Gaara in Naruto

Gaara started out as a villain during Naruto. But over the years, Gaara had a change of heart and instead became one of the strongest allies of the titular character. Speaking of Gaara, he also received a costume change during Naruto: Shippuden. Keanu Reeves was apparently the inspiration behind the change in design.

Keanu Reeves’ Matrix Movie Inspired Naruto Creator Masashi Kishimoto to Make Changes in Gaara’s Clothes

Keanu Reeves‘ Matrix movie franchise is a cult classic. After all, it played a crucial role in catapulting Reeves into stardom in 1999. So much so that The Matrix’s popularity even reached Japan. After the conclusion of Naruto, many expected costume design changes for several characters in the series.

However, one character that fans wanted to stay true to its original design was Gaara. After all, Gaara’s gothic costume was one of the most beloved character designs for OG Naruto fans.

Adult Gaara

Speaking of Gaara’s revamped look, it was apparently inspired by Keanu Reeves’ iconic character Neo from The Matrix. However, the decision wasn’t just to pay tribute to Keanu Reeves. In fact, Kishimoto made the call to release the stress of drawing the character’s extremely detailed design every week.

While it took some time, fans ultimately fell in love with Gaara’s new design as well. A key reason behind it was undoubtedly the role that Gaara played in Naruto: Shippuden.

Gaara and the other older generation characters have taken a step back in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. While they are still present in the manga and anime, they no longer play the pivotal role.

Gaara’s Iconic Foe, Rock Lee’s Popularity Shocked Masashi Kishimoto

Over the years, Naruto featured many iconic battles for fans to remember for ages. However, one of the early battles that got several fans hooked on the series was Gaara vs. Rock Lee during the Chunin Exams.

Despite Gaara being the overwhelming favorite to win the bout, Rock Lee gave him tough competition. Moreover, the fight featured the iconic scene where Lee dropped weight off his body.

Gaara vs Rock Lee in Naruto

The scene skyrocketed Lee’s popularity among fans. So much so that it even shocked Kishimoto, who revealed his thoughts via Anime News Network.

It’s just what I heard. It kind of surprised me how popular he was, but it didn’t necessarily lead to more plotlines with him in it or anything like that. That’s not to say that I didn’t consider writing him in more or creating more stories about him, but the timing was never right, so I never had the opportunity.

A fun fact is that Lee was inspired by martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Apart from sharing the last name with the legend, Rock Lee also has the same birthday.

All things considered, it’s not new for Kishimoto to take inspiration from real people. What other characters in Naruto you have noticed that have been inspired by real people? Feel free to share your answer in the comments section below.