Masashi Kishimoto has always been questioned about why he chose Hinata over Sakura for Naruto. His answer is simple. Hinata was there for Naruto from the beginning, making her the best choice for Naruto.
In an interview, the author made it clear that Hinata not only supported Naruto throughout his life, but she was also inspired by him. Thus, she deserved to be with Naruto instead of Sakura, whose feelings lay elsewhere.
Masashi Kishimoto Built Naruto x Hinata Brick by Brick From the Beginning
According to a translation of the interview, Masashi Kishimoto talked about how Hinata always watched Naruto as he persisted towards his goals.
Hinata exactly watched Naruto, as he was persisting onwards from the beginning, the whole time, Hinata was always the only child who was supporting and cheering for him. Although Naruto was unsuccessful and sometimes things went badly for him, he was persisting and trying his best.
In Naruto, the first time Naruto and Hinata met was on the first day of the latter’s enrollment. She was picked on by three bullies, and Naruto, despite not knowing her and being weaker, immediately came to her defense. He was outnumbered and rendered unconscious by the bullies. Afterwards, Hinata thanked him and let him keep her scarf.
Since then, Hinata began closely observing Naruto and saw his desire to gain attention and his struggle to exceed the low expectations that everyone else had for him. Hinata saw how Naruto never lost faith in himself, no matter how much he was despised by others, which inspired her to adopt his ideology.
Over time, his never-give-up attitude made her fall in love with him, and her affection became apparent to everyone except Naruto. She willingly faced Pain to protect Naruto, and even defended him from himself whenever he was in doubt.
Masashi Kishimoto Didn’t Choose Hinata Over Sakura Due to Pity
Masashi Kishimoto went on to justify his choice of Naruto’s lover by saying:
Sakura also noticed and recognized that about Naruto along the way. Of course, as Hinata was watching him since the beginning, I thought that I would feel sorry for Hinata for not being rewarded.
Many fans might think that Hinata was chosen because the author pitied her. Yet, that’s the farthest thing from the truth. Hinata was always intended to be Naruto’s ideal partner. From the perspective of an author, Hinata’s quiet strength and her unwavering support for Naruto, as well as how she was inspired by him, made him a perfect fit for Naruto.
Her love was selfless and consistent, which also mirrored Naruto’s journey as he was always consistent with his determination and resilience. In contrast, Sakura’s relationship with him might have been heartwarming, but it was rooted more in friendship and camaraderie.
Sakura was also consistently drawn to Sasuke, and forcing a relationship between her and Naruto would have felt unnatural. Thus, it was never about pity, and Hinata getting paired up with Naruto wasn’t a consolation prize. Instead, both characters were honored with a partner who truly understood them.
Here is a table with the top 10 romances in Naruto:
What do you think about Hinata and Naruto’s romance? Do you think Kishimoto’s decision was apt? Let us know in the comments below.
Naruto anime is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll.
