During a recent event in France, Masashi Kishimoto , creator of
the iconic manga Naruto, revealed a regret he has had for years: not
having fully explored the character of Sakura Haruno. Kishimoto, along
with Mikio Ikemoto, co-creator of Boruto, was interviewed at the French anime
event “Naruto & Boruto: Night at Konoha”, which took place from August 23
to 24, 2024 and was sponsored by CGR Events .
During the interview, the first film of the Boruto
anime was screened, as well as several clips highlighting the best moments of
the Naruto series. Both Kishimoto and Ikemoto answered questions about their
current work on “Boruto: Two Blue Vortex” and the original Naruto series. Among
the behind-the-scenes reveals, Kishimoto was asked if there were any characters
from the original series that he wished he had developed more. His response
surprised many fans.
" I would have liked to delve more
into the character of Sakura Haruno ," Kishimoto confessed.
« She is the only one whose family background was not really shown.
She should have talked about her parents earlier in the story, but I missed the
opportunity. And then it became too complicated to do it in the middle and at
the end of the story. In the film version, I showed her parents
a little bit. But in the main story, I would have liked to develop a scene
focused on Sakura's family .
Kishimoto is referring to the film “ Road to
Ninja: Naruto the Movie ” (2012), based on the series “Naruto:
Shippuden.” In this film, Naruto and Sakura find themselves in an
alternate universe called Genjutsu World, where everything is familiar, but at
the same time, strange. In one of the first scenes, Sakura's parents,
Kizashi and Mebuki Haruno, have a brief argument with her daughter, which leads
her to escape with Naruto. However, in the Genjutsu World, her parents are no
longer alive.
Despite being one of the franchise's main heroines,
Sakura remains a polarizing character. Many fans criticize her for
being perceived as “useless” in battles, contributing less to the plot compared
to her male companions, a common criticism towards female characters in series
aimed at a male audience, such as Shonen. Jump. Additionally, the way
Sakura harshly rejects Naruto's feelings when they are children, and how she
often treats him harshly and unfairly, has been a source of displeasure among
some fans of hers. Her persistent crush on Sasuke Uchiha, which was
initially completely one-sided, has also been criticized.
The discontent towards Sakura has not only been
directed towards Kishimoto, but also towards those who play the character. Last December,
Japanese actress Yui Ito, who plays Sakura in the show “Live Spectacle Naruto:
Song of the Akatsuki,” was harassed at Jump Festa 2024. Additionally,
several of the voice actresses who have given life to Sakura in Japan, Korea
and Germany have shared disappointing experiences, where Naruto fans have said
insulting things about Sakura, both in person and on social media.
However, Sakura also has a sizable group of
followers. In a poll conducted in July 2024 by the Japanese website
Nijimen, Sakura was ranked second on the list of favorite Shonen Jump female
characters voted for by men, and first place on the list voted for by women. Despite
the divisions that her character generates, Sakura remains an important figure
within the Naruto universe and for many, a complex and beloved protagonist.
Source: @UzuRepoon Twitter
