Taizō

was an inhabitant of the Land of Ancestors and a close friend of Asura Ōtsutsuki.

Background
Taizō, Asura and their friends often met to play around their village. One time, Taizō initiated a hunt for a giant boar roaming around their village, but the group got surprised by the animal's size and decided to flee. Having climbed up a tree, Taizō urged Asura to defend himself with ninshū, but Asura was unable to do so. After his dog Shiro sacrificed itself, Asura's older brother Indra Ōtsutsuki came to the rescue. Years later, Taizō pleaded Asura to cut down some trees in the forest, apparently to create a shortcut which would benefit the village. However, it came to light that he actually planned to sell the wood to buy medicine for his ill mother, which angered Indra who insisted to punish him for betraying the village. Asura however, bearing Taizō no ill will, freed him from his prison, even though he had to confront his brother directly for this.

After a while, Taizō, who hid in a shack, got informed by his friends Gasuka and Edashi about Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki's decision to send his sons to a long journey. His mother, who got healed by the medicine, urged him to accompany Asura, which he eventually did. Together, they travelled long distances to the village where the God Tree dwelt and discovered with the help of a local named Kanna, that a big number of the villagers succumbed to a mysterious illness. Taizō and Kanna then helped Asura to overwhelm the guards of the God Tree and accompanied him to the cave.

Learning that it was the presence of the God Tree saplings that was making the land lush while simultaneously making the people sick from eat of its nutrients, Taizō and Asura approached the village elder. Already having realised the truth of the God Tree, the elder regretfully declined Asura's request to destroy the saplings, noting their people had already lost so many before the sapling's emergence due to the barren land's nature. While Taizō wanted to give up and head back home, Asura deciding the only way to help the people was to provide them with another water source they could rely on. Against Taizō's protesting, Asura began working tirelessly for weeks digging a well, which Taizō ultimately began helping with.

Eventually, inspired by his selfless actions, the villagers decided to help him dig. During that time, he began teaching them Ninshū, which they used to work further their efforts to the well. After a year passed, they finally struck water, allowing a huge lake to fill beside the village. Happy of their efforts, the villagers proudly burnt down the God Tree saplings, and sick people began to heal from the fresh water and ways of Ninshū. With his job complete, Taizō and Asura returned home, with many of the villagers wishing to come with him to see where Ninshū originated.

Personality
Taizō was a carefree man showing lots of initiative. He loved his mother dearly, going as far as involving his best friend in committing a crime against his knowledge to heal her, although he regretted this decision afterwards. He was very loyal towards his friend Asura and accompanied him for a long time and during many hardships, even with Asura resisting in the first place. Even though he was offended by the villagers' initial hostility, he quickly brushed away his anger while helping Asura. He himself admitted not to be a big thinker, but made this fault up by always being supportive, giving his best no matter the situation.

Appearance
Taizō had short, spiky black hair with a brown patch above his forehead and black eyes. As a child, he wore a grey apron-like cloak tied over his stomach with a white sash. Under it, he wore a plain, khaki shirt. He also wore plain pants and brown sandals. As an adult, he wore a light-grey cloak tied over his stomach, a dark-grey apron tied around his waist with a brown belt, light-grey pants, grey sandals and white bandages wrapped around his wrists and ankles. During his journey alongside Asura, he wore a straw hat, a white cape that also covered his head, a scarf and a grey sash tied around his torso.

Abilities
While originally refraining from learning the art as his mother was against it, Taizō eventually chose to learn Ninshū from Asura. After months of studying under his friend, Taizō learned how to summon chakra to aid him in his struggles.

Trivia

 * is the abbreviated name of the "Womb Realm". Another reading stands for.