While some enjoyed the relationship building between Sasuke and Sakura, others found the "awkward hug" scene from Jiji to be cringe-worthy and a poor replacement for more meaningful romantic scenes present in the novel.
Many fans felt Sasuke and Sakura were severely "nerfed." Critics noted that Sakura—a master medical ninja with the 100 Healings Seal—should not have been so easily paralyzed by a simple poisoned kunai. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episodio 285
Readers of the Sasuke Retsuden novel expressed frustration over cut content, such as Kakashi fighting 300 shinobi alone, which was entirely skipped in the anime. While some enjoyed the relationship building between Sasuke