It’s Not Sakura’s Fault Masashi Kishimoto Doesn’t Know How to Write Women

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A frequent criticism of the series is how its female characters are developed. Many fans agree that none of them are consistently well-written throughout the story, with Sakura Haruno, the main female character, often cited as the prime example. Despite the author, Masashi Kishimoto, admitting he struggled with writing women, characters like Sakura and other female ninjas actually *are* strong, though they don’t receive the same level of focus as the male characters.

Sakura Haruno often gets a lot of criticism from *Naruto* fans, but much of it is unfair. While characters like Sakura, Hinata, Ino, Tenten, and Temari aren’t developed as fully as Naruto, Sasuke, or Kakashi, that’s true for most of the series’ cast. It’s also important to remember that despite years of negativity from some male fans, Sakura was a key reason many women started watching *Naruto*, and she continues to be a very popular character.

Sakura Haruno is One of the Most Overhated Characters in All of Anime

Many *Naruto* fans frequently criticize Sakura, arguing she doesn’t have much of a role in the first half of the series and that her early personality is overly focused on her relationships with Naruto and Sasuke. Some also believe she remains ineffective and dependent on male characters throughout *Naruto: Shippuden*. While these criticisms have some validity, Sakura’s flaws are often exaggerated by those who dislike her.

While Sakura often had less screen time and character development than Naruto and Sasuke in the original *Naruto* series, her story wasn’t poorly written. It portrayed a realistic teenage girl – flawed and relatable – who had to adjust to being teammates with incredibly talented ninjas and constantly facing dangerous situations. Despite setbacks and some questionable decisions, she continued to improve as both a person and a ninja, had some impressive moments, and eventually earned Tsunade’s attention, all while remaining a kind, funny character thanks to her inner self.

Sakura Haruno starts strong in *Naruto: Shippuden*, showing real potential during the Kazekage Rescue Arc and her impressive fight with Sasori. After the time skip, she becomes noticeably stronger, more mature, and self-reliant, while still retaining her kind personality. It’s disappointing, then, that the series largely sidelines her after that point. While she has occasional important moments, her growth as a character stalls, and her relationships with Naruto and Sasuke become difficult to watch. However, this isn’t Sakura’s fault. Fans often note that several characters could have been developed more fully, but Sakura receives a disproportionate amount of criticism. She’s targeted because, as the only prominent female character, she was always under more scrutiny than her male counterparts or less central female characters, regardless of her writing. Fans tend to blame Sakura for the series’ shortcomings instead of the true source of the problem: the author, Masashi Kishimoto.

Masashi Kishimoto Failed the Female Characters in Naruto – But Not For Lack of Trying

While characters like Sakura Haruno and other female ninjas in *Naruto* have their strengths, the series ultimately falls short in developing its female cast. Like many action-focused anime, *Naruto* centers on male characters, but it’s particularly disappointing because it introduces several promising female characters only to sideline them. Sakura is a prime example – her limited role in the early part of *Naruto* might have been understandable, but *Shippuden* continues this pattern, reducing her to a supporting role focused on a man who doesn’t reciprocate her feelings. The fact that she ends up with Sasuke, despite their complicated and often harmful history, feels especially unsatisfying and undermines any potential for a meaningful story arc of her own.

I’ve seen Kishimoto’s comments about struggling to write female characters brought up a lot, usually to explain why the female ninja in *Naruto* often feel shortchanged, or as criticism aimed specifically at Sakura. Sometimes it’s even used to label Kishimoto as someone with biased views. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that he actually *cared* about Sakura’s character and really tried to make her work. He’s said she was based on his wife, and he was genuinely hurt by the negative reactions she received from fans. It wasn’t about any intentional negativity or sexism; it was more a case of a writer doing their best, falling short, and unintentionally doing a disservice to a character they’d created. Like many parts of *Naruto*, it was a flawed and messy process, and things just didn’t land as he hoped.

Masashi Kishimoto struggled with writing female characters, and this really showed in *Naruto*. He deserves criticism for characters like Sakura, who had the potential to be fantastic heroines but didn’t receive the development or importance they deserved. Despite this, Sakura is still a memorable and beloved character, and even with all its flaws, *Naruto* remains a legendary anime.

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2025-10-20 05:11