Fans might disagree, but Sakura has lost her spark in Boruto

The Boruto saga has taken over from where its predecessor stopped, with its shoddy writing of female characters. Many female characters in the series are either cast as mere objects on screen, moving at the whims of their male counterparts, or have nonexistent roles. The only female character fans can boast about when it comes to writing is Sarada, and that is sad.

Sarada’s character is fierce, independent, and vulnerable. With Sarada, Ikemoto didn’t make the usual mistakes mangakas make when fleshing out independent female characters, where they tend to make them act like tomboys. Sarada’s character has a voice, and she does not need to act like the stereotypical strong, silent man to be heard. Another well-written character is Eida, whose character subverts the trope of the helpless tsundere commonly seen in anime.

In the Boruto saga, one character from the Naruto era deserves redemption by Ikemoto. Unfortunately, she seems to be shrinking as the series progresses, and in Two Blue Vortex, she has yet to make an appearance. That person is Sakura, and Sasuke might be responsible for her fading from the spotlight. Sakura has always tied her self-worth to Sasuke, and the absence of the person she has given her whole life to might explain her sadness.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinion and may contain spoilers.

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Why Sasuke might be responsible for stealing Sakura’s happiness in Boruto?

Sakura is heavily codependent on Sasuke in Boruto (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Sakura has loved Sasuke since childhood. In early Naruto, she would alter various aspects of her behavior just to catch Sasuke’s eye, but despite her best efforts, Sasuke never paid her any attention. The only thing Sasuke heavily sought after was his vendetta with Itachi; this means power was his final goal.

In the rare moments Sasuke interacted with Sakura, he either reacted with disgust or condescension. This is especially pronounced in filler episodes, where Sasuke tells Sakura that she is being a nuisance. In fact, the only person with whom Sasuke shared even a semblance of a bond was Naruto. This didn’t stop Sakura; she still pursued Sasuke, even though it was detrimental to her growth. That relentless pursuit is what led to the state her character is currently in.

Sakura not growing as a character in Boruto is poor writing (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Sakura is so male-centered that she constantly tries to place herself beneath Sasuke. This is why her growth as a ninja has been stagnant despite her immense potential. If fans remember, Sakura had control of chakra that surpassed both Naruto and Sasuke. Even as a medic ninja, she was able to master Tsunade’s signature healing jutsu, and she did so with ease.

In the Boruto saga, Sakura is a shadow of the ninja she once was. Viewers see her heal other ninjas in times of crisis, but most of her time is spent living the life of a stereotypical housewife. This becomes especially apparent in her facial expressions whenever Sasuke is around. It looks like she is trying her best to catch his attention, but it is a losing battle because the Uchiha has his sights set on something else.

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Final thoughts

Sasuke was a character who did not need to be in a relationship. He was solitary, had problems speaking with others, and even with the person he married, there was no real connection. Their relationship felt forced by Kishimoto because he knew that was what fans would want.

It would have been more revolutionary if Sakura had ended up with another character, as this would have better reflected the events at the end of Shippuden. Sakura became her own person during the War Arc and should have continued that growth in Boruto.

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Also read:

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• Light was irredeemable from the beginning of Death Note, but fans would disagree
• My Hero Academia would have fared better if their entire high school period was covered in the story

Edited by Shubham Soni