Neji Hyuga Overview

Neji is the only known Hyuga clan member whose first name does not start with a kana from the Ha-gyō (ha (ハ), hi (ヒ), fu (フ), he (ヘ), or ho (ホ)), like Hiashi, Hanabi, Hinata, and Hizashi. His name means "Screw", "Spiral", or "Helix", which probably refers to his Heavenly Spin technique. His name also bears resemblance to Nèijiā, a Chinese martial arts style that is known for "soft" style and its emphasis on "internal power" rather than "external power", possibly a basis for his Gentle Fist style.

In Shonen Jump's annual character popularity polls, Neji often ranks in the Top 10, usually in the 6th-8th range.

Background Information

A Genin at the start of the series, Neji Hyuga was the #1 rookie of his Ninja Academy graduating class. He is also considered to be the strongest and most talented of all the Konoha Genin who attended the Chunin exam during the first part of the series, and is the first of them to become a Jonin. Neji has been praised as a natural genius of the Hyuga clan, but can never lead it because he's a branch house member. He is perhaps the most skilled Gentle Fist user in the series, despite this fact. Though the most powerful techniques of this style are normally kept within the main house, Neji learned them through simple observation.

Neji is in the same Genin team as Rock Lee, Tenten, and their Jonin-sensei Might Guy. Neji and Lee have a long-ongoing rivalry, which, not unlike the rivalry between Guy and Kakashi, mostly comes from Lee's side. Lee, who has been fighting against his fate as a worthless shinobi all his life, tries desperately to prove himself to the world in general and Neji in particular. Neji mocked Lee's dream of becoming a fine shinobi in the past, saying one cannot go against fate, but after Neji's defeat by Naruto, he seems to have warmed up to Lee. Tenten is often seen sparring with Neji, which usually consists of Tenten honing her skill with throwing weapons and Neji deflecting the weapons. The two of them are often equally annoyed with Lee and Guy's overreacting and 'youthful' behavior, but are similarly equally dedicated to fighting for their teammates. Despite his rank, Neji still goes out on missions with his team.

One of the implications of Guy's team is that they are the archetype of the "Chinese rivals," a common staple in Japanese anime and manga. Several of Neji's techniques have Chinese aesthetics to them, in addition to his clothes. Lee also bears a strong resemblance to Bruce Lee. Tenten is the most overtly Chinese with her outfit, hairstyle, name, hobbies, favorite foods, and high-pitched voice (a stereotype of young Chinese girls).

Because he is a member of the branch house, Neji can never be the leader of his clan, despite his mastery of Gentle Fist and the Byakugan; his father, Hizashi Hyuga, despite being Hiashi Hyuga's twin, was born second, making him a branch house member. In his childhood, Neji had nothing against the main family as he was too young to fully understand the implications of being a branch family member, but as he grew up seeing his father feel nothing but hatred for his own brother and the main family, he gradually came to resent it himself. His resentment only deepened as he witnessed his father enraged first hand while watching Hinata Hyuga, Hiashi's elder daughter and Hyuga main family heir, train with her father; Hizashi knew that his own son, Neji, would never be the heir of his clan. Detecting Hizashi's vibes of animosity, Hiashi activated the cursed seal on Hizashi, putting his brother in immense pain as his nerves were being attacked. It was Neji's first encounter with the Hyuga cursed seal.

It was not until the incident with Kumogakure's and Konohagakure's peace treaty, however, that Neji truly became who he was when he showed up for the Chunin exams. The two villages, which were at war with one another, decided to sign a treaty, and for this representatives from Kumogakure arrived. On the same day, the very same cursed seal that tortured his father was put upon Neji himself; and that night, the ambassador from the Land of Lightning attempted to kidnap Hinata, revealing that the intention of the "treaty" was all along to get into the Land of Fire and acquire the secret of the Byakugan. Hiashi detected the intruder and killed him at once, for which Kumogakure requested payback in the form of Hiashi's dead body. That day, Neji's father was sent to his death instead of Hiashi, and Neji grew up believing that his father was sent against his will to protect the Hyuga clan's secret bloodline. This chain of events drove him to the point of believing that a person's future is decided from birth and that there was no way to escape or change destiny, making him a character with a grudge against the main house.