Masashi Kishimoto is one of the most celebrated mangaka ever. He is the creator of the Naruto franchise, which has become a pillar of the booming manga and anime industry. He began serializing the manga in 1999, and the anime started to air in 2001. Since then, it has become a cult classic, with its popularity increasing each day.
Naruto Uzumaki’s journey is inspiring and has motivated several people. Apart from him, Masashi Kishimoto’s magnum opus has other inspiring characters, too. Out of all the characters, there are two with whom the fans from America can especially empathize. They represent a certain quality that every human has, and needs to overcome through hard work. The characters in question are Sakura Haruno and Rock Lee.
Masashi Kishimoto Knowingly Made Sakura and Lee Weak
After the Fourth Great Ninja War, no anime fan will dare to call Sakura Haruno and Rock Lee weak. They had a massive character development and exponentially increased their prowess. But it was not always the same. Initially, when the anime began, they were one of the weakest shinobi in the entire franchise. Sakura Haruno was a weak kunoichi, and Rock Lee only knew Taijutsu. Knowing Kishimoto sensei, he did it purposely.
He wanted to showcase one of the most important aspects of humans. During an interview with Shonen Jump (US), he was asked about Sakura and Lee’s popularity. He answered, “Is Sakura popular in the U.S.? Well, Lee only has Taijutsu. And as a girl, Sakura is physically weaker than the others. So, I can see why it’s easy to empathize with them. They represent human weakness.”
It is quite clear that Masashi Kishimoto wanted to paint a real-life picture through his magnum opus. Making them weak would be beneficial for the plot because it would have a touch of reality. Human weaknesses can be overcome through hard work, and both of them worked hard to reach the peak of their abilities. Sakura became a leading medical ninja, and Lee became a Taijutsu master by the end of the story.
Human weaknesses play a massive role in shaping a person. If channeled correctly, it can lead to positive development, otherwise, the weakness would magnify. Knowing this, Kishimoto believed that Americans in particular might empathize with the two characters. Sakura’s weakness would have stopped her from becoming strong if she was not motivated by his comrades. As for Lee, he defied all odds after losing his life against Gaara and became what everyone wishes to be.
Sakura Haruno Was the Epicenter of Hatred
Sakura Haruno was one of the most hated characters in the Naruto franchise. It was mainly due to her behavior towards Naruto Uzumaki. Even though the latter saw her as a love interest and was ready to risk his life, Sakura never treated him well and always tried to shoo him away. Later, they became close subordinates, but the initial treatment of their favorite hero always proved triggering for fans.
Due to Sakura being the epicenter of hatred, Kishimoto sensei’s first reaction was to confirm her popularity in America. It is amazing to think that there is so much difference in people’s opinions in different parts of the world. When the Chunin Exam arc took place, there were Naruto, Sasuke, Gaara, etc., who were stronger than Sakura and Lee, since both of them lost their first battles.
