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Few anime characters have stirred as much debate as Sakura Haruno from Naruto. Depending on who you ask, she’s either a symbol of wasted potential or a powerful, well-developed kunoichi who got an unfair reputation. Ever since her introduction as a teammate to Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura has faced an uphill battle—not just in the story, but in the court of public opinion.
At the surface, it’s easy to see why critics piled on her character. She begins the series with an obsession over Sasuke, a lack of notable combat feats compared to her teammates, and emotional outbursts that often came across as distractions in an otherwise intense narrative. Fans grew frustrated watching her cry during battles or failing to keep up with the fast-evolving strength of Naruto and Sasuke. In a show filled with god-tier ninjas, Sakura seemed average—and in anime, average is often treated as unacceptable.
But to stop the analysis there is to do her character a disservice.
Sakura represents more than just brute power—she embodies emotional resilience, medical genius, and personal growth. Her journey from a shallow schoolgirl to one of the most powerful medical-nin in the world deserves a fairer look, especially in a franchise that often struggles with consistent female representation.
In this deep dive, we’ll revisit Sakura’s development from Naruto through Shippuden and even into Boruto, dissect the real roots of her criticism, and ask: Is Sakura truly useless, or has she just been misunderstood all along?
Early Impressions: The Weight of First Impressions
Sakura’s introduction didn’t do her many favors. In the original Naruto, she’s presented as intelligent but shallow—more interested in Sasuke’s attention than in becoming a skilled ninja. Her rivalry with Ino Yamanaka felt more like a high school drama than a shinobi showdown, and her lack of unique abilities compared to her teammates was glaring.
Naruto had the Nine-Tails sealed within him, Sasuke had the Sharingan, and Sakura… had good grades.
This disparity created an immediate imbalance in Team 7, where Sakura appeared less essential. In an action-heavy series, audiences tend to value flashy powers and epic battles. By contrast, Sakura’s strengths—mental sharpness, chakra control, and emotional intuition—weren’t initially showcased in ways that stood out.
But to call her “useless” based solely on her early performance is to ignore the wider narrative pattern in Naruto, where most characters don’t reach their potential until later arcs.
Chūnin Exams: First Signs of Strength
During the Chūnin Exams, Sakura began to shed her image as dead weight. Her battle against the Sound ninja, where she protected Naruto and Sasuke, cutting her own hair as a symbolic rejection of vanity, marked a turning point.
It was the first time Sakura acted on her own, driven by courage rather than emotion. Though she didn’t win the fight, the moment highlighted her resolve and hinted at a deeper well of strength.
Still, compared to iconic fights like Rock Lee vs. Gaara or Naruto vs. Neji, her contributions seemed minor. Fans often skipped over these moments, further cementing the idea that she wasn’t pulling her weight.
Shippuden: A Major Upgrade
Enter Naruto: Shippuden, and Sakura was almost unrecognizable—in the best way.
Under Tsunade’s tutelage, she became a top-tier medical ninja and developed monstrous physical strength. Her debut fight against Sasori of the Akatsuki, where she worked alongside Chiyo, showcased intelligence, adaptability, and raw power. It was a definitive “I’ve arrived” moment.
She took on an S-rank enemy, saved her allies, and displayed precision and strength in a way that was both impressive and emotionally grounded. It’s still one of the best female-led battles in the series.
And yet, the “useless” label persisted.
Why?
Partly because Naruto and Sasuke continued to evolve at absurd speeds, unlocking godlike powers that overshadowed even the best of feats. Sakura, by contrast, followed a more grounded trajectory. While she became one of the greatest medics in the world and a capable fighter, she never attained the fantastical powers her teammates had.
Emotional Arcs: A Double Standard?
One of the most persistent criticisms of Sakura revolves around her emotional dependency on Sasuke. Her love for him, even as he descended into darkness, struck many as naive or regressive.
But male characters in Naruto—including Naruto himself—often made decisions driven by emotion. Naruto’s pursuit of Sasuke, for example, was just as obsessive. Yet Naruto was framed as noble, while Sakura was seen as pathetic. This double standard has plagued many female characters in shonen anime, where emotional vulnerability is often equated with weakness—unless you’re a male protagonist.
Sakura’s emotional journey—her loyalty to friends, her inner battles, and her painful growth—was consistent and relatable. But because it didn’t come with explosions or secret jutsu, it was dismissed by a portion of the fanbase.
The War Arc: Deserved More?
In the Fourth Great Ninja War, Sakura stood side-by-side with the franchise’s two powerhouses. She activated her Byakugō Seal, a sign of elite chakra mastery that only Tsunade had achieved before. She saved lives on the battlefield, contributed to sealing Kaguya, and fought bravely.
Despite all this, her contributions were often edited out in online discussions or memes. The narrative didn’t always highlight her properly either, often shifting quickly back to Naruto and Sasuke’s cosmic power struggle. Once again, Sakura was present and impactful, but still treated like a side note.
Boruto and Legacy
In Boruto, Sakura is portrayed as a competent mother, wife, and still-active medical ninja. She runs a hospital and continues training future generations. Her marriage to Sasuke is controversial, with critics citing emotional imbalance, but her growth into a calm, self-assured adult is undeniable.
She raised Sarada, a daughter who inherited not only her father’s abilities but her mother’s intelligence and stability. Sakura’s parenting contrasts the often absent, battle-hungry fathers of the shinobi world, positioning her as a rare example of work-life balance in a chaotic universe.
So, Is She Useless?
Absolutely not.
Sakura was never useless. She was underwritten early on, then gradually rebuilt as a capable, powerful, and emotionally rich character. The hate she received was less about her actual abilities and more about expectations and shonen genre bias. In a world that glorifies combat and conquest, Sakura was always grounded in realism, responsibility, and emotional nuance.
She wasn’t the flashiest. She wasn’t the strongest. But she was a vital part of Naruto’s heart.