Matsuri

is a Genin from Sunagakure. She is a close friend of Sari and a lover of everything elite. Because of this, she adores the Kazekage and can't see any man but him.

Part I
Matsuri debuts in the final arc of the anime. She is a student of Sunagakure's new Ninja Academy, and is the only person out of the entire class to choose Gaara to be her teacher. Gaara trains her how to use a jouhyou, but she is fearful of it and other weapons because she witnessed her parents' murder in the past. The Shitenshounin kidnap Matsuri to try to lure Gaara out, capture him, and steal the Shukaku's chakra stored within him. Gaara, his siblings, and the Konoha 11 come to her aid and fight her captors. After being freed, she saves Naruto from a fatal attack from Seimei using her jouhyou after realizing that weapons can be used to protect comrades. After Seimei's defeat, she returns to Sunagakure with Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari. But before she leaves, she asks Shikamaru to tell Naruto that he had made her understand what Gaara was trying to tell her and that she will continue to train as Gaara's student.

Rescue Gaara
Matsuri makes her first post-timeskip appearance in the Naruto Shippūden anime as part of the Suna ninja team Temari had assembled to aid in rescuing Gaara. Temari's team were first sent out to patrol a border crossing. Matsuri seems to have undergone a personality change since her becoming Gaara's student; she is no longer the shy girl afraid of weapons, and has become somewhat outspoken. She complains to Temari about how they should be trying to rescue Gaara rather than defending the border against countries that might seek to take advantage of the Kazekage's absence. After his revival, she becomes one of many of Gaara's admirers, pledging her devotion to him, and beginning a competition with Mikoshi to protect him.

Trivia

 * In the manga, Matsuri's only appearance is after Gaara is revived.
 * "Matsuri" means "festival".