Yashamaru

Yashamaru (夜叉丸) was an anbu level shinobi, and medical nin from Sunagakure. He was also the right hand man of Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage.

Background
He was born on the day of May 23rd. Being raised by his older sister and unseen parents. His childhood is also a complete mystery. In adulthood, Yashamaru's elder sister, Karura, had married Rasa. Then she had died shortly after giving birth to her youngest son Gaara, within who the One Tailed Shukaku had been sealed. After her death, Yashamaru was appointed as Gaara's caretaker by his brother in law, Rasa. At night time, as they eat dinner together. Gaara asks his uncle why do they feel hungry. Yashamaru tells him that maybe it's so they can have good food. While playing in the sandbox, Gaara asks him why the sky is blue, and Yashamaru tells him it's so they can look up at it. Gaara agrees that looking at the sky eases his pain. Gaara asks why he doesn't get sleepy, and why he doesn't have a mother. But Yashamaru evades answering these questions for Gaara's own safety. However he tells him that he has him because he will always be by his side. After his niece and nephew left the next day, Yashamaru arrives with lunch, and Gaara notices how he resembles his late mother.

Unlike his fellow villagers, he attempted to understand his nephew's plight as a jinchuriki, and believed that the sand that flew to Gaara's aid in moments of danger was actually the will of Karura protecting her child. However, when Gaara's inability to control Shukaku proved to be a big problem, the Fourth Kazekage tasked Yashamaru with the duty of attacking the boy both physically, and psychologically to test his actual mastery over the beast's power. Yashamaru was against the plan, and told his brother in law that Gaara is still a child. But then he reluctantly acceptted his role in order to teach Gaara about physical pain, emotional pain and love.

The test became a suicide mission after Yashamaru was gravely injured by Gaara's Sand Binding Coffin. He lied to Gaara, telling him that he hated him and that his sister gave him his name from the phrase "a self-loving carnage" (我を愛する修羅) to reflect the undying hatred she felt towards the village, rather than out of love for her son. Yashamaru then lied to Gaara by telling him that nobody would ever love him, and then detonated a series of explosive tags hidden within his flack jacket in an attempt to take Gaara with him. Yashamaru's cruel words and his suicide caused Gaara to become a sociopath, and even more of an emotional wreck than he already was.

It would only be years later during the Fourth Shinobi War, that Gaara learned the truth of the mission that Yashamaru was given, and that he had in fact lied to Gaara about his mother under direct orders from the Fourth Kazekage.

Personality
Yashamaru was a very warm, devoted, and caring person who loved his sister Karura, above all. Under the test set by the Fourth Kazekage, Yashamaru claimed that he tried to love Gaara, but could never let go of the fact Karura died giving birth to him. In reality, he was the only person to understand Gaara's accidental attacks on the villagers, and tried to persuade others to understand as well, while teaching the young man about love, and pain. He was also willing to sacrifice his own life in order to test out Gaara's control over Shukaku, acting as though he was unforgiving and murderous towards his nephew, and always hated him, ending their relationship with bitter and aloof lies.

The person Yashamaru truly hated was his brother in law, Rasa, for implanting Shukaku within Gaara while still in his sister, and thus taking away Karura's life. He also loved Gaara dearly, having fulfilled a role similar to Iruka with Naruto, keeping Gaara from falling off the edge with his sanity. However, as an Anbu and the right hand man of the Kazekage, Yashamaru still did as he was ordered, even acting as to betray his own nephew. This would prove to drive Gaara off the edge, and become an insane sociopath.

Appearance
Yashamaru bore a striking, if not identical, resemblance to his sister with his sandy blond hair, fair skin, and violet eyes, which made him look somewhat feminine. He was usually seen in a simple, dark blue, kimono style shirt with white trim that was held closed by a white sash along with grey pants. He also wore a pair of black shinobi sandals and a beige apron with the Sunagakure village symbol at the top the latter of which he wore optionally. He also wore bandages around his head. As an ANBU, he donned the traditional uniform of the Sunagakure-nin which included a turban, the village's forehead protector, a flak jacket as well as a cloth that hid the lower half of his face, leaving only his eyes visible.

Abilities
As a medical-nin, Yashamaru was very adept at manipulating chakra, as seen with him controlling kunais in mid air. He was also an ANBU, and the right-hand man of the Kazekage, which further exemplifies his strength and talents.

Fourth Shinobi War arc
When Madara's Infinite Tsukuyomi was activated, Yashamru appeared in Gaara's dream. He appears in Gaara's childhood with his entire family, and his still alive older sister. He tells a young Gaara that a young Uzumaki Naruto has come over to their house to play with him.

Video Games
Yashamaru is a playable character in the following video game:
 * Naruto Shippuuden Ultimate Ninja Blazing
 * Naruto Ultimate Ninja Online

Quotes

 * "That's love".
 * There's no doubt that my older sister loved you.

Karura
He cared about his older sister and was devastated when she died.

Rasa
He had blamed him for his older sisters death and has hated him ever since.

Knownable Relatives

 * Karura (Older Sister/dead)
 * Rasa (Brother In Law)
 * Nara Temari (Oldest Niece)
 * Kankuro (Oldest Nephew)
 * Gaara (Youngest Nephew)
 * Nara Shikadai (Grandnephew)
 * Shinki (Foster Grandnephew)

Trivia
According to the databook(s):
 * The name, Yashamaru, 夜叉丸, is composed of three Kanji. The first two, Yasha (夜叉) refer to creatures in Japanese mythology known as Yaksha. The Hindu version of the Yaksha usually portray them as having two sides: a darker, more sinister side, and a benevolent, lovable side. Yashamaru's betrayal could be a reference to this "dark side" of Yaksha. Maru (丸) is a common ending for male names.
 * His birthday is May 23, & his bloodtype is AB.
 * Yashamaru's favorite word was "affection" (愛情). Which would later on become his youngest nephew's favorite word.
 * Yashamaru had completed 734 official missions in total: 384 D-rank, 240 C-rank, 96 B-rank, 14 A-rank, 0 S-rank.
 * Yashamaru, along with many other dead characters within the Naruto series, made a cameo in the ending omake of Naruto Shippūden episode 129.
 * The second databook initially listed Yashamaru as a chunin but in chapter 548, he was stated to be an ANBU.
 * In the Polish, Portuguese, French, Brazilian and Italian versions of the Naruto manga, Yashamaru is portrayed as female rather than male. Even in the anime, there is no clear indication of his gender, despite the fact that he is voiced by a man in both the Japanese, and English version.

Voice Actors

 * Japanese : Soichiro Hoshi
 * English : Brian Beacock

all information on Yashamru is from http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Yashamaru