The Logical Reason behind Tsunade's Decision to Train Sakura in Naruto
Discover the questionable decision behind Tsunade's choice to train Sakura in the Naruto time skip Explore the flaws in Sakura's character and uncover the reasons why this training choice may not have made sense Delve into the intriguing world of Naruto and unravel the mysteries of this controversial training relationship
The Naruto series underwent significant changes when author Masashi Kishimoto introduced a time skip, leading to the portion of the manga known as Shippuden. Many have recognized the praise for Tsunade, one of the three legendary Sannin and the current Hokage, for training Sakura Haruno and honing her into a more skilled ninja. Nonetheless, some argue that Tsunade's decision to mentor Sakura was not logical, despite the necessity for Sakura's character development and the manga's growing power gap.
Analysis of the situation raises many valid questions about the unnatural plot development forced by Kishimoto, rather than it occurring naturally. Please note that this article contains spoilers for the Naruto series and reflects the subjective opinions of the writer.
Explaining why Tsunade didn't have any reason to train Sakura in the Naruto time skip
Sakura began as a character with limited abilities and motivations in the Naruto series, mainly concentrating on gaining Sasuke's attention and having little impact in most storylines.
Despite continued criticism of her storyline during the Shippuden part of the series, many fans acknowledge Sakura's improvement following her training with Tsunade. She transformed into a medical ninja and acquired immense strength similar to that of her mentor.
On the other hand, a valid criticism of this storyline is the lack of development in Tsunade and Sakura's working relationship, as they did not have a preexisting bond. Orochimaru had been interested in Sasuke for a long time, even giving him the Curse Mark to entice him with power and ultimately leading Sasuke to leave the Hidden Leaf Village and seek out Orochimaru for more strength to defeat Itachi. In contrast, Jiraiya was Naruto's godfather, and they had several previous storylines working together, making their time skip training more plausible.
Tsunade and Sakura's relationship had not been properly shown before this training, and there was no scene of them bonding to make this decision feel natural. It seemed like Kishimoto wanted to draw a comparison between the three Sannin and Team 7, which he did multiple times throughout the series.
However, it felt artificial and undeserved, even though Sakura's character clearly needed a boost and more power to keep up with the two main characters.
Some fans believe that Tsunade saw similarities in Sakura that led her to offer help, but the story does not provide evidence or explanation for this. Additionally, Sakura comes from a non-ninja family, unlike Tsunade who is the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju, the first Hokage, which diminishes the resemblance even further.
The downsides of Sakura's character
Many Naruto fans agree that Sakura's character reached its peak during the fight against Sasori in the first Shippuden arc, showcasing her growth and development after two years of training. However, it's clear that the story didn't give her much to work with, leaving her character feeling lackluster despite being part of the main cast.
Sakura's character development largely revolved around playing a supporting role to Naruto and Sasuke while being in love with the latter. Though Tsunade was a positive influence in helping her grow and improve as a ninja, it felt contrived due to the aforementioned reasons.
Sasuke and Orochimaru both had personal motivations to defeat each other, adding an interesting dynamic to their goals. On the other hand, Naruto and Jiraiya shared a father-son relationship.
Unfortunately, Sakura had plenty of potential for growth, but it was never fully realized. Some of her abilities, like her super strength, were not fully utilized. Although some fans argue that her character has improved in Boruto, many feel that it's too little, too late as it is no longer her story.
Final thoughts
In the end, Tsunade's decision to train Sakura in the Naruto series seemed more like a convenient way to create a parallel between Team 7 and the three Sannin rather than a natural development. However, it cannot be denied that this choice was crucial in furthering Sakura's abilities.
Editor's P/S
As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about Tsunade's decision to train Sakura in Naruto. On the one hand, I understand that Sakura needed a boost in power and development to keep up with the two main characters. On the other hand, the way in which Tsunade chose to train Sakura felt unnatural and undeserved. There was no preexisting bond between them, and it seemed like Kishimoto simply wanted to draw a comparison between the three Sannin and Team 7.
I agree with the criticism that Sakura's character reached its peak during the fight against Sasori in the first Shippuden arc, and that she didn't have much to do after that. Her character development largely revolved around playing a supporting role to Naruto and Sasuke while being in love with the latter. While Tsunade was a positive influence in helping her grow and improve as a ninja, it felt contrived due to the lack of a natural relationship between them.
