Naruto Columns
01/19/2024
[Birthday Column] Celebrating Gaara's Birthday on 1/19! Looking Back on a Young Leader Who Knows the Pain of Solitude, Gaara of the Sand!
A column celebrating the birthdays and achievements of everyone's favorite ninja!
Today we'll be reminiscing about the ninja who, despite being ostracized as a living weapon since birth, learned to carve out his own path after meeting a friend and grew up to be the Hidden Sand's protector: Gaara!
Today we'll be reminiscing about the ninja who, despite being ostracized as a living weapon since birth, learned to carve out his own path after meeting a friend and grew up to be the Hidden Sand's protector: Gaara!
■Gaara
・Birthday: January 19th (Capricorn)
・Favorite Food: Gizzard, salt-grilled beef tongue
A Child Starved for Love
As a young boy, Gaara is unable to control the power of the One Tail, Shukaku, who is sealed inside of him. He ends up harming other villagers, and is shunned and reviled as a monster.
Due to Shukaku's protection, Gaara has never experienced the pain of physical wounds, and asks his uncle and caretaker, Yashamaru, to explain it to him.
"YASHAMARU...?"
"WHAT DOES IT MEAN...TO HURT?"
After hearing a description, Gaara realizes he too is in pain, and opens up to Yashamaru.
"...THANKS, YASHAMARU...
MAYBE I AM STARTING TO UNDERSTAND...WHAT IT MEANS TO HURT, NOW."
"SO...COULD I BE INJURED TOO? JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE...
IT...ALWAYS HURTS."
"IT DOESN'T BLEED...
BUT IT HURTS RIGHT HERE."
Yashamaru tells Gaara that wounds of the heart can only be healed by love, the feeling that makes you want to strive for and protect those precious to you.
His words are Gaara's only support, and the young boy clings to them.
His words are Gaara's only support, and the young boy clings to them.
That night, Gaara is attacked.
His sand protects him and allows him to easily turn the tables, but he is shocked when he sees the assassin's face...
His sand protects him and allows him to easily turn the tables, but he is shocked when he sees the assassin's face...
Devastated and confused, Gaara begs Yashamaru to tell him why, only to learn that the assassination order came from his own father, the Kazekage.
Gaara is further shaken by this, but Yashamaru continues on, revealing even more cruel truths before blowing himself up in a last-ditch attempt to kill his target.
"LORD GAARA...
DEEP DOWN INSIDE...I THINK I...
...RESENTED YOU..."
"NO, YOU WERE NEVER LOVED...!"
Having lost the only "love" easing the hurt in his heart, Gaara is overcome with despair, and carves "愛 (ai, love)" into his forehead as he comes to a painful realization.
"SO THAT'S GAARA. ME...
I FINALLY UNDERSTAND..."
He resolves to love only himself, fight only for himself, and live alone without trusting anyone else.
Seeking Meaning in Slaughter
After the first attempt when Gaara is six, his father continues to send assassins after him over the next six years, and Gaara finds his own reason for living through killing those who seek to kill him.
"FOR WHAT PURPOSE DO I EXIST? WHY AM I ALIVE?"
"SO THIS IS WHAT I CAME UP WITH...
'I EXIST TO KILL ALL HUMANS OTHER THAN MYSELF.'"
To mark the world with proof of his existence, Gaara becomes a killer who manipulates sand as easily as his own limbs, and ruthlessly butchers all who stand in his way.
The Beast Within: Shukaku
Through his fights with Lee and Sasuke during the Chunin Exams, and his battle with Naruto during the attack on Konoha that interrupts them, the terrifying beast sealed inside Gaara slowly awakens—the sand spirit Shukaku.
When Gaara is overwhelmed by intense emotions like hatred, anticipation, and excitement, Shukaku can cover him in sand, transforming the two of them into a giant tanuki!
On top of that, when Gaara falls asleep, Shukaku is able to take complete control and unleash his true power with force as devastating as a tempest.
A Clash of Fists, and a Change of Heart
Gaara, who thinks being the strongest means to only love and fight for oneself, faces Naruto, who sees true strength as fighting to protect those you love.
Both of them suffered from solitude as young children, but neither is willing to back down. Their differing conclusions about the true meaning of strength must now be proven through battle.
Both of them suffered from solitude as young children, but neither is willing to back down. Their differing conclusions about the true meaning of strength must now be proven through battle.
Watching Naruto continue to struggle to protect his friends even while completely exhausted, Gaara cannot hide his confusion.
"WHY..."
"...WHY...IS HE SO STRONG...?!"
"WHY...
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT OTHERS...?"
Realizing that love is the driving force behind Naruto's strength, Gaara remembers Yashamaru's words...
"...THE FEELING THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO STRIVE FOR AND PROTECT THOSE AROUND YOU WHO ARE PRECIOUS TO YOU..."
"...LOVE..."
At the end of their battle, Gaara's previously volatile emotions calm down, and he is deep in thought...
...wondering if perhaps, maybe someday...he too will have people precious enough to risk his life for.
Discovering a New Way to Live
His encounter with Naruto changes how Gaara approaches life, showing him there are more ways to prove one's existence than by killing others. This change in viewpoint is evident when Gaara comes to Lee's aid in his fight against Kimimaro during the mission to rescue Sasuke, telling Lee he is there to repay "a great debt".
Gaara wins the fight by a hair's breadth, and as he considers Kimimaro's final attack, he ruminates again about the reasons people have for fighting.
"THE MORE PRECIOUS YOUR IDOL IS TO YOU...
...THE HARDER YOU FIGHT FOR HIM."
Gaara recognizes that similar to Naruto, Kimimaro's strength came from a desire to fight for those precious to him. Noting that just because someone's precious to you doesn't mean they're good, Gaara's own experience with isolation allows him to understand why Kimimaro would fight for the person who saved him from that, regardless of their morality.
Becoming a Beloved Protector and the Hidden Sand's Leader
Meeting Naruto turns Gaara's life around, and watching his friend inspires him to pursue a new dream: becoming Kazekage.
"...ONE DAY, I'D LIKE TO BECOME SOMETHING PRECIOUS TO OTHERS, TOO...
...AND NOT AS SOME WEAPON OF TERROR...
...BUT AS KAZEKAGE."
Persevering down the difficult path he's chosen, Gaara succeeds in becoming the Fifth Kazekage despite his youth.
The Akatsuki come to the Hidden Sand, aiming to capture Gaara so they can claim the One Tail.
Gaara meets them in battle as the Kazekage, wielding his sand to defend his people. No longer an agent of slaughter, he has become a protector, a shield between his village and all who would harm it.
Gaara meets them in battle as the Kazekage, wielding his sand to defend his people. No longer an agent of slaughter, he has become a protector, a shield between his village and all who would harm it.
Unfortunately, he is captured by the Akatsuki, and they succeed in extracting Shukaku, placing Gaara on the brink of death.
As his life fades, Gaara questions the reason for his existence.
Who is he?
Is he merely a small, insignificant consciousness?
Who is he?
Is he merely a small, insignificant consciousness?
Later, when his awareness begins to return thanks to Granny Chiyo's jutsu, Gaara is adrift in doubts as he struggles to hold on to his sense of self once more, but he also hears a voice calling out his name.
Breath returning to his lungs, Gaara reawakens to find himself surrounded by comrades, and this proof of his connections to others affirms the value of his existence.
Once the dust settles, Gaara parts ways with Naruto after the two shake hands.
He continues to serve as the village's leader, entrusted with Granny Chiyo's hopes for the future.
He continues to serve as the village's leader, entrusted with Granny Chiyo's hopes for the future.
A Resolute Commander-in-Chief
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Gaara serves as Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Shinobi Forces' Main Battle Regiment.
He addresses the lingering distrust between the ninja of various villages, remembering his own past and his bond with Naruto.
He addresses the lingering distrust between the ninja of various villages, remembering his own past and his bond with Naruto.
"THERE ARE NO ENEMIES HERE IN FRONT OF ME!!
FOR WE ALL BEAR THE PAIN OF HAVING BEEN HURT BY THE AKATSUKI!
THERE IS NO SAND, NO STONE, NO LEAF, NO MIST OR CLOUD!!
THERE IS ONLY SHINOBI!!"
"I WANT TO PROTECT THAT FRIEND, AND THIS WORLD!!
I AM TOO YOUNG!
TOO INEXPERIENCED! SO PLEASE...
...LEND ME YOUR STRENGTH!!"
Gaara's passionate speech resonates with the allied shinobi, fostering unity between ninja who were once bitter foes.
Parental Love
During the war, Gaara comes face-to-face with his father, the Fourth Kazekage, who has been revived with the Reanimation Jutsu.
After proving his strength and worth to his predecessor, Gaara hears the true story of his birth.
After proving his strength and worth to his predecessor, Gaara hears the true story of his birth.
The sand that still protects him even after Shukaku's extraction is the power of his mother, Karura, and the proof of her love. Yashamaru's assertion all those years ago that Gaara had never been loved was a lie, told on the orders of Gaara's father.
Hearing the truth that his mother's love persists even after her death, Gaara is overcome by tears, surrounded by sand that has taken the form of Karura.
His role as Kazekage, his friends, and his connections with others...he has been supported his whole life by the power of his mother's love for him.
Acknowledging that truth, Gaara faces his father once more.
Acknowledging that truth, Gaara faces his father once more.
"MY MOTHER WAS WONDERFUL.
SHE GAVE ME THE MEDICINE THAT YOU GAVE HER TO GIVE ME."
Overcoming his animosity towards his father, Gaara continues to battle for the world's sake, holding the love of both his parents deep in his heart.
Article and Composition: Mio Chimasu (Caramel mama)
That's all for Gaara's birthday column!
Take this opportunity to reread the manga and look back on his growth and leadership!
Take this opportunity to reread the manga and look back on his growth and leadership!
