Kaede Tanizaki

Kaede Tanizaki (谷崎楓, Tanizaki Kaede) is a chūnin-level shinobi of Konohagakure's Team 12 and a descendant of the Yuki clan. He possesses the unique Ice Release kekkei genkai.

Background
Kaede's mother is a descendant of the Yuki clan who came to Konoha in order to live a peaceful life since she possessed the unique Ice Release kekkei genkai. Kaede inherited this ability, but he can only use it very few times. He grew up with Momoko Sora and Kyo Shiburai as close friends and they were only separated very few times. Kaede's father died due to an ambush during a mission when Kaede was around 8 years old, and so this left him in his mother's care.

Personality
Kaede is mostly a playful character who likes to tease his teammates, calling Momoko by her dreaded nickname "Peachy" and playfully insulting Kyo's "art". Despite all this, he deeply cares for them, and he sees their team as a family, him being the "Father", Kyo being the "Mother" and Momoko being their "Daughter". He was hurt that Kyo defected from Konoha to join Kumo, and furious when he saw the state Kyo left Momoko in. The only time he is actually serious is during missions and when either his teammates, his family or his village are threatened.

Appearance
Kaede has spiky brown hair and turquoise eyes, which could be because he possesses ice release. He wears a maroon tank top with fishnet sleeves, dark blue shinobi pants with bandages and a light brown belt along with dark blue shinobi sandals. He wears his forehead protector on his forehead with the ends tying together on the right side.

Abilities
Weapon-wise, Kaede prefers to use kunai, shuriken and senbon.

Taijutsu
Kaede's Taijutsu skills are outstanding. This skill is one that Kaede is the strongest at. He sometimes spars with Rock Lee, which helps him improve this ability even more.

Genjutsu
Kaede's Genjutsu skills are below average. He doesn't notice when he is under one, cannot perform one and cannot release one.

Ninjutsu
Kaede's Ninjutsu skills are average, because he can combine Water Release (水遁, Suiton; English TV "Water Style") and Wind Release (風遁, Fūton; English TV "Wind Style") to make Ice Release (氷遁, Hyōton; Viz "Ice Style"), which is the kekkei genkai of his mother's clan.

Medical Ninjutsu
Kaede tends to be a little embarrased about his skill in this technique as most medical ninja are females, but he is able to perform the Mystical Palm Technique after Momoko taught him. This skill also helped him keep Momoko alive after her encounter with the defected Kyo.

Summoning Technique
He is able to use the Summoning Technique, where he summons dogs to aid her in battle or in tasks, such as tracking.

Nature Transformation
His natural affinity is Water Release and Wind Release, and he is weak against Earth Release.

Other Skills
Kaede has shown very capable skill of working in unison with others. This was shown during the Chūnin Exams in the Forest of Death when his team encountered another, who had the type of scroll they needed. Team 12 worked in unison with each other, each member taking one opponent and assisting each other when they needed it, and due to this, they have succeeded in getting the scroll, which allowed the team to continue into the next phase of the exams. Hiruzen Sarutobi, who supervised this fight, commented that Team 12 is one of the only teams who has such a high level of understanding of each other's skills.

Kekkei Genkai
Ice Release (氷遁, Hyōton; Viz "Ice Style") is the advanced nature kekkei genkai of the Yuki clan, and allows the users to combine wind and water-based chakra to create ice which they can manipulate through willpower alone.

Part I
Kaede and his team are introduced during the Chūnin Exams. The team passed the first and second phase, and because too many teams passed the second stage, they advanced to the preliminary matches. Kaede was matched up against a shinobi from Kusagakure. Kaede won the battle, so he passed to the final stage.

During the timespan of one month that the participants received to train and get ready for the final stage, Kaede trained with his mother and by himself.

When the final stage started, Kaede was matched against a kunoichi from Sunagakure. He started the match. The match ended in a draw as Kaede and the kunoichi fell unconscious due to exhaustion and low chakra levels.

During the Timeskip
Kaede trained his kekkei genkai with him mother and learned medical ninjutsu from Momoko, who in turn learned it from Tsunade.

Kazekage Rescue Arc
His teammate, Kyo Shiburai, defected from the village after finding out his true origins a few days before Naruto returned, and during the time Team Kakashi and Team Guy were away on a mission to rescue Gaara, Kaede is sent on a mission with Team Asuma, and on the way back he finds Momoko who suffered life-threatening injuries from Kyo. He healed her and returned her to Konoha, after he swore that he will not forgive Kyo easily.

Five Kage Summit Arc
Kaede is seen present with the rest of his friends, wondering as to what Naruto is hiding from them.

Shinobi World War Arc
Kaede is placed in the Fifth Division.

Ten-Tail Revival Arc
He stands with the remaining members of the Shinobi Forces Allied Shinobi Forces.

After the Ten-Tails was immobilised, Kaede starea in disbelief as Sasuke appeared before them. Sakura questions his reasons for coming to the battlefield, and Kaede and the other members of the Konoha 11 were shocked to hear Sasuke announce that he would become Hokage.

is reborn as Kyo joins them, and though he is furious that he is wearing a Kumo uniform and that he has the nerve to join them after he nearly killed Momoko, Momoko accepts his requests and she merrily notes that Team 12 is back and they are better than before, and as Team 7 is reborn and the three original members stood together ready to face the Ten-Tails, As the rest of Konoha 11 prepared themselves, Hashirama opened small holes in the barrier to allow the Allied Forces to strike at the Ten-Tails. As Sasuke and Naruto started arguing after saving Sakura, Team 12 charges into battle.

Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke each used the Summoning Technique, and Sakura's summon Katsuyu attached herself to the members of the Allied Shinobi Forces, so that they could be healed. Later on, Kaede watched on in shock as the Ten-Tails' body disappeared from the battlefield.

With the situation looking grim as the Alliance was trapped in a barrier with a Tailed Beast Ball-firing tree, Kaede and the other shinobi soon found themselves shrouded in the previous Version 1 mantles again. He and the other subsequently found themselves on the outside of the barrier, escaping the near-fatal attack thanks to Naruto and Minato's action.

As the Shinju begins devastating the battlefield, killing countless people, Shikamaru becomes one of its victims. As Sakura tends to Shikamaru, Hashirama contacts everyone in the Alliance telepathically via Ino's Mind Body Transmission Technique to inform them of what his original had heard from Madara during their fight and rally the troops to continue fighting. While Hashirama's words fail to inspire anyone, Naruto's senjutsu-enhanced Tailed Beast Mode causes his feelings and personal memories to be transferred to everyone, leaving Kaede astounded as these feelings were conveyed to him.

Obito manifested a gigantic Yin–Yang shield and Hagoromo's legendary holy weapon and in order for it to be destroyed, Naruto created nine Rasengan in Kurama's tail and contacted Konoha 11 plus Sai and Team 12 to join in on it. Once near Kurama's tails, Kaede and the others are enveloped in even more chakra which resulted them with the Tailed Beast Mode much to their shock. Naruto tells them to break down through Obito's defences with the Rasengan so he and Sasuke could have a direct shot at attacking him. Kaede and the others launched their attack and Naruto and Sasuke were able to deal a devastating blow to him. Once again instructed by Shikamaru, Kaede and the rest of the Alliance lent their strength in wresting the tailed beasts' chakra from Obito.

Return of Madara Arc
With Madara's eventual full revival and Obito's apparent incapacitation, Kaede and the rest of the Alliance is approached by a Spiral Zetsu who overwhelms them with a massive Wood Release.

Naruto Shippūden 3: Inheritors of the Will of Fire
After when Hiruko announced a Fourth Shinobi World War will start, Kaede was one of the ninja of Konoha who got assigned to secure the village. Momoko, Naruto and Sakura went after Kakashi, but was stopped by Shikamaru, Kaede and the rest of the rookies. They got ambushed; Shikamaru decided they can go ahead while they hold off the enemies. After Naruto saved Kakashi, Kaede engaged the combined summon form of Hiruko's minions with the rest of the Konoha 11 and Momoko. After the battle, Kaede stood victorious with his friends.

Naruto 5: Blood Prison
When Mui dies and the Fire Release: Heavenly Prison is released, Kaede and the Konoha 11 stop the prisoners from escaping. Ryūzetsu arrives and is able to save Naruto with her Dragon Life Reincarnation. They later all prepare to go home.

Naruto 6: Road to Ninja
Kaede appeared with him team in Road to Ninja. Here, he is a serious individual who will not tolerate any teasing or playful behaviour around him.

Video Games
Kaede Tanizaki is a playable character in the following video games:

Trivia

 * "Kaede" literally means "Maple" (楓).
 * Despite being a descendant of the Yuki clan, he doesn't carry that surname.
 * According to the databook(s):
 * Kaedes hobbies are teasing his friends and learning about his kekkei genkai.
 * Kaede wishes to fight Haku.
 * Kaede likes ramen, dango and onigiri, and dislikes nattō.
 * Kaede has completed 45 official missions in total: 12 D-rank, 9 C-rank, 9 B-rank, 10 A-rank, 5 S-rank.
 * Kaede's favourite phrase according to the first, second and third databooks is "What a tease" (何をいじめる, Nani o ijimeru).

Reference
Kaede Tanizaki is an OC/RPC for the Narutoverse created by BlossomsCherry on deviantART.