Naruto’s Sakura Haruno is widely criticized for being underdeveloped compared to her male counterparts, with much of her character revolving around her love interest, Sasuke. This is despite the fact that she starts as one of the most intelligent students in her class, a key detail of Sakura’s character that is frequently overlooked in her storytelling. If that had not been the case, Naruto’s story could have looked quite different.
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With her bookish smarts and civilian background, Sakura could have perhaps occupied a similar position in Naruto’s story as Hermione in Harry Potter. If her intelligence had been expanded upon instead of just acknowledged, Sakura could have become the overly prepared, highly capable strategist of Team 7. This way, she would have been able to contribute much more to the story than just being the token main female and love interest. Instead, the series limits her to those roles, with any character development either reversed whenever convenient or overshadowed by her childish crush.
Shared Backgrounds and Roles in Their Respective Universes
On the surface, Hermione Granger and Sakura Haruno couldn’t be more different. One spends all her time in the library, while the other spends it obsessively chasing after a boy who doesn’t feel the same way about her. But beneath their many differences, it’s interesting to note how Sakura and Hermione actually occupy similar roles in their respective universes. Both are introduced as bookishly smart characters, are brilliant students, and excel in the theoretical aspects of their training. On top of that, Sakura is from a common civilian background, similar to how Hermione is from a non-magical family, although Sakura’s background is more humble than the derogatory names given to Hermione’s status.
That’s not where their similarities end, either. During the written part of the Chunin Exams, Sakura is the only character who is able to successfully answer the questions with just her raw intellect. This feat becomes even more impressive when it’s revealed that the test was designed to be impossible for a Genin. But Sakura did it anyway, much like how Hermione has always been able to perform spells that were far above her academic level.
Another scene where Sakura behaves exactly as Hermione would, can be seen when Ibiki reveals that there is no tenth question. Despite her obvious intelligence, Sakura struggles with the concept of a proctor lying in an exam setting, even outright asking about the tenth question in the most Hermione-like way possible. This makes it clearer than ever that these two characters are actually a lot more similar than anyone would have thought.
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Sakura’s Portrayal as the “Over-Prepared” Ninja
Where the two deviate is how Sakura’s smarts rarely play an actual role in the series, with most of her character revolving around getting Sasuke’s attention. Compare this to Hermione, whose intelligence and quick wits are fundamental to the plot of Harry Potter, and the difference couldn’t be clearer. However, while Kishimoto missed the opportunity to give Naruto its own Hermione Granger, their similar backgrounds mean that could very much have been a real possibility.
In Harry Potter, Hermione’s willingness to spend hours preparing for something is one of her defining traits. She prepares for things before they happen, carries whatever books and tools are necessary for every situation, and always has a plan. If the writer had modeled Sakura after Hermione, she too would have used her intelligence to be as over-prepared for every situation as possible. Unlike most ninjas who excel in improvisation, this would have made Sakura stand out, giving her a unique niche to call her own without drawing attention away from the series’ leads, Naruto and Sasuke.
The Impact of Embracing This Direction for Sakura in Naruto
A Sakura whose intelligence wasn’t always sidelined would have also made a much bigger impact to the anime’s story. Take, for example, the written part of the Chunin exams discussed above. If Sakura was written to be more like Hermione, she wouldn’t have just completed the exam without cheating but also deduced the actual purpose of the exam faster than other candidates. This would then have allowed her to help Naruto more efficiently (provided she wasn’t as against cheating as Hermione).
Another benefit of going in this direction for Sakura would have been better balance within the show’s main trio, giving each character their own distinct domain. Raw determination, unpredictability, and Talk no Jutsu for Naruto, skill and natural talent for Sasuke, planning and knowledge for Sakura. While Sakura would have still remained a supporting character, this would have served to strengthen the idea that all three team members were needed for success. She would have kept Naruto’s recklessness in check and provided strategic aid to Sasuke’s crude raw power. And her medical ninjutsu, terrain knowledge, tactical ability, and creative chakra application would have made her an indispensable part of Team 7.
