Inojin Yamanaka

is a genin and a member of Konohagakure's Yamanaka clan. Together with his teammates Chōchō Akimichi and Shikadai Nara, he forms the seventeenth generation of the Ino–Shika–Chō trio.

Background
Inojin is the only child of Ino and Sai Yamanaka. As his parents continued to stay close to their childhood friends over the years, Inojin ultimately came to know the various parents' respective kids well. On the day of the Seventh Hokage's inauguration, he watched the ceremony with his parents and Shikadai.

Personality
Inojin seems rather obedient and the most reasonable of the new generation of the Ino–Shika–Chō trio, as he, unlike his teammates, insisted on going to training to learn the Ino–Shika–Chō techniques. At the same time, he can be very blunt and indifferent to people, situations and the feelings of those involved even to the point of being condescending. He also seems to have inherited the role of being the most motivated of the trio from his mother, Ino, and his late grandfather Inoichi. Because of his nature, Inojin is a very alert individual with outstanding powers of observation.

Despite regularly practising his respective parents' ninjutsu skills, mainly his father's, Inojin is always looking for a newer and more stylish means to go about it. At the same time, he has very simple goals in life, hoping to make more practical use of his skills for better financial gain.

Appearance
Inojin bears a strong resemblance to both his mother and father: he has pale blue eyes and light blond shoulder-length hair which he keeps in a small ponytail, both are traits which feature heavily in his clan. He also inherited his father's pale white skin colour, his hair bangs resemble that of Sai and his attire is also similar to that of his father's: a black collarless suit with red straps and mesh armour and a purple shirt underneath. In his backpack, he carries two items, the handles of which can be seen at each side. As customary of his clan, both of his ears are pierced by grey stud earrings.

His outfit as an academy student consisted of a violet sweater and white overalls, regular shinobi sandals and a brown strap to hold his tantō identical to Sai.

Abilities
Being trained regularly by his parents even before joining the Academy, Inojin had very advanced shurikenjutsu prowess, able to easily hit the bulls-eye. Inojin is skilled in kenjutsu, wielding a tipless tantō for close-range combat. Inojin is noted to be a very talented shinobi and well-versed in a variety of skills.

Ninjutsu
Inojin has also been taught the art-oriented techniques of his father, and as such he is able to effectively animate his drawings for various purposes, though his drawing style differs greatly from that of his father's, and even more noticeably, he uses colour in his drawings. He can apply explosive tags to his drawings to cause them to detonate when in close proximity of his target. Later, Inojin's prowess proved great enough to master the Sealing Technique: Tiger Vision Staring Bullet, letting him use his drawings to seal targets back within his scrolls.

Like his mother, Inojin is also a practitioner of Medical Ninjutsu. In the anime, he can effectively perform Cooperation Ninjutsu and Fūinjutsu, able to use both to restrict a person's movements and expand the might of it alongside fellow users.

Yamanaka Clan Techniques
As a member of the Yamanaka clan and his generation's Ino—Shika—Chō, Inojin has begun learning the various mind-oriented techniques of his clan, including the Mind Body Switch Technique, and collaboration techniques for his team respectively.

Academy Entrance Arc
In the anime, two weeks into his Academy career, Inojin voiced his views on how Boruto was taking advantage of his father's status as Hokage. While Boruto brushed if off and offered to be friends, Inojin noted he doesn't trust Boruto with his nature. Later, he joined the rest of the class to watch the fight between Boruto and Iwabee Yuino, which he later intervened as Iwabee decided to break his word. Ultimately, Boruto and Inojin's respective words resonated with Iwabee, ending the fight. The following day, Inojin defended Boruto, saying that he was actually trying to make a name for himself away from his father and did what he did for his friends.

After Boruto's failed attempt at shurikenjutsu caused property damage, Inojin and his friends were punished with repairing the damages to the Hokage Rock. The day after Shikadai had insulted Lee for his problems with anxiety, Inojin, Boruto and Shikadai found Lee, who was acting unusually aggressive. A fight broke out between them, during which Inojin managed to trick his opponent and get him off his guard with the help of his drawings, which he used to simulate Shikadai's shadows.

During a lesson about summoning techniques, Inojin and other boys began bickering with the girls, which Konohamaru broke up. Later during their lunch break, Boruto began to fight with Sarada over who would get the last yakisoba bun. Shino appeared, insisting that they boys and girls settle things with a race challenge for a flag. The challenge quickly got heated, with many of the boys being taken out of the contest until only Boruto, Shikidai, and Inojin were left on their team. Getting desperate, Boruto found a summoning scroll and miraculously summoned a snake-like creature. The creature went on a rampage, attacking the students and launched Chōchō Akimichi off the roof, to which Inojin helped Boruto to save her. After the creature was subdued by the timely arrival of Konohamaru, the contest ended with the girls getting the flag. Despite their victory, the girls made peace with the boys.

After their sensei ends classes early due to the impending Five Kage Summit, Inojin tried to convince his teammates Chōchō and Shikadai to go training with them. However, they both casually shirk their training opting to eat instead and claiming it was too troublesome respectively. Ultimately, he went to the training field alone, but was afraid to confront his upset mother and hid behind a tree instead contemplating how best to approach the situation. Later, the class gained a new transfer student from Otogakure named Mitsuki. Wanting the students to warm up to Mitsuki, Shino organised a welcoming party for the new student. When Shino's efforts for the party backfired with his insects, the class began to freak out, with Denki begging someone to make the insects go away, which Mitsuki did with his Wind Release: Breakthrough, causing even more damage to the Academy.

Later, the class was assigned by Shino to split into groups of three and each tail a different workplace for a few days to better understand non-shinobi life. Inojin joined Lee in gong to the Fire Department. While tailing their work, Inojin watched in embarrassment as Lee's social anxiety caused him to spray a fire-hose about the place randomly. Later, Inojin checked on some of his friends after learning that they were hospitalised from a recent attack. After completing his assignment with the fire department, Inojin and Lee were approached by Shikadai, who recruited them to stop the attacker. Inojin and his friends the met up at the post office to discuss their plan. After splitting up to patrol the village, the culprit of the attacks unleashed their Shadow Spectre on the post chief Komame. Inojin's group however quickly appeared, having anticipated this move as all their recent efforts were clearly being spied on. While half the team stayed to save the possessed Komame, Inojin's half pursued the masked culprit. While the post chief was saved, the spectre and the culprit ultimately got away. When another attack came, the area was closed off. Inojin, along with Denki and Shikadai, wondered where Boruto was, along with the missing Sumire. The following morning, they found Boruto, along with Sumire and Mitsuki in the field. They were soon joined by Sai and his unit, who took Sumire in for question. As Denki asked what happened, Boruto happily brushed it off, saying everything was fine.

Several weeks later, Shino decided to change up the three-man teams for their next challenge to determine the optimum pairings for graduation. Inojin teamed up Chōchō and Shikadai. When Iwabee noted that they were essentially forming the Ino-Shika-Chō trio like their respective parents, the team admitted that their techniques were naturally compatible. Later, Inojin told his friends that his father has gathered files on Academies in other villages, making Shikadai wonder if Sumire was going to leave the Academy. During the team challenge to capture the flag, Inojin distracted Mitsuki long enough to let Shikadai pin Mitsuki down, but escaped with a launched needle. Mitsuki created a distraction long enough for Boruto win the challenge. Shino was then called aside concerning Sumire. As the class began discussing rumours that Sumire was being transferred to a different school, they were relieved to see her return to their class.

Sarada Uchiha Arc
Upon hearing that he and the rest of the class will be going through graduation exams in a week, Inojin was surprised how little some of his classmates cared about it. Later, Inojin continued his training under his father in artistic ninjutsu, noting that his father's style of drawing is so old-fashioned.

School Trip Arc
In the anime, to improve relationships with other villages and symbolically show the warring era was over, the Seventh Hokage set up an official class trip for the Academy to go to Kirigakure. Upon arriving, they were met with Kagura Karatachi, who was appointed to act as the class' tour guide. The class was later taken to meet Chōjūrō, the Sixth Mizukage, who welcomed the class to the village. The following night, while waiting for Denki to return from his shopping, Inojin, Boruto, and Shikadai received a message in blood that Denki was kidnapped and the culprits demanded Denki's friends come to the pier.

Once arriving, the culprits were revealed to be Tsurushi Hachiya, and old classmate of Kagura, and his delinquent gang. As they began mocking Kagura's relationship with the Konoha-nin, they attacked the visiting class. During the fight, Hachiya revealed Kagura's dark past as the grandson of the Fourth Mizukage and having his own personal bloodshed reputation from his Academy days. After defeating their enemies, to cheer up Kagura, they inviting him to play a card game with them.

Later, when Boruto and Sarada were acting strangely, Inojin and Shikadai decided to follow them. To their surprise, the instead found Mitsuki talking secretly with Suigetsu Hōzuki. He instructed Mitsuki to not get involved with Shizuma Hoshigaki and his team, but Mitsuki plainly rejected the order. While trying to make sense of this, Inojin and Shikadai were taken by surprise by Suigetsu. While not understanding what was happening, the two nervously agreed to help Mitsuki.

Graduation Exams Arc
In the anime, after returning to Konoha, Inojin began photocopying his Super Beast Imitating Drawing instead of drawing them due to finding it exhausting. Using the photocopies in training, Inojin discovered he had lost the ability to maintain the technique. Following his father's advice on the matter, Inojin entered a children's drawing contest but loses to Himawari Uzumaki. Sai offers Inojin vague advice on why he is no longer able to perform the technique, believing it will benefit his son more by discovering the solution on his own. However, Inojins frustration builds which causes him to instead ask his mother to teach him the Mind Body Switch Technique but is unsuccessful when utilising it in a training battle. After discovering an old drawing he made of him and his family together when he was a child, Inojin finds motivation to learn about art and seeks Himawari for help. He then learns from her the importance of putting heart and emotion into his art as he rescues her drawing by finally being able to perform the technique properly again. Later as graduation was nearing, Inojin was interviewed about his goals for the future. He was later also interviewed by "Sukea", a freelance reporter for an article where he states his desire to be able to continue drawing art whilst making money.

Later, taking up Shino's subtle offer to try stealing the test answers for the written portion of the Genin Exams, Inojin and his friends were able to pass the test. The next day, the students for set against Academy teachers and Kakashi Hatake during the twenty four hour practical portion of the exams. While the teachers would still evaluate the students' respective improvements, their true test was against the Hokage. As the test began, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio fought Anko Mitarashi alongside other students, which resulted in them all being defeated and captured. During the night, his classmates rescued the restrained students after they defeated Anko. Strategising, all the students transformed into copies of Boruto and attacked Kakashi, during which they got into position to restrain him so Boruto could grab his bell. During their struggle, the exam reached its time limit. Despite not getting the bell, Kakashi chose to pass everyone as they succeeded in the test's true goal; team-work and loyalty. Having become a genin, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio was placed on Team 10 under Moegi Kazamatsuri's leadership.

Genin Mission Arc
In the anime, the Seventh Hokage personally assigned Team 10 their first mission, which involved chauffeuring around a client. Inojin was annoyed that Chōchō had to carry nothing during it, while he and Shikadai carried the client's shopping around Konoha. Later, Team 10 is tasked with moving rocks off the Thunder Rail, which Inojin does by using his Super Beast Imitating Drawing.

Byakuya Gang Arc
In the anime, with the continued thefts performed by the Byakuya Gang throughout Konoha, Team 10 was assigned alongside other genin teams to help stop the thieves. However, they weren't permitted to engage the gang without aid from a higher-ranked shinobi. When protesters began accusing the Kaminarimon Company of corrupt practises, Team 10 was tasked with being stationed at a key point during the protest. When Shikadai ran off during their assignment, Inojin and Chōchō followed him, during which they are joined by Boruto and told that he believed the Ninjutsu Research Centre was being targeted by the Byakuya Gang. Arriving at the institute, the genin discovered it was robbed, and given a way to track the thieves by Katasuke Tōno. Catching up to the gang, Inojin and Chōchō faced the majority of the group while Shikadai and Boruto chased after Gekkō and Ryōgi. Defeating all but one of the thieves, Shikamaru Nara arrived and defeated the final member. Acknowledging that it was an urgent situation, Shikamaru let the pair off the hook for engaging in battle, much to their relief.

Versus Momoshiki Arc
As Moegi presented the Chūnin Exams application papers to Inojin and his teammates, he and Shikadai had doubts about entering as they considered themselves rookies. Having cold feet about the situation, Moegi resorted to handing the pair letters from their mothers, which frighteningly persuaded them to take part in the exams. Remembering that they organised to meet up with Boruto, the boys hurried off to Lightning Burger. There, the three genin play a video game together. When Boruto offers to give them his data to make the game easier, Inojin reacts with disappointment, along with Shikadai to find that Boruto had been cheating while they were playing.

Following attending the entrance ceremony for the Chūnin Exams, the three raced towards the first exam venue in the time provided in order to not get eliminated. Bypassing all traps and obstacles on their route, the team made it to Exam Venue B. There, the team participated in a true or false question given by Sai, which resulted in all competitors falling into a pit that contained a pool of ink. Having been saved from falling into the ink by Shikadai alongside Chōchō, Team 10 passed the first round. Three days later, for the second round of the exams, Team 10 competed in a game of capture the flag against a Kusagakure team. After subduing an enemy from capturing his flag, Chōchō obtained an enemy team's flag, resulting in their team progressing to the final round of the exams.

On the day of the final round, the event was structured as a one verse one tournament, leading to Inojin being pitted against Araya. Having been defeated, Inojin was eliminated from the exams. He and his team-mates cheered for Boruto when he defeated Shinki to win the tournament, but were shocked when learning that he was caught cheating. When Momoshiki and Kinshiki Ōtsutsuki appeared and began devastating the arena, Inojin used his drawings to assist in the evacuation of civilians. A few days after the attack, Inojin noted their team was getting a lot of work due to Shikadai overdoing his performance during the exams. As Inojin and Chōchō begin to argue, Moegi arrived to give them their mission.

Naruto Shinden: Family Day
Inojin appears in this novel.

Chōchō Arc
In the anime, when the lead actors of a popular TV drama, Tomaru and Ashina received a death threat if they continued filming their show, Team 10 was assigned to protect the actors alongside Team 7. Inojin and his team were assigned to watch Tomaru, which Inojin was upset about, hoping to have been assigned to the beautiful Ashina.

Later, a masked attacker managed to capture Tomaru. A ransom was left that demanded 20 million ryō and for Ashina to be the one to deliver it. During the exchange, as Konohamaru already captured the attacker and disguised himself as the Ame-nin, Ashina was revealed to be the mastermind behind the assaults as she desperately wanted to rekindle her fame as an actress. In a last blind effort to keep her fame by burying the truth, she attempted to blow up the area. While Konohomaru stopped her from using them, the explosive tags went off, causing a landslide, which the Konoha-nin quickly saved the spectators from. Afterwards, Ashina was arrested.

Mitsuki's Disappearance Arc
In the anime, after Mitsuki's apparent betrayal of Konohakagure, the village was put on lockdown. Despite this, Boruto and Sarada decided to sneak out to find Mitsuki. Team 10 was assigned to find and bring back the two genin. The following day, they managed to intercept them. As the two refused to come back peacefully, they created a distraction and then attempted a decoy with Boruto's shadow clones. This succeeded in splitting up Team Moegi between the jōnin and her students. Sarada and Boruto were soon intercepted by their friends, who through Shikadai's strategy easily anticipated Sarada and Boruto's tactics to quickly subdue them. While ready to take them back, Shikadai noticed the snake. Once learning that a message was left on it from Mitsuki, Shikadai realised that the situation had to many inconsistencies to brand Mitsuki a traitor. Wanting to find answers, Shikadai convinced his team-mates to help Boruto and Sarada.

Eventually, they found themselves in a foggy canyon. As they began wondering about aimlessly, they found a large palace, assuming that it must be the Ryūchi Cave. Inside, they found to their surprise a very lavished setting and were greeted by a beautiful young woman. Saying the White Snake Sage was expecting them, the woman invited them to a large feast. As the others began to enjoy themselves, the woman insisted that after they eat, they could ask the sage about Mitsuki. Boruto realised the woman was deceiving them as he never mentioned Mitsuki by name. The woman revealed herself to be a snake creature and the palace and food were but illusions to test the guests. Applauding Boruto's fortitude, she explained that to see the sage, one must past a series of tests, if they fail, the snake servants may eat the guests. As only Boruto wished to speak with the sage, Inojin and the others were separated from him and knocked out. Ultimately, proving his resolve, Boruto passed the other tests.

Once Inojin and the others were reunited with Boruto they met with the White Snake Sage, surprised to see that she was a small and frail-looking reptilian woman. While surprised that someone would risk meeting with her for something other than learning senjutsu, the sage insisted that she couldn't help give answers beyond mastery of senjutsu. Boruto refused to give up, begging the sage to reconsider. Giving in to Boruto's stubbornness, the sage agreed to help analyse Mitsuki's snake only if they first brought to her the Reverse Scale of the giant snake Garaga, who was located in the most dangerous part of the cave. Boruto and the group accepted.

In their journey through the cave, they found several massive stone snake statue before ultimately being attacked by Garaga. The genin attempted to hold their ground but were quickly overpowered by the massive foe. As the rampaging snake attacked Sarada, another massive snake appeared to stop him. After the genin retreated to safety, the other snake appeared again, revealing himself as Aoda, Sasuke's personal summoning. As Aoda made his peaceful intentions known the group explained their goal of acquiring Garaga's Reverse Scale on the request of the White Snake Sage to get her help in finding Mitsuki. Aoda was reluctant as Garaga's savage nature made all other inhabitants of Ryūchi Cave stay clear of him, but nonetheless agreed to help Sarada. Following Shikadai's plan, they were initially able to pin down Garaga after Inojin blinded it with his Super Beast Imitating Drawing, until the rampaging foe used his spit to petrify Chōchō Akimichi.

As Aoda was too battered to continue, Inojin and the others continued their pursuit for the Reverse Scale. Ultimately, Boruto learned Garaga's aggressive nature and disdain for humans came from a past betrayal of one. As Boruto offered the giant snake to enter a summoning contract with him on the grounds that if Boruto failed to make Mitsuki come back, Garaga could eat him. Agreeing this bet, Garaga returned Chōchō to normal and presented himself before the White Snake Sage. Accepting that Boruto upheld his part of the deal, the sage revealed the secret thoughts inside Mitsuki's snake, revealing that Mitsuki feigned killing a guard to save his life. Still unclear why Mitsuki joined the attackers but knowing where he went headed off to the Land of Earth.

As the group began to approach the Land of Earth's border, Shikadai had Inojin and Chōchō to return to the village to report their findings. Along the way, the two found a group of jōnin paralysed on the field. They decided to investigate. Following this, Inojin and Chōchō turned back to help their friends. They arrived in time as they struggled against Kokuyō. The Ino-Shika-Chō trio decided to hold off the artificial man while Boruto and Sarada went on ahead. Despite their perfect team formations, the enemy was able to repel all of them. Ultimately, the trio was forced to retreat. The trio soon after caught up to their friends, where they learned of Mitsuki's betrayal upon attacking Boruto and leaving with the enemies.

While caring for Boruto, Inojin discovered a miniature and imperfect Akuta that became very fond of him. After Boruto awoke, the group discussed whether to return to Konohagakure with their findings, or push forward to find the truth about these new enemies that posed a threat to the peaceful times. Ultimately, it was agreed to go venture on to Iwagakure and retrieve Mitsuki. Boruto suggested that go seek the help of Ōnoki. Upon arriving outside the village, Inojin was chosen to stay behind as the Akuta with them would draw too much attention. While hiding in a cave, realising that the tiny creature didn't like being called an "Akuta", Inojin decided to give it a new name of Akkun, which it liked while Inojin himself became more attached to the creature. Inojin began attempting to teach it his friends' names, but only could refer to them in silly nicknames.

Deciding that they waited long enough, the group decided to look for their friends. They instead found an injured Akatsuchi. They then noticed an explosion. Realising that it could be their friends, Inojin was chosen to take Akatsuchi back to the cave while Sarada and Chōchō went to investigate. Back at the cave, the hideout was found out by Kirara. As she attacked Akkun, Inojin tried to defend it and seal her, only to be subdued by her genjutsu. Inojin was used as a pawn to get close to Boruto and the others, where he quickly subdued his friend.

Inojin was detained himself when the genjutsu was undone. He was brought back with his fellow captured genin and Ōnoki to the village. Once arriving, they learned that all of Iwagakure was taken over by Kū as an extra measure to keep the outside world from learning of their plans. When contorting the second-in-command, he voiced his desire to transplant human hearts into the Fabrications as it would sustain them. Ōnoki however refused on the grounds that it went against the purpose of his goal for saving lives. Deciding that Ōnoki was to sentimental to see the bigger picture, Kū usurped the Third Tsuchikage. Before Kū could move forward with his plan, Shikadai appeared, using a diversion to help his friends escape.

They were soon intercepted by Kokuyō. Inojin and his team-mates decided to face the foe while Boruto and Sarada moved on. Kokuyō's advanced physical prowess quickly adapted to the Ino-Shika-Chō's previously shown attack patterns and forced them back. Using a plan of Shikadai, they were able to lead Kokuyō into a trap. While nearly working, the foe proved to strong and moved in to finish Inojin. Instead, Inojin was saved by the efforts of Akkun. The creature's efforts let Chōchō land the final blow to finish their foe, but not before Akkun was struck down. Inojin held his fallen friend closing, chastising him for being so reckless and wept as the tiny Akuta crumbled into dust.

Ultimately, the Fabrications were defeated, thanks to the personal sacrifice of the Third Tsuchikage. While wanting to stay for the funeral, Naruto sent Shikadai and his friends back to Konohagakure, which Shikadai was dreading the confrontation with their angry sensei Moegi. Before leaving, Inojin made a grave for Akkun, placing the remains of its mask and a drawing of the Akuta on top.

Mujina Bandits Arc
Later, Inojin and Boruto opened their Extreme: Shinobi Picture Scrolls card packets together, during which he got a Second Hokage card.

Ao Arc
At the Training Hall, Inojin watched Boruto fight the Seventh Hokage alongside other genin.

Trivia

 * According to the movie's light novel adaption, Inojin's role-playing character, when he plays with Shikadai and Boruto, is a white mage.
 * According to character trivia from Boruto: Naruto Next Generations:
 * Inojin's hobbies are painting/drawing and playing first-person shooter games.
 * His favourite foods are cheese and takoyaki.
 * His least favourite foods are fatty meats.
 * His attributes are: 100 in intelligence, 120 in negotiations, 126 in dexterity, 80 in strength, 160 in perception, and 140 in chakra.
 * He was also given a skill rating in these particular areas:
 * Espionage: ★★★☆☆
 * Art of Conversation: ★★★☆☆
 * Medical Ninjutsu: ★★☆☆☆