WARNING: SPOILERS FOR NARUTO’S FINAL ARCS
TheNarutofranchise has many layered and inspirational characters, and whileSakura’s value to the storyline is controversial, many fans forget the many times she was vital and inspirational. While Naruto and Sasuke received a fair amount of focus across the story’s best arcs, several moments gaveSakura the spotlight she deservedand earned her a surprisingly high ranking in global popularity polls. Still, fans often criticize Sakura’s character and her questionable contributions in accomplishing missions or defeating enemies.
Many of theNarutofranchise’s best battles feature brilliant strategies and often impressive displays of earth-shaking power. Konoha’s Team 7 members demonstrated both qualities throughout the series against increasingly dangerous opponents. From the first protection mission in the Land of Waves to the world-saving defeat of the planet conquering Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the pink-haired KunoichiSakura helped make significant contributions she doesn’t get nearly enough credit for.
5Sakura’s Curage Pushed Others To Act In Forest of Death
The Battle Between Sakura and the Sound Ninjas Take Place in Manga Chapters #53 - #54, Anime Episode #32
After one of Konoha’s most deadly rogue ninjas, Orochimaru, thought it would be a fun idea to see what Naruto and Sasuke were made of, it was up to Sakura to keep them safe during the dangerous Forrest of Death section of the Chunin exam arc while they recovered. At that point in the story, the young Kunoichi had yet to learn how to use the super strength she’d later devastate foes with, so her arsenal of tools was limited. However, it provided a moment for her to confront her immature misgivings and become the ninja she needed to become.
Naruto and Sasuke were out of commission after the young Team 7’s battle with Orochimaru in the Forrest of Death. To protect them, Sakura laid several clever traps and even managed to trick and hold her own against a deadly trio of sound ninjas. Their attacks utilized sound waves with explosive impact, forcing her into a tough spot. Until that moment, the young girl’sfeelings for Sasuke filled Sakura’s mind, and she had to face the realization that she had a bigger purpose than being a love interest.
Sakura has specifically grown out her hair after hearing that Sasuke preferred girls with long hair, adding more significance to the moment she cut it to escape restraint. That desperate act and her following battle, where her courage pushed her to endure many painful attacks, proved she was willing to do everything she could to protect her friends. Her acts inspired other Konoha ninjas to help defend her, buying the time they desperately needed and proving that the young girl could scrap when times got tough.
4Sakura Kept Naruto Alive After Kurama Was Taken
Madara more than proved to be worth his legendary reputation since he was brought back from the dead inNaruto’s final arcs. He playfully devastated nearly every battlefield he touched but stopped playing around once his partner in crime, Obito, was defeated. After regaining his living body, one of his first actions was to collect the remainingTailed Beast chakra from Naruto, which effectively killed the main character of the series. Still, Sakura prevented Naruto’s death from being permanent with her phenomenal medical skills and a literal helping hand.
A person harboring Tailed Beast chakra loses their life if it’s extracted from them, and the Akatsuki organization personally sought to hunt each one, unbeknownst to them, which was all part of Madara’s plan of trapping the world in an endless dream. After Kurama’s chakra was ripped from Naruto,Sakura quickly acted by making a small incision in the ninja’s side and inserting her hand into his abdomen to physically keep his heart beatinguntil a more permanent solution presented itself. Without that, Naruto would have perished before his allies could bring him back, more powerful than ever.
BothNaruto and Sasuke effectively diedafter Madara grew determined to absorb the Ten Tails beast and trigger his Infinite Tsukuyomi. While Sasuke was resuscitated with the help of Kabuto and Karin, Naruto recovered with Sakura and Obito’s help. Previous battles had earned Naruto the respect and gifted chakra from each Tailed Beast, so when Obito was able to revive him by stealing the energies he was missing from Madara, Naruto unlocked his own Sage of the Six Paths powers, something that would not have been possible without Sakura.
3Sakura Helped Start The Shippuden Time Skip Right
The Battle Between Sakura and Granny Chiyo Against Sasori Takes Place in Manga Chapters #265 - #274,ShippudenAnime Episodes #20 - #27
The beginning of theNarutotime skip provided a level of anticipation few series manage to create. With each of the series' beloved cast getting the time to develop their abilities, fans were excited to see what abilities characters likeNaruto, Sasuke, and Sakuralearned while being taught by some of their village’s most renowned ninjas. With the deadly Akatsuki beginning to shift the scales of power, Naruto and Sakura quickly faced catastrophically strong members of the mysterious organization, which spawned one of the series' greatest battles early into the time skip material.
During theNarutoseries' time skip,Sakura dramatically increased her skills as a medic and learned to control her chakra in a way that gave her super strength, making her capable of easily smashing boulders. Her skills were needed when confronted with Akatsuki member Sasori of the Red Sand. With Naruto and Kakashi chasing down Akatsuki’s explosive expert, Deidara, it was up to Sakura and the Sand Village’s Elder Chiyo to confront Sasori and his army of highly poisonous puppets, where one false move spelled a painful death and the loss of the first lead on finding Sasuke in years.
2Sakura Unlocked The Strength Of A Hundred Seal
Sakura First Unlocks Her Seal in Manga Chapter #632,ShippudenAnime Episode #373
Besides Sakura’s increased physical strength and medical expertise,Team 7’s Kunoichi learned to master the Strength of a Hundred Seal, which took her sensei Tsunade many more years to master. The high-level medical jutsu takes advantage of a ninja’s pristine chakra control skills, skills that Sakura proved she was a natural with as early as the Land of Waves arc, to store large amounts of chakra over a period of time. Those vast chakra reserves can be used to heal fatal injuries and magnify one’s already considerable strength. All skills that were needed to win the Fourth Shinobi War.
Tsunade’s other talented protege, Shizune, lacked the chakra control Sakura was able to master, resulting in her not being able to form the Strength of a Hundred Seal.
Throughout the war’s numerous and brutal battles, Sakura saved countless ninja lives by organizing medical camps across the battlefield. Naruto and Sasuke had grown to become two of the world’s strongest ninjas during the final war arc, and when Team 7 finally reunited, Sakura unleashed the power of her Strength of a Hundred Seal. It allowed her to play an even more significant role during the Fourth Shinobi War, including decimating monstrous ten-tail clones and zetzus that threatened the world and, restoring the chakra of exhausted shinobi and healing even more of the injured.
1Sakura Prevents An Evil God’s Escape
With Sakura’s Help Team 7 Defeated Kaguya in Manga Chapter #689,ShippudenAnime Episodes #473
The Fourth Great Shinobi War nearly saw Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura meet their endings several times. However, things came to a head when Madara was betrayed after absorbing the God Tree, and the mother of all the chakra, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, was resurrected. Naruto and Sasuke gained incredible power-ups after learning that they were the reincarnations of the legendary Sage of the Six Paths sons, whose compassion and teachings helped create the shinobi world. They gained the means of sealing the greatest threat Naruto’s world ever faced, but they’d still need Sakura’s help to save the planet.
It took nearly everything Team 7 had to defeat Kaguya. In chapter #689, their brilliant plan set up an opportunity for Naruto and Sasuke to seal the foe who sought to enslave the entire world. Kakashi’s Kamui, Naruto’s Shadow Clones, and Sasuke’s Amenotejikara swapping technique were all used in perfect unison to open up Kaguya for the finishing blow, but even with all of that, she nearly dodged the brilliant attack by flying upwards, right into the fist of Team 7’s Sakura.
10 Most Epic Moments in Naruto’s Fourth Great Ninja War
The Fourth Great Ninja War delivered epic battles, emotional moments, and reunions, defining critical character growth and series highlights.
Sakura’s lack of participation in the battle against a god helped earn her the element of surprise. With most of Kaguya’s attacks being a one-hit kill, it was clever for Kakashi and Sakura to stay out of the fight until the time was right. If Sakura had not helped, Kaguya would have escaped, and the ninja world would have ended. Instead, the young girl some fans refer to as a useless and annoying character punched one of the strongest beings in theNarutouniverse in the face, sending her flying into the joint attack that sealed her for good.
Naruto
Naruto is a franchise spawned from the manga series penned by Masashi Kishimoto that began in 1999. Generating several tv series, games, movies, and more, Naruto follows the exploits of a young outcast ninja harboring the spirit of a demon fox who seeks to become the Hokage, the leader of his ninja village, to break the stigma against him. Upon the conclusion of the initial series, Naruto expanded into Boruto, following many series protagonists' children and returning faces.
