The first time she smacks him. I feel like the smacking between them is meant to be partly comic, partly from being part of a society where violence is treated as the way of life. Sakura’s smacking here is a reprimand, and here it’s warranted, because Naruto really is wasting their time just to prove himself cooler than Sasuke. It leads to him hurting a rabbit in the next panel. Sakura’s roll is essentially to remind Naruto of his better nature here.

















