* Name: Shukaku the tail of one (, Ichibi no Shukaku) or Shukaku of the desert (Suna no Shukaku)
* Type Bijuu: Tanuki (raccoon-dog, native to Japan and some in the surrounding area)
* Jinchuuriki: Sabaku no Gaara
* The first sighting in comics: Chapter 35
* The first sighting in the episode: Shippuuden Episode 20
* Rating: Kazekage
Special Ability: Firing the cannon winds concentrated using chakra
* Status: Captured by Akatsuki
Shukaku was given the title by the Japanese wind god of ancient times. Formerly he was a priest who affected the forces of darkness Yamata no Orochi and exposed to sandstorms. He then transformed into a badger tail and rely on wind as an attack jutsu. In the manga and anime Naruto he was sealed inside Gaara's body and use the soul as tumbalnya Gaara's mother. Suna never had two Jinchuuriki before Gaara, but both died after Shukaku removed from their bodies. Shukaku very clever but behaving like a drunk person. The word "Shukaku" itself can mean "drunk" in Japanese. Like the other Bijuu, temper and bloodthirsty Jinchuuriki can make drawn away and destroy what is in the vicinity.
As the Jinchuuriki, Gaara has the ability to control and sand control, and protected at all times by a shield of sand, but he had suffered from insomnia for the rest of his life due to side effects were acquired. Garaa will never be able to sleep because when he is asleep, Shukaku will control your body and mind.
When angry or raised lust to kill, Gaara can turn into a monster the size of a human body in a way to cover him with sand. In addition to changing her shape, sand also increases physical defense and chakra Gaara drastically. In the form of Shukaku, Gaara gain great strength, strong defense, and the ability to use sand shuriken.
He also can control the sand and can use it more effectively and powerful than when he was in human form. The disadvantage, the transformation into monster form is going pretty slow and difficult to do if no one thing that really provoke Gaara. Until now, Gaara has tried twice to change his body into shape Shukaku and both failed to reach into perfect shape; The first Chuunin exams performed. At that time, Sasuke managed to wound him before he could reach the perfect shape. The second, when he fought Naruto in the jungle; Naruto defeat when new Gaara managed to cover her entire body except the feet.
In hazardous situations, Gaara can create a replica of Shukaku original size of sand. Unlike a human-sized Shukaku, these replicas can be created in a short time. Gaara controls the replica from the inside, so that the body is protected from enemy attack. In this form, Gaara can release Shukaku soul is in the body, and putting it into the body of a replica of Shukaku. To do so, Gaara had to get out of the replica of Shukaku, then slept on the head of the replica. But as a result, Gaara became more vulnerable. When he woke up, the seal will break and soul Shukaku will re-enter into itself; and a replica of Shukaku will be destroyed.
In the episode "Rescue Gaara", Akatsuki is successful in capturing and remove Shukaku from Gaara's body; Gaara was killed. But a fortune for Gaara, he successfully revived with a combination of moves divider-owned Chiyo's life and Naruto's chakra belongs. Gaara ability is not completely lost, though it is unknown whether its power weakened by the release Shukaku spirit from his body.
Shukaku has a shape similar to a mongoose, raccoon or panda so sometimes difficult to distinguish people.
Tanuki, like Kitsune, is the mystical creatures in Japanese mythology, and sometimes both compete with one another.
There is a story about a pastor and Tanuki who changed himself into a tea kettle, which Bunbuku Chagama.
