Throughout the years, the the many geniuses who inhabit this universe.

Yet, there is one cast member who has not received the credit she deserves for having a mind that can rival the greatest: Sakura Haruno. Introduced as a clever girl from the beginning, the potential of Naruto’s female teammate was never truly recognized during the story. Moreover, there is a specific battle, considered one of the best, that proves how smart Sakura is than most fans imagine.

The Fight With Sasori Proves Sakura Is a Genius

Her Strategy Is Nothing Short of Brilliant

During the Kazekage Rescue arc of the original Naruto, one of the best storylines in the series, Sakura was forced to forces with an older woman named Chiyo to defeat Sasori. The puppet master was a part of the duo who kidnapped Gaara, interested in removing the One-Tail Beast that lived inside the teenager. While Naruto and Kakashi chased after the explosives expert Deidara, Sakura stayed behind to defeat Sasori and obtain the cure for his deadly poison. While the Akatsuki was not the strongest or most agile fighter, his army of puppets made him virtually untouchable.

It was not until Sakura took a step back to study his combat style that she realized the way to defeat him. The girl looked carefully at the way his fingers and arms would slightly twitch whenever he moved one of his puppets. In a couple of minutes, Sakura was able to understand which kind of movement Sasori would make and correlate it with an attack from his tools. This feat was so impressive that even Chiyo had to commend the girl for her amazing mental power.

Understanding which muscle and finger correlated with each specific attack was not only achieved thanks to Sakura’s powerful memory but also due to her extensive knowledge of the human body. Out of all the cast of the series, there are only a handful who were able to accomplish something like what Sakura did. The mental capacity demonstrated by the girl rivaled that of Shikamaru during this moment. Despite this amazing display of power and intelligence, many fans still went on to misunderstand Sakura as a character later in the series.

Sakura’s Strategies Became Significantly Less Impressive Later On

Naruto: Shippuden Did a True Disservice to the Kunoichi

Even though Sakura demonstrated her advanced mental capacities during one of the first arcs of the Naruto Shippuden anime, this was also among the few times her intelligence was allowed to shine. After her fight with Sasori, the series slowly began ignoring the skills she had displayed in the past and decided to focus entirely on her strength. Besides a couple of instances in which she was given the role of healer, the girl would exclusively fights to act as the team’s front-liner.

Later, Sakura would never become the Genjutsu specialist that Kakashi believed, and she rarely ever spoke about strategy.

Sakura’s intelligence was never outright stripped away from her, but her brilliant mind was seldom used during the rest of the anime. Something similar occurred to her various fascinating, unique traits, many of which were foreshadowed early in the story but never developed. She never became the Genjutsu specialist that Kakashi believed, and she rarely ever spoke about strategy. Sakura is undoubtedly one of the best ninjas the series has to offer, but she was never given a proper opportunity to fulfill her potential.

Fans Often Overlook Sakura’s Achievements

She Is Much Stronger and Useful Than Fans Think

Among Naruto fans, the idea that Sakura is one of the least useful characters in the series has been widely spread for many years. Several followers of Masashi Kishimoto’s manga have perpetuated the concept of the woman being overtly reliant on her teammates. However, when her achievements are studied with an open mind, the reality becomes quite clear. Sakura is far from being a burden on her friends, as she has always been a major asset to the success of Team 7’s missions.

If not for her, Naruto and Sasuke would have died several times throughout their careers, seeing as she acted as a mediator between them. Her medical abilities were also vital for the survival of her friends, especially for the protagonist, who was constantly gravely injured. Fans often disregard Sakura’s impressive feats, such as her brilliant strategy against Sasori, but these events are clear proof of her being one of the best and most powerful characters in her universe.