Yamato

is a member of Konoha's ANBU and a younger peer of Kakashi Hatake. He is also the temporary leader of Kakashi Hatake's Team 7, consisting of Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sai. "Yamato" is actually a codename given to him for the purposes of joining Team 7, his real name being. Yamato, however, seems to prefer going by his codename while near his teammates.

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, "Captain" 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 directed 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 his fear. Yamato also seems to be very gullible, as seen has been tricked into paying for Kakashi's, Naruto's and his own ramen because of Kakashi's devious mind leaving him to pay. 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, Root, 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 to leave Team 7 defeated.

After returning to Konoha, Yamato is recruited by Kakashi 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.

Fire Temple filler arc
Mid-way through Naruto's training, Yamato was ordered by Tsunade to take Naruto and the rest of his team to the Fire Temple to investigate a tomb raiding going on near the Fire Temple. While waiting for their guide, Yamato grew impatient and decided to search for the guide, unaware that Naruto left the campsite to get away from Sai (whose attempt at making friends yet again went bad.)

After finding the guide (Chiriku) and returning to camp to find Naruto had left, searched for him and found that Naruto had gotten into a fight with a young monk from the Fire Temple named Sora. After helping in calming the two down, they made their way to the Fire Temple, where Chiruku explained how one of the tombs belonging to a former member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja was robbed of its corpse.

Yamato found it very odd and wondered what could be obtained from the bodies of warriors that died years ago. He wondered if it was for a resurrection technique like Orochimaru’s did to revive the First and Second Hokage. Word then reaches the Fire Temple that the graves of three other former Ninja Guardian members also had their corpses stolen, Yamato and his team joined Chiriku in to find the thieves. They followed the trail into a large field where they found 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 assumed trap was sprung, as Yamato and his team found themselves suddenly trapped within a Earth Release: Wheel of Fortune 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 completely overpowered by Fudo’s unique earth-jutsu prowess and indestructible body, forcing him completely on the defensive. Eventually, Fudo caught him in a crush rock jutsu, but deceived Fudo by merging with the rocks. Yamato quickly wasted no time as he searched for his team, After failing to recover the stolen corpses or capture the tomb robbers, Yamato and his team return to Konoha to regroup and wait to see how things play out. It was also decided that Sora would temporarily join the team. When back in Konoha, Yamato initially decided to Sora join the team in exercises to improve teamwork, but Asuma pointed out that Sora and Naruto are too stubborn to work together by force, so Yamato instead tricked Asuma to train them in wind-chakra.

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. As Fudo began sinking under the mud, Yamato revealed he already discovered the truth behind his armor. He then proceeded to finished off Fudo by crushing him in with a wood-jutsu. He then went to join Asuma and the others in stopping the bandits’ leader Furido, who turned out to be another former Ninja Guardian member, who performed the Five Element Unseal to release Sora’s demon chakra. Unfortunately 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 demon chakra blasts.

Hidan and Kakuzu arc
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 in their battle. 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 filler arc
When Kakashi reports to Tsunade through Pakkun of the increasing danger of his and Team 8's mission, Tsunade calls for Yamato to gather Sakura and Sai for backup.

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 Team Snake and members of the Akatsuki, the group was forced to abandon the mission and return to Konoha.

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

Wood Element Techniques
Having Hashirama Senju's DNA, Yamato possesses a lot of his techinques and most notably possesses the Wood Release ability of the First Hokage.

Yamato is able to use a Wood Release version of the Transformation Technique known as Wood Release: Transformation. When Yamato performs his hand seals, wood emerges and covers his entire body during transformation. Once the jutsu is done, the transformation is complete. His most often seen used jutsu is the Wood Clone Technique that a clone of him made of wood comes out of his body. Wood clones can communicate from far distances as in the manga and anime. If needed, the clones may turn into pills that a person (not the user) might take so he or she is able to communicate with the original; Tenzo in this case. During the start of Team Yamato's mission, if the team members wouldn't get along, Yamato would trap them in a jutsu known as Wood Release: Four Pillars Prison Technique which created large pillars that form a large cage. This often frightened the team. Also, for the use of luxury, which Yamato refers to as "camping" can summon a house of wood using Wood Release: Four Pillars House Technique in which Team Yamato was seen spending the night in.

Earth and Water Element Techniques
Because Wood Release is a combination of Water Release and Earth Release, Yamato also possesses a high aptitude for water and earth-element chakra. He can used them seperately yet still together in combinations as seen with Earth Release: Earth Flow Rampart and Water Release: Waterfall Basin Technique. He also skilled in using the said elements seperately like using Earth Release: Winding Fissure to create fissures on the ground and water-based like Water Release: Tearing Torrent to as counters to an enemy's attack.

Trivia
Yamato can eat 31 bowls of pork roast ramen in half an hour, only 1 above Naruto's. Both lost however to Hinata with 46 bowls.