I have an feeling that Sakura could've been such an well written and complex character if she was in the right hands..
Like, she's an 12 years old, who never went through anything traumatic or difficult in her life (unlike her teammates and sensei), only became an kunoichi because she was really smart and wanted to be on the same team as the guy she has an crush on?
That's an pretty generic and boring for an shonen character. But then, when she decides to go on a mission with her other teammates, she just stands there in shock while her other teammates and sensei almost died as they fought for their lifes? And she strongly depended on them to survive because she wasnt capable of using any jutsu that was useful? Hm..
Then, during the chunin exams, SHE LITERALLY WENT THROUGH AN LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION, WITH NO HELP, NO TEAMMATES AND ONLY SURVIVED BECAUSE ROCK LEE, TEAM 8 APPEARED AND SASUKE MADE THEM FLEE AWAY. I don't know about you guys, but, if I was her, I would not only be extremely exhausted, scared or even TRAUMATIZED but also really concerned about Sasuke. They could've easily made Sakura make Ino go back with her words by saying "actually.. I don't think know Sasuke at all. I don't know what happened with him to he do that.." simple. Really stressful event + being just an kid = growth.
That what should've happened, but it didn't.
I think it would be really interesting to see Sakura eventually notice that she should not keep all the time worshipping Sasuke, but also trying to understand him. And understanding that she doesn't know him outside of what he is while they're on class.
Like, ykwim? A female character who was originally depicted as an "silly teen girl who needs help" that then turns into an "an independent women who expended time training to become strong and useful so she could help the others around her while noticing that her life doesn't need to go around an boy crush".
And also, till this day i think Sakura should've eventually give up on Sasuke and only plan on knocking him out when she has the chance while Naruto is the naive one who still thinks Sasuke will just magically come back home and give up on his revenge.. that would be cool.
I wanted her to be just like Tsunade, start off just as an girl wanting to be helpful to others just to eventually be permanently changed by the cruel reality of what being an ninja is. I wanted her to eventually be hurt by Sasuke or see him being cruel to one of her friends just so she could snap and put him on his place, make her lose a friend while she tried to heal them or couldn't do anything at all but stare and hope they get well, focus more on genuinely showing she's smart and studios while do alot of researches..
And also, I think the closest thing she could get to eventually dealing with the "cruel reality of being an ninja" was on the chunin exams. As I said, life or death situation, no teammates to help, her by her owen, her being cruelly hurt on a fight she couldn't win but then being saved just so her and the others would have to fight with each other on a tournament. If i was writing this arc, I would most definitely do something like, her fighting with Naruto or Ino but then she eventually gives up because of how tired she is. Naruto would be more serious because, fuck, it's literally the boy that she learned to respect and care about who was always by her side and Ino her ex-best friend.. I think it would be interesting that she pulled something like Shikamaru, making an entire strategy but eventually giving when she notices that she can't do nothing to win anymore.
I also think it would've been such an gut crushing moment for development if she lost an friend. But not lose a friend on a average situation, no, no, what about she lose an friend in the middle of the 4 great ninja WAR? That would simply be peak trauma to her. And who would she lose? I think I could've been Ino. Y'know? Her ex-best friend? Now rival? Like, I just can imagine it:
Sakura defending Ino but then, at the minute she turns her back, something hit Ino on the head and immediately knock her out and Sakura tries to take her away to somewhere secure just so she could heal her just to see it's no use, and that Ino is already dead. Cruel work, right? But I'm genuinely sure that it would made her more interesting on the war.. imagine, after losing an friend, she just obliterates anyone who gets on her way just so she could kill the one who started all of this (Madara).
I have a feeling that if she was like that, kishimoto would've made her and team 7 beat the living shit out of Madara till Obito shows up and send everything to shit..
Anyways, I really love Sakura, I know very well she ain't really well written, but I tried with this one, okay?
Anyways, thanks for coming to my ted talk💜