Sakura Haruno

Sakura Haruno starts out as a member of Team Seven working alongside Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, and grows into one of her village's finest healers after years of training in medical techniques.

As a girl, Sakura cares more about winning Sasuke's attention than about becoming a skilled ninja, and she is often shown as unsure of herself next to her more gifted teammates. A turning point comes during an early tournament, when she realizes that leaning on others will not be enough to protect the people she loves. From that point on she throws herself into training, eventually developing enormous physical strength and a rare technique that lets her heal from wounds that would kill most fighters. Where she once mostly watched from the sidelines, she becomes someone who actively shields her friends in battle.

Her growth owes a great deal to Tsunade Senju, a legendary healer who takes Sakura on as a student for two and a half years and shapes her into a confident medical expert in her own right. Sakura's feelings for Sasuke never fully fade, and the two eventually marry and raise a daughter together. Her bond with Naruto also changes over time: she is dismissive of him early on, but as she learns what he has silently endured, she becomes one of his most loyal and protective friends.