I'm Not A Player... - Believe - A Naruto/Hinata Manifesto: Arguments Used Against NaruHina

Arguments Used Against NaruHina:

1. Hinata isn't the heroine.
-So? There have been many series where the main male does not end up with the main female. [Yes, even in shounen.]

2. Lack of Development!
-Development =/= [does not equal] screen time. This essay should have proved how much development NaruHina had within the amount of screen time they had.
-Naruto is a shounen manga. Kishimoto doesn't have to bend his plot for romance.

3.  Naruto only cheered for Hinata because he was mad about Neji's “dropouts/people can't change” remarks!
-The fight was to show Naruto proving people can change and was for all the dropouts out there. The Blood Vow/Promise was for Hinata.

4. Hinata only admires Naruto!
–- Why... can't people look at what is obvious? Fact: Admiration can turn into love at any time. It's pretty clear her feelings are more than that. It was even confirmed back in Databook 1: The fact remains she “sukis” Naruto, it literally says love story, it even points out that the reason is obvious why Hinata would fall in love [koi wo suru] with Naruto. This fact remains. There is no way to get around it. And now, we have to consider her confidence issues in the light of her romantic feelings.

5. NaruHina will only happen as a side effect of SasuSaku!
-One word: No. NaruHina has it's own story. SasuSaku does not have to happen in order for NaruHina to happen and vice versa.

6.  Databook 2 never said that Hinata wants to face Naruto with romantic thoughts. It said:
-Her feelings have not changed (but it was vague and could simply refer to her feelings of admiration, which makes the most sense in the context that she was telling herself that she had to do her best too)
-“Will the day come” meaning she will no longer be hiding behind a poll when it comes to Naruto.

-sei_shounagon  [Phoenixblood] once said this to counter:

That is a quote from the caption, but in the main paragraph, it talks about getting one step closer to Naruto, the object of her admiration/yearning/whatever. An interesting thing I noticed was in databook 1, under the title of "Hesitant, Up and Down Love Story", the same phrase was used. So I think it's pretty clear with the parallel to the first entry relating to romance that the second time it's brought up, it would be in the same context (with no mention of any change, and actually "always the same" inserted). I think the thinking that Hinata will overcome her feelings as she grows confident is a bit of a stretch since it seems to me the implication is that wanting to be with Naruto grows along side with the growing confidence in herself; she leading up to acting on her feelings, and that lead up is her personal development.

Hinata always feeling the same? <- Always having those same, deep feelings for Naruto. And Hinata already came out from hiding under a "poll" in Chapter 98.

-Veil of Dreams once said: It was vague... So you're going to assume it meant that specifically only her feelings of admiration remain unchanged, as opposed to both her admiration and affection?

And as you said, there are two possible interpretations to the second statement. Of course you're going to assume the literal one that only has connections to whether or not Hinata is hiding behind a pole while speaking to Naruto, as opposed to the more figurative interpretation that states Hinata's desire to confront Naruto with her feelings.

It's blatantly obvious from Hinata's (unfortunately) brief post-timeskip appearance that her romantic feelings for Naruto have not faded. If anything, they may even be stronger. Hinata has feelings for Naruto, both in the aspect of admiration and the aspect of romance, and both of these aspects need to be resolved in the manga.

Hinata's appearance post time skip had shown her feelings were still as strong as ever. Perhaps even stronger then they were back in part 1.

7.  Databook 1 basically states that her crush on Naruto is nothing but a side-effect of her admiration of his self-confidence.
-Nope! Veil of Dreams once said:

So having a reason to be attracted to Naruto is a weakness in their relationship?

People aren't attracted to each other for no reason. People are attracted to looks, personality traits, abilities, material wealth, and all sorts of other reasons both good and bad. I would consider Hinata being attracted to the respectable qualities in Naruto's personality to be a good reason to be attracted to someone.

8.  The moment she gains that confidence herself and not need to seek it in someone else, is the moment she will get over her crush on Naruto. Because then, that strength that she likes, she'd find it within herself. She will always look up to him, but no longer depend on him emotionally.

Again, Veil of Dreams: Are you suggesting Hinata is a narcissist? Hinata sees Naruto as a desirable partner because of his qualities, AND she wants to develop those qualities in herself as well. She's not going to magically find Naruto's good points unattractive just because she has them as well.

Argument Continued: The Naruto and Hinata scene right before the chuunin exams was the moment when Hinata sought the least to start something romantic with Naruto.
-She told him how much she admired him.
-She was satisfied just saying that and essentially had closure that scene.
-No need to make romantic confessions.
-She didn't need to like Naruto so to say: she was busy liking herself more, so she didn't need to seek that in Naruto as much.

There could be all sorts of reasons for why Hinata didn't confess her feelings for Naruto in the training field.

It's true that Hinata doesn't need to like Naruto, just like Naruto doesn't need to like Sakura. I don't doubt that Hinata could move on if it becomes certain that she and Naruto aren't meant to be. But as I said before, Hinata isn't going to suddenly find Naruto undesirable just because she's developed her inner strength.

Perhaps at the time she was "satisfied." But is she now? No. She was "not ready" in 282. Her feelings are not resolved. And why should she have confessed right then and there? If she did, then there would be nothing left in the end of the series. These things take time. NaruHina is not rushed. ;)

9.  Hinata does not know of Naruto's current pains and can not understand!

-Hinata will find out when the time comes and when she is needed.
– -True, she doesn't understand losing Sasuke, but she does know what it's like to be a failure. And being a Jinchuuriki.... No one besides other Jinchuuriki would understand that feeling.
To add, Maracunator once said this:

Not to mention that she also knows what it feels like to be born with a great weight that has done nothing more than turning one into a victim of undeserved hate, embittering and ruining life since the early childhood. For the time in which she realizes that Naruto was born with the burden of being the living prison of the Kyuubi, it wouldn't be strange that her reaction may be the one of highest understanding of what Naruto has suffered and is still suffering, because that burden is still one of the pains he has standing to the present date.

-She also knows what it is like to lose a bond. Don't forget, she never had that father-daughter bond most have.

10. Hinata never helped Naruto with his problems even when she was watching him!
- Neither did anyone else back then.
-Shy and had low self-confidence, how can you expect her to face him then if she still has a hard time now? This all relates to her theme of change.
-DB2: "Her only wish is to move even one step closer towards the back of Naruto, the one she yearns for..." [Accurate Translation] - She wishes to help him a little more with each step.

11. Just because Hinata loves Naruto or confesses to him, doesn't mean he'll love her back! She's not his type!
-A confession will most likely take place after Naruto has developed more feelings towards Hinata. Propably after witnessing how much she improved in ninjutsu.
-I already explained how Naruto can fall for Hinata. [The same reason he liked Sakura: Desiring acknowledgment] And the simple line of "A person like you, I really like!" <- Romantic or not, proves she IS his type and that he CAN love her.
-Part 2 theme is about people accepting other people, not rejecting them.
-After rejection, Kishi would have to focus for some time on Hinata's character. He would have to show how she recovered from rejection. Ask yourself, does it fit in action manga? He'll have to because Hinata's theme is to believe in herself. That faith will recieve a powerful blow after rejection.
-Hinata is Naruto's type. The only thing that could possibly stop him from falling in love with Hinata was his feelings for Sakura. After chapter 183 those feelings are no longer 'in the way'.
-Naruto is a symbol. Hinata fears facing Naruto with her feelings for him because she fears that she will be rejected. Hinata has to confess in order to believe in herself more, thus change into a different person. Face your fears. What's the point in overcoming your fear if there won't be any reward for it?
-Hinata's confession will have a great impact on Naruto. Remember that he was the one to always love, not the other way around. He always was the one who gave love, never recieve.
-Naruto wants to love. Tsunade commented on that in chapter 172 after seeing how hard it was for him to acknowledge Sakura's feelings for Sasuke.
- Naruto sure is sensitive...

12. NaruHina has not developed in 2.5 years!
-Like I said, development =/= screen time. Just because NaruHina had little screen time does not mean that it does not have development. Hinata hasn't been in the manga much, but when she did appear in 282, she was already talking/thinking about her feelings for Naruto. She wasn't ready to face Naruto for some reason. She did not find it difficult to 'face him' with her feelings of admiration in past. So why now? Especially after 2.5 years of forging her own strong image. [She did make Chuunin after all] There's a huge chance it will expand.

13. Just because the creator wrote NaruHina was a love story doesn't mean anything! It was back in databook one so he could change his mind!
-There will most likely be no "mind changes" Kishi already said in an interview he knows the ending and the ideas/visuals were solid. He said: There are still so many things that need to be resolved before reaching the ending he has. Hinata's feelings for Naruto are not important for the plot, but are very important to her and her development. Try as hard as you like to counter it, but it won't do any good. You can not escape the text. It literally says "love story", "Naruto and herself" and why Hinata would "fall in love" with Naruto. Is it possible Kishi could change his mind? Yes. Likely? No. Kishi has brought our attention to Hinata's feelings for Naruto several times since the Chuunin exam, so it doesn't seem like he's changed his mind on that matter.  If so, then he would have at least dropped Hinata's feelings by now, or at least let them fade a bit, not keep reminding us of them.
-Databook 1 and Databook 2 parallel each other when concerning Hinata's feelings for Naruto. I will quote pb again:

In the main paragraph, it talks about getting one step closer to Naruto, the object of her admiration/yearning/whatever. An interesting thing I noticed was in databook 1, under the title of "Hesitant, Up and Down Love Story", the same phrase was used. So I think it's pretty clear with the parallel to the first entry relating to romance that the second time it's brought up, it would be in the same context.

This was said in the comment section by narashikamaru21 To further counter the argument that Naruto has never previously taken interest in Hinata before, or has never previously noticed her, there is a subtle contradiction to that in Chapter 34. When Naruto briefly breaks the fourth wall and described his fellow Genin, he describes Hinata as "A shy, dark weirdo who never looks me in the eye." While there is nothing particularly special about the statement itself, the fact that Naruto himself said it, as opposed to it being just a narrative description, shows that he has, in fact, noticed her or taken interest in her before, be it in passing or otherwise. It's not a strong argument, since the evidence itself is so subtle, but it is there. But, that's just my two cents.

A new NaruHina essay just came out: An Enduring Faith by veil_of_dreams Check it out if you have the time!

Here is also NaruHina Shipping Thoughts/Arguments by a_white_rain

She also planned on writing a NaruHina manifesto--Be sure to check it out when it's up! :)