The Naruto franchise has crafted many memorable characters, known for their distinct traits, and Sakura Haruno, being part of the main trio, is naturally one of the most recognized characters in the series. However, unlike Naruto and Sasuke, Sakura is not known for great accomplishments in the narrative or for her role as a strong ing character in Naruto. Instead, she is often sidelined and regarded as one of the most disliked characters in the series.

Sakura's depiction in the franchise, despite her being one of the strongest kunoichi by the end of the series, was consistently portrayed with quirky traits that fans grew to hate. From making harsh comments about Naruto to her false confession of love to him, her actions sparked widespread criticism. However, Sakura's character is not as entirely accurate as she is portrayed, at least not at the start of the series, as the anime exaggerated her annoying traits to emphasize her role as a stereotypical "tsundere" character.

The Naruto Manga Highlights Sakura's ive Role in the Series

Studio Pierrot Is Responsible For Sparking Unnecessary Hate For Sakura

Whenever a manga is adapted into an anime, there are bound to be changes to make it more appealing to a broader audience and give fans a reason to watch the adaptation. While Studio Pierrot made its fair share of changes in the Naruto anime, the alterations to Sakura’s character were aimed at elevating her as more of a "tsundere," adding a light-hearted romantic comedy element to the series.

However, in shifting her character toward being a more stereotypically annoying female lead, Studio Pierrot overachieved this goal, causing Sakura to become known as one of the most disliked characters due to her actions toward Naruto and Sasuke. In the manga, however, it is consistently implied that despite her cold behavior toward Naruto, Sakura genuinely cares about him. Even at the start of the series, she is shown ing Naruto’s dream of becoming Hokage, encouraging him along the way.

While her character does falter at times early on, especially because of her affection for Sasuke, which leads her to make a harsh comment about Naruto not having parents, her growth in Naruto: Shippuden is significant. While her physical growth in the sequel is highlighted by her fight against Sasori, Sakura’s emotional maturity is evident when she scolds Sasuke, reminding him how Naruto has been constantly thinking about bringing him back, while even she had nearly forgotten him, as shown by her considering killing him herself.

Even one of Sakura’s most hated moments, her false confession to Naruto, stems from her concern for him, as she hoped he would stop risking himself to search for Sasuke after hearing she no longer cared for him. Despite the criticism, Sakura’s continued growth demonstrates that she doesn’t deserve the hate she receives, and her portrayal in the series even conveys a meaningful message.

Sakura’s Portrayal in Naruto Perfectly Encapsulates the Series’ Core Theme

She Embodies the Series’ Main Theme Even Better Than Its Protagonist

Naruto’s core theme centers on his journey as a character who, having grown up with no affection from others, strives to become the best through his own determination, suggesting an underdog story. Yet, as the series progresses, Naruto is revealed to have connections to powerful figures, such as being part of a prominent family and the reincarnation of Asura, which ultimately contradicts his astonishing growth as someone no one expected to succeed. Meanwhile, Sakura is never shown to have connections to any great lineage, yet she achieves her ambitions through hard work and perseverance.

Sakura’s culmination in the series positions her as one of the strongest female ninjas of all time. She further elevates her role in the healing field by becoming the head of the medical department, all of which she attains while raising her daughter on her own. With such feats and her genuine care for others, especially Naruto, Sakura deserves respect in the Naruto franchise rather than fans continuing to focus on her shortcomings from the anime, which were exaggerated only to add comedic charm to the series.