Sakura is easily one of the most hated anime characters of all time. She showed a ton of promise early on in Naruto before being relegated to a side character who constantly had to rely on stronger characters to save the day. It was a horrible look for a character who clearly showed that her raw strength and amazing medical ninjutsu meant that she could be a valuable asset in any battle.
She might've had her moments to shine during the Fourth Shinobi World War arc, but was ultimately pushed to the side once again just so Naruto and Sasuke could hog the spotlight once again. As a result, many people hate her character... but some reasons for this negativity are a bit contrived. The most egregious examples from the Naruto series are mentioned below.
8 She Managed To Win Against An Akatsuki Member
Regardless of how many boasts high-level shinobi have in the world of Naruto, not many of them could've stood against the might of the Akatsuki during their prime. Sakura can definitely flaunt about the same, and the best part is that she won after her hard-fought battle against Sasori as well!
She might've had some help in the form of Chiyo, but it can't be denied that Sakura's powers allowed her to take down this powerful foe. The bar was set high for Sakura during Shippuden... but then Kishimoto promptly forgot about Sakura's battle prowess in the series.
7 Her Medical Ninjutsu Saved Many Shinobi
Given the tutelage she received under one of the three great Sannin, it was clear that Sakura was destined for bigger and better things. She had a flair for genjutsu, but those powers were discarded as Sakura tried to become a master of hand-to-hand combat and medical ninjutsu.
This makes her one of the most well-rounded shinobi in the entire series, who could use her powers to both batter the opposition and save her teammates. In fact, she shows this usefulness during the Fourth Shinobi World War, where she played a vital role in healing allies and defending the medical camp as well... albeit in a filler arc.
6 It's Possible That She Eclipsed Tsunade In Power Too
The new generation in Naruto was capable of great feats of strength. The fact that both Naruto and Sasuke became so incredibly powerful is proof of just how much potential was housed in this group, and Sakura wasn't too far behind as well.
She was diligent during her training under Tsunade and made it clear that she wasn't cutting any corners in her pursuit of strength. The fact that she could fight against Kaguya Otsutsuki and play a critical role in sealing her away shows that Sakura's power had reached new heights, and possibly surpassed her mentor's as well!
5 She's Not The Only Hypocrite In Naruto
Most people hate Sakura for how she swings back and forth between wanting to be independent and relying on others. It's one of the most annoying tropes about her character that make her seem completely helpless even though she should have all the tools by her side to fight for what she wants.
However, most Sakura haters cherry-pick this one particular point to suit their argument, which is pretty odd since there are way worse examples of hypocrisy in Naruto that are ignored. The biggest example of the lot is the show harping about how prophesies and destinies are hogwash and people should create their own futures during the fight with Neji... only for all of this to be discarded when both Naruto and Sasuke are revealed to be the reincarnations of Indra and Ashura.
4 She Looks Bad Mainly Because She's Surrounded By Monstrously Strong People
On her own, Sakura definitely takes the mantle of being one of the strongest ninja around. The problem is that she's constantly overshadowed by the people around her, who are simply on another level of power altogether.
It's really hard to stand out when you're constantly surrounded by legends like Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi. In fact, it's definitely quite excellent to see that she holds her own with these characters at times, even though this effort might not be appreciated.
3 She Genuinely Loves And Cherishes Her Friendships
If there's one thing that Sakura can be given credit for, it's the fact that she genuinely cares about the friendships in her life. This leads to her moving heaven and hell to try and save these friendships, with the most infamous moment being when she confessed her 'love' for Naruto.
It's a moment that fans hate in the series, but it shows just how much Sakura cared for Naruto. When she was thrust into a similar position early on in the series, she put the responsibility of bringing Sasuke back on Naruto's shoulders. However, after maturing, she tried her hardest to bring Naruto back and even lied to him... just so that her friend could remain alive and not go against the entire ninja world.
2 Her Infatuation For Sasuke Is Stupid, Yet Understandable
Most people who criticize the unhealthy obsession that Sakura has for Sasuke have clearly never been in love. Many things in the universe might follow a certain set of rules and adhere to age-old logic... but love triumphs all, even common sense.
As a result, it's clear to see that Sakura's feelings for Sasuke are more than just simple infatuation. She'd fallen head over heels for Sasuke and strongly believed that his ninja was a good person even after all the things he's done.
1 She Grew Up To Be A Great Shinobi And Ideal Mother
Thankfully, both Sakura and Sasuke enjoyed a happy ending and formed a relationship by the end of the series. They even ended up getting married, although Sasuke's infamy and his secretive missions meant that he couldn't be at home for too long.
So, not only did Sakura need to perform the tough duties of a single mom, but she never discarded her shinobi powers either. This led to her being strong in both body and spirit, which is pretty admirable indeed.