Summary
- Captain Yamato's character in the Naruto series suffers from being forgotten and neglected due to the extensive roster of characters.
- Yamato was captured because he possessed live cells of Hashirama, which Kabuto intended to use to strengthen his army of White Zetsu.
- Yamato's role during the Fourth Great Ninja War was minimal as he was used by Tobi as an amp for his Wood Release powers. He was later freed and placed on surveillance duty in Boruto.
Long-running shonen anime often boast an extensive roster of characters, and while the novelty that each character brings certainly enriches the storyline, there’s only enough room for a handful of heroes to shine. The Naruto series suffers heavily due to this very aspect, and Captain Yamato is a primary example of how easy it is for a prominent character to be forgotten.
Adding too many characters into the mix leads to a gaping hole of neglect, where many characters often find themselves after being forgotten by the author. Yamato became victim to this very notion right before the climax of the series, denying him any spotlight during the final battle. His absence has led many viewers to question his fate, with some even wondering if the character is still alive and well. However, the series has shed some light on his whereabouts, confirming Yamato’s current status.
Naruto: Why Is Yamato’s Wood Release Not As Strong As Hashirama?
Yamato and Hashirama are the only known wood release users in history, but why is one way more powerful than the other?
Yamato’s Initial Capture
Yamato has been a prominent character for most of Shippuden, and his role as Team 7’s substitute captain furthered his position in the series. This narrative continued on till the prelude of the Fourth Great Ninja War, as Yamato was responsible for accompanying Naruto and Killer B to an isolated island in the Land of Lightning. However, the island became victim to another one of the Akatsuki’s assaults, as Kisame had been hiding within Killer B’s Samehada the entire time.
Kabuto Yakushi also joined the altercation, though his role was to simply acquire his target instead of fighting head-on. In the midst of this chaotic mess, Kabuto successfully captured Yamato and escaped unscathed, meeting Obito at a rendezvous point to assess the situation. This was the last of Yamato’s role in the main storyline, as he was nowhere to be seen after his capture, only to make an appearance after the main story had concluded.
Why Was Yamato Captured?
Capturing an enemy shinobi can provide crucial information, though this is the only purpose any captive could serve. Yamato’s case, however, is quite special as he possessed something that every single major villain in the Naruto world is after – Hashirama’s Cells. Hashirama’s DNA was already available in hordes, since Orochimaru and Kabuto had cultivated this genetic material for their personal research.
However, the cells that Yamato possessed were special, since these were live cells that could produce the effects of Hashirama’s cells with high potency. This made Yamato a target of Kabuto’s nefarious plans, as he intended to use the Leaf shinobi to strengthen his army of ten thousand White Zetsu. Since White Zetsu are a creation of the same chakra that Hashirama possessed, Kabuto utilized Yamato’s body as an amp for these sentient creatures.
Why Yamato Was Forced To Take On a Smaller Role During the War
Since Yamato was captured during the prelude to the war, he made no contribution to the Allied Shinobi Forces’ war effort. Instead, he was used by the White Zetsu known as Tobi to serve as an amp for his own Wood Release. Yamato remained unconscious the entire time, and his body was encased within Tobi’s spirals. Tobi already possessed Wood Style, and Yamato’s body served as a boost to his powers.
Naruto: 10 Strongest Characters Who Died In The Fourth Great Ninja War
The Fouth Great Ninja War claimed the lives of some of the strongest ninjas in the Naruto universe. Here are some of those fallen warriors.
When the Infinite Tsukuyomi was cast, Tobi freed Yamato as he had no use left for him, and the unconscious shinobi was immediately caught in the wide-scale genjutsu. This was the only screen time Yamato received during the entire war arc. A few meager seconds for such a prominent character is truly disappointing, especially since Yamato could have greatly aided the alliance’s war efforts.
Yamato’s New Role Comes With Considerably Less Screen Time
Since the aftermath of the war was never revealed in Shippuden, viewers remained unaware of what became of Captain Yamato. However, the Last: Naruto the Movie and Boruto sheds light on Yamato’s current activities, bringing fans up to speed about the whereabouts of Team 7’s substitute captain. The series revealed that Yamato was put on surveillance duty, keeping an eye on Orochimaru and his day-to-day life.
Orochimaru was pardoned for his past crimes, as his actions during the Fourth Great Ninja War were deemed worthy of redemption. However, this absolution wasn’t enough to ease the Hidden Leaf’s suspicions of Orochimaru reverting to his villainous antics. To ensure he wasn’t plotting anything against the Five Great Nations, Yamato was placed in charge of monitoring Orochimaru at all times.
While Yamato is given a unique role in Boruto as Orochimaru’s guard, it’s certainly disappointing to see a once-significant and promising character to be relegated to the role of a mere sentinel. As the only character with Wood Release, fans were hoping to see Yamato in action, or at least with a more significant role considering his position in Shippuden. However, it’s clear that Kishimoto likely forgot about Yamato after he was abducted by Kabuto, placing him awkwardly within the narrative later on.
Naruto is available to stream on Prime Video.
