First Manga Appearance: Chapter 35
First Anime Appearance: Naruto Episode 20
Hidden Village: Sand
Rank: Kazekage
Bijuu: Shukaku the Ichibi (One-Tailed Tanuki Demon)
Power: Mini-Shukaku form ~ protective sand tanuki form, automatic sand defense
Drawbacks: If Gaara sleeps Shukaku can take control
Status: Captured
Akatsuki Member: Deidara
Info: Chiyo imbued the demon Shukaku into the Kazekage's son Gaara. Gaara lead a lonely life until he met Uzumaki Naruto. He pledged himself to prove his worth and protect his village. His drive led him to become Kazekage. He was defeated in battle by Deidara and Akatsuki removed the Shukaku demon from within Gaara, killing him.

Tanuki (狸) is the Japanese name for the raccoon dog (Shukaku, however, is a monster tanuki (化け狸, bakedanuki)). The tanuki has been renowned for its mischievous nature and abilities to shape-shift and bring good fortune. Shukaku has ties to several tanuki archetypes. One is the Bunbuku Chagama tale, where a tanuki sealed inside a tea kettle is then placed inside its first host. In the series, Shukaku was reported to have been sealed within a tea kettle. Some tales state of a shrine priest being a tanuki in disguise, which ties into how, early in the series, Shukaku was reportedly a corrupted Suna priest.