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 debuted in the final arc of the anime. She was a student of Sunagakure's new Ninja Academy. At the beginning of the weapon-handling lesson, Matsuri asked if weapons are just dangerous. While the class and the teachers pondered the question, Gaara replied suddenly with, "A weapon ..." and made Matsuri think that Gaara was trying to tell her something. Therefore, she was the only person out of the entire class to choose Gaara to be her teacher. Gaara taught her how to use a jōhyō, but she was fearful of it and other weapons because she had witnessed her parents' murders in the past. Gaara tried to tell her that weapons can be used to protect comrades, but Matsuri didn't understand him at first.

Later, the Four Celestial Symbols Men kidnapped 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 (excluding Tenten) came to her aid, and fought her captors. After being freed, she saved Naruto from a fatal attack from Seimei using her jōhyō, after finally realizing that weapons can be used to protect comrades. After Seimei's defeat, she returned to Sunagakure with Gaara, Kankurō, and Temari. But before she left, she asked Shikamaru to tell Naruto that he had made her understand what Gaara had been trying to tell her, and that she would continue to train as Gaara's student.

Rescue Gaara
Matsuri made 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 had been 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 complained to Temari about how they should be trying to rescue Gaara, rather than defending the border against countries that might have sought to take advantage of the Kazekage's absence.

Five Kage Summit arc
Matsuri was seen in the crowd telling Gaara to be careful as he left for the Five Kage Summit.

Trivia

 * In the manga, Matsuri's first appearance was after Gaara was revived.
 * Matsuri made an appearance in the Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja 4 game as the Sand Chūnin walking around the Save point outside of the Sand Village.
 * "Matsuri" means "Festival".
 * Matsuri wears her ninja headband like Temari and Hinata did in Part I.

After his revival, she became one of Gaara's many admirers, pledging her devotion to him, and beginning a competition with Sari to protect him.