Takeru Yamato

Yamato is confident, disciplined and intensely competitive. He believes that a challenge should be confronted directly, an attitude reflected in both his running style and his dealings with other elite players.

Unlike arrogant athletes who dismiss weaker competitors without consideration, Yamato actively values opponents capable of testing him. His certainty comes from a combination of exceptional physical gifts and the work required to make those gifts reliable.

He is also protective toward Karin Koizumi, frequently intervening when the shy quarterback is uncomfortable away from the field.

Yamato is presented as a nearly complete power-speed runner. A 4.2-second 40-yard dash gives him top-tier acceleration, while his 140 kg bench press allows him to meet defenders with far more force than most runners can generate.

His defining quality is balance. Yamato maintains his center of gravity through tackles and continues driving forward after contact, making conventional attempts to knock him down unreliable. This forms the basis of his Caesar's Charge, a direct rushing technique that challenges defenders to stop him physically.

His skills extend beyond rushing. Yamato can contribute defensively as a free safety and possesses the coordination expected of Teikoku's elite first-string players.

Yamato is introduced gradually as one of the great unknowns surrounding Teikoku. His reputation reaches Deimon before the team encounters him directly, particularly as Sena's own Eyeshield 21 identity raises questions about the title's history.

Yamato is eventually revealed as the runner who used the Eyeshield 21 name at Notre Dame Middle School and the player Kakei encountered in America. He was removed from Notre Dame after Mr. Don judged him unworthy of the title, eventually returning to Japan and joining Teikoku.

The Christmas Bowl turns his rivalry with Sena into a direct contest between two runners associated with Eyeshield 21. Sena must find a way to overcome Yamato's balance and power rather than merely matching his speed.

Sena Kobayakawa becomes Yamato's principal running rival. Their Christmas Bowl confrontation determines which runner can carry the Eyeshield 21 ideal further on the field.

Shun Kakei encountered Yamato during their time playing football in the United States. [That encounter drives Shun Kakei's long search for the runner he remembers as Eyeshield 21.](#spoiler)

Karin Koizumi is Yamato's quarterback and someone he frequently protects in social situations.

Taka Honjou stands alongside Yamato as another exceptional first-string Teikoku player.

Donald Oberman has a hostile history with Yamato. His judgment at Notre Dame contributes directly to Yamato losing his place there.