Kishi's been flipping the bird to his female characters for a long, long time.
- Sakura has been reduced to pairing fodder, she hasn't had a real fight since the Gaara Retrieval arc, her abilities have been regressing ever since then, and she can still find love in her heart for a guy that always treated her like trash and tried to kill her.
- Hinata has also been reduced to pairing fodder, she's shown no interest in bettering her clan or herself as heiress, and she's completely dependent on and obsessed with Naruto to the point where she's willing to overlook her dead cousin's last moment because of Naruto's big hand.
- Karin has been pairing fodder since her introduction, she literally can't fight because she's a sensory ninja, she clings to Sasuke as if her life depends on it, and she's a-okay with him stabbing her through the chest as long as he apologizes afterward.
The only ones from their age-group that have been treated decently are Temari, Tenten, and Ino. Yes, Ino has it better than those three. She still loves Sasuke and comes off as an air-head, but at least she can stand up for herself. The same goes for Tenten. She doesn't get much screen time, but at least she can hold her own when she's needed.
How can Kishimoto do so much good for females like Tsunade, Shizune, and Mei, but screw up so badly for Sakura, Hinata, and Karin? I just don't understand.