Naruto 46-47

[cerusee]

I liked Hinata when as she did was stand around and silently root for Naruto. (I like Naruto. Therefore, I like people who like Naruto.) I like Hinata even more now that I know that she's on a hardcore self-improvement kick, just like Naruto and Sakura (and, umm...practically everybody else. But, say, Sasuke's quest for the power to kick everybody's ass means a lot less because he's already really strong and also he's a pissy little bitch).

How sweet was that Naruto/Hinata thing? She's been watching him for years, and when for the first time, she knows he's watching her and cheering her on, she fights better than she's ever fought before. He inspires her. And because he's Naruto, there's room in his heart for her, too, even though he hardly knows her. If this keeps up, I'm going to have a new het OTP.

Therefore, I hate Neji's guts, because he's such an asshole that he not only tries to kill Hinata in the fight--because she didn't forfeit at the beginning--but he has to grind her down by telling her, in complete denial of the reality standing in front of him, that her hard work means nothing, that she'll always be a loser because people can't change.

I want very badly for Naruto to turn Neji into a smear of meat paste on the wall. I will accept Rock Lee doing it in Naruto's stead, because Lee is awesome.

I will also accept Hinata beating Neji to a bloody pulp, but that doesn't seem likely anytime soon.

Comments

[ex-res-judic324.livejournal.com]

Neji has some serious issues. He has a lot of issues regarding his cousin, and his place concerning his cousin. I don't know. I really want Neji to get his ass beat. And it does. and it made me happy. But he gets better, and grows on you.

But Hinata kicks so much ass. oh god.

[cerusee.livejournal.com]

As long as Neji's future includes the beating of his life, I'm prepared to let him grow on me. ^_^

I hope this isn't one of those Mai-HiME things, though, where I wish harm on various characters, and then when it happens I feel horribly Monkey's Paw-ish.

[cerusee.livejournal.com]

This has been gnawing at the back of my mind all evening, so I might as well double-post. Part of the reason I so want to see Neji smacked down is that I'd already gleaned that Hinata and Neji had a family connection and a complicated previous relationship, and that Hinata did something amazing when she fought him. I was expecting them to have doubts about fighting each other in that vein. I wasn't expecting Neji to be so cruel to her. Nearly killing her in the fight was bad enough, but deliberately trying to crush the spirit of someone as vulnerable as Hinata is in this episode, when she needs what Ino gave Sakura, the strength and courage to believe in herself--that's really unforgivable. Naruto is all about the being-a-better-person-through-fighting, and instead of challenging her and pushing her, he just wanted to make her suffer. That's what I found so offensive about him, and why I want Naruto to smash his face in.

But I'm not married to it. If he stops being cruel, I'll probably like him more.

[ex-res-judic324.livejournal.com]

Oh, Neji does get smacked around an awful lot by Naruto and it is made very clear to him that what he did to Hinata, especially the way he did it, was very, very bad. Using the all sacred fighting as a way to demoralize and abuse your team mates, especially people in your own clan, is very naughty. It is not good ninja behavior, and will get your ass beat by Naruto in front of everyone.

It is made even more clear that while Neji might have the shit end of the stick coming from the Branch family, it is not Hinata's fault. Hinata would never abuse him the way Main Family tends to abuse Branch family, because she herself is often abused by the Main family. He is forced to see that, and I think feels like an asshat.

All that said, I still gleefully hate his guts. ^_^ He's an asshole and doesn't even really try to be anything other than a wangsty little stuck up prick. At least Sasuke has moments of /trying/ not to be an asswipe. Neji doesn't even bother to be anything than Mr. Super Special Genius Man. I also hate the way he treats Lee.

[windandwater.livejournal.com]

You are going to LOVE the final matches of the Chuunin Exam. That's all I'm going to say. *^^* And all you have to remember is that Naruto's beatdowns are theraputic and magically turn everyone into a Much Better Person (TM).

Hinata is so cute. ^^ Naruto/Hinata is the het 'ship I'm on, at least regarding Naruto ever being with a girl for some strange reason. :P

[cerusee.livejournal.com]

Whee! God, I love this show.

I wondered in, like, episode 1, if Hinata's obvious crush on Naruto was ever going to be a thing, or if it would grow beyond a stock cliche. I still don't know if they'd go the route of a serious Naruto/Hinata romance, but after watching them interact in these episodes, I think they could, and do it well.

[mikkeneko.livejournal.com]

Out of curiosity, did you ever see Asuka's prettypretty Neji and Hinata with wings pic?

[cerusee.livejournal.com]

I have now! whoa nekkid