Sakura Haruno from Naruto has always been a subject of debate for fans, ever since the series became a massive hit. Masashi Kishimoto has faced a lot of allegations and hatred because of how he portrayed the character of Sakura in the story. Fans believed that considering her importance in the narrative, she should have been given more focus.
However, the one aspect of her character that Kishimoto focused on the most was her strength. Initially, Sakura was just a weak kunoichi who could not stand her ground in front of difficult and strong enemies. But during the time skip, when she trained under Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin, she gained unmeasurable strength that made her one of the most powerful Naruto characters.
This was a major shift in Sakura’s character that no one expected, not even Kishimoto. He once revealed his true intentions behind creating Sakura’s character, and they were completely opposite to how he wrote her in Naruto Shippuden.
Masashi Kishimoto’s Original Feelings For Sakura
In 2006, Shonen Jump (US) interviewed the Naruto manga creator and talked to him about the different aspects and characters of the series. During the interview, Kishimoto was asked about Rock Lee and Sakura who did not have any special ability but still became fan-favorites. Kishimoto pointed out that their weakness was the reason behind their popularity.
Kishimoto stated:
Is Sakura popular in the U.S.? Well, Lee only has Taijutsu. And as a girl, Sakura is physically weaker than the others. So I can see why it’s easy to empathize with them. They represent human weaknesses.
The mangaka explained that the popularity of characters like Lee and Sakura actually emerges from the empathy that fans feel towards them. He originally created Sakura and Lee to represent human weakness and that’s why fans relate to them.
He even pointed out that Sakura was physically weaker than other Naruto characters because she was a girl. So, not only she does not possess any special talent, but she also can’t compete with others because of her feeble strength.
Masashi Kishimoto Took A 180 Degree Turn in His Feelings Towards Sakura
When Masashi Kishimoto gave this contentious statement, he had already written the character development that Sakura went through during the time skip. Thus, many believed that Kishimoto was being sarcastic when he pointed out that Sakura is a weak character, as her portrayal in Naruto Shippuden was completely opposite and unexpected.
Despite mentioning her as a representation of human weakness, Kishimoto gave her the strength of the monsters. Sakura trained under Tsunade for two and a half years, and she learned chakra control and concentration which allowed her to wield monstrous strength just like Tsunade. She could literally destroy buildings with just a punch, and this was shocking for Naruto fans.
Sakura not only grew in terms of strength, but she also learned medical ninjutsu and went on to become the most proficient medical ninja in the whole Naruto world. She even went past her mentor Tsunade and could heal even the worst of injuries. It can be stated that out of all the major characters in Naruto, she was one of the few who experienced the most character development.
Naruto is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
