Among the “Big Three” Shonen series: Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach, Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto often dealt with balancing its grand themes of friendship, perseverance, and tragedy with the challenges of character development. One character, in particular, who has long been the subject of heated fan discussions is Sakura Haruno. It’s widespread knowledge that Kishimoto underutilized Sakura’s potential, diminishing her to a secondary role despite being a member of Team 7.

Sakura Haruno was the most underutilized character in Naruto | Credit: Studio Pierrot

But what if Kishimoto had taken a bold narrative risk? Instead of treating Sakura as a mere backup character within Team 7, what if he had fundamentally reshaped the series with her death? Such a moment could have elevated Naruto into a darker, more emotionally charged story, rivaling or surpassing its contemporaries in thematic depth.

Sakura’s role in Naruto: A case of missed potential

Sakura...