Why Sasuke’s Sharingan Awakening in Naruto Moment Was More Impactful Than Sarada’s in Boruto, Explored

Despite Sasuke’s Sharingan awakening from Naruto being one of the most iconic moments from the series, Sarada’s awakening from Boruto was not received well. Despite her awakening, she has not yet utilized her dojutsu, leading to the question of whether it was worth the hype surrounding her mangekyou Sharingan awakening.

Although it may be an exaggeration to say that her awakening was unworthy, it paled in comparison to her father’s Sharingan awakening. Sasuke not only had a significant shift in his goals after awakening, but his demeanor also grew more mature. In contrast, Sarada experienced little change in both her personality and potential as a fighter after her awakening.

Please note: This article may contain spoilers from the Boruto Two Blue Vortex manga series and includes the author’s personal opinions.

Exploring the Superiority of Sasuke’s Sharingan Awakening over Sarada’s in Boruto

Sasuke versus Itachi as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Sasuke Uchiha is the second most important character in Naruto and the sole survivor of the Uchiha clan following the massacre carried out by his brother, Itachi Uchiha. This traumatic event fueled Sasuke’s desire for vengeance and he spent his childhood seeking strength in order to one day defeat his brother.

After eventually betraying the Hidden Leaf Village, he joined forces with Orochimaru to master the cursed mark. Continuously growing in strength, he ultimately killed Orochimaru and created Hebi (Taka) with other experiments of Orochimaru. The group’s sole purpose was to assist Sasuke in his goal of facing his brother in a one-on-one battle.

This event unfolded at the Uchiha Hideout, where the two brothers engaged in their fated fight. As anticipated, Itachi initially had the upper hand over Sasuke, but the tide turned when Sasuke unleashed Kirin, causing massive destruction to the Hideout, believing he had emerged victorious.

The last Sasuke and Itachi shared (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Despite surviving the battle with his Susanoo, Itachi was struck with a mysterious illness and began coughing up blood. He had intended to steal Sasuke’s eyes, but instead, he apologized to him and passed away, leaving Sasuke bewildered. Following Itachi’s death, Sasuke approached Tobi, who revealed that Itachi’s actions were all for the purpose of protecting his brother.

The emotional toll of killing his own caring brother without any understanding weighed heavily on him, causing Sasuke’s Sharingan to awaken into a Mangekyou Sharingan as he wept. He then renamed his group from Hebi to Taka and resolved to destroy the Hidden Leaf Village, which he believed had manipulated his brother to his demise.

Sarada's Mangekyou Sharingan awakening (Image via Shueisha) — Sarada’s Mangekyou Sharingan awakening (Image via Shueisha)

Sarada Uchiha’s Sharingan was first awakened during the Omnipotence arc in Boruto. When Kawaki sealed Naruto and Hinata in another dimension, he searched for the protagonist and ended up crossing paths with Eida. Due to his distressed mental state, Eida mistakenly believed he was in pain and activated her Omnipotence ability, causing a switch in personalities between Kawaki and the protagonist.

Despite being branded a rogue, the protagonist found themselves cornered by the entire Hidden Leaf Village. Meanwhile, Sarada, unaffected by Omnipotence, pleaded with her father to rescue the framed protagonist. It was at this critical moment that Sarada’s emotional distress triggered the awakening of her Mangekyou Sharingan.

Initially, Sarada was able to awaken her Mangekyou Sharingan at a young age, while Sasuke did so later in life. This allowed her to develop and control her newfound abilities at an early stage. However, her journey took an unexpected turn.

Sasuke using his Mangekyou Sharingan abilities (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Initially, Sasuke’s awakening had a greater impact due to its significant effect on his personality. It caused him to shift his focus towards destroying his home village and move beyond seeking revenge against his brother.

Furthermore, this was a pivotal moment in which Sasuke’s demeanor shifted from being quick-witted to being composed and collected, a change that was evident in later episodes. He wasted no time in harnessing his newfound abilities, showcasing his awakening as one of the most iconic and memorable scenes from the series.

Similarly, Sarada’s awakening had a less significant impact. This could be attributed to her not being fully aware of her Mangekyou Sharingan, and the peaceful atmosphere of the Hidden Leaf Village hindering her from utilizing its full potential. As a result, her Mangekyou Sharingan seemed somewhat insignificant, unless the author has plans for her in the future of the series.