Masashi Kishimoto's hit animated series Naruto was one of Shonen Jump's "big three," alongside the pirate-themed One Piece and the soul and sword-loving Bleach. In the world of Naruto, the titular character Naruto Uzumaki is a young ninja with everything to prove, and he faces plenty of terrifying challenges and villains along the way. Early on, one of them was Gaara of the Sand.

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Like Naruto, Gaara houses a tailed beast, but Gaara adopted the mindset of a lonely killer until Naruto changed him. Gaara is a tragic figure who had a much-needed redemption, and now, he is one of Naruto's most trusted allies and friends, and he's Kazekage on top of that. Fans love this guy, and for good reason, so let's check out some wonderful fan art starring this sand-slinging shinobi.

10 Killing Intent

This is a fairly common (and fascinating) trope in fiction: you get a character who suffered something horrible, became a better person for it, then met someone else who suffered the same trauma but become a monster. This describes Naruto and Gaara when they first met during Orochimaru's assault on the Leaf Village (the Sand Village was helping him).

In this fan art, we get a clear and chilling view of Gaara's murderous side, and indeed, he has shed a lot of blood with that sand before. If anyone threatens him or his village, they will find out how deadly sand can be, first-hand! Gaara hails from a desert, but his expression here is cold as ice, and that sand skill as an excellent addition.

9 Man And Beast

The tailed beasts run from one to nine, and while Naruto is the living vessel of the Nine-Tailed Fox, Gaara is the host of the One-Tailed Shukaku. This behemoth can wield air in battle, such as devastating air bullets.

In this exquisite fan art, meanwhile, Gaara comes face to face with his inner monster, and it looks like they're getting along well! This is a welcome change from Gaara's usual relationship with this tailed beast, and he's giving it a chin-scratching while the beast looks happy like ac at. What a face!

8 Sandstorm

Here is a fan art piece that shows Gaara in action. Here is is in Naruto Shippuden, as Kazekage and a young man who can wield sand with incredible skill. This moody piece shows Gaara enveloping the whole battlefield in sand, and his stern expression is unmistakable.

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We love the detail on the sand, which looks quite grainy and course, just like the real thing. That, and the rippling and jagged effects on the sand make it look like the scary weapon it is, as opposed to gently sloping sand dunes. And yes, there is clear blue sky behind Gaara... perhaps to represent the good in him?

7 Perfect Defense

Gaara's sand is not only useful for attacking his enemies (and crushing them), but it also makes for a stellar defense. In fact, Gaara doesn't even have to control it; his inner tailed beast moves the sand around, to block any incoming attack from any direction.

This stymies one hostile ninja after another, and Gaara may end up in a bubble of sand. In this stark black and white fan art, a young Gaara stands confidently as his sand barriers block countless black needles. Once Gaara launches his counter-attack, it's all over.

6 Villain Turned Hero

Overall, Gaara is a complicated character. He suffered total isolation and scorn in his home village, and he had it even worse than Naruto did. So, he would kill others to feel alive, and he continued this rampage in the Hidden Leaf Village.

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Naruto changed him, however, and Gaara grew up to be a responsible and kinder ninja who decided to use his sand power to defend others rather than crush them. In this stunning fan art, Gaara has a kind look on his face, as though to reassure his companions that they will be safe if they stick close. The sand effect is excellent, too, like a dry mist.

5 Talent And Muscle

The first half of Naruto had an interesting theme: comparing characters who had inborn talent, and those who had to work hard to get where they are. Gaara, Sasuke, and Neji were the "talent" camp, while Rock Lee and Naruto were the "hard work" camp.

This duality showed itself not only when Naruto faced Neji, but when Gaara clashed against Rock Lee during the Chunin Exam arc. Rock Lee couldn't beat Gaara's sand, but he got close, and this exquisitely detailed fan art pays loving tribute to this fascinating juxtaposition. If you weren't born with ninjutsu talent, start doing pushups!

4 Inner Demons

For a jinchuriki like Gaara or Naruto, the term "inner demons" is all too literal. Naruto can manifest the Fox's power via a chakra cloak and his fangs and claws, while Gaara can morph partway into the Shukaku. It's terrifying to behold, and Naruto saw it first-hand.

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In this highly detailed fan art, a young and angry Gaara is allowing the Shukaku's power to come to the fore, and he hardly even looks human anymore. Based on this monstrous power and his status as outcast, Gaara probably doesn't feel human, either. Why hide the monster, then?

3 Finding A Friend

Let's take a break from all that scary fan art and check out some charming fan illustrations starring Gaara of the Sand. Many fans like to picture anime characters in scenarios that best represent their interests or their relationship with other people, and this time, Naruto and Gaara are about to become friends one winter day.

This artist wonders what would happen if it was Gaara who approached Naruto, rather than the other way around, and it's such a charming scene to behold. Gaara has a look as though to say "you look cold, little fox. Come home with me," and Naruto is happy to oblige.

2 It Gets Better, Kid

At least, that's probably what Gaara's Shippuden self would tell his younger incarnation if they ever came face to face. Many people today wonder what they would tell their younger selves if they could, such as words or encouragement... or warning.

An older Gaara would tell his younger self to let go of his hate and have hope for the future, and prepare to use his talents for good rather than selfish ends. In this fan art, the older Gaara's expression is simply priceless, and it's clear that he has totally accepted himself for who he is... and wishes that on his younger self, too.

1 Casual Friday Kazekage

Here's another fun part about anime cosplay or fan art: picturing fan-favorite characters like Gaara in ordinary, real-life clothes. This can bring out a new side to the character's personality, and it's a nice challenge to figure out which modern clothes best fit a fictional character's personality or lifestyle.

Gaara got the same treatment here, and we love how it turned out. His red, white, and black clothes match the color scheme of his original outfits, and we can picture him wearing trendy but practical clothes like these, from the jeans to his untucked shirt and that jacket.

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