There is disclosed a light-sensitive material comprising, in a hydrophilic colloid provided on a base, a color-developing agent represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group, or a heterocyclic group; X.sup.1, X.sup.3, and X.sup.5 each represent a hydrogen atom, a nitro group, a cyano group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, an alkylsulfinyl group, an arylsulfinyl group, a sulfamoyl group, a carbamoyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an acyl group, a trifluoromethyl group, or a heterocyclic group; and X.sup.2 and X.sup.4 each represent a hydrogen atom, a nitro group, a cyano group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, an alkylsulfinyl group, an arylsulfinyl group, a sulfamoyl group, a carbamoyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an acyl group, a trifluoromethyl group, a halogen atom, an acyloxy group, an acylthio group, or a heterocyclic group; with the proviso that the sum of the Hammett .sigma.p values of X.sup.1, X.sup.3, and X.sup.5 and the Hammett .sigma.m values of X.sup.2 and X.sup.4 is 1.50 or more but 3.80 or below. There is also disclosed a novel color-developing agent that can be built in. By using the color-developing agent, the light-sensitive material can attain a rapid and simple formation of an image.