Naruto: How Studio Pierrot Destroyed One Of The Best Characters In The Series

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This post contains spoilers for Naruto.

Studio Pierrot has created some truly amazing and influential anime. Their work is so impressive that they’ve set a high standard for others in the industry, and many newer studios look to Pierrot for inspiration.

Studio Pierrot is generally known for quality work, but they’ve definitely made some mistakes over the years. These errors can unfortunately impact characters and how fans view them. A prime example of this is Sakura Haruno from the anime Naruto.

Studio Pierrot’s Decisions Made Naruto Fans Hate Sakura

  • Studio Pierrot ruined Sakura’s character
  • She is much better in the manga

During the original run of the Naruto anime, many viewers strongly disliked Sakura, finding her unkind and prejudiced, especially towards Naruto. However, those who only watched the anime didn’t realize her character was much different in the original manga. It took time, but some anime fans eventually began to see Sakura in a more positive light. Sadly, many Naruto fans still aren’t aware of how poorly Studio Pierrot portrayed her. The best way to address this is to critically examine the studio’s decisions regarding her character.

One of the first moments that negatively impacted Sakura’s character happened early in the series, when Team 7 was still made up of rookie ninja. In the original manga, Sakura advises Naruto not to fight alone, pointing out that he’s too strong for opponents at their level. However, the anime version adds a line where she seems to subtly diminish Naruto while talking about Sasuke. Another example of Sakura being portrayed negatively occurs during the written portion of the Chunin Exams.

Naruto wasn’t doing well on the exams because he wasn’t strong academically. Sakura, knowing him well, expected he’d struggle. In the anime, she commented that the test was particularly difficult for Naruto, and she seemed to enjoy pointing that out, hinting at a hidden dislike. However, the manga portrayed her as being more sympathetic towards him.

Studio Pierrot Actively Ruined Sakura’s Image

Studio Pierrot cut a scene where Sakura bravely saved Naruto from a dangerous attack. This, along with other instances, suggests a pattern of the studio unfairly portraying Sakura negatively. Later, after a conversation with her daughter Sarada, Sakura thought about the person Sarada had become.

Studio Pierrot altered some lines for the anime, and instead of feeling confident, Sakura ended up calling herself a bad mother. While the manga showed her determined to rescue Naruto and Sasuke, the anime version had her saying something that made her appear quite silly.

Sakura Is One Of The Best Characters In Naruto

Sakura Is Undoubtedly An Amazing Character

Image by Studio Pierrot

Many anime fans disliked Sakura due to how Studio Pierrot portrayed her in the series. While the studio isn’t solely to blame for deviating from the original manga, those familiar with the source material know Sakura is a strong and well-developed character. Though she doesn’t have the same flashy powers as Naruto or Sasuke, it’s unfair to compare her to them. In reality, she’s a capable fighter who could hold her own against any of the strongest opponents in the Naruto universe.

Sakura is incredibly skilled at controlling her chakra, letting her perform techniques efficiently without exhausting herself. This precise control allowed her to become a master of medical ninjutsu and learn the difficult Strength of a Hundred Seal. She’s also remarkably resistant to all forms of illusion, which is an impressive accomplishment. Considering both her abilities and her personality, it’s easy to understand why Sakura is one of the most notable characters in Naruto.

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2026-01-17 21:37