Sakura Haruno is a major character and vital member of Team 7 in Naruto. While her contributions are often discredited or ignored, the plot relies on Sakura to drive it forward. Without her expert abilities and incredible character development, Naruto would have died and the Allied Shinobi Forces would have lost the Fourth Great Ninja War.
As the only female character in the anime's starring lineup, Sakura provides female anime viewers with a strong character to relate to and root for throughout the series. As Sakura masters her chakra control and medical ninjutsu, she rises up in the ranks to surpass the Fifth Hokage and become the world's most powerful kunoichi. What Sakura may lack in combative skills is made up for by her keen intellect and life-saving medical ninjutsu, making her just as powerful and important as her teammates.
While many discredited Sakura's abilities from the very beginning, she earned impressive marks in the academy and stood out as a kunoichi with great potential. After Team 7 was formed, Sakura was shown to have the best chakra control out of her teammates. While Sakura effortlessly climbs trees with the chakra concentrated in her feet, it takes Naruto and Sasuke a long time to accomplish the same goal, and they ask Sakura for advice on how to complete the difficult task.
Sakura was initially distracted by her looks and her crush on Sasuke, but she soon abandons these priorities when she's backed into a corner during the Chūnin Exams. When Sasuke and Naruto are both unconscious and immobilized in the Forest of Death, three Sound ninja attack Sakura three-on-one. Not willing to fail her comrades who protected her time and time again, she stands her ground and is willing to sacrifice herself to defend them. When the enemy catches and holds Sakura by her long hair, she takes a kunai and cuts her hair without hesitation to free herself, physically symbolizing her shift in priorities.
Sakura's first major notable fight that showcases her enhanced abilities and resolve in Team 7 is when she and Granny Chiyo fight Sasori, a powerful Akatsuki member. Despite being the widely feared and infamous Sasori of the Red Sand, Sakura doesn't waver or back away from the fight even when she is cut off from the rest of her team. With the success of the mission and her own life at stake, Sakura works in unison with Granny Chiyo to counter Sasori's advanced and ruthless attacks. The battle is only won because Sakura courageously throws her own body in front of Granny Chiyo while knowing she will be fatally wounded and poisoned. However, thanks to Sakura's keen intellect, she was also able to analyze Sasori's poison prior to the battle and quickly create her own antidote for it, allowing her to survive this situation. Not only does her victory result in her team recovering Gaara, but Sasori is so impressed by Sakura's performance that he rewards her with a lead to find the Akatsuki and Sasuke before his death.
When Sakura decides that she no longer wants to fall behind her teammates or become their weakest link, she asks Tsunade to train her directly. Seeing Sakura's immense potential, the Hokage and Legendary Sannin agree to take her on as a pupil. Tsunade teaches Sakura how to hone her natural ability to control chakra in order to concentrate it and mimic Tsunade's immense strength. This chakra control is also used to practice medical ninjutsu, which will later save the lives of countless shinobi. Sakura's amazing chakra control is soon used to create a barrier and seal the Three-Tails along with Shizune, Ino and Hinata.
After practicing the art of medical ninjutsu, Sakura quickly puts her new skills to work in the Kazekage Rescue Arc. Upon arrival in the Village Hidden in the Sand, Team 7 finds a poisoned and dying Kankurō who lost the battle to Sasori and his poison. The Sand shinobi inform them that none of their medics have been able to cure him, but Sakura isn't willing to give up so easily. After examining Kankurō, Sakura is able to expertly extract the poison from his dying body and impress Granny Chiyo. Not only does Sakura save Kankurō's life under an immense time restraint, but she also finds the time to examine Sasori's poison and create an antidote to combat it in record time.
In the Fourth Great Ninja War, Sakura plays a pivotal role in keeping the Allied Shinobi forces alive. At the very beginning of the war, she heals Might Guy's exhaustion and gives him the strength to fight and play his major role in opposing Madara Uchiha. Sakura helps run the Logistical Support and Medical Division, which is a makeshift hospital where medical-nin assist and heal the wounded. While the location is originally secured, several medical-nin are killed as the medical camp is infiltrated. When Neji appears to seek Sakura's medical assistance, Sakura tricks the White Zetsu into revealing he's an imposter and destroys him with her super-strength. After warning the Allied HQ, she helps perform an autopsy on the Zetsu to uncover its wood abilities.
As the war intensifies, Sakura joins the Allies on the front lines and heals Kakashi and Might Guy immediately upon her arrival. When Naruto has the Nine-Tails extracted from his body and is on the brink of death, Sakura singlehandedly keeps him alive by manually pumping his heart with her bare hands. Refusing to let him die, she uses her expert medical ninjutsu to buy them time for Minato to show up and transfer the Nine-Tails back into Naruto. Without Sakura, Naruto would have died and the entire shinobi world would have been permanently lost to the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
To the pleasant surprise of everyone, Sakura reveals her ultimate form during the war by unleashing her Byakugou Seal. This form allows her to take damage from the likes of Madara without being harmed, as her body constantly heals itself from the small amounts of chakra she has stored up over a long period of time. Tsunade arrives when Sakura is busy healing everyone on the battlefield and praises her abilities before offering her and Shizune's chakra support, but Tsunade's body quickly gives out. Sakura is left to take the place of Tsunade by summoning Katsuya as Team 7 mimics the Legendary Sannin, where it's claimed that Sakura has officially surpassed Tsunade herself.
Sakura's contributions to the Allied Shinobi Forces' victory in the Fourth Great Ninja War continue up until the very end, where she masters her Byakugou Seal enough to extend it to Obito Uchiha. Her support keeps Obito alive and strong enough to open up gates to other dimensions. Without Sakura, they wouldn't have been able to recover Sasuke or find Kaguya. Fighting until the bitter end, Sakura plays a vital role in cutting off Kaguya's escape route and punching off one of her horns, which allows Naruto and Sasuke to complete their Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei to seal her away and end the war.
While many may be quick to ignore Sakura's many contributions to the Naruto franchise, it's important to recognize the countless shinobi who would have died and how the war would have never been won without her. Not only does the plot rely on her, but she also offers vital female representation and outreach that aided in the prolific success of the franchise.
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