'Naruto and Hinata's love story explained: How the red thread of fate made them destined to be together'

Time of India

3 days ago

The hit anime Naruto is famous for its epic fight scenes, tear-jerking plots, and rich character development. One thing that never fails to start a debate amongst fans is Naruto's romance—namely, his coupling with Hinata Hyuga.
Where some viewers found it shocking that Naruto wouldn't marry Sakura, many others interpreted his connection to Hinata as destiny's hand. If you ever wanted to know why Naruto and Hinata deservedly ended up together, there's a hugely important cultural reason—and its roots lie in the Red Thread of Fate, an East Asian romantic legend.
What is the red thread of fate?
The Red Thread of Fate (also known as the Red String of Destiny) is a familiar East Asian myth.
According to the myth, two people who are destined to be soulmates are tied together with an invisible red string, usually drawn from a man's thumb to a woman's pinky. Though distance and time may keep them separated, they will always meet again.
This myth can be found in just about every anime and drama that touches on the subject, from Your Name, to Tomorrow, to The Last: Naruto the Movie. In Naruto's case, the red thread is represented by something that long-time anime and manga fans will know a lot about—a red scarf.
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Undo
The red scarf is more than just a gift
In The Last: Naruto the Movie, Hinata knits a new red scarf as a stand-in for Naruto's old one, which he gave away as a child. This handmade scarf is much more than a thoughtful gift. It starts to serve as a harbinger of their fate.
In the final minutes of the film, once Naruto figures out what Hinata has been trying to say and matches her feelings by shouting them back, the tears wetting her cheeks dissolve into the outline of the red scarf, a symbol of the red thread bonding them across time and space.
It demonstrates that her love and tenderness have penetrated his heart, fulfilling the bond they were forever destined to connect.
Naruto switching to a green scarf had a deeper meaning
Even some of our most devoted fans couldn't wrap their heads around the fact that Naruto would swap out his beloved red scarf for a green one for the course of the film, let alone that Hinata would be so affected by it. Her reaction wasn't simply envy—it was emblematic.
Within the context of the red thread legend, changing scarves would be similar to cutting the red string, or breaking one's fate.
For Hinata, the red scarf was their connection. So watching Naruto put on another one may have seemed like he was severing that unique bond.
Love at first sight?
There are plenty of viewers who will find Hinata and Naruto's romance unrealistic, given that Hinata hardly spoke to Naruto in the show's first few episodes. Japanese culture has a word for that, too: 'Koi no Yokan,' or the premonition of love. It's not the feeling of being in love at first sight—it's more the feeling of someone being very important to you someday.
Hinata might have even had an inkling that Naruto was the one she was destined to love, even before they became friends. This parallels the red thread origin story in which initially only one of the connected parties may recognize the bond.
Naruto and Hinata's love story was built over time
Though it wasn't love at first sight for Naruto, their romance was allowed to grow organically. Since childhood, Hinata looked up to Naruto's resolve, compassion, and perseverance embodying his never give up spirit.
To Naruto, who had once felt like he was the most unloved and misunderstood child, it was a reminder that Hinata always loved him, always stood up for him, even when nobody else would.
Only by the events of The Last: Naruto the Movie, more than a decade later, does Naruto realize just how profound Hinata's love was and start to reciprocate it. Their kiss under the moonlight wasn't just a romantic moment. It was destiny fulfilled.
A love written in the stars
Naruto and Hinata's romance came as a shock and disappointment to a lot of fans. If you consider the meaning of the red thread of fate, it works perfectly. Their connection went beyond the emotional—it was spiritual and cultural, forged by an East Asian embedded belief that has coursed through legends for hundreds of years.
So, no matter whether you're a diehard anime lover or a newcomer to the franchise, rest assured in knowing that Naruto and Hinata were destined to be together.
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