Kanji is a Japanese writing system whose beautiful characters have inspired many tattoos, and one of the most popular is the Gaara tattoo with the kanji symbol for “love.”
The meaning of love alone might make you think it’s a great tattoo idea, but thanks to Gaara, a character in the popular anime Naruto, the Gaara tattoo has taken on a whole new meaning. Should you get one?
In this article, we will explore the Gaara tattoo meaning, ideas, placement, pros, and cons.
The Story of Gaara
Gaara is a popular character in the Naruto anime series. He starts out as a villain and an enemy of Naruto. Gaara has a troubled childhood: he is born as the host of a demon.
His father intended for him to be a kind of human weapon, and his mother called him her curse upon the village. Even his name means “a demon who only loves himself.”
Despite his name, Gaara tries to connect with the villagers, but they shun him. He believes his uncle Yashamaru loves him, and for a time, that seems to be the case.
One day, an assassin tries to kill Gaara. Gaara strikes down the assassin and discovers that it is his uncle, the one person he had thought would love and protect him.
At that point, Gaara realizes that he is the only one who will love and care about himself. Using his ability to control the movements of sand, he tattoos the kanji symbol for “love” on his forehead.
Gaara does have a redemptive story arc, though. After befriending Naruto, he gradually comes to care about other people and stops being a villain.
Source: Atlas Geek Art.
Gaara Tattoo Meaning
What does Gaara’s tattoo mean? The Gaara tattoo means love for yourself and shows the determination and strength to make yourself happy and fulfilled.
1. Loving Yourself
The Gaara tattoo is Kanji, which is a Chinese symbol that serves as an ideogram. It’s a symbol that represents a word and has its own meaning. The symbol is 愛 (“ai”), which means love. More specifically, it means self-love. People will get this tattoo as a reminder to love themselves.
Why does Gaara have this tattoo? To be detailed, Gaara tattoos the character for “love” on his forehead to cement what he has already decided: that he only loves himself.
Since he has been shunned and maligned despite his best efforts to connect with others, Gaara concludes that he is the only one who will ever love or care about himself.
2. Seeking Love
The Gaara tattoo can be a representation of seeking love. The character Gaara was a villain who was very misunderstood with a dark background. He was seeking a family figure, love, and support. When he couldn’t get that, he realized he loved himself while no one else did, hence his tattoo.
You may get a Gaara tattoo if you feel dedicated to finding love and are someone who is often misunderstood despite having the best of intentions.
3. Overcoming Struggles With Strength
The Gaara love tattoo also shows his determination and strength, as Gaara ultimately redeems himself and stops being a force of evil. Even though he had given up on experiencing love or being connected to others, Gaara persevered and ultimately transformed himself to be happier and more fulfilled.
This tattoo can symbolize never giving up on yourself despite rejection and opposition from others.
Gaara Tattoo Ideas
One of the most fun parts of getting a tattoo is choosing the design. The Gaara love tattoo is eye-catching all by itself, but you can also choose to incorporate it into a larger design. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Gaara Kanji Love Tattoo
Source: Black Fish Tattoo.
If you want a simple tattoo that pays homage to Gaara’s character and journey, you can choose a tattoo of the kanji symbol of love alone.
Red and black are the most popular colors for the Gaara love tattoo. That’s because when Gaara releases his One-Tailed Beast, his tattoo changes from black to red.
2. Love Tattoo With Gaara Portrait
Source: Tattoos By Steve.
If you’re a Naruto fan, you might choose to get a portrait of Gaara with his tattoo. On the smaller side, you can get a tattoo of Gaara’s face. But if you’re going for a dramatic look, you might even get a full-body portrait of Gaara himself.
3. Gaara Eye Tattoo
Source: Ink Ray.
Gaara’s love tattoo appears just above his eye. If you don’t want a tattoo above your own eye, try getting a tattoo of the kanji symbol of love above Gaara’s eye. This striking and symbolic tattoo will be easily recognizable to other fans of the show.
4. Love Tattoo With Gaara’s Bear
Since Gaara grew up feeling unloved, his teddy bear symbolizes what little love he could find. If you want your tattoo to have a bit of a gentler feel, you could choose to include a picture of Gaara’s bear along with his tattoo.
How Much Does a Gaara Love Tattoo Cost?
On the more affordable end, Gaara tattoos with smaller and simpler designs may cost $200 or less. Larger, full-color tattoos can be $500-$1000 or even more.
That being said, the cost of a tattoo will vary significantly depending on where you live, the tattoo shop you visit, and the size and complexity of the tattoo itself.
Because prices vary so widely, make sure you understand how much your tattoo will cost before you agree to get one.
Gaara Tattoo Placement
Gaara’s tattoo appears on the left side of his face, right above his eyebrow. Die-hard fans of the show might choose to place their tattoos the same way.
That being said, make sure you think carefully before deciding to get a tattoo on your face. Facial tattoos can limit your ability to get jobs, and in many places, face tattoos are frowned upon.
A Gaara tattoo will still look great if you place it elsewhere on your body. Shoulder and upper arm placements are ideal for smaller tattoos.
But if you’re getting a large portrait or an otherwise larger tattoo, you might want to use your back or thigh as a larger canvas.
On the other end of the spectrum, you can choose to get a tattoo of a very small kanji character. Very small tattoos look great on wrists or ankles.
Should You Get a Gaara Tattoo?
Whether you’re a fan of Naruto or just love a good symbolic tattoo, Gaara love tattoos can be great. But when it comes to deciding whether you should get one of these tattoos, only you can make that choice. Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Pros:
- It’s a highly symbolic tattoo that can pay homage to Gaara’s journey as well as your own.
- Even to those who aren’t familiar with the show, the design of the kanji character of love is intricate and beautiful.
- The symbol can be integrated into a wide variety of designs.
Cons:
- Some jobs prohibit visible tattoos, and facial tattoos are hard to cover up.
- If you get tired of the show or find your love for it is just a phase, you’ll still be stuck with the tattoo!
