Gaara's Love Life: Exploring His Romantic Partners After Naruto

The finale of Naruto Shippuden saw beloved characters Sasuke and Naruto each finding a life partner. However, some fans speculate about Gaara's love life, as he did not receive much focus in the series after that. Gaara has been a compelling character since his introduction in the original Naruto series, with his feral personality and transformation after befriending Naruto.

The story of Gaara's romantic experience after Naruto Shippuden

Gaara's romantic life has been highlighted in a unique light novel titled Gaara Hiden: A Sandstorm Mirage. The original story, written by Ukyo Kodachi and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto, depicts Gaara's close encounter with marriage.

In Naruto Shippuden, Gaara and Matsuri (Image via Studio Pierrot)

In episode 216 of Naruto (the first series), Gaara and his team were training newbies in a battle at the Village of the Sand. One of these newbies was Matsuri, a shinobi who looked up to Gaara and was the only one willing to train under him.

Later in Naruto Shippuden, we witness their growing closeness and attachment, solidifying their status as one of the most beloved pairings in the series. Matsuri's final appearance was in the "Infinite Tsukuyomi arc," and she was not seen again after that.

In the "Gaara Hiden: A Sandstorm Mirage" light novel, Gaara is compelled by the Sand Village leaders to marry in order to secure an heir for his Kazekage role. He is introduced to Hakuto, a young medical ninja who piques his interest, and they are set to enter into an arranged marriage.

However, their wedding day is disrupted by bandits targeting Hakuto. It is later revealed that the leader of the bandits, Shigezane, is in love with Hakuto. This information was not communicated to Gaara by the village leaders.

Shikadai, the son of Shikimaru, was about to become the next Kazekage

In order to avoid causing any complications in their already established relationship, Gaara respected Hakuto's decision to flee with the bandits. Consequently, he remained without a romantic partner and is still unmarried. He later took on the responsibility of raising a child to serve as his heir, whom he named Shinki. Shinki appears in the Boruto: Naruto Next Generation series and is regarded as one of the most formidable ninjas from Boruto's generation.

According to Gaara Hiden: A Sandstorm Mirage, both Gaara and Kankuro were not prepared for marriage. Therefore, the position of Kazekage was meant to go to someone with the closest blood relation to Gaara, the current Kazekage.

Closing thoughts

With Temari, Gaara's blood-related sister, on the verge of marrying a Hidden Leaf Ninja (Shikamaru), the potential transfer of the Kazekage title to their then-unborn child (Shikadai), who was half-Leaf and half-Sand, was a concern. To prevent this situation, Hakuto was hastily introduced to Gaara in order to ensure a pure Sand Village heir could assume the role of the next Kazekage.

The cover of the light novel Gaara Hiden: A Sandstorm Mirage (Image via VIZ Media) depicts a tragic love story for Gaara, whose budding romance with Matsuri was unexpectedly derailed. While their relationship isn't confirmed as romantic, fans are eager to see them tie the knot.

As these light novel series of Naruto are not completely canon (these are semi-canon because a different author penned them), taking the information in these with a grain of salt is advised.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan of the Naruto series, I have always been intrigued by the character of Gaara. His complex personality and journey of self-discovery have made him a fan favorite. While the main series focused on the romantic relationships of other characters, I appreciate that the Gaara Hiden: A Sandstorm Mirage light novel explores his love life in more depth.

The idea of Gaara being compelled into an arranged marriage to secure an heir for the Kazekage role adds an interesting layer to his character. The introduction of Hakuto and the subsequent disruption of their wedding day create a compelling narrative. However, I find it somewhat disappointing that Gaara ultimately remains without a romantic partner. I would have loved to see him find happiness and love after all he has been through.