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Naruto has been one of the most popular anime out there for decades but with popularity comes immense hate towards certain characters. A character who notoriously gets constant hate, even from people who haven’t watched Naruto, is Sakura Haruno. There are plenty of reasons why the public opinion of her is so poor, but none of the people hating her really stop and critically think about Sakura’s overall arc.
Some reasonable fans of Naruto have pointed out that the pink-haired kunoichi had to deal with a lot by simply being on Team 7. Consisting of Naruto, Sasuke and their mentor, Kakashi, Sakura wasn’t exactly surrounded by the most sane people in the Naruto universe. The already complicated world around her must’ve been hard to navigate, but to feel like the odd one out in Team 7 hits the hammer on the head.
Team 7’s Dynamic in Naruto and Sakura’s Sanity
Sakura Haruno in Naruto: Shippuden. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]When Sakura was introduced as part of Team 7, she was immediately thrown into a group of extreme personalities. Each of her teammates, Naruto and Sasuke, and their mentor, Kakashi, have incredibly unique personalities that overshadowed her development and led to a lot of criticism. They all learned from each other’s journeys, yet the pink-haired kunoichi garners most of the heat from fans. Did Masashi Kishimoto set her up for failure by putting her on Team 7?
The X user @pxidolls rightfully brings up the flaws Kakashi has, who is a fan favourite despite these, and the trauma the young boys have been through. They often projected it on Sakura, especially Sasuke, the resident emo boy of Naruto and her love interest who often broke her heart with the choices he made. Her trauma wasn’t dedicated enough time by Kishimoto.
One of the central criticisms against her is that she’s not as strong as the other two kids. Sakura might not have been a prodigy, but that doesn’t mean she never had her own achievements. Her training under Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, allowed her to become an incredibly skilled medical ninja, rivaling even Tsunade herself. X user, @pxidolls, highlights a fun fact about Sakura that is quite hidden: The medical ninja opened a mental health clinic for children, preventing any other children from becoming the next Gara or Pain.
Damn, she may not be as powerful but this definitely prevented more tragedies than Naruto and Sasuke. Just imagine all the villains who would have turned out fine if they'd lived in a village with this. Therapy would have helped Gara and Pain at least.
— Tait "Prideful" Washburn (@TaitTheTerrific) September 17, 2024So while she might not be the next Hokage or a powerful ninja in terms of strength, she did her own part in preventing other affected kids from going on the wrong path.
Sakura is a Character of Strength and Heart in Naruto
Sakura Haruno in Naruto: Shippuden. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]Sakura Haruno’s journey in Naruto is one of quiet resilience and immense growth. She may not have had the bombastic power-ups or been involved in many great battles like Naruto and Sasuke. However, her strength lies in her ability to support and heal those around her, both physically and emotionally. Healing is just as important as power in Naruto. She is the symbol of peace and love.
The hate she received was also largely a result of the complex dynamics of Team 7 and the overwhelming focus on the journeys of the male characters. However, her role in opening a mental health clinic for children proves that Sakura’s contributions extend far beyond what many fans originally gave her credit for and maybe even they’re too focused on strength over healing.
Naruto: Shippuden is available on Crunchyroll for streaming.
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