I can’t remember but Hinata is the first one to believe in and accept Naruto before Iruka or was it visa versa? I ask that cause i saw a post that said “sorry The Last, Iruka was the first to accept naruto, even naruto said it” or something like that
“Sorry The Last, Iruka was the first to accept Naruto, even Naruto said it.”
Oh boy, oh boy. I have laughed at this for minutes. What are they trying to say? That things only become canon when Naruto KNOWS about them? lololol
The Last! is to Naruto what 2016 is to us. This is the time in his life when he finally started to realize shit. Here a little excursion.
In the first few chapter, we learn that Iruka has lost his parents because of Kurama and that he knows that Naruto is the host of Kurama. The conversation with the Third (which you can see in the mangacaps posted below) are just a few hours old at that time – the Third wanted to talk to Iruka after they witnessed Naruto sitting on that bench, with the other students gossiping and keeping a distance.
While we know that Iruka has already formed a bond with Naruto prior to that (e.g. because he’s his teacher, obviously, and as he invited Naruto to eat ramen together), I think Iruka’s flashbacks and this conversation with the Third is what truly made Iruka change his mind about Naruto. Iruka finally realized that Naruto is actually hurting just as much as him – he sees himself in Naruto after the Third told him that Iruka and Naruto are alike.
“I understand very well how you feel… but he is very similar to you…”
I don’t think the Third would have felt the need to have this conversation with him (or to use this specific wording I quoted above) if Iruka had already fully acknowledged Naruto at that time.
We have not much more canon information of this but the Third tried to help Iruka understanding Naruto’s point of view. That should highlight that Iruka still had to move on from his parents’ death and from (maybe subconsciously) blaming Naruto for it at that time.
Iruka is the first one to OPENLY STATE that he acknowledges Naruto.
So, yeah, of course Naruto thought that Iruka was the first to accept him. Iruka is the first person to say those words so Naruto could hear them. Naruto always thought he was alone and hated by everyone.
So why would he ever think “Hey, y’know, maybe there is someone else actually loving me”? It’s really not hard to tell why he would have never considered this actually being true.
Here is the crucial point that they don’t want or fail to understand: Feelings aren’t “fake” just because you don’t voice them. Feelings aren’t “nonexistent” just because you’re too shy to confess.
Hinata, in fact, has seen past Naruto’s immature behavior YEARS before that incident. Hinata has developed feelings for him YEARS before that incident. Hinata has wished to be with Naruto YEARS before that incident. Hinata had observed Naruto training and working hard YEARS before that incident. Hinata has started admiring Naruto and making him her role model YEARS before that incident
The big difference between Iruka’s and Hinata’s case is that she was too shy and too self-conscious to openly tell Naruto what she has felt for years. And even when she was brave enough to confess her feelings, Naruto was not able to understand the meaning behind her words – he was too ignorant to understand that by “I love you” she meant that she acknowledges all of his sides, that she admires him for being strong, that she wanted to be like him…
In The Last!, Naruto said something along those lines: “Hinata… this idiot finally gets it…” And this is exactly it, the message of The Last!.
Naruto – Konoha’s knucklehead ninja #1 – finally realized that Hinata has developed those feelings when Naruto still felt like he was all alone. When Naruto still felt like no one in Konoha acknowledged him. When Naruto still felt like no one in Konoha would care if he disappeared. She acknowledged him and loved him without him noticing it.
But “this idiot finally got it”. He got that Hinata’s feelings for him have been there for so many years – way before Iruka was able to move on from his grief.
TL;DR Hinata was the first person to actually ACKNOWLEDGE Naruto. Iruka was the first one to TELL Naruto that he acknowledges him.
That also explains why Naruto once said that about Iruka – he was not aware of Hinata’s feelings back then. But bringing up this argument only shows that some peeps cannot accept that The Last! cleared that up once and for all.
Naruto got it. They didn’t.
“if you really look back and think about it, Hinata always supported and acknowledged Naruto, even before Master Iruka. She had the ability to see beyond his reputation and see the true person inside. I think I started realizing that they were meant to be.”
[screaming externally] 