Naruto Shippuden failed Sakura after a promising start, but thankfully, Boruto is at least trying to make up for that mistake. A member of the original Team 7 and a central Naruto supporting character along with Sasuke, Sakura has been a part of the Naruto anime ever since episode 3, “Sasuke and Sakura: Friends or Foes?”. Sakura remained an important supporting character all the way through Naruto Shippuden, but unlike Sasuke, she would rarely receive her own arcs. Instead, Sakura would often be limited by her potential relationship with Sasuke.
Naruto and Naruto Shippuden, like many shonen animes from the same period, had a noticeable problem regarding their main female characters. Sakura, especially in the anime, was originally defined by her feelings toward Sasuke. Unlike Naruto and Sasuke, who had clear goals from the beginning, Sakura did not have her own “ninja way” for the most part of Naruto, and it was only in the final episodes of Part 1 that Sakura decided to become a medical ninja. While Sakura was said to have incredible chakra control, better than Naruto’s and Sasuke’s, that particular skill was not remembered for most of Naruto Part 1. Sakura even received a mini-arc during the Chunnin Exams, “Sakura Blossoms!”, about her wanting to step up and become as strong as Naruto and Sasuke – but that also did not change how the story treated the character.
Naruto Shippuden saw a three-year time jump from Naruto Part 1, which allowed every Naruto character to be improved not only as a fighter but also as an individual. Sakura’s changes as a shinobi were astonishing, and it seemed like Naruto Shippuden would tell the Sakura stories that Naruto Part 1 never did. Unfortunately, all that Naruto Shippuden did after the first arc was repeat the same Sakura mistakes Naruto Part 1 had committed. Sakura continued to be defined by her feelings towards Sasuke, and between the fight against Sasori and the final fight against Kaguya, Sakura was never once granted a battle in which she was the focus. Naruto Shippuden’s Sakura was supposed to be much wiser than her Part 1 counterpart, but that did not stop the character from being written as she had never evolved. Boruto does not focus on the Naruto characters a lot, but still, the few moments Sakura is in it have treated the character much better than Naruto Shippuden’s most important arcs did.
Naruto Shippuden’s First Arc Was A Promising Start For Sakura
The Kazekage Gaara Rescue, Naruto Shippuden’s first arc, was a highly promising start for Sakura. After Kankuro was poisoned by Sasori of the Akatsuki, Sakura was the one to save the day with her medical skills – saving Kankuro from Sasori’s poison in a way that no Sand shinobi had managed to. Naruto, Kakashi, and the Sand shinobi were all impressed with Sakura, a jarring contrast from how Naruto Part 1 had treated the character. Not only that, but at the end of the Kazekage Rescue arc, Sakura fought Sasori in what is one of the best fights in all of Naruto. Sakura’s incredible strength was put to use against Sasori, setting up the character as almost Jounnin-level right away.
Naruto Shippuden Wasted Its Best Sakura Stories
Sakura beating one of Akatsuki's strongest members with the help of Lady Chio in an intense fight seemed to indicate that the character would be much better treated in Naruto Shippuden than she was in Naruto. However, the very next Naruto Shippuden arc reverted a lot of Sakura’s character development, once again defining Sakura by her feelings towards Sasuke. Sakura was not given a fight or any personal arc during the Tenchi Bridge episodes, something that would, unfortunately, be repeated in all other following Naruto Shippuden arcs. By the time Naruto’s Pain arc happened, Sakura had been limited to asking for Naruto’s help and waiting for him to save the day. Sakura’s relationship with Sasuke was also made worse by Naruto Shippuden, to the point that Naruto's Sasuke Uchiha could have killed Sakura had not been for Naruto’s intervention. The Gaara Rescue arc set up Sakura to be both a fighter and a medical ninja, but the rest of Naruto Shippuden overlooked those two sides of the character.
How Boruto Makes Up For Naruto Shippuden’s Sakura Mistakes
Sakura does not get a lot of screen time in Boruto, as the show is focused on Naruto’s new generation, but she does receive a better writing treatment than in most of Naruto Shippuden. It did not take long for Boruto to give Sakura her own fight, which had not happened since the beginning of Naruto Shippuden. Sakura fighting Shin to protect her family was a highlight of Boruto, and it worked both visually and thematically. Boruto’s Sakura is much more sure of herself, and her relationship with Sasuke is in a much better place than during Naruto Shippuden. In addition, Boruto sees Sakura taking on the mantle of the Leaf Village’s greatest medical ninja after Tsunade’s retirement. Last, Boruto has made sure not to repeat Naruto Shippuden’s Sakura mistakes with its own characters, especially with Sasuke and Sakura’s daughter Sarada.