NejiHina

The Couple

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The Couple

NejiHina (ネジヒナ NejiHina) is the term used to refer to the familiar relationship between Neji Hyūga and Hinata Hyūga.

Their Relationship

Part I

Chūnin Exams Arc

Neji and Hinata have a tense, antagonistic relationship in part one, with Neji bearing hate and grudge for the main house, due to that fact that he considered them responsible for his father's death. While under the belief that his father had died because he was a member of the branch house, Neji concluded that fate is something decided at birth and that no matter what one does, people cannot escape their destiny. Neji often applied this to people he viewed as weaker than himself, such as Hinata, whom he resented and considered inferior to him.

Neji and Hinata's fight.

During the preliminary matches in the Chuunin exams Arc, Neji and Hinata were paired against each other to fight and it was revealed by Kakashi that the two Hyugas were cousins. At the beginning of the fight, Neji tried to convince Hinata to give up the fight, saying that she did not suit to be a ninja, since she was "too kind" and stating that people never change. Hinata was shaken by his words, but, with Naruto's encouragement, she decided to fight.

During the fight, Neji clearly has the upper hand. Hinata is injured heavily by him, but continues the match. Neji is shocked by her persistence and questioned her as why she kept fighting, even knowing that destiny can never be changed. Hinata tells him that she could see he was the one suffering due the differences between the Main and Branch families in the Hyuga clan and that, by fighting her, he was also trying to go against destiny. Enraged by this, Neji attacked Hinata with the intention of killing her, but was stopped by the jonin. Hinata's injuries were serious and she fainted before taken to the emergency room.

Neji and Hinata's first encounter.

In the first round in the finals, Neji was matched against Naruto and, during their fight, Neji explained his past and the reasons why he hated the Main family. In the flashbacks, it's shown when Neji and Hinata met for the first time as children. At first, Hinata hid behind her father but ended up smiling at Neji. Smiling, Neji told his father that Hinata was cute. After his fight with Naruto, Neji changed his way of thought and stopped believing that fate cannot be changed.

Sasuke Recovery Mission Arc

Neji and Hinata being friendly to each other.

There are also several moments that show the two of them passing by each other in the Hyuga compound. In one of them, as Hinata runs on the compound's hall, she bumps into Neji. Both of them are extremely surprised by the encounter, as they are still tense towards each other after their match. Hinata spins and avoids him with an agility that impresses Neji, as he remains still and stares after her, while Hinata timidly excuses herself and keeps running further.

Part II

Pain's Assault Arc

Neji trying to help Hinata.

Team Gai was returning home after a mission when Neji found Gamabunta and the team rushed to Konoha to see what was happening. They found Hinata badly injured and Neji quickly started looking for a medical ninja, using his byakugan. Later, Sakura treats Hinata and Neji questions why would Hinata do such a reckless act, as to try fighting Pain alone.

Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation Arc

The Second Division:Neji and Hinata.

Neji and Hinata are both in the same division; the Second Division. They can be seen smiling to each other.

Neji and Hinata protecting each other.

During the war, they are seem together fighting side-by-side against Zetsu's army, protecting each other's back as well. Neji showed concern for her safety on the battlefield, and he was distraught when Hinata was hit by the enemy.

Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax Arc

Neji's last moments with Hinata.

Neji and Hinata, together with Hinata's father and Neji's uncle, Hiashi, get to the front line of the battlefield to protect Naruto. One of the Juubi's attack could not be avoided and Hinata put herself in front of him to protect him, but then Neji intercepted the attack sacrificing his own life to protect both Hinata and Naruto. Hinata cried upon hearing Neji's final words and passing away.

Hinata remembers Neji.

In the war, while Hinata was fighting one of the Juubi's mini-clones performing the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, she got stumbled after executing only thirty-two strikes believing that she wouldn't be able to finish the attack. She then recalled Neji's instructions and got confidence and determination to complete the technique. During the transfer of Naruto's memories and emotions, Hinata is shown to react to the flashback of Neji's death.

Birth of the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki Arc

When Naruto was almost about to die, Hinata silently prayed for Neji to protect Naruto.

Kaguya Ōtsutsuki Strikes Arc

After the end of the Shinobi War, Naruto and Hinata are seen together at Neji's grave mourning his death.

Evidence

• During their fight in the chuunin exams, Hinata seemed to understand Neji's pain and hate against the main family and did not show any sign of hate towards him.
• Neji was distraught when Hinata was hurt and hit during the war and he couldn't protect her.
• Neji thought Hinata was cute as children.
• They were occasionally implied to often train together as they are shown fighting side by side during the war. Hinata also remembers later how Neji taught her the 64 palms and advised her to step forward without hesitation when fighting.
• Neji cared a lot about Hinata, and was one of the few who protected and believed in her.
• Neji made his ultimate sacrifice for Hinata and Naruto. Neji chose to die to protect Naruto because he changed his view of life and he trusted Naruto could save the ninja world. Neji chose to die for Hinata because he he loved her like his father loved his brother. He compares his feeling of freedom for choosing to die for Hinata and Naruto to the choice of his father choosing to die to protect his brother.
• Multiple sources in the canon have confirmed that Neji and Hinata were raised as siblings and cared for each other as siblings. Furthermore, Hinata and Naruto's children refer to and regard Neji as their uncle.

Databooks

Databook 4 (Hinata's profile):

• "Having been blessed greatly with the talents of his clan, as a shinobi, Neji walked far ahead of Hinata. Hinata loves him like an actual brother. Currently, there is no antagonism between Hinata and Neji about the main family and branch family. From the bottom of her heart, Hinata trusts Neji, who crosses over the family lines to protect her by his true feelings.
• "In the place of collapsed Neji, Hinata takes on the role of lookout. The power of the Byakugan is in no way inferior to Neji's."
• "Neji was a prominent juuken user of the Hyuga. His teaching let Hinata's talent bloom after his death."

Among the Fans

NejiHina is a relatively popular couple that rivals NaruHina and NejiTen. NejiHina has often received criticism and bashing from many fans of the series due the fact that it condones incest (Neji and Hinata are cousins and genetic half siblings since their fathers are confirmed to be identical twins). However, there's still a fanbase for NeijHina and it's remained an infamous pairing in the fandom.

Trivia

• Hinata is refered to as a pure white lily in Naruto Databook 4: Jin no Sho. In chapter 699, the same flowers were put on Neji's grave.

Naruto Chapter 79 (left)
Rock Lee Spin-Off Chapter 9 (right).

• Neji and Hinata's placement in Naruto chapter 79 and Rock Lee's Springtime of Youth chapter 9 is allude to the Chinese concept of the Yin and Yang (Neji as Yin and Hinata as Yang). In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang are concepts used to describe how apparently opposite or contrary forces are actually complementary, interconnected, and interdependent giving rise to each other as they interrelate. Many tangible dualities (such as light and dark, fire and water, and male and female) are thought of as physical manifestations of the duality of yin and yang. This duality lies at the origins of many branches of classical Chinese science and philosophy, as well as being a primary guideline of traditional Chinese medicine, and a central principle of different forms of Chinese martial arts and exercise.
  • Yin is the negative/passive/female principle in nature, and may allude to many other concepts such as the moon, shaded orientation, something covert or concealed, "of the netherworld", overcast or sinister.
  • Yang is the positive/active/male principle in nature, and may allude to many other concepts such as the sun, open, overt, and "belonging to this world".