Naruto’s Greatest Failure Wasn’t Sasuke, It Was How It Handled Sakura’s Redemption

Daksh Chaudhary
Mar 20
3 min read

Updated: Mar 23

Let’s talk about Naruto’s greatest failure - no, it’s not Sasuke’s questionable redemption arc or the endless filler episodes, it’s how the series fumbled Sakura Haruno, one of its main characters. Sakura started as part of the iconic Team 7, alongside Naruto and Sasuke, but by the end of the series, fans were left asking: What was the point of her character?

Sakura had so much potential. She was smart, determined, and trained under one of the strongest ninja in the world, Tsunade. But instead of becoming a hero in her own right, she spent most of the story crying over Sasuke, lying to Naruto, and being overshadowed. Let’s break down where Naruto went wrong with Sakura’s redemption, and why it still stings for fans.

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Sakura's Early Promise (And Where It Went Wrong)

In Part 1 of Naruto, Sakura was set up to grow. She had no clan, no special bloodline, and no tailed beast, she was just a regular girl with a sharp mind. During the Chunin Exams, she showed courage by standing up to Gaara to protect Naruto and Sasuke. She even cut her hair as a symbol of her resolve. Fans thought, Finally, Sakura’s time to shine!

But instead of building on this, the story shoved her into the background. While Naruto trained with Jiraiya and Sasuke got darker and edgier, Sakura learned to punch hard. Sure, she became strong under Tsunade, but her character stayed stuck in the same loop: “Sasuke" and “Naruto, bring him back!” Her growth as a ninja never matched her growth as a person.

The Lie That Made Sakura's Redemption A Big Failure In Naruto

The lowest point for Sakura? The Pain Arc. After Pain destroys the Leaf Village, Sakura lies to Naruto about loving him, just to stop him from chasing Sasuke. It’s a moment that’s supposed to show her maturity, but it backfires spectacularly. Instead of making her look selfless, it makes her look manipulative and insecure.

Compare this to Hinata, who risks her life to protect Naruto against Pain. Hinata’s actions are honest and brave, while Sakura’s feel calculated and desperate. The lie isn’t just bad writing, it undermines Sakura’s entire character. Fans were left wondering: Is this really the same girl who stood up to Gaara?

Sakura Vs Hinata: A Tale Of Two Heroines

Naruto had two main female characters: Sakura and Hinata. While Hinata starts shy and grows into a confident warrior, Sakura starts strong and stays stuck. By the end of the series, Hinata’s love for Naruto feels earned. Sakura’s obsession with Sasuke? Not so much.

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Even Sakura’s big redemption moment, fighting Sasori alongside Chiyo, was a big failure. Chiyo, an elderly side character, does most of the strategic work, while Sakura mostly follows orders. It’s a great fight, but it doesn’t fix Sakura’s core problem: she’s never allowed to lead. She’s always a sidekick, never the hero.

Boruto’s Sakura: Too Little, Too Late

In Boruto, Sakura is a respected medic and mother, but it’s hard to ignore the wasted potential. She’s strong, sure, but her role is still tied to Sasuke and their daughter, Sarada. Meanwhile, characters like Hinata and Temari get to be badass moms without losing their identity.

Sakura’s most impactful moment in Boruto comes during the Shin Uchiha arc, where she fights alongside her daughter to protect the village. But even here, the story focuses more on Sarada’s struggles than Sakura’s growth. For a character who trained under Tsunade, it’s frustrating to see her sidelined again.

Final Verdict: Sakura Deserved Better

Naruto had a chance to make Sakura one of the greatest female characters in anime. Instead, she became a cautionary tale about wasted potential. Sakura's redemption wasn’t just underwhelming, it was a failure of everything she could have been in Naruto.

The series prioritized Sasuke’s edgy angst and Naruto’s underdog journey, leaving Sakura to pick up the scraps. But here’s the truth: Sakura’s failure isn’t her fault. It’s the writer’s fault for not giving her the same care as the boys.