from inside the Shinigami, then a user of
> this technique is free to reincarnate them once again.
>
> Next, a living sacrifice is required for the soul of the reincarnated to use
> as a vessel.


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naruto
Reanimation of Yondaime during Chunin exams


As I understood it, each coffin was for an attempted resurrection. The
resurrection of the fourth failed as explained above. I assume that Orochimaru
either didn't know it would fail, or wasn't sure it would fail, so he tried
anyway. I think the coffins were not the actual coffins that the bodies were
buried in, just bodies used for the jutsu, possibly generated by the jutsu.

As far as needing a host, what you copied only says that a sacrifice is
needed, which was probably arranged off-screen. I'm not sure what that has to
do with being able to summon the fourth hokage.


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Remember the Orochimaru did not know of the Shiki Fuujin, he didn't know about
not being able to summon the fourth. The Shiki Fuujin was kept highly
confidential and was only ever used twice throughout the series.

Now for a more practical explanation, the author likely didn't think that far
ahead, and caused The Third to be able to "cancel" the third summon. The Shiki
Fuujin explanation was later applied an implied by certain events taking
place.


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