Why I have a problem with Hinata Hyūga.

               Despite being an underutilized character, Hinata has always been the topic of discussion by fans.  Most fans adore her and are easily provoked into arguments by the slightest insult.  Most of the rest of the fans cannot stand her, finding her as nothing but an annoying stalker character that is only there to provide a “moe” element to the series.  There are few that are apathetic to the character.  This is what made me think enough about her to come up with this.  I do hope that the Hinata fans read it for what it is and don’t have my head on a chopping block by the time they finish.  

               Despite his claim that Kishimoto really likes the character, it seems more to me that he either finds her pathetic or loves to make her suffer.  Wait.  Let me explain. 

                As a little girl, Hinata is given away to Kurenai, simply because her father felt that she was so pathetic that she would be a waste of his time to try to train her, despite her being the real heir to the clan.  She tries her best to learn from Kurenai, but when her big challenge is put before her (showing Neji that she was strong now), not only did she lose the fight, she was almost killed, and Neji emotionally tore her apart, piece by piece.  She was bleeding on the floor, and Neji still saw her as pathetic as he did in the beginning, if not more. 

                When the next phase of the Chunin Exam came around, Hinata’s father came to watch the event; because Neji was going to be taking part.  He brought Hanabi, Hinata’s little sister, and he made comments throughout the fights to indicate that he respected both Neji and Hanabi and their abilities. Meanwhile, Hinata had just left the hospital to try to watch the tournament; and she almost died from just sitting there.  Where was her father?  Was he visiting her?  Was the telling her that he was proud of the change she had made?  No.  He was supporting Neji, who he had ignored his whole life. 

   

             The reason that I’m reliving this is to make a point.  When we first see Hinata, we’re told that she’s disposable and not respected in the least.  She works very hard, and the only result is to be further ignored and more aggressively told that she is useless and always will be.  I know that some will point out that it inspired her to work even harder to become stronger, but to be honest, it changed nothing. 

                Hinata jumped in the middle of the fight to try to defend Naruto from Pein, and the result was little more than being swatted aside like a fly.  This is the big part for me.  Pein didn’t even kill her.  It wasn’t because he had pity for a young woman or what she was trying to do.  It was because he saw her as no threat and didn’t feel it was worth his time to kill her.  He just knocked aside something that was in his way. 

                This is just another reminder that, despite any work or training, Hinata is worth nothing.  She is still seen by others as useless, and they don’t respect her.  I know that some will want to point out that there are people that like and respect her; Naruto, Kiba, Shino, Sakura, Ino…  The thing is though that they like and respect her because they see her as a friend and knows that she tries.  They don’t really see her as a powerful shinobi who is vital to missions, the way they do Neji.  In fact, when they do see her do something impressive in the field (usually in fillers), they feel the need to point it out specifically, almost as if to say, “Wow!  Did you see Hinata did something that was useful?”  It isn’t intentional.  It’s just an instinct.  Hinata is their sweet, shy friend that tries to help everyone where she can.  Hinata isn’t a respected shinobi. 

Even with Neji’s dying words, he said that he was protecting them, I guess, fulfilling his “job” of protecting her.  He never said, “I’m proud of you” or called her “sister” as she calls him “brother”.  Once again, she’s a little girl who needs to be protected.  She’s not an equal on the battlefield who he gave his life to protect, like he said to Naruto.

      

          “Naruto” has a running theme of characters who were seen as nobodies as children, who then work their way to proving themselves.  Naruto went from being a pariah to being the hero of Konoha; Gaara went from being a mad man who the village wanted to destroy to being their Kage; Neji went from slave status to being one of the most respected shinobi in the village.  What of Hinata?  Has she not worked just as hard?  Where is her position of respect and praise?  Where are those missions that are important, where the Hokage says, “Send Hinata”.  Where are they?  Nowhere.  To Kishimoto, she’s still portrayed as the little girl that is a throwaway, no matter how much she fights and tries.  I’m not a Hinata fan, but that bothers me tremendously. 

                There are two themes with Hinata.  She is in love with Naruto, and she is always training and working to become strong and respected.  She has gained neither. 

                Then there is the element that comes from fans that bothers me greatly.  There are many Hinata fans that recognize that she is still completely unaccomplished, despite her hard work; and they are waiting for that moment when she gets what she’s tried so hard to accomplish.  To that extent, I do agree.  The problem is that many of the fans that are (some, furiously) fans of Hinata ending up in a relationship with Naruto see her success in ending up in that relationship as succeeding in her desires.  Think about that one for a minute.  She loves Naruto, but her desire for her life is to be seen as strong and be acknowledged.  Why are so many so ready to see Hinata landing a man as succeeding in her life?  He is certainly one of the most famous ninja in the village, if not the five nations.  I suppose that winning his heart would be kind of like getting acknowledgment that she is special and would give her the guy that she’s stalked since she was a girl, but what is the message there?  If you’re a girl and want to be respected, you should find an important man?  There is that idea still in the world that the success of women is in finding a man with money and success, like royalty or celebrity.  They should not achieve things on their own.  They should just attach themselves to someone who has.  I do not want Hinata to end up with Naruto, almost exclusively because I do not want the end of the series to be seen as successful, not because she earned the respect of her clan and those around her but because she ended up with the boy she loved. 

               On the battlefield, Hinata is able to hold her own and is acknowledged by Naruto… for standing with him.  Her father is on the field with her, but even in the chatty battles of “Naruto”, he says nothing about her abilities and does not stop to even think that she is stronger than he believed.  Kiba seems the closest to seeing her as she wants to be, but he also sees her constantly as a delicate flower that needs to be protected. 

               The battles always disappoint me.  Whenever Hinata joins a massive fight to help, it is almost always to help Naruto, and she almost always finds a way to bring it back to being about Naruto, not being a shinobi doing her job. 

Against Pein, she felt that the best idea in the fight was to distract him by declaring her love, knowing she’d probably die in front of him right after it.  In the battle against Madara and Obito, she is focused on staying the Naruto, protecting Naruto, etc.  Even when she does her most impressive attack, she fears she might fail but is then inspired by Naruto to succeed.  It is as if she cannot really perform (unless it is small fights, almost all filler), unless it is to protect or get acknowledgment or love from Naruto.  Even in her fight with Neji, she would have given up entirely if Naruto hadn’t cheered her on. It is as if Kishimoto is telling us that Hinata doesn’t really want to be a strong and respected shinobi and only tries to be out of her obsession with Naruto.  This brings us back to the idea that Hinata will only succeed in life if she gets the man that she wants.  For me, it is not only a backwards and outdated idea, but it is also offensive.  It makes her whole performance a joke to me, only saying “Nevermind, she didn’t really want to be successful.  She was just trying to get a guy.”  This is such a dysfunctional image for young people.  Why can’t there  be young women in shonen anime that can be sweet and shy but not just the girl that loves the main character and nothing more?  It’s not only an insult to Hinata but an insult to the fans. 

                So what would I like to happen?  I’d like to see Hinata realize that she is something more than just a girl who likes a guy, and I would like her to grow up – in many ways.  She should fight to take her place in her clan, get the respect she deserves in the village, whether she wants to be a shinobi, a teacher, a tea seller, or whatever.  She should come to herself and get some self esteem and confidence (which you can have without destroying the character’s sweet, shy, kindness).  Then she can get to know someone, even Naruto, and decide if she likes him.  She’s 15-16 now, and she barely even knows Naruto, other than watching him (as she could barely say a word to him, until recently).  You really want her to get into a serious relationship with a guy she has only had a crush (though intense) version of love for (though her whole life), because if she gets a man she wins?  Doesn’t she deserve a full life that isn’t entirely about another person – any person?  

      Hinata has the personality and power to be a truly powerful character, both in story and on the battlefield.  The problem is that Kishimoto won't let her be one.