Naruto creators address the issue of unfair criticism towards Sakura in their own fandom

On November 5, Jun Esaka, the author of Naruto light novels including Sasuke Retsuden, revealed that she had been experiencing online harassment in relation to her original works. While she was open to constructive criticism and willing to listen, she felt that recently people had crossed the line. In response to this, Jun Esaka decided to take action by expressing her opinion through her official X account.

Fans of the Naruto series have been particularly angered by Jun Esaka's novels, which heavily focus on Sasuke and his relationship with Sakura. The portrayal of Sakura in these novels has sparked controversy, leading to harassment directed at Jun Esaka and other members of the Naruto staff who have worked on Sakura's character.

Naruto creators reveal the extent of hate received by Sakura

Anime fans are widely aware of the general dislike that Naruto fans have towards Sakura Haruno. As a result, many fans express their strong dislike for the light novels in the series, as they appear to manipulate the plot in a manner that alters Sasuke Uchiha's personality.

Throughout the anime, Sasuke has made numerous attempts to kill Sakura. However, the light novels present Sasuke in a manner that romanticizes his connection with Sakura, depicting them as a healthy and harmonious couple.

This is the reason why fans dislike the light novels and criticize Jun Esaka. However, when one fan continuously sent her 100 emails, harassing her, she had to take action and publicly addressed the issue, urging fans to disregard her light novel stories if they were not to their liking.

Unfortunately, Sakura's negative fan reception has affected not only Jun Esaka but also the series creator, Masashi Kishimoto himself. Kishimoto admitted that he intentionally avoided diving into Sakura's backstory due to the criticism she received from fans. Despite his appreciation for drawing her beautifully, he felt compelled to limit his focus on her character development due to the fans' animosity towards her.

Furthermore, the voice actresses who voiced Sakura in the Japanese, Korean, and German versions of the series faced significant backlash as well. Chie Nakamura, the Japanese voice actress, particularly endured harsh criticism, with many fans labeling her as weak and unimpressive.

How fans reacted after seeing all Jun Esaka's post

Yeo Min-jeong, the Korean voice actor, faced significant difficulties with her voice recording due to the backlash she received. In contrast, Katharina von Keller, the German voice actor, required defense from Robert Kotulla, Gaara's voice actor, in online discussions.

Screenshot of fans' reaction to Jun Esaka's post (Image via Our Website/X)

In light of the recent revelations, fans swiftly rallied behind Jun Esaka, expressing unwavering support and vehemently opposed the undeserved animosity showered upon her. While a handful of fans did offer constructive criticism regarding her work, they firmly believed that subjecting her to online harassment was entirely unjustified.

One fan went as far as noting that even her unborn child was being mentioned, possibly prompting Jun Esaka to finally address the online hate.

Screenshot of the fans' response to Jun Esaka's post (Image via Our Website/X)

Meanwhile, other enthusiasts swiftly shifted their attention to different fan bases. Certain fans were convinced that it was not the entire Naruto fandom but solely the community supporting Sasuke and Sakura's relationship. In contrast, certain devotees seized this moment to redirect their disdain towards One Piece, which was deemed more unfavorable. Lastly, followers of Boruto attempted to subtly criticize Naruto fans by asserting their own superior logic.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I have mixed feelings about the unfair criticism towards Sakura in the Naruto fandom. On the one hand, I understand why some fans are frustrated with her character. She can be whiny and annoying at times, and she doesn't always seem to be as strong as the other characters. However, I also think that the level of hatred that she receives is unwarranted. She is a complex and well-developed character, and she deserves more respect than she gets.

The fact that the creators of Naruto have spoken out against the unfair criticism of Sakura is a positive step. It shows that they are aware of the problem and that they are willing to do something about it. I hope that this will help to change the way that Sakura is perceived by the fandom.