hopefully, he's still alive. just like what others said, he maybe used right now for some other purposes but he is one of the few characters in Naruto who is very well established. but then again, Kishi killed off Jiraiya, Itachi, Orochimaru, Konan, Deidara, Sasori, etc...characters who really made a big mark in the series. I have an odd feeling Kishi's gonna do the same to Yamato...hoping that I'm wrong.....