If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.
Naruto's Sakura and Rock Lee were always meant to show "human weakness" by not having any special powers in the manga
Masashi Kishimoto confirmed that the pair's lack of any special jutsu abilities as intentional in the manga, even as he subverted the trope in later chapters.
Popverse's top stories of the day
- DC's All In era continues as Justice League International stalwarts Fire and Ice return to Superman's hometown to raise some hell
- Dinner is served: Hannibal's Mads Mikkelsen & Hugh Dancy are headed to Emerald City Comic Con 2025
- All you need to know before Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man premieres on Disney+
In the world of Naruto, it seems like everyone in the series has some sort of superpower. However, two characters seem to get passed over when it comes to getting cool powers or unique abilities. Both Sakura and Rock Lee are two of the most popular characters in Naruto but their lack of special jutsu or bloodline powers was always intentional by the creator.
Masashi Kishimoto always saw the pair as a way for readers to connect with the world of Naruto. They serve as a baseline for what “normal” humans can do in that setting. Rock Lee can only use hand-to-hand fighting techniques and Sakura's special ability was always her keen mind rather than her physical abilities. “I can see why it’s easy to emphasize with them,” Kishimoto said in an interview with Shonen Jump while the original manga was still running. “They represent human weakness.”
It is worth remembering, of course, that Sakura did eventually get her own set of special powers in the form of her greatly enhanced strength. This partially undermined Kishimoto’s assertion in the same interview that Sakura was weaker than other characters in Naruto because she was a girl. It is possible that this change was made to her characterization to help subvert this trope after the series’ time skip.
It is also tough to consider Rock Lee “weak” when his talent for physical fighting allows him to hold his own against some of the most powerful characters in Naruto. It seems like this was something that Kishimoto set up early in the series to give both Sakura and Rock Lee room to grow and develop later on.
"In the ninja world, those who don't follow rules are trash." as Obita Uchiha once said. And while we can't say these are rules, they are the king things you'll want to read next about Naruto:
Follow Popverse for upcoming event coverage and news
Find out how we conduct our review by reading our review policy
Let Popverse be your tour guide through the wilderness of pop culture
Sign in and let us help you find your new favorite thing.
Comments
Want to join the discussion? Please activate your account first.
Visit Reedpop ID if you need to resend the confirmation email.