Popularity
Sasuke has ranked among the top five Narutocharacters in every official Weekly Shōnen Jumppopularity poll of the series. Though Sasuke's rank initially alternated between the third and fourth spot, he has twice come first.[90][91] Several items of Sasuke merchandise have been released, including plush toys with his Part I and Part II appearances,[92][93] key chains,[94][95] and numerous figurines.[96][97] NTT customers voted him their fifth favorite black haired male anime character in 2014.[98] IGN also listed him as the seventh best Naruto character when the series ended in 2014.[99]In a Japanese pollsters' Charapedia poll, Naruto and Sasuke's rivalry won first place.[100] In a poll by Anime News Network, he was voted the 13th "Best Guy".[101] In developing the fighting game Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, CyberConnect2CEO Hiroshi Matsuyama stated his favorite fight in making the series was the one between Sasuke and Itachi.[102] In an interview of Mezamashi TV, Kishimoto was given questions by Nogizaka46's band member Rina Ikoma who was cosplaying as Sasuke; Kishimoto complimented Ikoma's cosplay.[103] At New York's 2015 Comic-Con, stage moderator Christopher Butcher and editor Jo Otsuki discussed Sasuke's great popularity, noting that he became the series' most popular character. Otsuki admitted Sasuke was his own favorite character in the series. Butcher was surprised by this given Sasuke's pessimistic worldview and its contrast to Naruto's more positive outlook. Butcher wondered whether readers found Sasuke a more relatable character after the defeat of his worldview by Naruto's in the series finale. Otsuki thought that fans found Sasuke's character and abilities cooler than his rival, and given the similarities between these two characters and the series' happy ending, he thought Sasuke found a more positive worldview by the end.[104]
Critical response
An Uchiwa, a type of Eastern hand fan, ties in to Sasuke's character and his relationship with Naruto.[105]
Manga, anime, and video game publications and other related media have both praised and criticised Sasuke's character.[106] GameSpot's Joe Donson extolled Sasuke's abilities as "badass" but echoed IGN's comments about his "emo" personality.[107] T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews noted that Sasuke fell into the stereotypical "rival" mold of shōnen manga and found him unlikable.[108] On the other hand, Mania Entertainment's Dani Moure praised the fact that Naruto and Sasuke are forced to work together despite their rivalry. Moure liked that, despite their constant competition, "the group [Naruto and Sasuke] come together when they need to".[109] A study which examined whether readers could predict character types based on physical cues found Sasuke to be a ISTJ (Myers-Briggs) character type, making him a foil for Naruto's personality.[110] Rik Spanjers sees the difference between Sasuke (a loner) and Naruto (an optimist) as tragic, arguing that the contrast between the two protagonists' approach to the world is fundamental to the plot: "Naruto’s strength grows as he gains more loved ones to protect, while Sasuke remains alone and is increasingly absorbed by his quest for revenge."[111] Amy Plumb argues that Kishimoto's use of references to Japanese mythology in Naruto are intended to add additional layers to the story, including Sasuke's clan's heraldic symbol, a fan known as an uchiwa. These fans are used in Japanese myths to exorcise evil, by blowing it away; Sasuke discovers late in the series that he has the ability to "blow away" the influence of the Nine-Tailed Fox creature sealed inside Naruto.[105]
Carl Kimlinger from Anime News Networkdescribed Sasuke's fight in the Chunin Exams as "pure action," and noted that Orochimaru's influence over him kept the tension high.[112] In another review, Kimlinger commented that Sasuke was in need of development when he was escaping from Konoha, but the long flashbacks of his life before his fight against Naruto were unnecessary.[113] The fight between the two characters has been called one of the most entertaining from the series, not only because of the tactics used, but also because it emphasized their rivalry's growth and the emotional undercurrents of the fight.[114][115] In the book New Media Literacies and Participatory Popular Culture Across Borders, Amy A. Zenger notes that Sasuke and Sakura's relationship is popular with fans even though Sasuke does not reciprocate Sakura's feelings.[116] Charles White of IGN commented that Sasuke's farewell to Sakura in the first series was one of most emotional in the series so far, and revealed Sakura's feelings had grown beyond her original crush on him. Sasuke's amiable response led White to believe the two could have become a couple.[117] Theron Martin from Anime News Network (ANN) praised Yuri Lowenthal's voicing of Sasuke but noted the actor had problems sounding younger in flashbacks.[118]
In Part II of the manga, Sasuke's traits reference elements from Japanese mythology such as the Susanoo technique (above) and his Kusanagi sword (below).
Sasuke's appearances in Part II of the Narutomanga have received major praise. His weaponry and techniques are based on Japanese mythology such as the Kusanagi sword and his "Susanoo" eye technique.[105][119] Manga Life's Park Cooper noted that Sasuke's new abilities, and his fight against Orochimaru indicated a sudden "change the nature of things".[120] Jason Thompson enjoyed both his new design and his first interactions with Naruto after the series' timeskip. Reviewing a scene later in the series, Thompson noted that Sasuke had not become particularly evil, since Itachi is the only one of his enemies that he actually kills.[121] Sasuke's re-introduction in the second story arc was so important that the animated adaptation Naruto Shippuden started with a sneak peek of this scene. In Shippuden, Sasuke's personality was not entirely different from the original series. His more emotional attitude kept scenes interesting, as did his conversation with the nine-tailed demon fox which foreshadowed future events.[122][123] Casey Brienza from ANN described Sasuke's final fight against Itachi as "epic," and noted that Itachi's death and revelations about his life notably impacted Sasuke's personality and point of view.[124] UK Anime Network's Dan Rhodes compared Sasuke's fight scenes in a later arc favorably with the scenes of Naruto's fight against Akatsuki member Pain, highlighting the characters' motives for each fight.[125] Jacob Hope Chapman of ANN listed Sasuke and Naruto as one of the "Anime's Fiercest Frenemies," citing their similarities and the renewal of their friendship after their mortal battle.[126] Amy McNulty of ANN also praised their final fight, despite finding Sasuke unlikeable in that scene.[127] Chris Beveridge from the Fandom Post lauded Sasuke's decision to protect Konohagakure, since it meant that he would aid Naruto's group in upcoming episodes, alongside the reanimated Hogakes he had gathered.[128] In a later review, Beveridge wondered whether at this point Sasuke was suffering from a god complex, considering his desire to spark revolution in the episodes leading up to his final fight with Naruto. However, Beveridge appreciated the battle for its well-developed choreography.[129]Sarah Nelkin of Anime Now thought the final fight between Sasuke and Naruto was one of the series' darkest moments because of how close they came to killing each other, even though Naruto continued to try to reconcile with Sasuke during the battle.[130]
In a later review, McNulty praised scenes like the one in which Sasuke admits his crimes and agrees to go to prison, as it showed acceptance of responsibility for his misdeeds. McNulty also praised Sasuke's later journey of self-redemption, as well as his decision to respond to Sakura's feelings for him before leaving.[131] IGN's Ramsey Isler considered Sasuke's change of heart drastic, but felt it was a fitting conclusion for the character after the series' events, and fit well with him once again leaving the village, this time on good terms with his friends and the village.[132] Manga author Hiroaki Samura was pleased with Sasuke's character arc in the series, especially his influence on Naruto and the fact that in the end he returns to Konohagakure because of Naruto.[133] While finding Sasuke's fate in the manga's ending predictable, McNulty felt that the character's monologue after his final fight with Naruto helped to show a deeper side to him.[134]
Following Naruto's finale, there have been also comments on Sasuke's appearances in the sequel and spinoff series. Reviewing Boruto: Naruto the Movie, Chris Zimmerman from DVD Talk noted that Sasuke's personal issues with Sarada fit the main theme and paralleled Naruto's issues with Boruto. Zimmerman also enjoyed the fight scenes between Sasuke and the other major characters.[135]Christian Chiok from Japanator and Alexandria Hill from Otaku USA shared similar opinions regarding Sasuke's role in Boruto, with the former enjoying the teamwork between Sasuke and Naruto during the climax, and the latter praising the entertaining fight between Sasuke and the villain Kinshiki.[136][137]Dan Rhodes said that Sasuke and Naruto's fight scenes in the movie are some of the best parts of the film, predicting longtime fans would look forward to them.[138]
In the manga Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Beveridge liked Sasuke's personality, particularly as it was presented during his dialogue with Naruto.[139] Reviewing the anime adaptation, Sam Stewart from IGN was particularly impressed by the scenes between Sasuke and Sarada, most notably because of changes in Sasuke's characterization. He highlights that despite acting coldly towards his daughter, he ends up using his body as a shield to protect her from his enemy.[140]Ken Iikura from Anime Now agreed, pointing out that Sasuke has become a loving husband and father in Boruto, despite retaining some of the dark aspects of his personality. Ikikura noted that Sasuke and Sarada's meeting in Boruto significantly developed both characters.[38] McNulty disliked the romance between Sasuke and Sakura in the original series, because it was initially a one-sided crush on Sakura's part, but she felt the spin-off manga Naruto Gaiden expanded on the bond between the two and their relationship with their daughter, Sarada.[141] Stewart praised Sasuke's portrayal as a flawed parent rather than an effortlessly good one, noting that his farewell to Sarada demonstrated his difficulty with being a good father.[142] Another writer from Anime Now, Sarah Nelkin, noted that these episodes helped to develop Sasuke as both a father and a husband, especially when he explains to Sarada that she creates a bond between he and Sakura that persists despite his being frequently absent as a result of his mission.[143]
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