Naruto‘s universe is full of incredibly powerful characters who feel like they have all sorts of perks associated with them. Although the titular character suffers a ton of tragedy due to the Nine-Tailed Fox spirit being sealed inside of him, he also obtains with it unparalleled amounts of chakra to call upon, inhuman healing abilities, and a last-resort power-up. Later on, he even manages to befriend Kurama, so he can use the spirit’s power without serious consequences.
Compared to that, it doesn’t feel like Sakura has any real perks associated with her, at least early on. She’s constantly struggling to keep up with her teammates on the battlefield, she throws away her only close friend because of a boy, and even the fanbase is cruel to her. However, there are actually a lot of things about Sakura that give her an upper hand, even from the start of the series.
9 She’s At The Top Of Her Class At The Academy
If there’s one thing that Sakura has to show for her time in the Academy, it’s her book smarts. She’s an incredibly intelligent student, being able to pick up on things quickly, such as when she’s able to notice the fake classroom trap before the start of the Chunin Exams.
Sasuke might be at the top of the class in the Academy for his excellence in executing jutsu, but Sakura is at the top of her class when it comes to test scores. Sasuke actually comments on this at one point, complimenting her as the more analytical member of the group.
8 She Gets Paired Up On The Same Squad With Sasuke
Ever since the Academy days, Sakura has harbored a blooming crush on her uber-popular classmate, Sasuke Uchiha. It feels like all of the girls have their eye on him, so being able to make her mark and stand out from the rest is sure to be a challenge for Sakura.
That is until Iruka gives everyone their squad assignments and reveals that the two are actually on the same team. This enables her to spend much of her time by his side, even if it’s spent on taking care of actual shinobi business rather than on the dates she’d like to be going on.
7 Although They Aren’t Shown Often, Her Home Life Is Stable
When compared to her teammates, Sakura having a stable home life with both of her parents alive and well is most certainly a perk for her. It’s shown how much havoc is wreaked on the early years of Naruto’s life because he doesn’t have any proper guiding figures, not until Iruka begins to sympathize with him.
Meanwhile, Sasuke has to endure the events of the Uchiha Massacre at an incredibly young age. Although her parents tease and nag her at times, having them in her life is better than the alternatives.
6 She’s Taken Under The Powerful Sannin Tsunade’s Wing
In the beginning, Sakura doesn’t have much combat prowess to speak of. She’s book-smart and shown to have excellent chakra control from the start, but these things aren’t enough to save her when she’s caught in the heat of battle, as the Forest of Death arc proves.
That’s also the arc that drives her to want to change herself and become stronger, so she can compare to her teammates, leading her to study under Tsunade. Her abilities when it comes to both medical ninjutsu and physical strength benefit immensely from this.
5 She Has A Ton Of Powerful Shinobi Around Her To Inspire Her
It can become easy for characters to become lost or complacent without having someone to look up to. While Sakura does have loving parents, they’re both speculated to have remained genin, and even state that they believe making Sakura a jonin would “just cause trouble for everyone.”
Thankfully, she doesn’t need to have a source of inspiration from within her family. Sakura has a ton of highly skilled, powerful shinobi around her to model herself after, be it Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji, or any of their seniors.
4 She Has A Natural Knack For Genjutsu
Sakura is what’s known as a genjutsu-type, meaning she has a natural affinity for it. She’s never seen using this offensively, which is a shame, as through characters like Itachi, viewers get a glimpse of just how powerful of an offensive tool genjutsu can be.
Despite never using it offensively, her natural affinity for genjutsu still does end up coming into play. She’s the one who’s able to release the genjutsu placed on Naruto and the others right at the start of the Konoha Crush arc.
3 She Reconnects With Ino, With Their Friendship Becoming Stronger Than Ever
Sakura and Ino become friends in early childhood, with Ino being a key figure in helping Sakura begin to look past her childhood insecurities. However, this friendship doesn’t last long before it’s driven apart by their mutual desire to chase after Sasuke.
Thankfully, the two regain their respect for one another during the Tournament arc of the Chunin Exams. Their friendship rekindles over time, with the two of them becoming incredibly close, with Ino even assisting Sakura with opening the Children’s Mental Health Clinic.
2 She Ends Up Starting A Family With Her Childhood Crush
Ever since the Academy days, Sakura’s been smitten with Sasuke. Even as he goes rogue, defects from the village, and becomes a criminal so dangerous he’s wanted dead, she doesn’t abandon him or the feelings that she has for him.
It ends up working out for her in the end as well, as she and Sasuke do end up becoming a couple. They even have a beautiful daughter, Sarada, together. Though Sasuke isn’t around often, Sakura still smiles and is happy overall with how things with her childhood crush turned out.
1 She’s Naturally Gifted When It Comes To Chakra Control
One of Sakura’s greatest assets is her natural talent for controlling her chakra. This is a skill that she further refines over time, thanks to her training under Tsunade and the fact that medical-nin have to have impeccable chakra control in order to perform their jobs properly.
She’s shown displaying her talent for chakra control all the way back during the Land of Waves arc, where she’s the first one to be able to control her chakra well enough to perform the tree-climbing exercise. It’s also what enables her to perform such feats of monstrous strength after the Shippuden time skip.
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