Naruto: Is It Still Cool To Hate Sakura Haruno?

There are few female characters in shonen anime who are so dislikes as Sakura Haruno. Or, at least, that is how it would appear. For fans of Naruto, they don't have to be in the fandom for long before they see signs of Sakura's controversial reputation. Masashi Kishimoto's take on the pink-haired ninja has caused hundreds of fan-wars over the years, and they continue to wage more than a decade after the kunoichi was created.

For a time, it almost seemed like there was a secret spreading itself through the Naruto fandom. If you hated Sakura, even on the down-low, then you were on the cool side of the argument. The trend reached a fever pitch when the original Naruto anime was on air, and it had its ups-and-downs during the reign of Naruto Shippuden. However, with Boruto: Naruto Next Generations now on-air, more and more fans are starting to come to Sakura's defense.

So, does that mean it's still "cool" to hate Sakura Haruno? Well, the question really address a moot point. What fans should be asking if why the tide towards Sakura has shifted, and was all the hate really necessary to being with?

When Sakura is compared to other Naruto heroines like Hinata or even Ino, the ninja always seems to come in last. Fans will bemoan the heroine's unreliable personality, whiny attitude, or victimized view of life. In regards to Sakura's growth in power, anti-fans will say the ninja didn't work hard enough to study under Tsunade or that her power is negligible when compared to that which Sasuke and Naruto wield.

However, when it comes down to Sakura, the main character's ill reputation with fans can be sourced to two things. The hatred which follows the ninja around became so potent thanks to Sakura's humanistic character arcs and her placement in Team 7.

Naruto housed hundreds of characters, and many of them are strong ninjas. Sakura ranks high up on the list of Konoha's most powerful ninjas, but anti-fans tend to disregard her because of how human she is. In Naruto, Sakura's scared and lovesick mood-swings mirrored those which any 13-year-old girl is entitled to have. Sakura comes from a quiet family with no tragic ties, and her bravery is constantly questioned up to the end of Naruto Shippuden. While Sakura does end up fighting back against those faults, fans blame Sakura for falling into their traps while characters like Naruto or Hinata don't - but that is because Sakura doesn't embody any high-flung ideals.

Many fans hate Sakura because she is human and her flaws are the ones they dislike within themselves. Characters like Naruto embody ideals such as perseverance. Even Hinata holds onto her own ideals thanks to her quiet loyalty. But, in Sakura's case, the kunoichi has a more diverse mantra which clashes horribly with Team 7's idealistic heroes.

Sakura has good intentions at heart, but her execution can be lacking. Naruto Shippuden anti-fans piled on Sakura when the ninja attempted to confess her love to Naruto in order to keep him from killing Sasuke and himself. The false confession burned Naruto, leaving fans to disparage Sakura in every way - but her method was the only thing lacking; Her intent had no business being questioned.

When it comes down to it, Sakura's humanness is what draws ire from fans, and it is also the thing makes her more popular by the day. The heroine's place in Naruto pits her directly against the show's main characters, making it impossible for her to compete. Sakura will not become as strong as Naruto or be given a clear redemption arc like Sasuke. However, Sakura does show fans what character growth looks like.

The heroine goes from being an obnoxious teen who loves blindly to a respected ninja by all in Konoha. Sakura's flaws are a natural, and her character aged through those bumps. As fans have also grown older with Naruto, they can see more of themselves in Sakura aside from her so-called 'useless' actions. And, when they can see Sakura from a distance, many realize just how cool the heroine really is.