The story of Naruto makes it clear that even its powerful characters can be held back by very human emotions and issues. The titular Naruto Uzumaki himself, who grew up in bitter isolation, is a prime example of this. Even members of powerful shinobi clans like the hatred-filled Uchiha clan and the secretive Hyuga clan have internal struggles to overcome, few more so than Hinata Hyuga.
Hinata may have been born into the main branch of the prestigious Hyuga family, but that didn't mean her life was easy. She faced hardships almost immediately as her quest to become a great shinobi was marked with many challenges, both within and without. Here are five scenes in Naruto that rank among the most important landmarks in Hinata's personal development.
When Hiashi Hyuga Disinherited Hinata In Favor Of Hanabi
Hinata's father Hiashi was hardly the doting type. He greatly pressured his eldest daughter to succeed and live up to the Hyuga name, but the naturally soft-spoken and gentle Hinata wasn't ready to live up to his expectations. Hiashi grew ever more frustrated, finally pitting Hinata against her younger sister Hanabi to see who was superior.
Hanabi won, so Hiashi, with no regrets, disinherited Hinata and began more intensive training with his younger daughter instead. No doubt this greatly impacted Hinata's self-esteem and her outlook on the world. She became even more unassertive after this, needing a new role model to look up to. She soon found one.
When Hinata First Met Naruto Uzumaki
The final Naruto movie focused more on Hinata's and Naruto's budding relationship, including their first chronological scene together. By this point, Hinata was something of an outcast, partly due to her bizarre-looking Byakugan eyes and the lack of her family's support. A certain Naruto Uzumaki rushed to Hinata's defense against three bullies, and she soon started looking up to him as her defender and role model.
She was in awe of Naruto's sheer grit in the academy -- despite all the odds stacked against him -- which formed a strong impression in her mind. One day she would act on it, and her early memories of the hardworking Naruto inspired her to reach ever-greater heights.
When Hinata Faced Neji Hyuga In The Chunin Exams
During Naruto's chunin exam arc, Hinata had no choice but to engage in direct combat once the 21 genin reached the great tower in the Forest of Death. Hinata would have to face her own cousin Neji, but she didn't even have the will to fight. Neji's cruel, taunting words had a strong effect on her until Naruto cried out and snapped Hinata out of it. She knew that if her role model was watching and supporting her, she could not let him down.
Naruto's good example as a hardworking ninja paid off as Hinata fought Neji with everything she had -- even when on the brink of death. From this point on, Hinata was a fighter, and she would begin the reconciliation process with Neji after proving her cousin's cruel words wrong by becoming a respectable shinobi.
When Hinata Faced Pain On Naruto's Behalf
This remarkable scene in Naruto Shippuden completed the process that Hinata's match with Neji started. By the time the mighty Six Paths of Pain was ready to attack the Leaf Village, Hinata had already become a powerful and confident shinobi. But she wasn't just strong for the sake of it -- she also had strength of spirit and a personal cause to fight for. At one point Naruto was on the ropes against Pain, and that was when Hinata, of all people, stepped in to repay her friend and role model for everything he had done for her.
Naruto urged Hinata to run, but she stood firmly against Pain despite the odds. She declared her love for Naruto was what drove her this far, risking her very life to prove those feelings (and help Naruto finish the job). Hinata ultimately lost to Pain, but this scene made it clear that Hinata was a true shonen heroine. She had fully committed to her village and to Naruto, no longer content to watch from a distance.
When Naruto & Hinata Embraced As Lovers
The Last: Naruto the Movie had a love triangle between Naruto, Hinata and Toneri Otsutsuki, the latter of whom wanted more than anything to make Hinata his bride. Hinata's hand-knitted scarves were her formal symbols of affection toward others, and in the end, she gently but firmly rejected Toneri and accepted Naruto as her one and only.
By the time Toneri fell, Hinata completed her romantic arc with Naruto under a full moon, and neither could deny their feelings for the other. Hinata now had everything she wanted -- from world peace to self-confidence and a lover -- and sure enough, the two of them would marry within a few years. Once they embraced as a couple, Hinata couldn't be happier.