Ishikawa

The was the one who founded Iwagakure in the Land of Earth. In the anime, he was stated to be a member of the Kamizuru clan.

Background
At the first meeting of the five Kage, he, accompanied by Mū, sat alongside the others, where he noted that he had come in good faith to endorse the meeting of the five Kage, but noted that he would not sign so easily to agreement. True to his words, he expressed outrage when the First Kazekage made a demand that instead of receiving a tailed beast, as the sand priests had already sealed away one, they requested 30% of whatever they would pay for a tailed beast from Konoha. As infighting broke out and Hashirama Senju made his plea to them to preserve the future of their children and unite, he looked on intently.

At some point during his tenure, the Tsuchikage tasked a young Ōnoki with cleaning the Stone Monument of their village, under his direct supervision. During the exercise, he explained that the stone was a symbol of the tough, unmovable will of the shinobi of Iwagakure — something that he regarded as "essential". Although describing Ōnoki as possessing such a will, he warned how forsaking it would result in a life filled only with excuses and hatred.

Personality
The Tsuchikage seemed to be a composed individual, with wisdom and experience befitting of his age. By his own admission, he was able to discern the value of a stone and a person's will alike by merely looking at them. As a consequence of this, he had a tendency to make reference to stones and their properties while speaking, aptly demonstrated during his advice to Ōnoki about discovering his innate strong will.

Appearance
During old age, the First had grown a bristling moustache and long beard, both of which had dark highlights running through them alternately. He also had a tendency to squint, otherwise only opening just one of his eyes when necessary. He wore the traditional Kage attire — consisting of the customary hat and cloak — over a dark, loose-fitting, full-length gown that was tied using a lighter sash around his waist.

At the first meeting of the five Kage, he wore a dark-coloured kimono with light-coloured trimmings, while his long hair hung loosely around his face.

Abilities
Though his capabilities remain largely unknown, overall, as the founding Tsuchikage, he must have undoubtedly been a powerful ninja. He has shown the ability to fly like his successors. In the anime, it was alluded to the fact that he used insect-based ninjutsu as his fighting style.

Search for Bikōchū Arc
In the anime, where his story precedes his manga début, it is revealed that after the Tsuchikage's death, his granddaughter, Suzumebachi, searched for his sacred scrolls, which contained secret techniques on the bug-tamer arts. Ultimately, she was unsuccessful with finding her grandfather's scrolls. She and her brothers, Jibachi and Kurobachi, set out to find the bikōchū to help them, but were stopped by Naruto and Team Kurenai.

Trivia

 * The First was mentioned in Part I of the anime, long before his Part II manga début in Ōnoki's flashback. In the anime, he was mentioned to be from the Kamizuru clan and a bee user.

Quotes

 * (To Ōnoki) "If you forsake your will while hitting a wall… you will begin to make excuses and obtain hatred in exchange of your determination. Listen now… you have to step forward without abandoning your will!"