Naruto Fans May Have Misunderstood Kishimoto’s Writing for the Most Hated Sakura Scene

Despite having many memorable moments, one of the most controversial scenes in Naruto is when Sakura lies to him about her feelings in order to stop him from pursuing Sasuke. This scene has received widespread criticism from fans as it undermines Sakura’s character and harms her longstanding bond with Naruto.

Despite potentially not being well-received by fans, it is important to consider author Masashi Kishimoto’s underlying intentions behind Sakura’s actions in order to fully grasp their significance.

This article contains spoilers for the series.

Explaining the meaning of the infamous Sakura scene in the Naruto series

Despite the events of the Pain arc, Sakura’s confession to Naruto before the Five Kage Summit only solidified the disapproval of many fans. Her decision to deceive Naruto in order to protect him from Sasuke, whom she believed she needed to handle alone, was poorly executed by the kunoichi.

Despite accusations of character assassination by Kishimoto, one could argue that the author’s intention was to showcase Sakura’s immaturity.

It is likely that Sakura’s actions were motivated by desperation and a misinterpretation of her friend’s relationship with Sasuke, resulting in a predictable outcome. However, Kishimoto’s choice to depict Sakura as bothersome yet well-meaning adds complexity and layers to her character, rather than portraying her as solely cunning or considerate.

A counterpoint to this scene

Sakura in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot).

Despite Kishimoto’s possible intention to portray Sakura negatively in this scene to highlight her immaturity and further solidify Naruto’s relationship with Sasuke, there is a valid opposing perspective to take into account.

At this specific moment, Sakura is depicted as manipulative as she tries to use her romantic feelings to manipulate the protagonist instead of providing other explanations. This action devalues Naruto’s sincere love for her, which had been shown earlier in the series, causing some fans to believe that she was toying with someone she was close to.

Concluding Remarks

Despite being one of the most well-known scenes in the series, this moment with Sakura had a lasting impact on her character’s popularity. Although Kishimoto’s intention may have been to depict her as immature, the execution could have been better.