This post contains for Naruto.
Naruto has a large and diverse cast of characters. Kishimoto worked hard to ensure that the characters were unique and weren't too similar to each other. It is because of his hard work that almost every character has a large fan base of their own.
Unfortunately, Kishimoto wasn't able to give an equal level of attention to each Naruto character. Other times, he took certain decisions that killed the hype of a character completely. This is something that happened with Gaara.
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Gaara Flopped Badly As A Fighter
He Hardly Improved As A Ninja
- Gaara was able to freely manipulate sand
- Shukaku granted him additional strength
In Part 1, Gaara was presented as a nearly invincible fighter who could handle even adult ninjas. During the Chunin Exams, Gaara showed his prowess, which surprised every single participant. He passed the Forest of Death with flying colors. In the head-to-head fights, Gaara once again proved why he was the favorite to win the entire competition. Rock Lee tested him, but ultimately, Gaara was the winner. The ninja from the Hidden Sand was later matched with Sasuke Uchiha, but the fight was called off because of Orochimaru's attack. Gaara later fought against Naruto in what was an epic fight. Gaara dominated a large portion of the fight, but it was Naruto who emerged as the victor.
Following the incident, Gaara went back to the Hidden Sand, and after a while, he became the next Kazekage. It was exactly after the Konoha Crush that Gaara's growth as a fighter went on a downward spiral. Even though he became the Kazekage, Gaara rarely won any fights. He was captured by Deidara and later had Shukaku extracted. Gaara died as a result of the tailed beast extraction but was saved by Chiyo's sacrifice. In Part 2, Gaara barely performed well in fights. It was disappointing to see his stunted growth, especially when he was presented as an excellent fighter.
Gaara had a lot of promise, and it was unfortunate that he never fulfilled it. He was on the path to achieve greatness, but Kishimoto clearly had other plans. The author didn't give Gaara any major power-ups, which hindered his development. In this regard, Gaara was akin to Neji, another genius who never realized his potential.
Gaara's Growth As A Character Was Excellent
Gaara Improved A Lot As A Person
As previously stated, Gaara's growth as a fighter is what makes him a flop. Meanwhile, his character development was nothing short of phenomenal. As a kid, Gaara was kind and always trying to help others. However, his uncle's betrayal changed him and turned him into a cold-blooded killer. Gaara accepted the fact that he would never be loved, and he was only useful as a weapon. Gaara's carried the feelings of hatred for years, and they didn't change until he met Naruto.
When Gaara lost control of Shukaku, he caused a lot of destruction. Most people would have wanted to eliminate him, but Naruto was different. The hero wanted to rescue Gaara and make him understand that he wasn't alone. Initially, Gaara rejected the idea because he considered it another ruse. But Naruto refused to give up, and he kept on trying until Gaara caved in. The latter realized that Naruto wasn't lying and he genuinely felt his pain.
Following his loss, Gaara went back to the Hidden Sand as a changed person. He had more empathy, and he did not force his will on others. His siblings were happy that their brother was no longer a monster. He was even elected as the Kazekage of the Hidden Sand. Gaara showed his growth as a character when he decided to sacrifice his own life to protect the people of the village from Deidara's bombs.
Gaara was involved in two more incredible moments. One of them occurred during the Five Kage Summit, where he talked to Sasuke, who had become a rogue ninja. Gaara gave an impressive speech, which showed his maturity. The second occasion was when he gave a speech to the Shinobi Alliance. Gaara's speech helped the ninjas to set aside their differences and come together to take down a common threat. It is worth reiterating that Gaara was only a flop as a ninja, but he was phenomenal as a character.
Naruto
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2002 - 2007-00-00
- Showrunner
- Masashi Kishimoto
Cast
-
Junko Takeuchi -
Noriaki Sugiyama
