Gaara of the Sands

Gaara (我愛羅, Gaara?) is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series, created by Masashi Kishimoto. He was introduced a third of the way through the series, and serves as a foil to the series' titular character, Naruto Uzumaki: the two were born through similar circumstances, but develop vastly different personalities as they deal with their troubled upbringing.[5] Initially introduced as an enemy and Naruto's rival, the two eventually develop a bond as kindred spirits and become close friends as the series progresses. A ninja from Sunagakure, Gaara and his elder siblings, Kankuro and Temari, are the children of their village's leader, the Fourth Kazekage. Gaara was chosen by his father to become host to a powerful type of demon known as a tailed beast at the time of birth; the ceremony resulted in both the death of his mother and the sealing of the One-Tailed Shukaku within his body. This inner demon, as intended, turned Gaara into something of a living weapon with the distinct ability to control sand, a trait which earned him the moniker "Gaara of the Desert" (砂瀑の我愛羅, Sabaku no Gaara?, literally "Gaara of the Sand Waterfall"). However, it also set the stage for his traumatic childhood, during which Gaara was ostracized and feared by his fellow villagers, and even those closest to him. With time, Gaara's own father would come to view him as a threat to the village, and several failed assassination attempts followed. As a result of these experiences, Gaara becomes cold and distant even with his allies and siblings, and grows into a remorseless killer with the belief that he can justify his own existence only through the slaying of others. However, after meeting and doing battle with Naruto, he begins to reevaluate his purpose in the world, and realizes he does not have to be alone and he can have someone he cares about and deciding that he can use his abilities to protect and help those he cares about. In the latter half of the series, he has become a respected and beloved figure in the village, inheriting leadership as Sunagakure's Fifth Kazekage. Gaara has appeared in several pieces of Naruto media, including the second featured film in the series, the third original video animation, and several video games. Numerous anime and manga publications have also commented on Gaara's character and initially sadistic mentality; IGN labeled the disparity between Naruto and Gaara as "emotional" and "a tad creepy."[6] The battle between him and Naruto at the conclusion of the Invasion of Konoha arc was particularly celebrated by reviewers, with Anime News Network referring to it as the high point of the entire series.[7] Amongst the Naruto reader base, Gaara has been popular, placing high in several popularity polls.[8] Numerous pieces of merchandise have been released in Gaara's likeness, including plush dolls and key chains.[9][10][11]