Temari

is one of the supporting characters of the series. She is a jōnin-level kunoichi of Sunagakure and one of the three Sand Siblings.

Personality
Temari is generally overbearing, if not blunt, toward those around her, rarely afraid to speak her mind. Temari is known as the cruelest of the kunoichi, but she does have a caring side and is not above showing concern for others. She seems to value peace, as she questioned the reasoning of starting a war with Konoha. It is shown in Part I during the Chūnin Exams that the one person she is afraid of is Gaara. When Gaara and Kankurō were fighting she showed a light, happy, mood to make sure Gaara didn't harm her or Kankurō. In Part II, Temari acts as a diplomatic liaison between Sunagakure and Konohagakure to prepare for the next Chūnin Exams. Like Kankurō, her relations with Gaara have greatly improved, although she isn't as close as the two brothers. When Gaara was captured by the Akatsuki, Temari hurried back to the village to save him. When Kankurō was poisoned, she watched over him until he had recovered.

Many of Temari's appearances are associated with Shikamaru Nara. Though they were opponents during the Chūnin Exams, they came to each others' aid at different points in Part I. When Naruto returned to Konoha at the start of Part II and saw the two of them walking together, he asked them if they were on a date, which both of them denied. Despite her usual tough demeanour, she has a tendency to show a softer nature around Shikamaru. Some examples include showing sympathy for him after his father scolded him for questioning if he should be a ninja after the Sasuke rescue mission failed. Later, after Shikamaru had escorted her to the village gates near the beginning of Part II, she told him that he should take his duties more seriously, and to quickly become a jōnin like herself. This theme was continued when she was assigned to the Fourth Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces with Shikamaru. She tells him to "look alive" and act more like a leader now that he was essentially the division's acting general in Gaara's place.

Appearance
Temari has dark green eyes and blond hair, which is gathered into four ponytails. She appears quite similar to her mother in appearance. In Part I, Temari's outfit consists of a single light purple-coloured, off-the-shoulders garment that extended to halfway down her thighs, with a scarlet sash tied around her waist. In addition to incorporating fishnet worn over her shoulders and legs, specifically on her right calf and her left thigh, she also wore her headband around her neck. During the Sasuke Retrieval Arc and for the remainder of Part I, Temari is seen wearing a long sleeved purple blouse under a grey top, a dark blue skirt, and a longer sash arranged in a bow.

In Part II, Temari's appearance is completely different, exchanging her previous purple-coloured kimono for a short-sleeved black kimono that reaches down to her legs, with slits along the side and a more revealing neckline. While she retains a red sash tied around her waist, she now uses black gloves and wears her headband on her forehead. When she is seen escorting Gaara to the Summit, she is seen wearing mesh armour underneath a sleeveless purple dress with a purple blouse over it, a purple sash around her waist, hand warmers and leg guards. She also carried a scroll in which she sealed her fan and instead opted to carry a smaller fan around with her. She is also seen in her previous outfit after the summit.

Abilities
Temari is a highly skilled and capable kunoichi that specialises in long-range combat. She is a keen analyst, being able to easily deduce an opponent's strategies and weaknesses soon after a battle begins. During her Chūnin Exams finals fight, she easily calculated the distance it would take for Shikamaru to reach her with the Shadow Imitation Technique, and was able to keep out of its grasp. Temari was able to defend herself against Rock Lee's Leaf Whirlwind much to his surprise, and quickly dispatched Tenten without as much as scratch. Despite ultimately being out-thought in her fight against Shikamaru, Asuma praised Temari as an excellent strategist. She has also shown to have keen senses able to tell when a Wind Release technique is being used, as well as when Naruto was attempting to use the Tailed Beast Ball. In the anime, she has also proved herself a capable short-range fighter.

Giant Folding Fan
For actual combat, she uses her giant in tandem with her wind-nature to create severe winds. In addition to serving as a makeshift club, the fan can be used to glide upon in order to intimidate her foes. Inscribed on her fan are three purple circles spaced equally across its length, which she calls "stars" ("moons" in the English dub). As she opens the fan to reveal each star in sequence, the fan's power increases greatly.

Once all three moons are revealed, Temari can create slicing whirlwinds that she can guide with her chakra. Her winds allow her to attack from afar and alter the battlefield to her liking, as well as serving as a makeshift defence against most ranged attacks. Temari can also summon Kamatari, a one-eyed weasel summoned with her fan. Kamatari serves to aid her in battle, particularly by creating strong gusts of wind to attack her opponents, which Temari can then mould into attacks of her own. Temari can also summon her Giant Folding Fan by using a scroll. After the time skip, Temari is shown to have far greater control of the winds she creates with her fan. She demonstrates the ability to slice through multiple points on a Samurai's armour without injuring the man inside. By the time of the Fourth Shinobi World War, Temari claimed to be the best wind release user in the Allied Shinobi Forces.

Chūnin Exam Arc
During the preliminary matches of the Chūnin Exams, Temari was pitted against Tenten. Since the bulk of their fight went unseen in the manga, the anime adaptation explained the circumstances. Tenten began the match by throwing wave after wave of weapons at Temari, although Temari easily blew them away with her fan. After Tenten ran out of weapons, Temari used her fan to trap Tenten in a cyclone and propel her into the air. She finished off the match quickly, as the cyclone dispersed and Tenten fell to the ground. Temari made it a point to have Tenten land on her closed fan, knocking Tenten unconscious. Even after she was declared the winner of the match, she threw Tenten off of the fan in an attempt to have her land on the many weapons on the ground. However, Rock Lee jumped in to save Tenten before she hit the ground. Lee attempted to attack Temari, although she easily stopped him with her fan.

During the final rounds of the Chūnin Exams, Temari faced Shikamaru Nara. Knowing Shikamaru used shadows to trap his opponents, Temari made sure to stay out of his shadow's range. Despite this precaution on Temari's part, Shikamaru used various tactics to increase the distance his shadow could reach, all the while buying time for the sun to set and give him more shadows to work with. As Temari evaded his attacks and prepared to finish the match, she was caught by his shadow, Shikamaru having navigated her to a position where he could easily trap her without her notice. Although Shikamaru appeared to be in a position where he could win the match, he tactically forfeited, saying he had used too much chakra and could no longer use his technique.

Invasion of Konoha Arc
When the invasion of Konoha began, Temari was forced to help Gaara flee the village. In the anime, when Sasuke Uchiha began to pursue them, Temari stayed behind in an effort to slow Sasuke down, although he defeated her with little effort. After Gaara was defeated by Naruto, Gaara apologised to both Temari and Kankurō, who were amazed, wondering what Naruto had done to him, while they carried him home.

Sasuke Retrieval Arc
At the request of the Fifth Hokage, Temari and her brothers came to the aid of those sent out to retrieve Sasuke Uchiha. Temari arrived to help Shikamaru in his fight against Tayuya. She asked Shikamaru for information on Tayuya, although, after explaining Tayuya's abilities, Shikamaru suggested that they should retreat. Uninterested in Shikamaru's opinion, Temari used Summoning: Quick Beheading Dance to level the surrounding forest, which caused a tree to fall on Tayuya, killing her.

She accompanied him back to Konoha. While waiting in Konoha's hospital, she criticized Shikamaru for his lack of emotional control, but showed compassion when his father scolded him, and later relief for his sake when he learned his companions would survive. Shikamaru then sees Temari and her brothers off. Before leaving she tells him she will help him again if anything happens and then teases him about crying in front of her in the hospital.

Pre-Shippūden Filler Arcs
In the anime, she makes a quick appearance waiting in line for diet ramen at Ramen Ichiraku, being the only non Konohagakure villager there.

Later, when one of Gaara's students was kidnapped by the Four Celestial Symbols Men, Temari and Kankurō joined him in rescuing her. In doing so, Temari was forced to fight Kujaku, who had abilities similar to her own. Although she was able to hold her own for a while, her opponent's abilities gradually began to overwhelm her. Just as Temari was about to be killed, Shikamaru and Ino arrived to save her. Shikamaru and Temari quickly began bickering, but ultimately devised a strategy to defeat Kujaku. Temari used her fan to change the direction of a nearby waterfall, allowing Shikamaru to increase the reach of his shadow by using the waterfall's shadow. After Shikamaru trapped Kujaku, Temari finished her off by summoning Kamatari.

Kazekage Rescue Arc
Temari's first appearance in Part II revealed that she has become a jōnin, as well as Sunagakure's ambassador to Konohagakure, since the events in Part I. Her presence in Konohagakure at the time of Naruto's return was to see to the organisation of the bi-annual Chūnin Exams. Her escort around Konoha was Shikamaru Nara; when asked by Naruto Uzumaki if she and Shikamaru were out on a date, they both denied it. Temari is later escorted to the Konoha gate by Shikamaru, much to her surprise, since she never thought he would get up so early.

Later in the arc, as she made her way back to Sunagakure, Temari received an omen of bad luck when her cup of tea spontaneously cracked. She commented that, while she didn't believe in such things, she had a bad feeling that something had happened back in Sunagakure. When she learned that Gaara had been kidnapped by Akatsuki, Temari joined forces with Team Kakashi, who were on their way to Sunagakure. Because Naruto, like Gaara, was a jinchūriki, Temari sympathised with him, and was glad to know that there was someone like Naruto who could understand Gaara. Upon arriving, Temari found Kankurō to have been gravely injured in his attempt to rescue Gaara. Wanting to save her brothers, Temari planned to join Team Kakashi in rescuing Gaara, although Chiyo volunteered in her place. Once Kankurō was well enough to walk, he set out with Temari to catch up with Team Kakashi. When Gaara was found and revived by Chiyo's act of self-sacrifice, Temari joined Kankurō in thanking Team Kakashi for saving their brother.

Five Kage Summit Arc
Temari and Kankurō are chosen to escort Gaara to the Kage Summit. Once they arrive in the Land of Iron and the meeting begins, Temari and Kankurō become annoyed by the disrespect the other Kage show to Gaara because of his young age. They come to Gaara's defense during the Fourth Raikage's outburst and again when Zetsu appears. Zetsu reveals that Sasuke Uchiha is nearby. Soon after the Raikage leaves to fight Sasuke, Gaara, Temari, and Kankurō leave to join him.

When they arrive, Gaara interrupts the fight between the Raikage and Sasuke so that he can speak with Sasuke. While he does so, Temari and Kankurō help some samurai that have been hit by Sasuke's Amaterasu, removing their burning armor. After Gaara fails to convince Sasuke to change his ways, the Sand Siblings and Darui attack him which proved to be futile after he released a more complete form of Susanoo. He left them to combat the collapsing pillars while resuming his pursuit of Danzō. The Sand Siblings and the Raikage's group followed him back to the Summit hall. There they are met by Madara Uchiha who, after explaining his Eye of the Moon Plan, declares the Fourth Shinobi World War. The Kage agree to the formation of a Shinobi Alliance in response. Gaara is given the additional task of informing Kakashi Hatake of their decision. After the siblings find Kakashi (and Naruto) and tell them what has happened, they return to to Sunagakure to prepare for war.

Confining the Jinchūriki Arc
In the following days, when Gaara travels to Kumogakure to meet with the other heads of the Alliance to make plans for the war with Akatsuki, Temari goes with him and stays by his side during the meetings.

Shinobi World War Arc
When the war begins, Temari is placed in the Fourth Division. Although Gaara is officially in command of the division, Shikamaru is in Gaara's proxy, so Temari reminds him of his responsibility. As Gaara and Ōnoki launch the assault she reminds the troops to wait for the signal. After Ōnoki gives them the signal, Temari directs the rest of the division to charge and as she approaches the battle site she notices her father amongst the enemies.

As they bear down on the enemies she orders them to surround the Third Raikage and the Second Mizukage who start to divulge their abilities. Temari then thanks them and asks for more information, but the Third Raikage replies that they didn't have that leisure as their bodies were acting independently of their thoughts. As the battle ensues, Temari attacks the Third Raikage with the Wind Release: Cast Net technique. The technique effectively cuts him into pieces and she orders the Sealing Team to move in immediately.

The Raikage however, incapacitates the sealing team before they are able to do anything. Visibly winded, Temari attempts to revise her strategy, claiming that she would have to attack the Third with a series of her fastest Summoning: Quick Beheading Dance technique. Dodai then steps to the fore and explains the Third's abilities in more detail. After he states that they needed a stronger long-range Wind Release technique and hearing about his high level of endurance she enquires about how he died. Upon hearing the story that it took ten thousand shinobi and three days and nights before he died she becomes quite apprehensive. She then states that weren't any stronger wind release users than herself in the alliance, but Naruto appears at the same time and interjects saying he could take him down.

As she watches on, she realises that Naruto is using a wind release technique and thinks to herself that if that technique were to hit him the Third would surely be incapacitated. This assumption however, would later prove to be incorrect as the Third is left predominantly unscathed from the attack and is able to prevent his sealing once again. Later, as the division retreats behind a reinforced wall in anticipation of the Third's attack, she warns the division members, who had decided to attack the Raikage once he had breached the wall, to listen to Dodai's instructions to flee. She later watches in horror as the Third defeats all the shinobi that had attacked him. As Temari watches on, Naruto tries to form the Tailed Beast Ball but fails. A Suna shinobi later comes to her to report the casualties, and Temari instructs him to have the wounded taken to the medics and for the remainder of the forces to fall back and not engage the Raikage. She then sees the Raikage attacking and calls out to Naruto and Dodai to look out. After Naruto starts to put his strategy into action- forming a Rasengan, Temari wonders whether or not a basic Rasengan would have any effect at all.

With the Third Raikage effectively sealed, Temari mobilises with the rest of the division towards where Gaara is battling the Second Mizukage. After a sensor tells them that someone is coming, they stare in shock as they see Mū and another stranger. When Ōnoki tells them that the person standing beside Mū was Madara Uchiha, Temari states that they had intel that Madara was heading towards the jinchūriki, with that revelation they all stare in shock wondering who the man in the mask that claimed to be Madara really was. Asking the Tsuchikage if he had any idea who the masked man was due to his experience with the group but he replies that he had no idea. She later urges Naruto to re-enter the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode but he replies that he is unable to. Temari is later seen staring in shock after Naruto's Wind Release: Rasenshuriken is absorbed by Madara and the latter pulls an meteorite down from the sky, plummeting towards them stating that his power was on a whole different level. After the second meteorite which Madara sends crashing into the first which was successfully stopped, Temari finds her brother on the battlefield and enquires whether or not he was harmed. Seemingly sustaining an injury to her arm, she then checks on the Tsuchikage along with the others. As Ōnoki decides to fight Madara directly, Temari protests, saying that he was in no shape to do so.

Trivia

 * In the omake at the end of Shippūden episode 75, Shikamaru told Asuma that Naruto Shippūden would now be called Shikamaru Shippūden. The logo appeared with the title, and two silhouettes appeared facing each other. One of them was Shikamaru and the other was Temari.
 * In episode 234, Naruto's Favourite Pupil, Temari was reffered to as "The Cruelest Kunoichi".
 * Temari was ranked as the 16th most popular character in the sixth and most recent Naruto character popularity poll. Temari was the 11th most popular character in Naruto according to the fifth poll. She finished 15th in the fourth poll. In the "Naruto Databook" Temari was the 14th most popular character overall.
 * The name Temari is also the name of a Japanese handball.
 * Temari made a cameo alongside Shikamaru in Naruto Shippūden the Movie.
 * According to the Naruto Databook:
 * Temari's hobby is flora appreciation.
 * Temari wishes for a rematch with Shikamaru.
 * Temari's favourite foods are sweet chestnuts, and Kenchin soup. Her least favourite foods are dishes such as squid and octopus.
 * Her favourite phrases are (first databook) and  (second and third databooks).The latter idiom refers to a sweeping view of the eye or a boundless expanse.
 * Temari has completed 42 official missions in total: 0 D-rank, 9 C-rank, 12 B-rank, 20 A-rank, 1 S-rank.

Quotes

 * (About her match with Tenten) "Wasn't much of a match; kinda boring."
 * (To Shikamaru) "You are awfully fragile. What kind of man are you?"
 * (To Lee) "Get yourself and that loser out of my way."
 * "Sharpen your sickle at sunset."
 * (About Shikamaru) "Amazing. This slacker-clown outsmarted me!"
 * (To Naruto about Gaara) "Even if you go, you'll be only in the way, that, and our Gaara is strong!"
 * (To Naruto) "Naruto… You really are a mysterious person. You have the power to change people… Chiyo-sama was always saying how she didn't care about the future of the village… She wasn't the kind of person who would do something like this for Gaara… "