Shin

was a Konoha orphan who was recruited into Root.

Background
Even though he was trained to abandon his emotions, Shin grew close to a younger Root member, Sai. He recognized Sai's talent for art, and encouraged him to continue the hobby. Sai looked up to him as a brother and began to shed Root's teachings, but Shin soon died of a disease, leaving Sai's training to suppress most of his memories of Shin. Prior to Shin's death, it was noted that he and Sai were supposed to fight to the death by Root regulations, in a final step to eradicate emotions. After Sai met Naruto Uzumaki, who he noted to be similar to Shin, Sai's memories of him returned, which brought a smile to his face.

Personality
According to Sai, Shin and Naruto are very much alike. He counted that Shin was loud, impatient, and unrefined. But, despite all these, Shin seemed to be a kind boy, since he often did compliment on Sai's drawings, also always helped him. Shin seems to have disregarded his training in Root of abandoning his emotions. And because of these reasons, Sai looked up to him as an older brother.

Appearance
Shin had gray hair and black eyes. When he was a child, he wore a pale yellow shirt together with a pair of dark brown pants. These outfits were the ones he wore in the cover of Sai's picture book. When he was older, he wore official uniform of the ANBU, and carried giant shuriken as well as a tantō on his back. Unlike all other members of Root that wear a short jacket, he didn't.

When he was resurrected by Kabuto, he is seen in an outfit very similar to the one his brother wears inclusive of the Root jacket.

Shinobi World War Arc
Kabuto Yakushi summons Shin, using Summoning: Impure World Resurrection, as part of Akatsuki's line up for the Fourth Great Shinobi World War. Shin becomes a member of Akatsuki's Surprise Attack and Diversion Platoon, and his assigned role within the Platoon is to serve as Back-up and Support for the other members. When the Platoon first engages the Allied Shinobi Forces' Surprise Attack Division, Sai attacks Shin from above and manages to break Shin's neck. However, since he has been resurrected, Shin regenerates immediately. He then tells Sai to run away. He springs forward, attacking Sai with his tantō. After Omoi cuts the chakra threads on the Konoha shinobi Sasori was controlling, he attached chakra threads to Shin instead, using him to combat Kankurō. Upon it being revealed that he has Deidara's explosive clay packed into his stomach, Kankurō manages to capture him with the Salamander puppet, where he explodes. Due to being under the influence of the Summoning: Impure World Resurrection, he reformed. He told Sai that he didn't want to hurt him, as he is dead and has been freed from Root. As Sai attacks Deidara and Sasori in a rage, Shin sees the drawing Sai made of himself and Sai together, remembering when Sai first started to draw it. After Deidara and Sasori were captured, Sai said that they should finish the fight they never got to start. Shin, however, tells him there's no need, as finally seeing Sai's drawing freed his soul. Then he faded into ashes, leaving an unknown corpse that was used to resurrect Shin.