Yamato

is a member of Konoha's ANBU and a younger peer of Kakashi Hatake. He is also the temporary leader of Kakashi's team and one of the main protagonists of the series. "Yamato" is actually a codename given to him by Tsunade for the purposes of joining Team 7, his real name being. Yamato, however, seems to prefer going by his codename while near his teammates, although Kakashi still calls him Tenzo.

Background
Shortly after his birth, Yamato was one of 60 infants that became test subjects of Orochimaru. They were injected with the First Hokage's DNA in the hopes that they could replicate the First's ability to use Wood Release techniques, as well as an unquantified ability to control tailed beasts. Orochimaru was forced to flee Konoha before he could finish his experimentation, but believed that all of his test subjects had died.

Yamato, however, was the lone survivor, and found himself endowed with the First's abilities. Yamato would go on to join the ANBU, and for a time he would serve under the guidance of Kakashi Hatake. Yamato would also come to have the best performance record of any ANBU serving under the Third Hokage, leading the Third's successor, Tsunade, to have the utmost confidence in Yamato.

Personality
Like other ANBU members, Yamato projects a calm, stoic demeanor in stressful situations. Despite this, he can also be quite laid back when not on duty, and is not above using his Wood Release techniques for creating comforts such as making a house to "camp out" in. While he has been good natured so far, Yamato claims to be a different sort of leader than Kakashi, one who is not above "ruling by the use of terror" when his team misbehaves. Aside from his obviously intimidating skills as a ninja, however, this "terror" has so far primarily consisted of casting a creepy "ghoul-eyes" expression at his charges, which seems more humorous than terrifying. Naruto, however, is easily creeped out by it, and states that it feels like Yamato is controlling him with fear.

Yamato is somewhat reluctant to pay for things unless he has to, as he initially protests having to pay for lunch at Ichiraku Ramen Bar, stating that Kakashi should pay as the senior ninja, but is flattered into paying when Kakashi says he considers Yamato an equal. His favorite food is walnuts and he dislikes any food that is oily, which is why he couldn't eat ramen at Ichiraku.

Sasuke and Sai arc
Yamato is assigned to lead Team 7 in meeting with one of Sasori's spies within Orochimaru's ranks. Naruto and Sakura find it difficult to work with their newest team member Sai, and much of Yamato's time is spent trying to get them to cooperate. Upon arriving at the arranged meeting place, Yamato goes ahead dressed as Sasori to make meeting with the spy easier. After the spy arrives, who turns out to be Kabuto Yakushi, Yamato is able to learn a great deal of information until Orochimaru shows up. Just as Yamato starts to contemplate how he will fight Orochimaru and keep up his act as Sasori, Kabuto cuts off the head of the Sasori costume, having hoped to kill the real Sasori.

Faced with a combined attack from Kabuto and Orochimaru, Yamato creates a wood clone to escape, causing Orochimaru to realize that one of his test subjects had survived. A battle between Orochimaru and Naruto ensues, and Yamato spends much of his time protecting Sakura. When the battle is over, Sai is found to be missing, though a wood clone that Yamato has following Sai reveals that the latter has joined with Orochimaru. As the clone follows Sai to Orochimaru's hideout, the rest of Team 7 follows the clone. Once they arrive, Yamato uses his Wood Release abilities to infiltrate the base. When they eventually find Sai, they restrain him and are able to learn about Sai's real mission: to join forces with Orochimaru on behalf of his organization, Foundation, in an attempt to destroy Konoha.

Sai is eventually freed by Kabuto, who in turn is restrained by Sai. Sai, touched by Naruto's words about Sasuke Uchiha, rejoins Team 7 in their other mission of retrieving Sasuke. When the group splits up again, Yamato discovers a bingo book when going through some of Sai's belongings. In doing so, Yamato learns that Sai once again has an ulterior motive: to kill Sasuke Uchiha. In desperation, Team 7 goes looking for Sai, hoping to stop him from fulfilling his mission. Sai, however, really has had a change of heart, and attempts to bring Sasuke back to Konoha on Naruto's behalf. Due to Sasuke's exponential growth in fighting abilities, however, Sai is no match for him.

Due to an explosive attack from Sasuke, Team 7 is able to find Sai and learn that he really has allied with them. Upon failing to persuade Sasuke to return to Konoha, the team decides to use force instead. Sasuke's growth, however, is too much for the four's joint effort, and he is able to repel them all. After a brief confrontation between Naruto and Sasuke, Yamato attempts to capture Sasuke with his Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall, though Sasuke is able to escape. As an answer to this, Yamato declares that he had no intention of getting too rough on him in front of Naruto and Sakura, but has no choice. Despite this, Sasuke prepares what appears to be a finishing move. Orochimaru and a freed Kabuto arrive to stop him, and they disappear, leaving Team 7 defeated.

Fire Temple arc
In the anime, Yamato leads Team 7 on a mission to the Fire Temple. Upon arrival Chiriku informs them that the tombs belonging to a former member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja was robbed of its corpse. While Yamato ponders the motive for this, word reaches them that reaches the Fire Temple that the graves of three other former Ninja Guardian members also had their corpses stolen. Yamato, his team, and Chiriku go to investigate and find the four coffins. While Yamato knew it was clearly some sort of trap, he knew they had no choice but to follow if they wished to retrieve the bodies.

As they neared the coffins, the trap was sprung and the team became trapped in a rocky cavern. While searching for this way out and dodging more traps, Yamato was approached by one of the thieves, Fudo. Caught off guard and completely unprepared for an opponent such as this, Yamato was overpowered by Fudo's unique earth-jutsu prowess and indestructible body, forcing him on the defensive. Eventually, Fudo caught him in a rock-crushing jutsu, but deceived Fudo by merging with the rocks. Yamato regroups with his team and, having failed to recover the stolen corpses or capture the tomb robbers, return to Konoha with Sora.

Later, when the tomb robbers emerged again to attack Konoha, Yamato was one of few Jonin still available to defend the village. He was then sent out to stop one of the resurrected Ninja Guardians from completing the Limelight jutsu, but was intercepted by Fudo. After feeling out Fudo's attack patterns, Yamato used Fudo's blunt attack methods to set up the area for a water jutsu to trap Fudo in mud. He then proceeded to finished off Fudo by crushing him in with a wood-jutsu. He went to join Asuma and the others in stopping the bandits' leader Furido, who released Sora's demon fox chakra. Because Yamato's wood release was not as refined as the First Hokage's, he couldn't suppress Sora's spliced demon chakra. Yamato instead used his wood jutsu to protect his allies from Sora's attacks.

Hidan and Kakuzu arc
Kakashi recruits Yamato to help with Naruto's training in creating a new jutsu. In addition to being able to create training devices for Naruto with his Wood Release abilities, Yamato is also able to subdue Naruto if he loses control of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's chakra. Once Naruto completes the initial stages of his training, he moves on to perfecting his preexisting Rasengan. Kakashi, however, is not able to oversee Naruto in these final stages due to his volunteering to help Team 10 in the fight against Akatsuki. As such, he leaves Yamato in charge of the jutsu's perfection. Yamato is able to give advice in the jutsu's creation, and eventually bears witness to the fruits of Naruto's training.

Once Naruto has perfected his jutsu enough to be used in battle, Yamato, Naruto, and the rest of Team 7 join Kakashi and Team 10. After teaming up with Naruto to stop an attack by Kakuzu, Yamato convinces Kakashi to allow Naruto to fight Kakuzu alone. Once Naruto is successful in defeating Kakuzu, Yamato joins everyone else in returning to Konoha.

Three-Tails Arrival arc
In the anime, Team Kakashi is sent to provide backup for Team 8 and Kakashi. When they locate the team Yamato assist in rescuing Hinata. They pursue the opposing Team Guren to a lake where they locate the Three-Tailed Beast. The two teams shift objectives and, once backup from Konoha arrives, begin trying to seal the beast. Yamato is put in charge of a team meant to stop any attempted interference, but ultimately proves unsuccessful. He makes a hideout for the teams to regroup in and later facilitates in Naruto's rescue from the Three-Tails. After another failed sealing attempt, Yamato returns to Konoha with the others.

Hunt for Uchiha arc
When Kakashi received permission from Tsunade to lead a special team to capture Itachi Uchiha in order to bait Sasuke, Yamato joined him as acting head of Team 8, with the pregnant Kurenai remaining behind in the village. Following a confrontation with Sasuke's cohorts on Hebi and members of the Akatsuki, the group was forced to abandon the mission and return to Konoha.

Invasion of Pain arc
When the invasion of Pain begins, Yamato is away on a mission with Sai and Anko Mitarashi trying to locate and capture Kabuto. Just when they locate Kabuto, Yamato detects that Naruto has broken the seal he placed on the First Hokage's Necklace and is about to completely release the demon fox. He rushes back to Konoha to try and stop Naruto, but Naruto is able to comes to his sense through other means. He is later seen using his wood release to help rebuild Konoha.

Abilities
As a Jonin and temporarily-relieved member of the ANBU, Yamato is highly proficient in multiple areas of shinobi combat, including tracking and trapping. During his test of his new team's skills, he demonstrated considerable ability in taijutsu and clever use of diversionary tactics. Also, thanks to his training as an ANBU black ops, Yamato has keen instincts in battle, allowing him to quickly react to threats.

Wood Element Techniques
Sharing the same DNA as the First Hokage, Yamato possesses the First's signature Wood Release kekkei genkai. The kekkei genkai allows him to use Earth Release and Water Release jutsu. Though he uses the types infrequently, he has proven to be skilled with both. His more common application of earth and water is combining the two to generate living plants and trees which can be manipulated in countless ways. These trees can be grown not only from the earth and preexisting flora, but from his own body as well, transforming the actual cells into a different form of life.

In addition to simple binding techniques, Yamato has demonstrated multiple unique uses of Wood Release. One such example is his special Transformation Technique known as Wood Release: Transformation, in which Yamato covers his entire body with a wood imitation rather than using an illusion to mask his appearance. Perhaps his most often used technique is the Wood Clone Technique, a clone of him made with wood generated from his body. Because they share the same cells, Yamato is able to track its location, communicate with it at long distances, and absorb any information it has gathered by laying his hand on it. A less battle-oriented use of his kekkei genkai is Yamato's ability to generate wooden structures almost instantly, which he makes use of for his Wood Release: Four Pillars Prison Technique, a large cage used to hold prisoners and intimidate unruly subordinates, and the Wood Release: Four Pillars House Technique, a large house that can be erected at a moment's notice instead of setting up a camp.

Tailed Beast Suppression
Using the First Hokage's special necklace to amplify his powers, Yamato can suppress the power of a tailed beast. It is because of this legendary ability that Hashirama Senju was made Hokage in the first place, and it was greatly coveted by Orochimaru. Although the First Hokage could suppress entire tailed beasts, Yamato has admitted to not being as strong as the original, so it is unknown what the limits of his suppression ability are. However, he was able to suppress Naruto's four-tailed transformation in seconds. He also added a seal to the Hokage's necklace that would activate when Naruto called upon too much of the demon fox's chakra, attempting to restrain him and alerting Yamato to what was happening.

Trivia

 * Yamato is an ancient name of Japan and is also the name of a World War II era Japanese battleship.