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{{translation|'''Neji Hyūga'''|日向ネジ|Hyūga Neji}} was a member of [[Konohagakure]]'s [[Hyūga clan]]. Though a prodigy even by the Hyūga's standards, Neji was a member of the clan's Branch House; no matter how skilled he became, he would always be in service to the Hyūga's Main House, a fact that convinced him fate was predetermined. After experiencing [[Naruto Uzumaki]]'s refusal to be limited by such an ideology, Neji realised his fate was what he chose it to be, and as a member of [[Team Guy]], sought the strength necessary to make the future he wanted for his family and friends.
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{{translation|'''Neji Hyūga'''|日向ネジ|Hyūga Neji}} was a member of [[Konohagakure]]'s [[Hyūga clan]]. Though a prodigy even by the Hyūga's standards, Neji was a member of the clan's Branch House; no matter how skilled he became, he would always be in service to the Hyūga's Main House, a fact that convinced him fate was predetermined. After experiencing [[Naruto Uzumaki]]'s refusal to be limited by such an ideology, Neji realised his fate was what he chose it to be, and as a member of [[Team Guy]] he sought the strength necessary to make the future he wanted for his family and friends.
   
 
== Background ==
  
== Background ==
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[[File:Young Neji.png|thumb|left|Neji as a child.]]
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[[File:Young Neji.png|thumb|left|A young Neji before receiving his cursed seal.]]
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Neji was born into the Branch House of the Hyūga clan to [[Hizashi]], the twin brother of the clan's current head [[Hiashi Hyūga]]. When [[Hinata]], the heiress apparent, turned three years old, as customary Neji's previously unmarked forehead was branded with the [[Hyūga Main Family's Juinjutsu]] by his uncle Hiashi.<ref>Chapter 102, page 10</ref> All Branch House members carry this cursed seal, and Neji believed it to be a symbol that one lives only to serve, and protect the Main House.<ref>Chapter 102, pages 14-15</ref> In the anime, Neji would occasionally perform duties outside the village for the Hyūga clan, including areas like [[Sunagakure]].<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 398</ref>
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Neji was born the son of [[Hizashi Hyūga]], placing him in one of the [[Hyūga clan]]'s branch houses. When the heiress of the main house, [[Hinata]], turned three years old, Neji's forehead was branded with the [[Hyūga Main Family's Juinjutsu|customary cursed seal]] by his uncle, [[Hiashi]].<ref>Chapter 102, page 10</ref> Despite how young he was at the time, Neji's natural talent with the Hyūga's trademark techniques were apparent to his father. For this reason, Hizashi resented that Neji was marked with a cursed seal, as he felt it bound him to a life of service to the main house when he should be destined for greater things. His anger would often [[Killing Intent|manifest]] subconsciously, prompting Hiashi to activate Hizashi's cursed seal and punish him with pain, an act that traumatised Neji.<ref>Chapter 102, pages 11-14</ref>
   
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Shortly after Neji received his cursed seal, a [[Kumogakure]] [[Head Ninja]] visiting [[Konoha]] attempted to kidnap Hinata in order to gain the secrets of the [[Byakugan]]. Hiashi stopped and killed the Head Ninja.<ref>Chapter 102, page 17-19</ref> In what became known as the [[Hyūga Affair]], Kumo denied the allegations made against its Head Ninja and insisted Hiashi's actions were a declaration of war by Konoha; the only way to avoid hostilities between the two villages would be if Hiashi's body were turned over to Kumo as compensation. Hiashi was willing to do so if it meant protecting Konoha, but that in turn would give Kumo the Byakugan. Hizashi, Hiashi's twin brother, volunteered to be his body double since his cursed seal would destroy his Byakugan at the time of his death, a fate he insisted upon over Hiashi's protests. Neji was too young to understand what was happening at the time, and over the years came to believe his father had been forced to die for the main house.<ref>Chapter 105, pages 10-19</ref>
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{{ImgRight|Hizashi Suffering.png|Neji watches as his father succumbs to the effects of the curse seal.}}
  
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Neji's father, was well aware of Neji's natural talent, and he was frustrated that despite Neji's tremendous skill, he still carried the fate of a servant. Often times when contemplating this fate, Hizashi's [[Killing Intent|anger]] would subconsciously turn outwards; consequently, he was punished through Hiashi's activation of his curse seal who noted that he would no longer tolerate such animosity.<ref>Chapter 102, pages 11-14</ref> Around this time, the Konoha and [[Kumogakure]] had signed an alliance treaty. However, the treaty only served as a means into Konoha and a way to lower the village's guard so the [[Head Ninja of Kumogakure]] could abduct Hinata and steal the secrets of the [[Byakugan]]. This attempt failed, however, as Hiashi intervened and killed the man within moments.<ref>Chapter 102, page 17-19</ref>
  
   
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Neji became spiteful towards the members of the main house for what he believed they'd done to his father; in the anime, he missed no opportunity to try and harm Hinata.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 389</ref> He also came to believe that the course of a person's life was determined from the moment of their birth and could be altered under no circumstances. When he graduated from the [[Academy]] at the top of his class he was added to [[Team Guy]], where his philosophy placed him at odds with one of his teammates, [[Rock Lee]]: Lee wanted to become a great ninja despite his limitations, which Neji believed was impossible. [[Tenten]] was easily wowed by Neji, but Lee became determined to defeat Neji in a fight to prove him wrong. Their instructor, [[Might Guy]], encouraged this, believing competition and the drive to succeed would push them to new heights.
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When word of the murder reached Kumogakure, they demanded Hiashi's body as compensation as per the agreement in the treaty (as his body would hold the Byakugan as well). Konoha wasn't prepared to comply to this request until Hizashi stepped in and offered to give himself up instead. Due to him being bound by the Hyūga Main Family's Juinjutsu when he died, the Byakugan would be sealed away, thus protecting its secrets. Hizashi made this sacrifice willingly in order to protect his brother, family, and village. However, Neji came to believe that the main branch had forced him to do so.<ref>Chapter 105, pages 10-19</ref> This misconception became the primary basis of his nine year grudge against the main branch and of his concrete view on one's [[wikipedia:Fatalism|unalterable fate]]. In the anime, during one of his sparring sessions, Neji attempted to harm Hinata but is intervened by Hiashi, who then activates his curse seal. Neji then passed out and Hiashi became Hinata's sparring partner instead.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 389</ref>
  
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Later, Neji entered the [[Academy]], where he became a stand-out and graduated top of his class. He was then assigned to the jōnin tutelage of [[Might Guy]], alongside his classmates [[Rock Lee]] and [[Tenten]]. For their final test to become genin, Guy forced his potential students to spar with him and see their commitment to succeed. Ultimately, all three passed. Later, Neji and his team-mates were offered the chance to enter the [[Chūnin Exams]] in the possibility of being promoted to said rank. However, all three decided to pass on the exams for the time being to further hone their skills.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 360</ref>
  
   
 
== Personality ==
  
== Personality ==
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[[File:Neji cursemark.png|thumb|right|Neji's branch family seal, his perceived inescapable fate.]]
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Neji was extremely serious and mature for his age, and had great control of his emotions. Before and during the Chūnin Exams and his fight with Naruto, he was cold, and somewhat arrogant. In his younger years, Neji was a kinder, optimistic child who smiled more often. He even told his father he thought Hinata was "cute" when the two branches of the Hyūga clan met for her third birthday.<ref>Chapter 102, page 9</ref>
  
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Neji was a kind child who was prone to smiling; on Hinata's third birthday, he confided to his father that he thought she was cute.<ref>Chapter 102, page 9</ref> He lost these qualities after his father's death, growing serious and cold, more mature than most his age. For years he is driven by a [[wikipedia:Fatalism|fatalistic]] belief that his and everyone else's fates are determined from birth and are inescapable. He perceives his own destiny as being that of a rare talent, causing him to arrogantly place himself above those he believes are "weaker" than himself. He also perceives that his talents will always be handicapped by mandatory servitude to the Hyūga's main house, which he resents and which fuels his animosity towards the main house and its members.
   
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Neji shares his philosophy about fate with those he meets, gladly telling them when they are straying from the paths that have been set out for them by, for example, trying to exceed their natural limitations or trying to defeat him in combat when they lack any obvious ability to do so. When he shares his philosophy with Hinata, she concludes that his insistence upon destiny is actually a sore spot for him that causes him inner suffering: he so badly wants to prove himself to the main house yet feels incapable of doing so. Neji attempts to kill her in anger for her words. [[Naruto Uzumaki]] also disagrees with Neji, claiming that Neji was not realising his destiny because he was in fact holding himself back. Neji initially scoffs at Naruto's suggestion, but he is forced to reevaluate when Naruto, a "failure", defeats him, a "genius", in a fight.
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[[File:Neji cursemark.png|thumb|left|Neji's branch family seal, his perceived inescapable fate.]]
  
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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 his cousin, Hinata. During his match in the Chūnin Exams, he told Hinata that she was unfit to be a ninja, due to being too kind and not confident enough. When she was eventually able to turn his philosophy against him, telling him that she believed that he was suffering from trying to become worthy of the main house, despite him being born into the branch family, Neji became enraged, and attempted to attack Hinata. He was stopped by multiple jōnin, but Hinata, nevertheless, was left in critical condition from his earlier attacks.
  
   
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From his experience with Naruto, and from learning that his father was not forced to die, Neji decides that fate is not inescapable but that, rather, one's destiny is what one makes of it; he feels indebted to Naruto for releasing him from his prior "darkness". The destiny Neji ends up selecting for himself is to become strong enough to never lose again. In pursuit of this goal he trains with his teammates, whose own dreams he becomes supportive of, and later with members of the main house, who he gradually starts mending relations with. This interaction with others causes him to become kind once again, and over time his desire to get stronger becomes as much a motivation to never lose as it is to protect his friends and family. In particular, he embraces his responsibility as a member of a branch house to keep Hinata safe, showing greater concern for her than anyone else in combat situations and,<ref>Chapter 558, pages 17-18</ref> ultimately, giving his life to save hers.
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Neji displayed similar efforts to condescend others during his match with [[Naruto Uzumaki]] who, despite being repeatedly struck down, continued to try and fight him. While Neji tried to show Naruto that fate cannot be fought, and that someone who is weak will always remain weak, Naruto was unwilling to accept this mindset, arguing that Neji, for all his belief in fate, had not accepted his own destiny. Naruto went on to defeat Neji, suggesting that, if a "failure" like himself could change his destiny, think of what a "genius" like Neji could do. From this experience, Neji came to see Naruto's ability to save people from the "darkness" and believed he can save anyone since Naruto saved him from his "darkness".
  
   
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Birds are often used to characterise Neji's philosophy and growth: while he feels bound by destiny and the cursed seal on his forehead, he describes his personal experiences as being like a caged bird;<ref>Chapter 104, pages 19-20</ref> after being defeated by Naruto, he observes to his father's memory how many birds there are freely flying in the world;<ref>Chapter 105, pages 2, 6</ref> when trying to overcome the limitations of his [[Byakugan]], he observes birds at a distance but can never spot the one at his blind-spot;<ref>Chapter 198, pages 7-8</ref> after his death, the [[Allied Shinobi Forces]] take on a bird formation in his memory.<ref>Chapter 617, pages 12-13</ref>
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With this example of overcoming "destiny", as well as finding out the truth about his father's death soon afterwards, Neji abandoned the concept of inescapable fate. No longer bound by the idea that he was stuck at his current status, Neji resolved to become strong enough to never again lose in a battle. To do so, he began putting more emphasis on working well with his team and started to value a mission's successful completion and his team-mates' safety over his own betterment, even encouraging Lee to continue pursuing his own dream. His abandonment of the concept of inescapable fate was most prominent during his fight with [[Kidōmaru]], where despite the Oto-nin's discovery of the Byakugan's weak spot and Neji being severely wounded, he was still able to fight on and eventually defeat Kidōmaru, because he remembered what Naruto had said to him.
  
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In addition, Neji began trying to remedy the estranged relations between himself and the main house members, most particularly by being kinder to Hinata and his uncle Hiashi. It was also shown that since then he has been training with Hinata, sparring with each other in order to hone their skills. During the [[Fourth Shinobi World War]], the two cousins protect each other's back as well as the great concern Neji showed for her safety on the battlefield.<ref>Chapter 558, pages 17-18</ref> The strongest amount of care towards Hinata was shown when he unhesitatingly sacrificed himself to save her and Naruto from being killed by the Ten-Tails. He similarly has great confidence in Naruto's capacity to change others, as he stated that the latter could redeem [[Sasuke]] and bring him back to Konoha. However, it seems that he gave up hope for Sasuke, and gave up his thoughts that even Naruto could bring him back as Sasuke became an international criminal who risked pulling Konoha into a devastating international war.
  
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In battle, he was able to stay relatively calm in most situations and carefully look at the situation at hand. He had shown himself to be a bit stubborn, as seen during the [[Fourth Shinobi World War]], when [[Kiba]] told him to go to the medic corps, he refused, insisting that he was fine, despite the fact he was shaking and barely able to stand.
  
   
 
== Appearance ==
  
== Appearance ==
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[[File:Neji full.png|right|thumb|right|Neji in Part II.]]
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[[File:Neji body.png|thumb|100px|left|Neji in Part I.]]
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[[File:Neji full.png|thumb|right|120px|Neji in Part II.]]
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Neji had long, black hair, which is usually depicted as dark brown in the anime. In Part I, his hair reached the middle of his back and was tied back a few inches above the end in a loose ponytail, while two straps attached to a smaller headband underneath his ninja forehead protector frame the sides of his face. In Part II, he got rid of these straps, and allowed his hair, which is now longer, to frame his face instead. When he appears with the rest of his clan to protect Naruto in the Fourth Shinobi World War, he had his hair out of the ponytail. Like the rest of his clan, he had very fair skin and possesses the renowned [[Byakugan]], which when activated, stimulates the veins and arteries immediately around his eyes to protrude more prominently. In the anime, his eyes are depicted with a slight tint of lavender to them.
  
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Neji has fair skin and long black hair, which the anime usually depicts as dark brown. When his Byakugan is not active he has featureless white eyes; the anime gives them a slight lavender tint. In Part I, Neji wears a khaki shirt, a dull blue shirt beneath that, and mesh armour beneath that. He wears dark brown shorts, blue shinobi sandals, and wraps bandages around his right arm, chest, and right leg. He ties his hair back in a loose ponytail tied a few inches above the end. He wears a black [[forehead protector]], under which is a smaller headband with two straps that frame the sides of his face, both of which hide his [[Hyūga main family's juinjutsu]].
   
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In Part II, Neji changes the clothing and bandages of his former wardrobe for traditional Hyūga-like robes: a white shirt with loose sleeves, matching pants, a dark navy grey apron tied around his waist, and black shinobi sandals. He stops wearing the straps that framed his face, instead allowing his now longer hair to do that instead. When on missions, he usually carries a tan and black drawstring bag over his shoulder. During the [[Fourth Shinobi World War]], he swaps much of his wardrobe for the standard Konohagakure [[flak jacket]] and other attire. At the war's start he keeps his hair tied in a ponytail, but as the war progresses he allows it to hang loose.
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[[File:Neji during the war.png|thumb|left|Neji's appearance during the Fourth Shinobi World War.]]
  
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In Part I, Neji wore a black forehead protector that he wore snugly over his forehead. He wore a khaki shirt, under which he wore a dull blue shirt with a mesh armour underneath it, dark brown shorts, blue shinobi sandals. He also had bandages wrapped around his right arm, chest, and right leg.
 
   
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== Abilities ==
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In Part II, Neji abandoned the bandages and is clad in more traditional Hyūga-like robes: a white shirt with loose sleeves, closed on the right shoulder, with a fastener running down the right part of the chest, matching pants, with a dark navy grey apron tied around his waist and black shinobi sandals. This may or may not have been to facilitate easier execution of his techniques, or to symbolise his warming relations with his clan. Neji usually carried a large, tan and black drawstring bag, which he carries over his shoulder. During the Fourth Shinobi World War, he dons the standard Konohagakure attire with a flak jacket, and the Alliance's forehead protector.
  
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[[File:Neji vs Naruto.png|thumb|left|Neji's mastery of one his clan's secret techniques.]]
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From a young age, Neji's skills as a natural genius were evident, even by the [[Hyūga clan]]'s high standards.<ref>Chapter 79, page 16</ref> [[Hizashi|His father]] believed Neji's talent could enable him to surpass all other Hyūga,<ref name="chpt103">Chapter 103, page 5</ref> and indeed, the [[Sha no Sho|third databook]] says he successfully did so by the time of Part II.<ref name="d3" /> Outside his clan, Neji graduated from the [[Academy]] at the top of his class, which in turn convinced [[Rock Lee]] that Neji was the top competitor during the [[Chūnin Exams]] in Part I.<ref>Chapter 79, page 5</ref> Although he was not ultimately promoted during those exams, he was the only [[Konoha 11]] member to become a [[jōnin]] during the timeskip, most others only making it to [[chūnin]]. He was typically calm even in hectic situations, a quality the [[Fifth Hokage]] said made him a good leader.{{citation needed}}
   
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Although not seen using [[ninjutsu]] in the series, Neji's [[nature transformation]]s included [[Fire]], [[Water]], and [[Earth Release]].<ref name="d4" />
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In Part I, Neji's facial expression was usually stern, hard, and cold. As the series progressed, however, his expression relaxes. He even smiled and chuckled at times. While still composed, Neji looked to be more calm, confident, and mature, rather than challenging.
  
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{{-L}}
  
   
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== Abilities ==
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=== Byakugan ===
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[[File:Neji vs Naruto.png|thumb|right|Neji's mastery of one his clan's secret techniques.]]
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[[File:Byakugan.png|thumb|right|Neji's Byakugan.]]
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As a Hyūga, Neji possessed the [[Byakugan]], a [[dōjutsu]] that granted him penetrative vision in a near-360° around himself. A small blind-spot exists behind his third upper thoracic vertebrae, a weakness he was well aware of and trained extensively to overcome, to no avail. Instead, he took extra precautions to conceal its existence. He also compensated for his inability to see from that angle by emitting [[chakra]] around the area, giving him a way to sense what's approaching and slowing attacks enough to give him time to respond. However, he was able to increase his Byakugan's range over time: whereas he could only see things 50 metres away in Part I,<ref>Chapter 172, page 10</ref> by Part II he could see things from at least 800 metres.<ref>Chapter 263, page 8</ref>
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From early childhood, Neji had been hailed a natural genius even amongst the Hyūga clan.<ref>Chapter 79, page 16</ref><ref>Chapter 101, page 12</ref><ref name="chpt103">Chapter 103, page 5</ref> He was labelled the top-ranked rookie in his class, and was said by Lee to be the strongest [[genin]] to take the [[Chūnin Exams]] in Part I.<ref>Chapter 79, page 5</ref> His father even stated that with his talent, he could potentially surpass all other members of their clan.<ref name="chpt103" /> On the quest to retrieve Sasuke from the [[Sound Four]], Neji proved able to kill [[Kidōmaru]], a very capable subordinate of [[Orochimaru]] augmented by a Second Level [[Sound Four's Cursed Seals|Cursed Seal]]. Over the time-skip, while most of his friends only reach reached chūnin rank, Neji was the only one who skipped it to reach [[jōnin]] at age 15. He demonstrated himself worthy of this promotion by easily destroying three of [[Kisame Hoshigaki]]'s [[Water Clone Technique|water clones]] after breaking out of his [[Water Prison Technique]].<ref>Chapter 247, page 7</ref> Much of his true potential was ultimately realised as he was said to have surpassed everyone else in the Hyūga clan, including his [[Hiashi Hyūga|uncle]], by the Fourth Great Shinobi War.<ref name="d3" />
  
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=== Dōjutsu ===
  
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==== Byakugan ====
  
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[[File:Neji's Byakugan.PNG|thumb|left|Neji's Byakugan.]]
  
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As a member of the [[Hyūga clan]], Neji possessed the [[Byakugan]], a [[dōjutsu]] [[kekkei genkai]] which granted him near-360° vision, along with x-ray vision, and the ability to see chakra networks, amongst other things. The Byakugan however, does have a small blind spot located at the third upper thoracic vertebrae — a weakness of which Neji was actually aware of and took extra precaution in concealing it from opponents. While the Byakugan naturally has an immediate 50 metre field of vision when activated,<ref>Chapter 172, page 10</ref><ref>Chapter 195, page 9</ref> Neji was able to increase its range several times that by the start of Part II, to at least 800 metres.<ref>Chapter 263, page 8</ref> He was also noted to have a particularly strong Byakugan in comparison to the other members of the Hyūga clan.
  
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=== Taijutsu ===
  
=== Taijutsu ===
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With the Byakugan, Neji could see individuals' [[chakra pathway system]]s and the 361 [[tenketsu]] that run along it. Using the Hyūga's signature [[Gentle Fist]] fighting style, he could attack an opponent's chakra system directly, constricting or cutting off their chakra flow from only minimal contact. Because the chakra pathway system is closely intertwined with many of the body's major organs, debilitating and even fatal damage can be done just as easily. While Gentle Fist strikes are by default difficult to defend against, Neji's speed, precision, and general [[taijutsu]] prowess made him especially formidable at close range, requiring opponents to keep their distance if they hoped to compete with him. Even at a distance, however, Neji's Byakugan and keen reflexes made him difficult to hit.
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[[File:Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.png|thumb|Neji using the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.]]
  
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As a member of the Hyūga clan, Neji specialised in close-range [[taijutsu]] combat. In battle, Neji has shown tremendous agility and dexterity, capable of simultaneously dodging and striking an opponent with no wasted movement. His attacks are fast and fluid, precisely striking in rapid succession to leave very little time for his opponent to find an opening to counter.
  
   
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[[File:Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.png|thumb|left|Neji using the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.]]
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Neji's fighting style was the signature style of his clan, the [[Gentle Fist]], which takes advantage of the Byakugan's insight into people's [[chakra pathway system]]. Gentle Fist allows for severe internal trauma with minimal external force as it relies on surgical injection of [[chakra]] into an opponent's chakra pathway system. As Neji's Byakugan was stronger than most, and was able to see special nodes on the chakra network, called [[tenketsu]], Neji could use Gentle Fist to not only damage opponents, but control their chakra flow as well. Using the Gentle Fist, Neji could affect internal organs, and was capable of killing an opponent with a single strike should he aim to harm the heart. Training in the Gentle Fist style implies superior chakra regulatory control and mastery of the human chakra network. As a result, Neji could eject chakra from any tenketsu in his body as a means to slow or impede incoming projectiles. He can also release himself from chakra-based substances using this technique. Continuously maintaining this expulsion of chakra allowed Neji to create a quasi-sensory barrier around himself to detect anything that enters his immediate area, making up for the Byakugan's blind spot, although it rapidly depleted his chakra reserves as seen when this tactic was employed against [[Kidōmaru]].
  
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As a member of one of the Hyūga's branch houses, Neji was forbidden to learn many of the clan's strongest [[jutsu]]. Being so gifted, he had in spite of this been able to learn how to perform these techniques from observation. Offensively there is the [[Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms]], with which he attacked multiple targets at once, either an opponent's tenketsu to seal several at once or an incoming volley of projectiles; in the anime, he could [[Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms|double the number of strikes]]. Defensively, he could use [[Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven]] to expel chakra from his body and deflect all incoming attacks. His uncle, [[Hiashi]], was deeply impressed that Neji learned how to perform both of these abilities on his own, and by the end of Part I, started giving Neji special instruction in the Hyūga's other secret skills.
   
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[[File:Hakke Kūhekishō.png|thumb|left|Neji performing the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm with Hinata.]]
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[[File:Hakke Kūhekishō.png|thumb|right|Neji and Hinata combining their Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palms.]]
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In Part II, Neji began using the [[Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm]] to attack targets outside his physical range or push away incoming attacks; when performed in [[Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm|combination with others]], its strength is accordingly increased.<ref>Chapter 614, page 2</ref> If restrained and thus unable to use Revolving Heaven, he could [[Gentle Fist Art One Blow Body|release chakra from his tenketsu]] to free himself.
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Neji had learned many of the Hyūga clan's most powerful techniques, such as the [[Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven]], which allows him to repel every attack thrown at him. For more offensive means, he could use the [[Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms]] to rapidly dispatch enemies by rapidly striking many of their tenketsu, making it hard for them to both move and control chakra. In the anime, he could even [[Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms|double]] the number of strikes in the technique. Neji was also trained by his uncle Hiashi, who taught Neji all the other secrets of the Gentle Fist style. Since mastering these techniques, Neji has begun to refine and strengthen them for more specialised needs. In Part II he learned the [[Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm]], which allowed him to expel chakra from his palm to attack opponents out of his physical reach. In the anime, his Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm was strong enough to obliterate Kidōmaru's Cursed Seal Level 2-enhanced [[Spider Web Unrolling]], even inflicting a mortal wound on Kidōmaru so he would be vulnerable for sealing. Neji could also [[Cooperation Ninjutsu|collaborate]] with Hinata to perform the [[Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm]]. When trapped by an enemy, he could [[Gentle Fist Art One Blow Body|release chakra from his tenketsu]] to free himself. Working alongside his [[Hiashi Hyūga|uncle]], he could stop the [[Ten-Tails]]' tail from crushing the shinobi around them, with his Eight Trigrams Revolving Heaven reaching the same size as his uncle's, showing growth from the size in Part I.<ref>Chapter 614, page 2</ref>
  
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=== Ninjutsu ===
  
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==== Nature Transformation ====
  
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While taijutsu was his speciality, Neji also had proficiency in [[Fire]], [[Water]], and [[Earth Release]].<ref name="d4" />
  
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=== Intelligence ===
  
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As stated by [[Tsunade]], Neji had excellent instincts, both on the battlefield and as a leader. When forced to make difficult decisions on missions, he showed himself able to make a decision through keen observation and analysis. His observational skills were quite advanced, being able to deduce the workings of the Hyūga clan's secret techniques and use them effectively despite being forbidden to learn them as a member of the branch house, further exemplifying his status as a genius. In the anime, Neji was also shown to be a capable teacher, helping Hinata improve and refine her skills, among other things, her [[Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists]].<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 232</ref>
  
   
 
=== Stats ===
  
=== Stats ===
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== Part I ==
  
== Part I ==
 
=== Chūnin Exams ===
  
=== Chūnin Exams ===
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{{main|Chūnin Exams (Arc)|l1=Chūnin Exams}}
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[[File:Team Guy Part 1.PNG|thumb|right|Team Guy at the start of the Chūnin Exams.]]
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[[File:Team Guy Part 1.PNG|thumb|left|Team Guy preparing for the Chūnin Exams.]]
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During the first phase of the Chūnin Exams, Neji used his [[Byakugan]] to read off of other examinees' tests. During the second phase, Team Guy split up to find weak rival teams. Neji ran into [[Team 10]], but thought them too weak to bother with. When Team Guy later reunited, and Neji and Tenten realised that Lee was uncharacteristically late, they went looking for him. They found him after having been defeated by [[Team Dosu]]. Angered, Neji threatened to fight them, but decided not to, after noticing that [[Sasuke Uchiha]] had woken up. Once Sasuke drove off the [[Otogakure]] genin, Neji and Tenten took Lee away to recover, still managing to pass the round.
  
  +
After being held back from entering the [[Chūnin Exams]] the year before in order to hone their skills, [[Team Guy]] takes part in the Chūnin Exams occurring in Konoha. Neji, [[Tenten]], and [[Rock Lee]] decide to try and avoid drawing attention to themselves so that the other competitors will not team up against them, something they accomplish by allowing themselves to be bullied and acting defenceless when they are. During the first exam, Neji uses his [[Byakugan]] to copy off of other examinees' tests.
   
  +
After they pass to the second stage, taking place in the [[Forest of Death]], Team Guy splits up to search for weak, rival teams that they can take one of the scrolls they need from. Neji comes across [[Team 10]] during his search who, although he's isn't willing to pretend he doesn't know where they're hiding, he decides are too weak for him to bother with. When he returns to Team Guy's rendezvous point, he and Tenten find that Lee is uncharacteristically late. They go looking for him and find he's been defeated by [[Team Dosu]]. Neji prepares to fight them, confident he can beat them, but decides to let [[Sasuke Uchiha]] fight them instead after he senses Sasuke's chakra. Sasuke drives Team Dosu off and, while Tenten collects Lee, Neji observes Sasuke, intrigued by his skills.
⚫
[[File:Gentle fist.png|thumb|left|Neji vs. Hinata.]]
  
−
In the preliminary matches, Neji was paired up against Hinata. He attempted to have Hinata forfeit the match stating that people would never be able to change no matter how hard they tried, though Naruto snapped Hinata out of her rising panic and with this, the two cousins begin fighting. After exchanging blows using the [[Gentle Fist]]-style of their clan, Hinata seemed to defeat Neji, only for Neji to reveal that he had closed Hinata's chakra points, rendering her Gentle Fist useless. He also hit a chakra point close to one of Hinata's vitals moments beforehand, putting Hinata in critical condition. However, Hinata refused to back down, insisting that Neji was also fighting against what could not be changed. Enraged, Neji attacks Hinata, intent on administering a killing blow when most of the [[jōnin]] in attendance stepped in to save Hinata. After the fight, Naruto, angered by Neji's philosophy and treatment of Hinata, swiped up some of Hinata's blood, and swore to defeat Neji during the finals. Neji dismissed his threats, and watched Lee's match with [[Gaara]]. He was surprised by Lee's strength, but, after the fight, thought Lee was foolish to try to win by using a self-sacrificial method.
  
   
−
[[File:Naruto vs Neji.png|thumb|right|Neji fighting against Naruto in the Chūnin Exams finals.]]
 +
[[File:Gentle fist.png|thumb|right|Neji fights Hinata.]]
  +
Team Guy completes the second test, but in order to qualify for the finals they must take part in one-on-one preliminary matches. Neji observes the early matches to learn about people he may face in the finals before he is finally matched against [[Hinata Hyūga]]. Neji, who previously promised to [[Might Guy]] that he would not take any actions against Hinata during the exams, encourages Hinata to give up not only the match but also the life of a ninja, citing her meek personality and her lack of talent. His piercing analysis of her brings Hinata to tears, but she is motivated to continue by the encouragement of [[Naruto Uzumaki]]. In their first exchange of [[Gentle Fist]]-blows, Neji seals her [[tenketsu]], causing her attacks to have no effect on him.
−
Neji was pitted against Naruto in the first rounds of the finals. Neji was easily able to handle Naruto's shadow clones and several attacks used in unison with them. He was finally able to find the real Naruto and cut off his chakra flow but Naruto was determined to fight against Neji, and prove that fate was not predetermined despite listening to Neji's past. Naruto tapped into the power of the [[Nine-Tailed Demon Fox]] sealed within him, and was able to keep up with Neji for a time. Neji's [[Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven]] protected him from Naruto's attacks, but when he approached a supposedly defeated Naruto, Naruto sprang out of a tunnel he had dug in the ground, and delivered an uppercut to Neji in the jaw, defeating him. Neji was angry with himself for falling for Naruto's [[Shadow Clone Technique|signature technique]], but Naruto revealed that the technique used to be his worst one, and that he only became good at it through practice.
  
   
  +
Despite no longer having a way to damage Neji, Hinata keeps fighting. He continues encouraging her to forfeit and increases the amount of damage his blows do to her, but Hinata refuses to back down. Finally, after her internal organs are left badly injured and she has difficulty standing, Hinata uses Neji's words against him, arguing that he cares so much about destiny and being worthy of the Hyūga because his own destiny deprives him of the Hyūga's recognition. Neji is enraged and moves to kill her, but he is held back by Guy and the other observing [[jōnin]]. Nevertheless, Hinata collapses and is left in a critical condition from her injuries, Neji is declared the winner, and Naruto, moved by Hinata's perseverance and angered by Neji's actions, vows to defeat him during the finals. Neji watches the remaining matches and is amazed by Lee's performance against [[Gaara]]. After the preliminaries conclude, the first round matchups for the finals are selected and Neji is matched against Naruto.
⚫
[[File:Hiashi bows to Neji.png|thumb|left|Hiashi apologises to Neji.]]
  
  +
−
Neji then heard of his father's fate from his uncle (in the anime, it was changed to Neji reading a scroll written by his father, which explained everything), and broke down in tears. When Hiashi bowed before Neji, entreating his forgiveness, Neji asked him to rise and forgave him. Neji then silently told his father that he wished to finally have control over his destiny, and that he hoped to never lose again.
  
  +
[[File:Naruto vs Neji.png|thumb|left|Neji fights Naruto in the finals.]]
⚫
{{-L}}
  
  +
After a month of preparation, Naruto and Neji face each other. Naruto starts by using [[shadow clone]]s to engage Neji, trying to overwhelm his taijutsu skills with sheer numbers. Neji's Byakugan is unable to tell the shadow clones from the real Naruto and for that reason Naruto is able to land some blows, but Neji deflects them with [[Revolving Heaven]] and eventually seals Naruto's chakra with [[Sixty-Four Palms]]. Neji declares Naruto a failure who is destined to lose to him, a genius. When Naruto is unwilling to believe him, Neji explains [[Hizashi|his father]]'s death and the differences between the Hyūga's houses. Rather than convince Naruto that he is right, his words convince Naruto that Neji is wrong, as Naruto has personal experience with persevering despite others' expectations.
  +
  +
Although his own chakra is cut off, Naruto has another source: the [[Nine-Tails]]'. Neji is surprised by it and, unaware of what it is, is startled by the chakra's ferocity. Naruto's speed and strength are heightened dramatically, allowing him to keep up with Neji. Neji uses Revolving Heaven to deflect a particularly powerful blow, flinging both him and Naruto apart. When the smoke clears, Naruto lies defeated and Neji, assuming he's won, begins boasting. As he talks, Naruto bursts from the ground beneath him, knocking him out with an uppercut to the chin. Realising that the Naruto he saw defeated was a shadow clone covering the hole the real Naruto was digging towards him, Neji scolds himself for being defeated by Naruto's signature ability. In response, Naruto reveals that [[clone techniques]] were once his worst ability. Before he's declared the winner, Naruto tells Neji to stop holding his natural genius back with trivial concerns about fate.
  +
  ⚫
[[File:Hiashi bows to Neji.png|thumb|right|Hiashi apologises to Neji.]]
  +
As Neji recovers, he is visited by his uncle, [[Hiashi]], who was observing his match. Hoping to correct Neji's misconceptions, he explains the truth surrounding Neji's father's death: that Hizashi chose to die not in service to the main house as Neji has long thought, but because he wanted to protect Hiashi, his brother; in doing so, Hizashi selected his own fate. (In the anime, this is revealed to Neji in a letter written by his father before his death.) Neji does not believe the story since he's only hearing it now. Hiashi, having expected this and having no further proof, bows to Neji and begs his forgiveness for not telling him sooner. Neji is moved to tears by the gesture and bids Hiashi to stand, finally believing him. While watching the birds outside, Neji decides he'd like to choose his destiny just like his father did, and that he wants his destiny to be to never lose again.
   
 
=== Konoha Crush ===
  
=== Konoha Crush ===
  +
{{main|Konoha Crush (Arc)|l1=Konoha Crush}}
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In the anime during the [[Konoha Crush|invasion]], two [[Kumogakure]] ninja used the chaos as an opportunity to take Hinata. Reaching his cousin, Neji was nearly killed when Hiashi came to his nephew's aid. Upon being told by his uncle that he is the last memento of his late brother, Neji began to understand Naruto's words and see that he is not a slave to the clan as he thought he was. While the younger ninja questioned what his story had to do with Naruto, Neji explains that he chose to rescue Hinata because of the change of heart brought about by his defeat during his fight with Naruto in the Chūnin Exams. After the invasion of the village was staved off by the shinobi, Neji attended the [[Third Hokage]]'s funeral alongside the other villagers, mourning his death.
  
  +
In the anime, two [[Kumogakure]] ninja attempt to kidnap an unconscious Hinata during the confusion caused by the [[invasion of Konoha]]. The [[Hyūga Elder]] sends Neji, Tenten, and [[Kiba Inuzuka]] to rescue her. Once they catch up with them, Neji draws the Kumo-nin away while Tenten and Kiba escape with Hinata. He is able to defeat one, but is no match for [[Sekiei]]'s abilities and can only keep him busy until Hiashi arrives to defeat him.
   
  +
Several days after the invasion is successfully repelled, Neji attends the [[Third Hokage]]'s funeral.
−
=== Search for Tsunade ===
  
−
A little before Tenten met up with him, Neji was in a forest training with his Byakugan. As he attempted to locate birds with his Byakugan, he was able to see seven birds before Tenten arrived and announced that they had a new [[Hokage]]: [[Tsunade]] who had returned to Konoha. She also asked Neji to accompany her, but only he declines her offer, stating that he was not interested. Shortly after this, Neji realised that it had in fact been eight birds.
  
   
 
=== Sasuke Recovery Mission ===
  
=== Sasuke Recovery Mission ===
  +
{{main|Sasuke Recovery Mission}}
⚫
[[File:Your Opponent is Me!.png|thumb|right|Neji vs. Kidōmaru.]]
  
  +
Although Konoha emerges from the invasion victorious, the village suffers numerous casualties that leave it understaffed in the aftermath. When Sasuke Uchiha defects to [[Otogakure]], the only response the new [[Fifth Hokage]] is able to organise is the [[Sasuke Recovery Team]], a team of [[genin]] led by [[Shikamaru Nara]]. Neji, who is recommended for the team by Lee, watches their backs with his Byakugan while they follow Sasuke's escorts, the [[Sound Four]].
−
Neji was recruited as part of the [[Sasuke Retrieval Team|five-man team]] to retrieve Sasuke from the [[Sound Four]]. Neji was chosen to be the rear lookout in the single file line Shikamaru organised because of his ability to use the Byakugan. When, during the course of the mission, the team was captured by [[Kidōmaru]]'s webbing, Neji was able to free them with his [[Gentle Fist]], and sent them after the remaining members of the Sound Four while he fought Kidōmaru. Kidōmaru was able to analyse Neji's defences, and found the blind spot in the Byakugan.
  
   
  ⚫
[[File:Your Opponent is Me!.png|thumb|left|Neji fights Kidōmaru.]]
−
At one point in their fight, Kidōmaru summons a giant spider. The spider released many smaller spiders, and Neji used his [[Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms]] to stop them.
  
  +
Once they catch up with the Sound Four, Neji uses his Byakugan to help them plan their attack, which is foiled only by the unforeseen actions of [[Ukon]]; the Recovery Team is trapped in [[Jirōbō]]'s [[Earth Prison Dome of Magnificent Nothingness]]. Neji is able to locate a weakness in the prison's fortifications and they escape, but they must leave [[Chōji Akimichi]] behind to delay Jirōbō while they go after the remaining Sound Four. When they catch up again, [[Kidōmaru]] uses his webbing to bind them. Only Neji, with the refined chakra control courtesy of his Gentle Fist training, is able to break Kidōmaru's webs. He tells the others to go on without him, but first warns them that one-on-one fights are probably going to be a continuing trend.
   
  +
Kidōmaru tries to toy with Neji, binding his movements to the point that he cannot use his hands to break the webbing. Thinking Neji is defeated, Kidōmaru moves closer to finish him off. Neji takes that opportunity to release charka from his entire body, loosening the webs and giving him an opening to use Sixty-Four Palms. Kidōmaru prevents the sealing of his tenketsu with an [[Armour of Sticky Gold]] and falls back, unwilling to let Neji trick him like that again. He starts attacking Neji from afar to determine the range of his vision and the completeness of his defences. From this observation, he starts to suspect Neji's Byakugan has a blind-spot, something he confirms upon further testing.
−
Neji realised that Kidōmaru was more powerful than he was, but was determined to never give up, as he wanted to show those who considered him a genius that their faith in him was correct, and to prove that he no longer surrendered to fate. Neji was severely wounded when Kidōmaru managed to fire an arrow through his chest. However, he was able to keep it from hitting his heart by moving at the last moment.
  
   
−
[[File:Neji vs kidomaru.png|thumb|left|Neji finishes Kidōmaru with several deadly blows.]]
 +
[[File:Neji vs kidomaru.png|thumb|right|Neji finishes Kidōmaru.]]
  +
Kidōmaru recognises Neji as a formidable opponent and makes to finish him off with his [[Spider War Bow: Terrible Split]], firing it directly at Neji's blindspot. However, Neji, guessing his blindspot has been discovered, is able to dodge enough to prevent being struck in a vital place. Kidōmaru modifies his arrows, increasing their speed and strength so that Neji won't be able to dodge and attaching a thread to them so he can guide them in flight. Neji realises he can't avoid it and allows himself to be hit. He immediately afterwards sends a charge of chakra through the connecting thread back to Kidōmaru, paralysing him. Neji then personally locates Kidōmaru and delivers a fatal blow. As he dies, Kidōmaru warns that the Recovery Team won't be able to bring Sasuke back to Konoha. Neji disagrees, believing that Naruto alone will be able to get though to Sasuke, just as he got through to Neji during the Chūnin Exams.
−
After dodging yet another arrow, Neji realised that he couldn't stop the next one. He allowed the arrow to hit him - however, he prevented it from being fatal, and took advantage of the string attached to it that Kidōmaru used to guide its trajectory by channelling chakra through the web, severely injuring Kidōmaru. He then ran towards him, saying for the sake of those believe that he was a genius he could not lose, caught and struck the latter repeatedly with Gentle Fist.
  
   
−
Before he died, Kidōmaru said that Sasuke was beyond salvation, and couldn't be brought back to Konoha as he had made his own choice to leave. However, Neji proclaimed that Naruto would be able to save Sasuke from the darkness, as Naruto had saved him. Afterwards, Kidōmaru died, and Neji collapsed due to his injuries. He was critically injured after the battle, but was saved with the help of [[Shizune]] and other medical ninja with the [[Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique]].
 +
Neji is left in a critical condition due to his injuries and near death. Konoha eventually sends the [[Medic Corps]] after the Recovery Team. Neji is found, brought back to Konoha, and a team of medics mend his wounds using the [[Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique]].
−  
⚫
[[File:Hiashing training Neji.png|thumb|right|Neji training with Hiashi.]]
  
−
Later, in the anime, since making peace with his uncle Hiashi, the Hyūga clan leader decided to help oversee his nephew's training and as such Neji would regularly train with Hiashi when not on missions (in the manga, this takes place at the end of the Sasuke Recovery Mission<ref>Chapter 238</ref>). Also during this time, Neji began training with Hiashi in an attempt to hone Neji's skills. On missions, Neji was commonly the team leader for Team Guy when Guy was absent, and was more cautious and pragmatic than Naruto was.
 
   
 
=== Kurosuki Family Removal Mission ===
  
=== Kurosuki Family Removal Mission ===
  +
{{main|Kurosuki Family Removal Mission}}
−
In the anime, Neji was made leader of Team Guy (minus Guy sensei) with Naruto added as an extra member. After battling members of the [[Kurosuki Family]], Neji attempted to use his Byakugan against [[Raiga]] but [[Ranmaru]]'s kekkei genkai created illusions that he mistook for real people. During the second battle, he was easily defeated and knocked out. While he was unconscious, Tenten attempted to wake him up by feeding him the [[Curry of Life]] twice but due to his low tolerance to spicy food, he merely fell unconscious again.
  
  +
In the anime, Naruto and the members of Team Guy are sent to the [[Katabami Gold Mine]] to help deal with the [[Kurosuki Family]]. During their first confrontation with [[Raiga Kurosuki]], Neji's Byakugan is nullified by [[Ranmaru]]'s illusions. During their second confrontation, Neji is quickly knocked unconscious. Tenten attempts to revive him with the [[Curry of Life]], but he has a low tolerance for spicy food and consuming it only knocks him out again.
   
 
=== Academy Student Lead Mission ===
  
=== Academy Student Lead Mission ===
  +
{{main|Academy Student Lead Mission}}
−
In the anime, the [[Academy student]]s were divided into teams of three and were assigned to a genin who would lead them on a mission against the other teams. Neji was assigned to lead a team of three Academy students; [[Kōji]], [[Jin]] and [[Futaba]]. His time with them was not covered much except that he was doing better than Naruto. Neji instructed his students on how to use a watch as a compass.
  
  +
In the anime, Neji is put in charge of a team of [[Academy student]]s ([[Kōji]], [[Jin]] and [[Futaba]]) to teach them survival skills. Very little of their exercise is seen, but Neji does teach his students how to use a watch as a compass.
   
 
=== Star Guard Mission ===
  
=== Star Guard Mission ===
  +
{{main|Star Guard Mission}}
−
During this anime arc, Neji suggested that he and the others should concern themselves with finding the star, as the mission instructed, rather than with the potential dangers the star training had to the children. When the villagers confronted [[Akahoshi]], Neji initially refused to get involved, and when Naruto attacked Akahoshi after Akahoshi disabled Naruto's team-mates with an attack, he told Naruto that he would deny knowing anything about what Naruto did, unwilling to betray the client and erode people's trust in Konoha ninja. Despite saying this, when Tsunade reprimanded the group for Naruto's destroying the star to defeat Akahoshi, Neji accepted responsibility as team leader, before Tsunade revealed that, as Akahoshi was the client, no one would complain about their failing the mission.
  
  +
In the anime, Neji leads the [[Star Guard Team]] on a mission to [[Hoshigakure]]. After they arrive, Neji instructs the team to follow the mission's original instructions to locate the [[star]] rather than get involved in the village's affairs. When the village's issues become increasingly difficult to ignore, Neji informs Naruto that he will deny knowing anything about what Naruto chooses to do in the villagers' defence. However, when they return to Konoha having failed to prevent the star's destruction, Neji takes responsibility for the failure, but since Naruto defeated the client, [[Akahoshi]], during the ordeal, nobody's in a position to complain.
  +
  ⚫
=== Konoha Plans Recapture Mission ===
  +
{{main|Konoha Plans Recapture Mission}}
  +
In the anime, Neji and the rest of the [[Konoha 11]] are charged with halting the schemes of [[Gennō]]. He uses his Byakugan several times during the mission to locate the explosives Gennō plants around Konoha, preventing the destruction of the [[Academy]] and the [[Hokage Monument]].
   
 
=== Menma Memory Search Mission ===
  
=== Menma Memory Search Mission ===
  +
{{main|Menma Memory Search Mission}}
−
In thie anime, being assigned a mission, Neji suspected that [[Menma (anime)|Menma]] was an [[Otogakure]] ninja, and openly admitted to Menma that he didn't trust him. While testing the theory, he learned of Menma's incredible speed. His suspicions were confirmed in part when it was revealed that Menma was part of a bandit clan, but Menma remained on Naruto's side, and sacrificed himself to save a town from bandits.
  
  +
In the anime, Neji and Tenten are assigned to help Naruto recover [[Menma (anime)|Menma]]'s missing memories. Neji suspects that Menma is an [[Otogakure]]-ninja, a suspicion that turns out to be true. Despite his background, Menma remains Nartuo's ally throughout the mission and eventually sacrifices himself to save an innocent town from his former compatriots.
−  
⚫
=== Konoha Plans Recapture Mission ===
  
−
In the anime, Neji, along with the rest of the Konoha 11, were recruited by Shikamaru to investigate any traces of the trap master's plans. Using his Byakugan he found an explosive tag inside the Academy and discovered a wire that led to a log in which a thrown kunai hitting the bullseye would trigger an explosion that would potentially destroy the whole village. Neji later helped in locating all explosive tags through Konoha and joined Naruto and the genin in confronting the trap master, [[Gennō]], at the [[Hokage Monument]].
  
   
 
=== Sunagakure Support Mission ===
  
=== Sunagakure Support Mission ===
  +
{{main|Sunagakure Support Mission}}
−
In the anime, Neji, Hinata, and [[Shino]] try to help Shikamaru by clearing the areas. When the Konoha 11 gather to look at Gaara's fight, Neji explains about [[Seimei]]'s absorption ability that is affecting Gaara. After the mission, Neji suggests that Hinata should see Naruto leave Konohagakure in training with Jiraiya, being aware about the feelings Hinata has for Naruto. A similar scene happened after the Sasuke Recovery Mission in the manga.
  
  +
In the anime, Neji and the Konoha 11 are sent to help the [[Three Sand Siblings]] defeat the [[Four Celestial Symbols Men]]. Shikamaru, their team leader, assigns Neji, Hinata, and [[Shino Aburame]] to clear out the areas.
  +
  ⚫
[[File:Hiashing training Neji.png|thumb|left|Neji training with Hiashi.]]
  +
After they get back to Konoha - in a scene that happens at the end of the Sasuke Recovery Mission in the manga - Neji trains with Hiashi. When Hinata serves them drinks, Neji recommends that she see Naruto off rather than tend to them, as he is about to leave Konoha for several years of training.
  ⚫
{{-L}}
   
 
== Interlude ==
  
== Interlude ==
 
=== In Naruto's Footsteps: The Friends' Paths ===
  
=== In Naruto's Footsteps: The Friends' Paths ===
  +
{{main|In Naruto's Footsteps: The Friends' Paths}}
−
About two years after Naruto left the village to train with [[Jiraiya]], Konoha decided to host the Chūnin Exams early alongside [[Sunagakure]]. Once entering the exams, Neji and his team-mates were randomly split into different rooms to take the written test. On a monitor, Shikamaru as proctor explained that everyone only needs to answer one question on the test, but their team's combined score must equal exactly 100 points to pass. Calmly assessing the situation, Neji finally came up with an idea.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 396</ref> Neji explained that they could tell their team-mates which question to take by simply striking on the walls to create enough vibrations. After the message was sent and time was up, Shikamaru revealed a bonus question, asking which team member you would sacrifice in a situation that requires a decoy, noting that the the answer had to be unanimous and the person picked will be disqualified. Seeing through the nature of the question, Neji chose to keep his answer blank like his his team-mate, ultimately passing the first round. However, a race to Suna was issued where only the first 30 teams arriving would qualify for the second phase to lessen the participants.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 397</ref>
  
  +
In the anime, Konoha and [[Sunagakure]] hold a joint Chūnin Exam two years after Naruto's departure, which Team Guy once again enters. During the first exam, Neji, Lee, and Tenten are seated in different rooms and are tasked with getting a combined score of exactly 100 points on their written test despite their separation. Thinking it over, Neji comes up with the idea of producing vibrations on the walls to communicate to Tenten and Lee which questions to answer. After the initial testing period is over, they are given a bonus question: each team must unanimously select one of their members to disqualify from the rest of the exams. Team Guy selects nobody, which is the correct answer and which qualifies them for the next phase.
   
  +
Those who pass the first test must reach the [[Demon Desert]] within three days in order to participate in the second exam. Team Guy successfully does so and they are given the same objective as they had in the exam several years ago: obtain a scroll from another team. They are early on caught in various [[genjutsu]] set by members of [[Team Shira]], one of which causes them to wander into quicksand. Once Team Guy escapes and manages to track down Team Shira, they instead offer Team Shira assistance, helping them drive off another team. When asked why they would help, Neji explains that [[Shira]] is quite similar to Lee; Lee in fact finds himself so similar to Shira that he follows the attacking team out of anger, forcing Neji, Tenten, and Team Shira to go after him and rescue him.
−
Ultimately, Neji's team arrive in time to qualify. The following day, the second exam began. Each teams was each given either a Heaven or Earth scroll and were required to obtain the missing scroll from an enemy team and bring it to the main building in the center of the [[Demon Desert]] within three days. <ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 398</ref> As Neji's team began searching for enemies, they soon found themselves [[Cactus Genjutsu|wondering in circles]]. As the team dispelled the genjutsu, they soon encountered [[Team Shira]]. [[Sen]] removed another genjutsu, revealing to Neji's team that they were standing in quicksand and were dragged into Sand Waterfall Pit. After managing to escape the pit, they soon finding Team Shira again, saving them from their treacherous fellow Suna-nin. Afterwards, Shira asked the Konoha-nin why they came to their aid, to which Neji simply explained they felt compelled to help. As Neji asked why they attacked Shira's team at all, it was explained that they had no respect for Shira as a ninja since he held no skill in ninjutsu nor genjutsu.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 399</ref>
  
   
  +
Teams Guy and Shira get along well and, after Lee and Shira spar, the two teams agree to meet up during the finals. They later come across [[Team Ajisai]] and are immediately engaged in combat. Team Ajisai retreats shortly afterwards but are pursued by Team Guy, who believe they have the scroll they need. Their chase leads them to some old ruins, and during an ensuing fight Tenten and [[Ajisai]] fall through a collapsed floor. Neji recommends to Ajisai's teammates that they stop fighting in order to look for Tenten and Ajisai. The teammates agree, but leave to do so by themselves. Neji and Lee follow them despite this, coming to their aid when [[Team Komugi]] attacks them. Team Komugi is driven off and Teams Guy and Ajisai finally start working together. They eventually reunite with Tenten and Ajisai, who have become friends during their ordeal. The two teams part peacefully.
−
Recognising Shira's greater struggles than his own, Lee angrily went after the other Suna-nin to make them atone for their actions. Neji's and Shira's team soon caught up with the overzealous Lee and saved him from the Suna-nin's group assault. Despite leaving them prime for defeat, Shira arrived and begged the Konoha-nin to leave them be. After Neji's team agreed, The other Suna-nin however refused to shown sympathy, instead giving up their scrolls as they lost this battle.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 400</ref> After the other Suna-nin left, Lee challenged Shira, which the latter happiy accepts. Neji was quickly impressed at how formidable Shira was, able to match Lee's skill and sheer speed, along with his [[Silent Fist|unique fighting style]] and his ability to [[Tenketsu Blocking Strikes|block chakra points]]. As the two taijutsu fighters began going all-out, Lee with five of the Eight Gates and Shira using his self-created [[Seven Heavens Breathing Method]], the fight was ultimately called off because of Shira's previous wounds reopening. With both teams acknowledging each other, they all agreed to meet up later for the finals.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 401</ref>
  
   
  +
Team Guy gets caught in a sandstorm, from which they seek shelter in one of Tenten's protective domes.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 410</ref> After the storm clears they come across [[Matsuri]], who asks that they help [[Gaara]]. Team Guy rushes to the scene and finds that not only Gaara but also [[Fū]] - both of them [[jinchūriki]] - are having their [[tailed beasts]] [[Dharma Power Sealing Technique: Sen no Rikyū|extracted]] by [[Hōichi]]. While Lee and Fū's teammates distract Hōichi, Neji approaches Gaara and Fū to block their chakra points, halting the extraction. Hōichi's jutsu turns on him due to the severed connection and Neji, at Gaara's request, blocks his chakra points too, saving him. Gaara and Fū seprately thank Neji for his help, with Fū even specially requesting he become her friend.
−
On the third day of the exam, Neji's team ran into a team of [[Team Ajisai|Ame kunoichi]]. As Neji calmly asked the other team if they had an Earth scroll, they quickly attack Neji's team. After the initial skirmish, the enemies decided retreat, deciding that Team Guy was not the target they sought from their chakra levels. Despite this, Neji's team pursued the Ame-nin into an old ruins. During their continued battle, the ground collapsed, swallowing Tenten and Ajisai and separating them from their respective teams. Neji insisted to the other Ame-nin that they call off the battle as their respective team-mates were more important. While they agreed, the Ame-nin decided to go about saving their team-mate on their own.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 404</ref>
  
   
  +
Team Guy is not able to acquire the scroll they need but it ends up not mattering: the Chūnin Exams are prematurely cancelled. The remaining participants have a report on their performance sent back to their villages, leaving their promotion up to their superiors. The Fifth Hokage promotes all of Team Guy to [[chūnin]] and then gives Neji an additional promotion to [[jōnin]] because of the assistance he gave to Gaara, the [[Kazekage]].
−
Soon afterward, the Ame kunoichi were attacked by [[Team Komugi|another Konoha team]]. Neji and Lee quickly went to their aid. While the fellow Konoha-nin were shocked to see the two aiding another village, Neji insisted that they needed their help and that ultimately, there was no true alliance in the exams beyond one's own team. This prompted the other Konoha team to retreat now that the numbers were against them. From this, the Ame kunoichi finally agreed to work with Neji and Lee. Eventually, they found themselves attack by a colony of large ants. Lee decided to draw their attention while Neji and the others went on. Their combined sensory skills were able to find Tenten and [[Ajisai]], but the ruins were to collapsed for them to safely get through. Ultimately, Tenten was the one to break free and help reunite the team by unleashing a large surge of water. With crisis now over, both teams agreed to part ways peacefully.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 405</ref> Later, Team Guy was caught in a massive sandstorm. Tenten summoned a protective dome for them to wait out the storm.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 410</ref>
  
−  
−
After the storm cleared and they resumed their efforts to past the exam, they spotted [[Matsuri]], who begged for them to help save Gaara. Once arriving, Neji used his Byakugan and was shocked to see not only that the Taki kunoichi [[Fū]] was there and a jinchūriki as well, but that a Suna-nin [[Hōichi]] was attempting to [[Dharma Power Sealing Technique: Sen no Rikyū|extract]] both tailed beasts inside their respect ninja. Team Guy was soon approached by Fū's team-mates, where it was agreed to unite their efforts in saving the two jinchūriki. While the others went to distract the Suna-nin, Neji went with Tenten. Once approaching the jinchūriki, Neji used his Gentle Fist to block Gaara and Fū's chakra points, forcing the chakra chains binding Gaara and Fū to be removed. This came at Hōichi's expense as the chains soon turned on him and and ultimately bound him. As Gaara asked Neji to save the man, Neji used his Gentle Fist to block Hōichi's chakra points, ending the technique. After Gaara thanked Neji for his efforts, Fū quickly approached Neji, asking him to be her friend, to which the flustered Hyūga agreed while quickly asking her to let go of him.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 412</ref>
  
−  
−
Later, though still lacking a matching set, [[Team Guy]] decided to finish the exam and head to the main building. There, it was learned that the Chūnin Exams were to end early due to controversy happening in the second exam. Instead, it was decided by Gaara that a report on each participant would be sent to their respective village leader for them to decide if they would be promoted. Upon returning to the village, Tsunade decided to promote the entire Team Guy to chūnin status, but also further promoted Neji to jōnin status as recommended by Gaara, due to his performance in saving the Kazekage's life.<ref>''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 413</ref>
  
   
 
== Part II ==
  
== Part II ==
 
=== Kazekage Rescue Mission ===
  
=== Kazekage Rescue Mission ===
  +
{{main|Kazekage Rescue Mission}}
⚫
[[File:Neji attacks Kisame.png|thumb|left|Neji attacks Kisame.]]
  
  ⚫
[[File:Neji attacks Kisame.png|thumb|right|Neji attacks Kisame.]]
−
During the timeskip, Neji is the only member of the [[Konoha 11]] to advance to the rank of [[jōnin]]. At the start of Part II, Neji and the rest of Team Guy were sent to provide back-up for [[Team Kakashi]]. They were intercepted by [[Pakkun]], who redirected them to Team Kakashi's destination: an [[Akatsuki]] hideout. Along the way, they were confronted by [[Kisame Hoshigaki]], who quickly captured Neji, Tenten, and Lee in a [[Water Prison]]. Neji was able to free Lee and himself with his [[Gentle Fist]], allowing Lee to rescue Tenten. Afterwards they watched as Guy finished off Kisame. Upon Kisame's defeat they discovered that it was not really him they were fighting against, only a [[Shapeshifting Technique|lookalike]]. Realising they were being stalled, Pakkun led them off towards Team 7.
  
  +
The [[Fifth Hokage]] sends [[Team Guy]] to assist [[Team 7]] in rescuing the [[Fifth Kazekage]] from [[Akatsuki]]. While en route to an Akatsuki lair in the [[Land of Rivers]], Team Guy is attacked by [[Kisame Hoshigaki]]. Kisame is only interested in fighting [[Might Guy]], so he traps Neji, [[Tenten]], and [[Rock Lee]] in [[Water Prison]]s. Neji is eventually able to build up enough chakra to break free and release Lee and Tenten, but they miss their chance to rejoin the fight as Guy has already defeated Kisame. While examining the body afterwards, however, they discover it was only a [[Shapeshifting Technique|lookalike]] meant to stall them.
   
−
[[File:Neji vs clone.png|thumb|right|Neji evenly matched against his clone.]]
 +
[[File:Neji vs clone.png|thumb|left|Neji evenly matched against his clone.]]
−
When they convened with Team Kakashi, Team Guy was tasked with bringing down the barrier blocking the entrance to the Akatsuki lair. Neji used his Byakugan to find the seals keeping the barrier in place and directed the locations of them to his team-mates. Once they found the seals they simultaneously removed them, succeeding in removing the barrier but in the process were immediately ambushed by copies of themselves. Soon after Neji and his clone started fighting, matching each other attack for attack. After being evenly matched with his clone, Lee communicated to Neji and the rest of the team who were in the same situation and proposed a solution: to become stronger than they had been when the copies had been created. Upon listening to Lee's words, Neji managed to get the upper hand in his fight and defeated his clone.
 +
Once they rendezvous with Team 7, they discover a barrier placed over the entrance to the Akatsuki lair. Neji uses his Byakugan to locate where the seals maintaining the barrier are and he and the rest of Team Guy split up to remove them. Once the barrier is down, however, they are attacked by [[Mirrored Sudden Attacker Technique|duplicates of themselves]]. Neji, like the rest of Team Guy, struggles to defeat himself, and it is only by becoming stronger than he was at the time the duplicate was created that he is able to defeat his. Team Guy reunites with each other after winning their battles and they go after Team 7, arriving in time to cut off [[Deidara]]'s attempt to get away. Deidara uses a [[Suicide Bombing Clone]] to create an opening for him to escape.
   
  +
Although the Akatsuki members are gone and the Kazekage has been retrieved, the Kazekage has died. He is resuscitated by [[Chiyo]], who exchanges her life for his, and they all attend her funeral in [[Sunagakure]] a few days later. [[Kakashi Hatake]], too tired from his fight with Akatsuki, must be carried back to Konoha by Guy. Lee believes that this is a special training method and asks to be allowed to carry Neji in the same way, but Neji flatly refuses.
−
[[File:Team Guy finds Deidara.png|thumb|left|Team Guy confronts Deidara.]]
  
−
With their battles won, Team Guy reunited and went to meet up with Team 7 again. On their way Neji spotted [[Deidara]] with his Byakugan and the team manage to sneak up behind him in time to block his escape. After fighting the team, Deidara realised he was outmatched and he attempted to retreat with Team Guy perusing him. While on Deidara's tail Team Guy cornered him, leading him to make a [[Suicide Bombing Clone|exploding clone]], resulting in almost killing both teams were it not for [[Kakashi]]'s [[Kamui|intervention]]. Later when Chiyo began to use [[One's Own Life Reincarnation|a strange technique]], he mistook it as a medical ninjutsu, but later realised what it really was. After Gaara was rescued and their mission completed, both teams accompanied him back to his village and later paid their respects at Chiyo's grave. Soon after both teams left for Konoha. On the way back, Guy resorted to carrying Kakashi in order to move faster. Lee, seeing this as a new way of training, requested Neji to go on his back, but Neji entirely refused. Later both teams arrived back in Konoha.
  
   
 
=== Akatsuki Suppression Mission ===
  
=== Akatsuki Suppression Mission ===
  +
{{main|Akatsuki Suppression Mission}}
−
After [[Asuma Sarutobi]]'s death, Neji can be seen at his funeral mourning his loss alongside the other villagers in the anime.
  
  +
In the anime, Neji attends [[Asuma Sarutobi]]'s funeral.
   
 
=== Pain's Assault ===
  
=== Pain's Assault ===
  +
{{main|Pain's Assault (Arc)|l1=Pain's Assault}}
−
[[File:Sakura healing Hinata.png|thumb|right|Neji looking on as Sakura attempts to save Hinata.]]
 +
[[File:Sakura healing Hinata.png|thumb|right|Neji watches as Hinata is healed.]]
−
When [[Pain]] began his attack on Konoha, Team Guy was away on a mission. During a pit-stop on their return home, they noticed a number of birds apparently escaping from the village. They rushed to the village, Neji using his Byakugan to see what he could find out before their actual arrival. With it, he noticed a defeated [[Gamabunta]], who told them of the village's destruction. Upon their return, they found [[Hinata]] badly injured, and they quickly got her medical attention after Tenten noted that her wounds weren't fatal. After Hinata was healed, they later learned that Naruto had defeated Pain. Neji insisted on going to help him confront [[Nagato]], even though [[Naruto]] did not want back-up, saying that it was too reckless for Naruto to go alone when he was exhausted. Despite this, he remained in the village, and greeted Naruto with the other ninja upon his return.
  
  +
Team Guy returns to Konoha after completing a mission. As they approach the village's outskirts they find a defeated [[Gamabunta]], who informs them of the ongoing [[invasion of Pain]]. They rush back to the village and, upon arrival, find [[Hinata Hyūga]] badly injured from her fight with [[Pain]]. Tenten assures Neji that Hinata's wounds aren't life-threatening, but he nevertheless locates immediate medical attention for her. They are shortly afterwards informed that Pain has been defeated by [[Naruto Uzumaki]], and they all join in the celebration when Naruto returns to the village.
   
 
=== Five Kage Summit ===
  
=== Five Kage Summit ===
  +
{{main|Five Kage Summit (Arc)|l1=Five Kage Summit}}
−
[[File:Konoha 11 meeting.png|thumb|left|The "Konoha 11" meet to discuss Sasuke.]]
 +
[[File:Konoha 11 meeting.png|thumb|left|The Konoha 11 meet.]]
−
When news reaches Konoha of [[Sasuke]]'s recent dealings with [[Akatsuki]], Neji and the rest of the [[Konoha 11]] decide that they should personally kill Sasuke before he involves the village in a war. When Naruto returns to the village, the Konoha 11 try to find out what happened in the [[Land of Iron]]. Neji then asks Naruto if Sasuke was in such a weakened state why didn't he kill him, but Sakura notes that Sasuke was not alone and doing so would not have been an easy feat.
  
  +
News reaches Konoha of [[Sasuke Uchiha]]'s recent activity with Akatsuki, specifically his attack against [[Kumogakure]]-ninja. Neji and the rest of the [[Konoha 11]] (sans Naruto) decide that Sasuke can no longer be allowed to implicate Konoha in his criminal deeds and they resolve to personally kill him. When Naruto returns to Konoha after learning of this and having his own confrontation with Sasuke, he requests that they leave dealing with Sasuke to him.
−
{{-L}}
  
  ⚫
{{-}}
   
 
=== Power ===
  
=== Power ===
−
{{Main|Power (Arc)}}
 +
{{Main|Power (Arc)|l1=Power}}
−
In the anime, Neji was one of the Konoha-nin sent for backup for Team Kakashi. Arriving he battled [[Kabuto Yakushi]]'s reincarnated ninja. After catching Hinata who was flung by the four tails snake clone of Naruto, he and the other Konoha-nin moved the villagers to a save place as the clone of Naruto grew colossal and went berserk. Later, after Naruto beats his clone he and the rest of the ninja return to Konohagakure.
 +
In the anime, Neji is part of a team of reinforcements sent to [[Tonika Village]] to help Team 7 in the fight against [[Kabuto Yakushi]]. He rescues Hinata from the [[Nine-Tailed Naruto Clone]] and later helps evacuate the villagers when the clone starts going berserk. Naruto eventually defeats it and they return to Konoha.
   
 
=== Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation ===
  
=== Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation ===
  +
{{Main|Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation}}
−
[[File:Gentle Fist Art One Blow Body.png|thumb|right|Neji freeing himself from a White Zetsu.]]
  
  ⚫
[[File:Hinata and Neji.png|thumb|right|Neji and Hinata protecting each other.]]
−
When the [[Fourth Shinobi World War]] began, Neji was placed in the [[Second Division]]. The Second Division was sent to intercept part of the [[White Zetsu Army]]. Part of the [[Fifth Division]] joined them, and Neji updated them on the plan of attack. When division-commander [[Kitsuchi]] unearthed the Zetsu army, the entire division attacked, with Neji joining forces with Hinata to perform the [[Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm]].
  
  +
When the [[Fourth Shinobi World War]] begins, Neji is placed alongside Hinata in the [[Second Division]]. Their entire division is sent to intercept a large segment of the [[White Zetsu Army]], which Neji and Hinata [[Eight Trigrams Vacuum Wall Palm|join forces]] in attacking after [[Kitsuchi]] unearths the Zetsu army. Although the Zetsu suffer heavy casualties, their numbers are too great and the fight becomes one of attrition. Neji, growing tired from the prolonged battle, has some of his [[chakra]] absorbed by a Zetsu before he can fend it off. (Unbeknownst to him, the Zetsu later uses the chakra to [[Substitute Technique|impersonate him]] and infiltrate the [[Logistical Support and Medical Division]], killing five [[medical-nin]].) He and Hinata continue fighting into the night, protecting each other. Once night falls, Neji is too tired to stand but also too stubborn to get medical attention, opting instead to rest on [[Akamaru]]'s back.
−  
⚫
[[File:Hinata and Neji.png|thumb|left|Neji and Hinata protecting each other during battle.]]
  
−
The Zetsu prove very resilient to damage and the battle dragged on, with one Zetsu almost managing to trap Neji and absorb some of his chakra. He used [[Gentle Fist Art One Blow Body]] to free himself, but noticed that the Zetsu absorbed some of his chakra. As the battle raged on, Hinata and Neji fought side-by-side protecting each other's back.
  
−  
−
As nightfall approached after the first day of the war, Neji rested alongside Hinata, Kiba, Akamaru and Shino. Exhausted from prolonged use of his Byakugan, [[Kiba]] urged him to visit the [[Logistical Support and Medical Division]] for treatment but Neji refused, and continued to use his Byakugan until he collapsed, causing Shino and Hinata to take over his scouting duties. Unbeknownst to Neji, the white Zetsu that had absorbed his chakra previously [[Substitute Technique|impersonated]] him and infiltrated the medical compound, killing five [[medical-nin]] before being stopped by [[Sakura]]. The real Neji was in actuality still on the battlefield, being carried on [[Akamaru]]'s back.
  
   
−
As the second day of war starts, they once again engaged the [[White Zetsu Army]] clones who had this time impersonated their comrades. Neji who was seemingly rested, in the anime, he is shocked to find the familiar [[Spider Web Unrolling|chakra webs]] of [[Kidōmaru]]. After freeing his allies with his Gentle Fist, he spots the reincarnated Sound ninja, drawing him out with a substitution technique. Neji quickly overwhelms him with his new [[Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm|long-range Gentle Fist]]. However, his victory is short-lived, as Kidōmaru engulfs them in a [[Space–Time Technique Formula: Underworld Turnover|strange seal]]. Neji's body was left in a comatose state while his soul was sent to a new location where it was reanimate within a large barrier. Inside, the inhabitants are able to battle normal. However, the Sound Four inform their enemies that in time, their actual bodies' halted chakra flow will eventually cause them to die. In addition, killing the Sound Four will not undo the technique. Despite the initial stalemate, the Sound Four's enhanced Cursed Seals grow even stronger from their accumulated malice, quickly overwhelming the Konoha ninja. Seeing that, Shikamaru begins to intentionally provoke them, knowing that Naruto's new [[Negative Emotions Sensing|senses]] would pick up on it. Eventually, Naruto finds them and breaks through the barrier, allowing Inoichi, through a telepathic connection, to release the technique and restore Neji and the others to their bodies. Upon awakening, Neji is tearfully hugged by a relieved Hinata.
 +
In the anime, on the second day of fighting, Neji is confronted by a [[Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation|reincarnated]] [[Kidōmaru]]. Stronger now than he was when he last fought Kidōmaru, Neji frees his allies that have been trapped by Kidōmaru's webbing and then easily defeats him with [[Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm]]. This activates a [[Space–Time Technique Formula: Underworld Turnover|seal]] that leaves Neji comatose and traps his and the souls of the other [[Sasuke Recovery Team]]'s members in a barrier where they are forced to fight the [[Sound Four]] until their real bodies eventually die. Aware of Naruto's new ability to sense negative emotions, [[Shikamaru Nara]] provokes the Sound Four during their battle, making them angry enough to attract Naruto's attention. Naruto soon arrives, breaks through the barrier, and, with help from [[Inoichi Yamanaka]], restores their souls to their bodies.
   
  +
The Second Division's fight with the Zetsu Army continues until one of Naruto's [[shadow clone]]s arrives to finish off all that remain. In the anime, Naruto arrives just in time to save Hinata from a Zetsu that Neji, preoccupied elsewhere, was not present to stop. He is grateful for Naruto's assistance.
−
Later, confronted by one of the transformed Zetsu, Kiba called out to him that Hinata is in danger. Quickly dispatching the shinobi, Neji cursed that he would not make it to Hinata in time and watches on with horror as his cousin is plummeted into a mountain-side only to be revealed as a Zetsu clone. As Naruto passes overhead, Neji wonders if it was really him before following after Kiba and Akamaru. He arrives in time to see that it was in fact Naruto and that he had protected Hinata from an enemy attack. After telling Kiba and an Iwa-nin that he did not realise that it was him because of his change in appearance and chakra signature. Demanding that Naruto prove that he is who he says he is, Hinata said there was no need for that because he came to their rescue. The group then mobilised to finish off the rest of the enemies. After being informed by [[Inoichi]] from HQ that Naruto and [[B]] were fighting the "''[[masked Madara]]''", Neji and the [[Konoha 11]] rush to his aid.
  
   
 
=== Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax ===
  
=== Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax ===
  +
{{Main|Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax}}
−
[[File:Hyuga shield.png|thumb|The Hyūga declare that they will protect Naruto.]]
 +
[[File:Hyuga shield.png|thumb|left|The Hyūga protecting Naruto.]]
−
Arriving to the front of the battlefield, Neji informed Naruto that he was the key to the new battle strategy, and before he could tell him what had happened to [[Inoichi]] and [[Shikaku]], the [[Ten-Tails]] attempted to attack the group again. Rushing to his uncle's side, and following his orders, the two Hyūga used the [[Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven]] to deflect the beast's attack, gaining the praise of others on the battlefield for their prowess. Echoing his uncle's later sentiments that people might die on the battlefield and that it was better for a parent to know that they died before their children, as his own father had, Neji, Hiashi and Hinata declared that they would protect Naruto on the battlefield. As the battle between the Alliance and the beast waged on, Neji was able to buy Naruto enough time to enter [[Sage Mode]] and use the [[Rasenshuriken]], but when the beast used a single fast-moving pinpoint attack they were unable to deflect it in time.
  
  +
Neji and the rest of the [[Allied Shinobi Forces]] are sent to assist Naruto in his battle with the [[Ten-Tails]]. Recognising how crucial Naruto is to the war's victory, Neji, Hinata, and [[Hiashi]] join forces to block attacks directed at him. The Ten-Tails' attacks rapidly become too numerous and Neji and Hiashi must break away to protect the other Allies from the Ten-Tails too. In their absence, the Ten-Tails fires several volleys of [[wood]] projectiles at Naruto, which Hinata uses her body to defend him from. Neji arrives in time to protect her in turn with his own body, mortally wounding him.
   
−
[[File:Neji dies.png|thumb|left|Neji dying on Naruto's shoulder.]]
 +
[[File:Neji dies.png|thumb|right|Neji dying on Naruto's shoulder.]]
−
Hinata flung out her arms to protect Naruto, but Neji intercepted the attack and protected the both of them, becoming impaled by them as [[Kitsuchi]] subdued the Ten-Tails and Hiashi looked on in horror. Naruto shouted for a medic, to which Neji, accepting his fate, explained that it was too late for him. Neji explained to Naruto that Naruto's life also contained the life of Hinata and himself, due to their willingness to die for Naruto. When asked by a devastated Naruto why he, a genius from the Hyūga clan, sacrificed his life for him, Neji remembered his fight with Naruto in the [[Chūnin Exams (Arc)|Chūnin Exams]], and told Naruto that he did it because he called him a genius. He then mused that he finally understood his father's choice of sacrifice to protect his friends. As he passed away, Neji's [[Hyūga Main Family's Juinjutsu|juinjutsu]] activated, and his [[Byakugan]] was sealed forever.
 +
Naruto calls for a medic but Neji accepts the fact that he can't be saved. He collapses over Naruto's shoulder and tells him to not to put his life at risk in the future, as he is now responsible for many other lives in addition to his own, of which one is Hinata's. Naruto questions why Neji would give his life for him, to which Neji responds that it is because Naruto once called him a "genius". Neji dies, finally knowing what it was like for [[Hizashi|his father]] to choose to die for his friends. Upon death, the [[Hyūga main family's juinjutsu]] activates, sealing his Byakugan.
−
{{-L}}
  
−  
−
=== Kaguya Ōtsutsuki Strikes ===
  
−
Neji's body was later recovered from the battlefield, and he was buried in the [[Konoha Cemetery]] after the war ended.
  
   
 
== Legacy ==
  
== Legacy ==
−
[[File:Neji's grave.png|thumb|Neji's grave.]]
 +
[[File:Neji's grave.png|thumb|left|Neji's grave.]]
  +
[[Obito Uchiha]] uses Neji as an example of the type of countless death that will keep occurring if [[Naruto]] and the [[Allied Shinobi Forces]] continue fighting. Rather than mourn Neji by surrendering, they celebrate his sacrifice with a counterattack in his memory: Naruto gives [[version 1]] cloaks to the entire Allied Forces and they manoeuvre into a bird-shaped formation, together breaking out of a prison created by the [[Ten-Tails]] and subsequently releasing it from Obito and [[Madara Uchiha]]'s control.
−
Because Neji died in Naruto's arms, [[Obito Uchiha]] sought to use Neji's death to break Naruto's resolve. Hinata however reminded Naruto of Neji's final words and not to give into Obito's ideal. Though his comrades, particularly Rock Lee, were shocked that Neji had been killed, Neji's sacrifice ultimately strengthened the resolve of those within the Alliance to follow his example and fight to keep the bonds they had. To this end, Neji became a martyr for the Allied Forces and his death inspired many.
  
  +
−
{{-}}
  
  +
After the war is won, Neji's body is taken back to Konoha and he is buried alongside the many other casualties. Though he is gone, he remains in the thoughts of those who knew him: in ''[[Konoha Hiden]]'', [[Rock Lee]] regularly dreams of Neji, but the dreams never last long enough for Lee's liking; at Naruto and [[Hinata]]'s wedding, [[Hanabi Hyūga]] holds a picture of Neji during the ceremony; years later, Hinata regularly visits Neji's grave with her daughter, [[Himawari Uzumaki]], who, though she never met him, regards him as her uncle.<ref>As Neji's father and Hinata's father are identical twins, Neji and Hinata could be considered half-siblings, thus making the "uncle" title fitting.</ref>
   
 
== In Other Media ==
  
== In Other Media ==
 
=== Movies ===
  
=== Movies ===
 
==== Naruto Shippūden the Movie ====
  
==== Naruto Shippūden the Movie ====
  +
{{Main|Naruto Shippūden the Movie}}
−
Neji, replacing [[Kakashi Hatake]], led a group comprised of himself, Naruto, [[Rock Lee]], and [[Sakura]] on a mission to protect [[Shion]], a priestess destined to save the world from the demon, [[Mōryō]]. The group arrived at Shion's temple to discover it already under attack by [[The Gang of Four]]. Naruto, having recklessly charged into the fray, got himself trapped, prompting to Neji send Sakura and Lee to his aid. Noticing that Shion was being pursued by [[Kusuna]], he caught up with her to narrowly prevent what would have been a fatal blow, forcing Kusuna to retreat.
  
  +
Neji leads a team consisting of Naruto, [[Rock Lee]], and [[Sakura Haruno]] on a mission to the [[Land of Demons]] to protect [[Shion]], a priestess. Naruto arrives at Shion's temple ahead of the rest of the team and is trapped by [[the Gang of Four]], requiring they rescue him once they catch up. Neji himself also saves Shion from [[Kusuna]] during the initial encounter. Seeing that the enemy uses a number of [[fire]]-based jutsu, the team and Shion retreats through a torrent of [[water]] in order to neutralise their abilities, only to discover that the enemy can use water jutsu too.
   
  +
Naruto and Lee run off to engage their attackers, leaving Neji and Sakura solely in charge of protecting Shion. To make an escape to safety easier, Neji knocks Shion out and retreats with her into the forest. They are followed by Kusuna and [[Setsuna]]. Neji remains behind to stall, deflecting Setsuna's [[Wind Release: Rotating Shuriken]] with [[Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven]]. He eventually discovers that the Kusuna he's fighting is actually a [[puppet]] controlled by Setsuna. He rushes after Sakura and Shion and arrives in time to save Sakura at least, but Shion has received a fatal, toxic bite from the real Kusuna. This Shion, however, is actually [[Taruho]], who disguised himself as her to protect the real Shion from harm.
−
Later during the mission, Neji led the group, now with Shion and [[Taruho]], through a large torrent because he had seen the enemy group fighting with fire. However, he was proven wrong when [[Shizuku]] attacked them with [[Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique]]. This surprised Neji, as he detected no water-natured chakra in Shizuku during their first encounter. Once he and the others reached higher ground, Neji used his [[Byakugan]] to locate [[Shizuku]]. Lee and Naruto impulsively ran off to engage Shizuku and [[Gitai]], leaving only Neji and Sakura behind to guard Shion. To quickly distance Shion from their pursuers, Neji knocked her out, and fled to the forest with Sakura, the priestess unconscious on her back.
  
   
  +
Neji and Sakura reunite with Lee and they distract the Gang of Four while Naruto helps Shion seal [[Mōryō]]. From hearing about Lee's fight with the gang's other members, Neji theorises that they receive their chakra from an external source. They provoke the gang into depleting their chakra and, when Kusuna moves in to replenish the chakra they've used, Neji kills him, leaving the rest of the Gang of Four unable to fight. The mission accomplished, the team waits for Naruto to return with Shion.
−
Neji and Sakura were pursued by Kusuna and [[Setsuna]]. Telling Sakura to go ahead with Shion, Neji engaged the two enemies, hoping to stall them. Setsuna assailed Neji with [[Wind Release: Rotating Shuriken]], which Neji deflected using Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. However, Neji later realised that Kusana had been a puppet all along and Setsuna was merely playing decoy. Fearing for Sakura and Shion's safety, he rushed to save them. He was too late. While Neji managed to prevent Sakura from receiving a fatal, toxic bite, he failed to save Taruho, who had taken on Shion's appearance to also act as a decoy.
  
−  
−
Later in the movie, Neji sent Naruto to aid Shion in sealing the demon while he, Lee, and Sakura battled their enemies. Neji learned from Lee's fight with Gitai that the enemy ninja received chakra from an unusual source. The three of them provoked an attack from The Gang of Four and remained on the defensive until they depleted their chakra. Before Kusana could perform the chakra injections, Neji killed him with a slightly upgraded version of Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, effectively crippling the remaining Gang of Four.
  
−  
−
At the end of the movie, Neji waited alongside with everyone else, waiting for Naruto and Shion to reappear from the mountain.
  
   
 
==== Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Bonds ====
  
==== Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Bonds ====
  +
{{Main|Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Bonds}}
−
Neji made a few short appearances in this movie. He was first seen rescuing children when ninja from the [[Land of the Sky]] when they attacked Konoha. Using his [[Byakugan]], he scanned the Sora-nin's equipment to discover that chakra circulating though their Winged Mechanical Devices enabled the Land of the Sky ninja to fly. He later relayed this information to Shikamaru, who pinpointed the location of the Land of the Sky carriers.
  
  +
When the [[Land of the Sky]] attacks Konoha, Neji rescues children caught in the fighting. He also uses his [[Byakugan]] to analyse the Sky ninja's flying equipment and determines that they're powered by [[chakra]]. He relays this information to [[Shikamaru]], who is able to pinpoint the location of the Land of the Sky carriers. Neji is later sent as part of a force to provide backup for Shikamaru's team, but the Land of the Sky's base is already in the process of being destroyed when they arrive.
−  
−
Neji reappeared at the end of the movie, where he, [[Chōji]], [[Yamato]], and Sakura ran into Shikamaru's group. There, Neji wondered what was happening in the Land of the Sky's base as it was being destroyed by Shino's [[kikaichū]].
  
   
 
==== Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Will of Fire ====
  
==== Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Will of Fire ====
  +
{{Main|Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Will of Fire}}
−
Neji made many appearances in the movie. He was first seen at Naruto and Sai's recovery party. He then was included in the mission to bring Naruto and Sakura back, and was instrumental in defeating the monster created by the [[Chimera Technique]] with [[Hinata]] using the [[Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms]]. At the end of the movie, he and [[Sai]] are on a rock as Sai explains that after going through life and death could breed love meaning [[Kakashi Hatake]] could be in love, freaking Naruto out.
  
  +
Neji assists at various points in the battle with [[Hiruko (missing-nin)|Hiruko]] and his forces. He and Lee defeat [[Ichi]] with their combined [[Front Lotus: Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven]]. Later, he and [[Hinata]] arrive in time to land a finishing blow against a creature created with the [[Chimera Technique]].
   
 
==== Naruto the Movie: Blood Prison ====
  
==== Naruto the Movie: Blood Prison ====
  +
{{Main|Naruto the Movie: Blood Prison}}
−
Neji appears along with the other members of the Konoha 11, Kakashi, Yamato, Guy, Shizune, and Tsunade to help save Naruto from the [[Hōzuki Castle]] and help defeat [[Satori]].
  
  +
Neji is part of the team sent to the [[Blood Prison]] to rescue Naruto, who was wrongly imprisoned there.
   
 
==== Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie ====
  
==== Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie ====
  +
{{Main|Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie}}
−
Neji first appeared alongside his friends battling several [[White Zetsu Army|Zetsu clones]] disguised as deceased Akatsuki members. Later in the [[Genjutsu World|alternate world]], different Neji appeared. Compared to the Neji that Naruto and Sakura know, this one is very immature with a lively personality and a huge pervert that has no regrets abusing his Byakugan to shamelessly peep on girls constantly, making his personality very similar to Jiraiya, which typically earns him a beating from the alternate Hinata.
  
  +
Neji and the rest of the [[Konoha 11]] fight off an attack by what seems to be the entire [[Akatsuki]] roster, but what are actually disguised parts of the [[White Zetsu Army]]. When Naruto and Sakura are sent to the [[Genjutsu World]], they meet that world's Neji: he is an immature pervert who shamelessly uses his Byakugan to observe women while they bathe. That world's Hinata regularly beats him in punishment when he is inevitably caught.
   
 
=== Video Games ===
  
=== Video Games ===
Line 227: Line 216:
 
== Trivia ==
  
== Trivia ==
 
{{youthwiki|Neji Hyūga}}
  
{{youthwiki|Neji Hyūga}}
−
* The name "Neji" means {{translation|"screw/whirl"|螺子}}, which may be referring to his Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. Is possible to be a play on "Nejia", an internal Chinese martial art that focuses on developing internal chi through whirling and spinning techniques. His family name "Hyūga" means {{translation|"place in the sun"|日向}}.
+
* The name "Neji" means {{translation|"screw/whirl"|螺子}}, which may be referring to his Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. It's also possibly a play on "Nejia", an internal Chinese martial art that focuses on developing internal chi through whirling and spinning techniques. His family name "Hyūga" means {{translation|"place in the sun"|日向}}.
 
* According to the databook(s):
  
* According to the databook(s):
 
** Neji's hobby was [[Wikipedia:Meditation|meditation]].
  
** Neji's hobby was [[Wikipedia:Meditation|meditation]].
Line 235: Line 224:
 
** Neji's favourite phrase was {{translation|"Flying leap"|飛躍|hiyaku}} which refers to making rapid progress in something.
  
** Neji's favourite phrase was {{translation|"Flying leap"|飛躍|hiyaku}} which refers to making rapid progress in something.
 
** Neji's personality had been described as cool and realistic.
  
** Neji's personality had been described as cool and realistic.
  ⚫
* In an interview, [[Masashi Kishimoto]] stated that the origin of the name [[Boruto]] is from Neji, who brought Naruto and Hinata together, and can have the meaning of connecting. Boruto (bolt) is another way of saying Neji (screw).<ref>[http://news.walkerplus.com/article/53079/ Masashi Kishimoto's Interview Announcement of ''Boruto: Naruto the Movie'' Plus Comments on ''The Last'']</ref>
−
* When Neji was first seen in the manga, his hair tie was higher, directly below his head. However, after the second part of the Chūnin Exams, it moved lower, to the hairstyle he has now. In the anime, he had the newer hairstyle nearly the whole time.
  
  +
* Neji places well in the [[Naruto Character Popularity Polls]], reaching an all-time high of sixth most popular; he and [[Rock Lee]] are roughly matched in overall popularity.
−
* In the manga, his curse mark is a [[Wikipedia:Sauwastika|Manji]], a common symbol used in [[Wikipedia:Buddhism|Buddhism]], instead of an X in the anime. It was edited to avoid confusion, as the manji looks similar to the symbol of the [[Wikipedia:Nazi Party|Nazi]].
  
−
* Neji shares his relation as first cousin once-removed with [[Boruto]] and [[Himawari]]. Despite being a cousin to Himawari, she calls him uncle out of respect just as Hinata calls him her brother,<ref>Chapter 700, page 4</ref> in view of genetics in some regions, Neji might be considered as uncle, since Hinata and Neji fathers' are identical twins, Neji and Hinata could be considered as half-siblings, but they are indeed first cousin in relation to each other.
  
⚫
** In an interview, Kishimoto stated that the origin of the name Boruto is from Neji, who brought Naruto and Hinata together, and can have the meaning of connecting. Boruto (bolt) is another way of saying Neji (screw). Because of that nuance, Kishimoto named him Boruto.<ref>[http://news.walkerplus.com/article/53079/ Masashi Kishimoto's Interview Announcement of ''Boruto: Naruto the Movie'' Plus Comments on ''The Last'']</ref>
  
−
* In the ''Naruto'' character popularity polls, Neji was placed 12th in the first, 13th in the second, 10th in the third, 6th in the fourth, 7th in the fifth and 8th in the sixth. He finished 10th in the seventh, 15th in the eighth and 13th in the ninth and most recent. While at first Neji was in between 10 and 19 in most of the character popularity polls, and Lee was in the Top 10, Lee has gradually become less popular, while Neji has become more popular, even though the two had equal exposure. However, in an overall tally of all of their scores, Lee and Neji made it to the Top 10.
  
 
* Neji and Tenten have the same theme song in the anime, but Tenten's has a slower beat, and Neji's is more upbeat.
  
* Neji and Tenten have the same theme song in the anime, but Tenten's has a slower beat, and Neji's is more upbeat.
−
* In an [[Omake#Neji Chronicles|omake]] in ''Naruto: Shippūden'' [[Surpassing the Master|episode 156]], Naruto highlights how Neji doesn't appear much in ''Shippūden'' in contrast to his team-mates Lee and Tenten, who appeared in the anime-only [[Three-Tails' Appearance]]. Neji argues that, as a jōnin, he is constantly away on missions and never has free time.
 +
* In an [[Omake#Neji Chronicles|omake]] for [[Surpassing the Master|''Naruto: Shippūden'' episode 156]], Naruto points out how Neji doesn't appear in ''Naruto: Shippūden'' very often, whereas Lee and Tenten frequently do. Neji argues that, as a jōnin, he is constantly away on missions and never has free time.
−
* Throughout the series, birds have been used to allude to Neji's [[Will of Fire|will]].<ref>Chapter 104, pages 19-20</ref><ref>Chapter 105, pages 2, 6</ref><ref>Chapter 198, pages 7-8</ref><ref>Chapter 614, pages 16-17</ref><ref>Chapter 617, pages 12-13</ref>
  
   
 
== Quotes ==
  
== Quotes ==
 
* (To [[Hinata]]) "''People are judged by their true nature. It is the way of the world. That is why we have an elite, and that is why we have outcasts. We can change our physical appearance and improve our skills with training and study, but ultimately, we are judged by what we cannot change. What can't be changed must be endured. We are who we are, and we must live with it.''"<ref>Chapter 78, page 12</ref>
  
* (To [[Hinata]]) "''People are judged by their true nature. It is the way of the world. That is why we have an elite, and that is why we have outcasts. We can change our physical appearance and improve our skills with training and study, but ultimately, we are judged by what we cannot change. What can't be changed must be endured. We are who we are, and we must live with it.''"<ref>Chapter 78, page 12</ref>
 
* (To [[Naruto]]) "''These eyes of mine show me many things. One thing they've shown me… people's limitations are set, fixed, and unchangeable. Only a fool wastes his time trying to become something he can never be! The only destiny that everyone shares… is death.''"<ref>Chapter 100, pages 11-12</ref>
  
* (To [[Naruto]]) "''These eyes of mine show me many things. One thing they've shown me… people's limitations are set, fixed, and unchangeable. Only a fool wastes his time trying to become something he can never be! The only destiny that everyone shares… is death.''"<ref>Chapter 100, pages 11-12</ref>
  ⚫
* (To [[Hizashi|his father]]) "''Father, is a person's destiny a thing like a cloud flowing with an inescapable flow? Or can a person choose the flow he wishes… I still don't know the answer to this. Either way the destination may be the same in the end. However by choosing to live like the latter, a person can live and strive towards a goal. And in this match I have finally understood those who have that are truly strong. Father, I have but one goal, I want to become stronger… Enough not to lose to anyone… That's how I feel. Father, the birds are flying freely today… They look so happy.''"<ref>Chapter 105, page 20</ref>
−
* (To Naruto) "''The curse represents a mark of the bird in a cage… It is… the symbol of being tied down to an inescapable destiny.''"<ref>Chapter 102, page 5</ref>
  
⚫
* (To [[Hizashi Hyūga|his father]]) "''Father, is a person's destiny a thing like a cloud flowing with an inescapable flow? Or can a person choose the flow he wishes… I still don't know the answer to this. Either way the destination may be the same in the end. However by choosing to live like the latter, a person can live and strive towards a goal. And in this match I have finally understood those who have that are truly strong. Father, I have but one goal, I want to become stronger… Enough not to lose to anyone… That's how I feel. Father, the birds are flying freely today… They look so happy.''"<ref>Chapter 105, page 20</ref>
  
−
* (To Naruto) "''Naruto… sometimes your eyes are even better than mine.''"<ref>Chapter 193, page 4</ref>
  
 
* (To [[Kidōmaru]]) "''Even if my enemy is far stronger, even if my body should fail me, I cannot lose, there is a reason I cannot lose… …I was always known as a genius so I cannot lose. Especially for the sake of those who believed I was a genius being my weak and powerless self.''"<ref>Chapter 197, pages 14-19</ref>
  
* (To [[Kidōmaru]]) "''Even if my enemy is far stronger, even if my body should fail me, I cannot lose, there is a reason I cannot lose… …I was always known as a genius so I cannot lose. Especially for the sake of those who believed I was a genius being my weak and powerless self.''"<ref>Chapter 197, pages 14-19</ref>
−
* (To Kidōmaru) "''No one can determine… another's destiny.''"<ref>Chapter 198, page 3</ref>
  
−
* (To Naruto after sacrificing himself) "''Hinata-sama was willing to die for you Naruto, so keep in mind that your life is not your own any more. It also includes mine now as well.''"<ref>Chapter 614, page 14</ref>
  
 
* (Last words) "''Father, I finally understand your feelings… The freedom you felt when you chose to die to protect your friends…''"<ref>Chapter 614, pages 15-17</ref>
  
* (Last words) "''Father, I finally understand your feelings… The freedom you felt when you chose to die to protect your friends…''"<ref>Chapter 614, pages 15-17</ref>
   

Revision as of 00:37, 24 July 2015

editNeji Hyūga Camera font awesome Browse Information[1][2][3][4]

Neji Part I

Neji Part II

日向ネジ Hyūga Neji
Debut
Manga Naruto Chapter #36
Anime Naruto Episode #21
Novel Konoha Hiden: The Perfect Day for a Wedding
Movie Naruto Shippūden the Movie
Game Naruto: Konoha Ninpōchō
OVA Hidden Leaf Village Grand Sports Festival!
Appears in Anime, Manga, Novel, Game, Movie
Voice Actors
Japanese
English
Personal
Birthdate Astrological Sign Cancer July 3
Sex Gender Male Male
Age
  • Part I: 13–14
  • Part II: 17–18
Status Deceased
Height
  • Part I: 159.2 cm1.592 m <br />5.223 ft <br />62.677 in <br />–160.1 cm1.601 m <br />5.253 ft <br />63.031 in <br />
  • Part II: 172.1 cm1.721 m <br />5.646 ft <br />67.756 in <br />
Weight
  • Part I: 45.8 kg100.972 lb <br />–46.8 kg103.176 lb <br />
  • Part II: 54.2 kg119.491 lb <br />
Blood type O
Kekkei Genkai
Affiliation
Team
Clan
Rank
Ninja Rank
Ninja Registration 012587
Academy Grad. Age 12
Chūnin Prom. Age 15
Family
Nature Type
Jutsu

Neji Hyūga (日向ネジ, Hyūga Neji) was a member of Konohagakure's Hyūga clan. Though a prodigy even by the Hyūga's standards, Neji was a member of the clan's Branch House; no matter how skilled he became, he would always be in service to the Hyūga's Main House, a fact that convinced him fate was predetermined. After experiencing Naruto Uzumaki's refusal to be limited by such an ideology, Neji realised his fate was what he chose it to be, and as a member of Team Guy he sought the strength necessary to make the future he wanted for his family and friends.

Background

Young Neji

A young Neji before receiving his cursed seal.

Neji was born the son of Hizashi Hyūga, placing him in one of the Hyūga clan's branch houses. When the heiress of the main house, Hinata, turned three years old, Neji's forehead was branded with the customary cursed seal by his uncle, Hiashi.[5] Despite how young he was at the time, Neji's natural talent with the Hyūga's trademark techniques were apparent to his father. For this reason, Hizashi resented that Neji was marked with a cursed seal, as he felt it bound him to a life of service to the main house when he should be destined for greater things. His anger would often manifest subconsciously, prompting Hiashi to activate Hizashi's cursed seal and punish him with pain, an act that traumatised Neji.[6]

Shortly after Neji received his cursed seal, a Kumogakure Head Ninja visiting Konoha attempted to kidnap Hinata in order to gain the secrets of the Byakugan. Hiashi stopped and killed the Head Ninja.[7] In what became known as the Hyūga Affair, Kumo denied the allegations made against its Head Ninja and insisted Hiashi's actions were a declaration of war by Konoha; the only way to avoid hostilities between the two villages would be if Hiashi's body were turned over to Kumo as compensation. Hiashi was willing to do so if it meant protecting Konoha, but that in turn would give Kumo the Byakugan. Hizashi, Hiashi's twin brother, volunteered to be his body double since his cursed seal would destroy his Byakugan at the time of his death, a fate he insisted upon over Hiashi's protests. Neji was too young to understand what was happening at the time, and over the years came to believe his father had been forced to die for the main house.[8]

Neji became spiteful towards the members of the main house for what he believed they'd done to his father; in the anime, he missed no opportunity to try and harm Hinata.[9] He also came to believe that the course of a person's life was determined from the moment of their birth and could be altered under no circumstances. When he graduated from the Academy at the top of his class he was added to Team Guy, where his philosophy placed him at odds with one of his teammates, Rock Lee: Lee wanted to become a great ninja despite his limitations, which Neji believed was impossible. Tenten was easily wowed by Neji, but Lee became determined to defeat Neji in a fight to prove him wrong. Their instructor, Might Guy, encouraged this, believing competition and the drive to succeed would push them to new heights.

Personality

Neji cursemark

Neji's branch family seal, his perceived inescapable fate.

Neji was a kind child who was prone to smiling; on Hinata's third birthday, he confided to his father that he thought she was cute.[10] He lost these qualities after his father's death, growing serious and cold, more mature than most his age. For years he is driven by a fatalistic belief that his and everyone else's fates are determined from birth and are inescapable. He perceives his own destiny as being that of a rare talent, causing him to arrogantly place himself above those he believes are "weaker" than himself. He also perceives that his talents will always be handicapped by mandatory servitude to the Hyūga's main house, which he resents and which fuels his animosity towards the main house and its members.

Neji shares his philosophy about fate with those he meets, gladly telling them when they are straying from the paths that have been set out for them by, for example, trying to exceed their natural limitations or trying to defeat him in combat when they lack any obvious ability to do so. When he shares his philosophy with Hinata, she concludes that his insistence upon destiny is actually a sore spot for him that causes him inner suffering: he so badly wants to prove himself to the main house yet feels incapable of doing so. Neji attempts to kill her in anger for her words. Naruto Uzumaki also disagrees with Neji, claiming that Neji was not realising his destiny because he was in fact holding himself back. Neji initially scoffs at Naruto's suggestion, but he is forced to reevaluate when Naruto, a "failure", defeats him, a "genius", in a fight.

From his experience with Naruto, and from learning that his father was not forced to die, Neji decides that fate is not inescapable but that, rather, one's destiny is what one makes of it; he feels indebted to Naruto for releasing him from his prior "darkness". The destiny Neji ends up selecting for himself is to become strong enough to never lose again. In pursuit of this goal he trains with his teammates, whose own dreams he becomes supportive of, and later with members of the main house, who he gradually starts mending relations with. This interaction with others causes him to become kind once again, and over time his desire to get stronger becomes as much a motivation to never lose as it is to protect his friends and family. In particular, he embraces his responsibility as a member of a branch house to keep Hinata safe, showing greater concern for her than anyone else in combat situations and,[11] ultimately, giving his life to save hers.

Birds are often used to characterise Neji's philosophy and growth: while he feels bound by destiny and the cursed seal on his forehead, he describes his personal experiences as being like a caged bird;[12] after being defeated by Naruto, he observes to his father's memory how many birds there are freely flying in the world;[13] when trying to overcome the limitations of his Byakugan, he observes birds at a distance but can never spot the one at his blind-spot;[14] after his death, the Allied Shinobi Forces take on a bird formation in his memory.[15]

Appearance

Neji body

Neji in Part I.

Neji full

Neji in Part II.

Neji has fair skin and long black hair, which the anime usually depicts as dark brown. When his Byakugan is not active he has featureless white eyes; the anime gives them a slight lavender tint. In Part I, Neji wears a khaki shirt, a dull blue shirt beneath that, and mesh armour beneath that. He wears dark brown shorts, blue shinobi sandals, and wraps bandages around his right arm, chest, and right leg. He ties his hair back in a loose ponytail tied a few inches above the end. He wears a black forehead protector, under which is a smaller headband with two straps that frame the sides of his face, both of which hide his Hyūga main family's juinjutsu.

In Part II, Neji changes the clothing and bandages of his former wardrobe for traditional Hyūga-like robes: a white shirt with loose sleeves, matching pants, a dark navy grey apron tied around his waist, and black shinobi sandals. He stops wearing the straps that framed his face, instead allowing his now longer hair to do that instead. When on missions, he usually carries a tan and black drawstring bag over his shoulder. During the Fourth Shinobi World War, he swaps much of his wardrobe for the standard Konohagakure flak jacket and other attire. At the war's start he keeps his hair tied in a ponytail, but as the war progresses he allows it to hang loose.

Abilities

Neji vs Naruto

Neji's mastery of one his clan's secret techniques.

From a young age, Neji's skills as a natural genius were evident, even by the Hyūga clan's high standards.[16] His father believed Neji's talent could enable him to surpass all other Hyūga,[17] and indeed, the third databook says he successfully did so by the time of Part II.[3] Outside his clan, Neji graduated from the Academy at the top of his class, which in turn convinced Rock Lee that Neji was the top competitor during the Chūnin Exams in Part I.[18] Although he was not ultimately promoted during those exams, he was the only Konoha 11 member to become a jōnin during the timeskip, most others only making it to chūnin. He was typically calm even in hectic situations, a quality the Fifth Hokage said made him a good leader.[citation needed]

Although not seen using ninjutsu in the series, Neji's nature transformations included Fire, Water, and Earth Release.[4]

Byakugan

Byakugan

Neji's Byakugan.

As a Hyūga, Neji possessed the Byakugan, a dōjutsu that granted him penetrative vision in a near-360° around himself. A small blind-spot exists behind his third upper thoracic vertebrae, a weakness he was well aware of and trained extensively to overcome, to no avail. Instead, he took extra precautions to conceal its existence. He also compensated for his inability to see from that angle by emitting chakra around the area, giving him a way to sense what's approaching and slowing attacks enough to give him time to respond. However, he was able to increase his Byakugan's range over time: whereas he could only see things 50 metres away in Part I,[19] by Part II he could see things from at least 800 metres.[20]

Taijutsu

With the Byakugan, Neji could see individuals' chakra pathway systems and the 361 tenketsu that run along it. Using the Hyūga's signature Gentle Fist fighting style, he could attack an opponent's chakra system directly, constricting or cutting off their chakra flow from only minimal contact. Because the chakra pathway system is closely intertwined with many of the body's major organs, debilitating and even fatal damage can be done just as easily. While Gentle Fist strikes are by default difficult to defend against, Neji's speed, precision, and general taijutsu prowess made him especially formidable at close range, requiring opponents to keep their distance if they hoped to compete with him. Even at a distance, however, Neji's Byakugan and keen reflexes made him difficult to hit.

Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven

Neji using the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.

As a member of one of the Hyūga's branch houses, Neji was forbidden to learn many of the clan's strongest jutsu. Being so gifted, he had in spite of this been able to learn how to perform these techniques from observation. Offensively there is the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, with which he attacked multiple targets at once, either an opponent's tenketsu to seal several at once or an incoming volley of projectiles; in the anime, he could double the number of strikes. Defensively, he could use Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven to expel chakra from his body and deflect all incoming attacks. His uncle, Hiashi, was deeply impressed that Neji learned how to perform both of these abilities on his own, and by the end of Part I, started giving Neji special instruction in the Hyūga's other secret skills.

Hakke Kūhekishō

Neji and Hinata combining their Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palms.

In Part II, Neji began using the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm to attack targets outside his physical range or push away incoming attacks; when performed in combination with others, its strength is accordingly increased.[21] If restrained and thus unable to use Revolving Heaven, he could release chakra from his tenketsu to free himself.

Stats

Databook Ninjutsu Taijutsu Genjutsu Intelligence Strength Speed Stamina Hand seals Total
First 2.5 3.5 2 2.5 2.5 3 2 3 21
Second 3.5 4.5 2 3 2.5 4 2.5 3 25
Third 4 4.5 2 3 2.5 4.5 3.5 3 27

Part I

Chūnin Exams

Main article: Chūnin Exams

Team Guy Part 1

Team Guy preparing for the Chūnin Exams.

After being held back from entering the Chūnin Exams the year before in order to hone their skills, Team Guy takes part in the Chūnin Exams occurring in Konoha. Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee decide to try and avoid drawing attention to themselves so that the other competitors will not team up against them, something they accomplish by allowing themselves to be bullied and acting defenceless when they are. During the first exam, Neji uses his Byakugan to copy off of other examinees' tests.

After they pass to the second stage, taking place in the Forest of Death, Team Guy splits up to search for weak, rival teams that they can take one of the scrolls they need from. Neji comes across Team 10 during his search who, although he's isn't willing to pretend he doesn't know where they're hiding, he decides are too weak for him to bother with. When he returns to Team Guy's rendezvous point, he and Tenten find that Lee is uncharacteristically late. They go looking for him and find he's been defeated by Team Dosu. Neji prepares to fight them, confident he can beat them, but decides to let Sasuke Uchiha fight them instead after he senses Sasuke's chakra. Sasuke drives Team Dosu off and, while Tenten collects Lee, Neji observes Sasuke, intrigued by his skills.

Gentle fist

Neji fights Hinata.

Team Guy completes the second test, but in order to qualify for the finals they must take part in one-on-one preliminary matches. Neji observes the early matches to learn about people he may face in the finals before he is finally matched against Hinata Hyūga. Neji, who previously promised to Might Guy that he would not take any actions against Hinata during the exams, encourages Hinata to give up not only the match but also the life of a ninja, citing her meek personality and her lack of talent. His piercing analysis of her brings Hinata to tears, but she is motivated to continue by the encouragement of Naruto Uzumaki. In their first exchange of Gentle Fist-blows, Neji seals her tenketsu, causing her attacks to have no effect on him.

Despite no longer having a way to damage Neji, Hinata keeps fighting. He continues encouraging her to forfeit and increases the amount of damage his blows do to her, but Hinata refuses to back down. Finally, after her internal organs are left badly injured and she has difficulty standing, Hinata uses Neji's words against him, arguing that he cares so much about destiny and being worthy of the Hyūga because his own destiny deprives him of the Hyūga's recognition. Neji is enraged and moves to kill her, but he is held back by Guy and the other observing jōnin. Nevertheless, Hinata collapses and is left in a critical condition from her injuries, Neji is declared the winner, and Naruto, moved by Hinata's perseverance and angered by Neji's actions, vows to defeat him during the finals. Neji watches the remaining matches and is amazed by Lee's performance against Gaara. After the preliminaries conclude, the first round matchups for the finals are selected and Neji is matched against Naruto.

Naruto vs Neji

Neji fights Naruto in the finals.

After a month of preparation, Naruto and Neji face each other. Naruto starts by using shadow clones to engage Neji, trying to overwhelm his taijutsu skills with sheer numbers. Neji's Byakugan is unable to tell the shadow clones from the real Naruto and for that reason Naruto is able to land some blows, but Neji deflects them with Revolving Heaven and eventually seals Naruto's chakra with Sixty-Four Palms. Neji declares Naruto a failure who is destined to lose to him, a genius. When Naruto is unwilling to believe him, Neji explains his father's death and the differences between the Hyūga's houses. Rather than convince Naruto that he is right, his words convince Naruto that Neji is wrong, as Naruto has personal experience with persevering despite others' expectations.

Although his own chakra is cut off, Naruto has another source: the Nine-Tails'. Neji is surprised by it and, unaware of what it is, is startled by the chakra's ferocity. Naruto's speed and strength are heightened dramatically, allowing him to keep up with Neji. Neji uses Revolving Heaven to deflect a particularly powerful blow, flinging both him and Naruto apart. When the smoke clears, Naruto lies defeated and Neji, assuming he's won, begins boasting. As he talks, Naruto bursts from the ground beneath him, knocking him out with an uppercut to the chin. Realising that the Naruto he saw defeated was a shadow clone covering the hole the real Naruto was digging towards him, Neji scolds himself for being defeated by Naruto's signature ability. In response, Naruto reveals that clone techniques were once his worst ability. Before he's declared the winner, Naruto tells Neji to stop holding his natural genius back with trivial concerns about fate.

Hiashi bows to Neji

Hiashi apologises to Neji.

As Neji recovers, he is visited by his uncle, Hiashi, who was observing his match. Hoping to correct Neji's misconceptions, he explains the truth surrounding Neji's father's death: that Hizashi chose to die not in service to the main house as Neji has long thought, but because he wanted to protect Hiashi, his brother; in doing so, Hizashi selected his own fate. (In the anime, this is revealed to Neji in a letter written by his father before his death.) Neji does not believe the story since he's only hearing it now. Hiashi, having expected this and having no further proof, bows to Neji and begs his forgiveness for not telling him sooner. Neji is moved to tears by the gesture and bids Hiashi to stand, finally believing him. While watching the birds outside, Neji decides he'd like to choose his destiny just like his father did, and that he wants his destiny to be to never lose again.

Konoha Crush

Main article: Konoha Crush In the anime, two Kumogakure ninja attempt to kidnap an unconscious Hinata during the confusion caused by the invasion of Konoha. The Hyūga Elder sends Neji, Tenten, and Kiba Inuzuka to rescue her. Once they catch up with them, Neji draws the Kumo-nin away while Tenten and Kiba escape with Hinata. He is able to defeat one, but is no match for Sekiei's abilities and can only keep him busy until Hiashi arrives to defeat him.

Several days after the invasion is successfully repelled, Neji attends the Third Hokage's funeral.

Sasuke Recovery Mission

Main article: Sasuke Recovery Mission Although Konoha emerges from the invasion victorious, the village suffers numerous casualties that leave it understaffed in the aftermath. When Sasuke Uchiha defects to Otogakure, the only response the new Fifth Hokage is able to organise is the Sasuke Recovery Team, a team of genin led by Shikamaru Nara. Neji, who is recommended for the team by Lee, watches their backs with his Byakugan while they follow Sasuke's escorts, the Sound Four.

Your Opponent is Me!

Neji fights Kidōmaru.

Once they catch up with the Sound Four, Neji uses his Byakugan to help them plan their attack, which is foiled only by the unforeseen actions of Ukon; the Recovery Team is trapped in Jirōbō's Earth Prison Dome of Magnificent Nothingness. Neji is able to locate a weakness in the prison's fortifications and they escape, but they must leave Chōji Akimichi behind to delay Jirōbō while they go after the remaining Sound Four. When they catch up again, Kidōmaru uses his webbing to bind them. Only Neji, with the refined chakra control courtesy of his Gentle Fist training, is able to break Kidōmaru's webs. He tells the others to go on without him, but first warns them that one-on-one fights are probably going to be a continuing trend.

Kidōmaru tries to toy with Neji, binding his movements to the point that he cannot use his hands to break the webbing. Thinking Neji is defeated, Kidōmaru moves closer to finish him off. Neji takes that opportunity to release charka from his entire body, loosening the webs and giving him an opening to use Sixty-Four Palms. Kidōmaru prevents the sealing of his tenketsu with an Armour of Sticky Gold and falls back, unwilling to let Neji trick him like that again. He starts attacking Neji from afar to determine the range of his vision and the completeness of his defences. From this observation, he starts to suspect Neji's Byakugan has a blind-spot, something he confirms upon further testing.

Neji vs kidomaru

Neji finishes Kidōmaru.

Kidōmaru recognises Neji as a formidable opponent and makes to finish him off with his Spider War Bow: Terrible Split, firing it directly at Neji's blindspot. However, Neji, guessing his blindspot has been discovered, is able to dodge enough to prevent being struck in a vital place. Kidōmaru modifies his arrows, increasing their speed and strength so that Neji won't be able to dodge and attaching a thread to them so he can guide them in flight. Neji realises he can't avoid it and allows himself to be hit. He immediately afterwards sends a charge of chakra through the connecting thread back to Kidōmaru, paralysing him. Neji then personally locates Kidōmaru and delivers a fatal blow. As he dies, Kidōmaru warns that the Recovery Team won't be able to bring Sasuke back to Konoha. Neji disagrees, believing that Naruto alone will be able to get though to Sasuke, just as he got through to Neji during the Chūnin Exams.

Neji is left in a critical condition due to his injuries and near death. Konoha eventually sends the Medic Corps after the Recovery Team. Neji is found, brought back to Konoha, and a team of medics mend his wounds using the Healing Resuscitation Regeneration Technique.

Kurosuki Family Removal Mission

Main article: Kurosuki Family Removal Mission In the anime, Naruto and the members of Team Guy are sent to the Katabami Gold Mine to help deal with the Kurosuki Family. During their first confrontation with Raiga Kurosuki, Neji's Byakugan is nullified by Ranmaru's illusions. During their second confrontation, Neji is quickly knocked unconscious. Tenten attempts to revive him with the Curry of Life, but he has a low tolerance for spicy food and consuming it only knocks him out again.

Academy Student Lead Mission

Main article: Academy Student Lead Mission In the anime, Neji is put in charge of a team of Academy students (Kōji, Jin and Futaba) to teach them survival skills. Very little of their exercise is seen, but Neji does teach his students how to use a watch as a compass.

Star Guard Mission

Main article: Star Guard Mission In the anime, Neji leads the Star Guard Team on a mission to Hoshigakure. After they arrive, Neji instructs the team to follow the mission's original instructions to locate the star rather than get involved in the village's affairs. When the village's issues become increasingly difficult to ignore, Neji informs Naruto that he will deny knowing anything about what Naruto chooses to do in the villagers' defence. However, when they return to Konoha having failed to prevent the star's destruction, Neji takes responsibility for the failure, but since Naruto defeated the client, Akahoshi, during the ordeal, nobody's in a position to complain.

Konoha Plans Recapture Mission

Main article: Konoha Plans Recapture Mission In the anime, Neji and the rest of the Konoha 11 are charged with halting the schemes of Gennō. He uses his Byakugan several times during the mission to locate the explosives Gennō plants around Konoha, preventing the destruction of the Academy and the Hokage Monument.

Menma Memory Search Mission

Main article: Menma Memory Search Mission In the anime, Neji and Tenten are assigned to help Naruto recover Menma's missing memories. Neji suspects that Menma is an Otogakure-ninja, a suspicion that turns out to be true. Despite his background, Menma remains Nartuo's ally throughout the mission and eventually sacrifices himself to save an innocent town from his former compatriots.

Sunagakure Support Mission

Main article: Sunagakure Support Mission In the anime, Neji and the Konoha 11 are sent to help the Three Sand Siblings defeat the Four Celestial Symbols Men. Shikamaru, their team leader, assigns Neji, Hinata, and Shino Aburame to clear out the areas.

Hiashing training Neji

Neji training with Hiashi.

After they get back to Konoha - in a scene that happens at the end of the Sasuke Recovery Mission in the manga - Neji trains with Hiashi. When Hinata serves them drinks, Neji recommends that she see Naruto off rather than tend to them, as he is about to leave Konoha for several years of training.

Interlude

In Naruto's Footsteps: The Friends' Paths

Main article: In Naruto's Footsteps: The Friends' Paths In the anime, Konoha and Sunagakure hold a joint Chūnin Exam two years after Naruto's departure, which Team Guy once again enters. During the first exam, Neji, Lee, and Tenten are seated in different rooms and are tasked with getting a combined score of exactly 100 points on their written test despite their separation. Thinking it over, Neji comes up with the idea of producing vibrations on the walls to communicate to Tenten and Lee which questions to answer. After the initial testing period is over, they are given a bonus question: each team must unanimously select one of their members to disqualify from the rest of the exams. Team Guy selects nobody, which is the correct answer and which qualifies them for the next phase.

Those who pass the first test must reach the Demon Desert within three days in order to participate in the second exam. Team Guy successfully does so and they are given the same objective as they had in the exam several years ago: obtain a scroll from another team. They are early on caught in various genjutsu set by members of Team Shira, one of which causes them to wander into quicksand. Once Team Guy escapes and manages to track down Team Shira, they instead offer Team Shira assistance, helping them drive off another team. When asked why they would help, Neji explains that Shira is quite similar to Lee; Lee in fact finds himself so similar to Shira that he follows the attacking team out of anger, forcing Neji, Tenten, and Team Shira to go after him and rescue him.

Teams Guy and Shira get along well and, after Lee and Shira spar, the two teams agree to meet up during the finals. They later come across Team Ajisai and are immediately engaged in combat. Team Ajisai retreats shortly afterwards but are pursued by Team Guy, who believe they have the scroll they need. Their chase leads them to some old ruins, and during an ensuing fight Tenten and Ajisai fall through a collapsed floor. Neji recommends to Ajisai's teammates that they stop fighting in order to look for Tenten and Ajisai. The teammates agree, but leave to do so by themselves. Neji and Lee follow them despite this, coming to their aid when Team Komugi attacks them. Team Komugi is driven off and Teams Guy and Ajisai finally start working together. They eventually reunite with Tenten and Ajisai, who have become friends during their ordeal. The two teams part peacefully.

Team Guy gets caught in a sandstorm, from which they seek shelter in one of Tenten's protective domes.[22] After the storm clears they come across Matsuri, who asks that they help Gaara. Team Guy rushes to the scene and finds that not only Gaara but also Fū - both of them jinchūriki - are having their tailed beasts extracted by Hōichi. While Lee and Fū's teammates distract Hōichi, Neji approaches Gaara and Fū to block their chakra points, halting the extraction. Hōichi's jutsu turns on him due to the severed connection and Neji, at Gaara's request, blocks his chakra points too, saving him. Gaara and Fū seprately thank Neji for his help, with Fū even specially requesting he become her friend.

Team Guy is not able to acquire the scroll they need but it ends up not mattering: the Chūnin Exams are prematurely cancelled. The remaining participants have a report on their performance sent back to their villages, leaving their promotion up to their superiors. The Fifth Hokage promotes all of Team Guy to chūnin and then gives Neji an additional promotion to jōnin because of the assistance he gave to Gaara, the Kazekage.

Part II

Kazekage Rescue Mission

Main article: Kazekage Rescue Mission

Neji attacks Kisame

Neji attacks Kisame.

The Fifth Hokage sends Team Guy to assist Team 7 in rescuing the Fifth Kazekage from Akatsuki. While en route to an Akatsuki lair in the Land of Rivers, Team Guy is attacked by Kisame Hoshigaki. Kisame is only interested in fighting Might Guy, so he traps Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee in Water Prisons. Neji is eventually able to build up enough chakra to break free and release Lee and Tenten, but they miss their chance to rejoin the fight as Guy has already defeated Kisame. While examining the body afterwards, however, they discover it was only a lookalike meant to stall them.

Neji vs clone

Neji evenly matched against his clone.

Once they rendezvous with Team 7, they discover a barrier placed over the entrance to the Akatsuki lair. Neji uses his Byakugan to locate where the seals maintaining the barrier are and he and the rest of Team Guy split up to remove them. Once the barrier is down, however, they are attacked by duplicates of themselves. Neji, like the rest of Team Guy, struggles to defeat himself, and it is only by becoming stronger than he was at the time the duplicate was created that he is able to defeat his. Team Guy reunites with each other after winning their battles and they go after Team 7, arriving in time to cut off Deidara's attempt to get away. Deidara uses a Suicide Bombing Clone to create an opening for him to escape.

Although the Akatsuki members are gone and the Kazekage has been retrieved, the Kazekage has died. He is resuscitated by Chiyo, who exchanges her life for his, and they all attend her funeral in Sunagakure a few days later. Kakashi Hatake, too tired from his fight with Akatsuki, must be carried back to Konoha by Guy. Lee believes that this is a special training method and asks to be allowed to carry Neji in the same way, but Neji flatly refuses.

Akatsuki Suppression Mission

Main article: Akatsuki Suppression Mission In the anime, Neji attends Asuma Sarutobi's funeral.

Pain's Assault

Main article: Pain's Assault

Sakura healing Hinata

Neji watches as Hinata is healed.

Team Guy returns to Konoha after completing a mission. As they approach the village's outskirts they find a defeated Gamabunta, who informs them of the ongoing invasion of Pain. They rush back to the village and, upon arrival, find Hinata Hyūga badly injured from her fight with Pain. Tenten assures Neji that Hinata's wounds aren't life-threatening, but he nevertheless locates immediate medical attention for her. They are shortly afterwards informed that Pain has been defeated by Naruto Uzumaki, and they all join in the celebration when Naruto returns to the village.

Five Kage Summit

Main article: Five Kage Summit

Konoha 11 meeting

The Konoha 11 meet.

News reaches Konoha of Sasuke Uchiha's recent activity with Akatsuki, specifically his attack against Kumogakure-ninja. Neji and the rest of the Konoha 11 (sans Naruto) decide that Sasuke can no longer be allowed to implicate Konoha in his criminal deeds and they resolve to personally kill him. When Naruto returns to Konoha after learning of this and having his own confrontation with Sasuke, he requests that they leave dealing with Sasuke to him.

Power

Main article: Power In the anime, Neji is part of a team of reinforcements sent to Tonika Village to help Team 7 in the fight against Kabuto Yakushi. He rescues Hinata from the Nine-Tailed Naruto Clone and later helps evacuate the villagers when the clone starts going berserk. Naruto eventually defeats it and they return to Konoha.

Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation

Main article: Fourth Shinobi World War: Confrontation

Hinata and Neji

Neji and Hinata protecting each other.

When the Fourth Shinobi World War begins, Neji is placed alongside Hinata in the Second Division. Their entire division is sent to intercept a large segment of the White Zetsu Army, which Neji and Hinata join forces in attacking after Kitsuchi unearths the Zetsu army. Although the Zetsu suffer heavy casualties, their numbers are too great and the fight becomes one of attrition. Neji, growing tired from the prolonged battle, has some of his chakra absorbed by a Zetsu before he can fend it off. (Unbeknownst to him, the Zetsu later uses the chakra to impersonate him and infiltrate the Logistical Support and Medical Division, killing five medical-nin.) He and Hinata continue fighting into the night, protecting each other. Once night falls, Neji is too tired to stand but also too stubborn to get medical attention, opting instead to rest on Akamaru's back.

In the anime, on the second day of fighting, Neji is confronted by a reincarnated Kidōmaru. Stronger now than he was when he last fought Kidōmaru, Neji frees his allies that have been trapped by Kidōmaru's webbing and then easily defeats him with Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm. This activates a seal that leaves Neji comatose and traps his and the souls of the other Sasuke Recovery Team's members in a barrier where they are forced to fight the Sound Four until their real bodies eventually die. Aware of Naruto's new ability to sense negative emotions, Shikamaru Nara provokes the Sound Four during their battle, making them angry enough to attract Naruto's attention. Naruto soon arrives, breaks through the barrier, and, with help from Inoichi Yamanaka, restores their souls to their bodies.

The Second Division's fight with the Zetsu Army continues until one of Naruto's shadow clones arrives to finish off all that remain. In the anime, Naruto arrives just in time to save Hinata from a Zetsu that Neji, preoccupied elsewhere, was not present to stop. He is grateful for Naruto's assistance.

Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax

Main article: Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax

Hyuga shield

The Hyūga protecting Naruto.

Neji and the rest of the Allied Shinobi Forces are sent to assist Naruto in his battle with the Ten-Tails. Recognising how crucial Naruto is to the war's victory, Neji, Hinata, and Hiashi join forces to block attacks directed at him. The Ten-Tails' attacks rapidly become too numerous and Neji and Hiashi must break away to protect the other Allies from the Ten-Tails too. In their absence, the Ten-Tails fires several volleys of wood projectiles at Naruto, which Hinata uses her body to defend him from. Neji arrives in time to protect her in turn with his own body, mortally wounding him.

Neji dies

Neji dying on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto calls for a medic but Neji accepts the fact that he can't be saved. He collapses over Naruto's shoulder and tells him to not to put his life at risk in the future, as he is now responsible for many other lives in addition to his own, of which one is Hinata's. Naruto questions why Neji would give his life for him, to which Neji responds that it is because Naruto once called him a "genius". Neji dies, finally knowing what it was like for his father to choose to die for his friends. Upon death, the Hyūga main family's juinjutsu activates, sealing his Byakugan.

Legacy

File:Neji's grave.png

Neji's grave.

Obito Uchiha uses Neji as an example of the type of countless death that will keep occurring if Naruto and the Allied Shinobi Forces continue fighting. Rather than mourn Neji by surrendering, they celebrate his sacrifice with a counterattack in his memory: Naruto gives version 1 cloaks to the entire Allied Forces and they manoeuvre into a bird-shaped formation, together breaking out of a prison created by the Ten-Tails and subsequently releasing it from Obito and Madara Uchiha's control.

After the war is won, Neji's body is taken back to Konoha and he is buried alongside the many other casualties. Though he is gone, he remains in the thoughts of those who knew him: in Konoha Hiden, Rock Lee regularly dreams of Neji, but the dreams never last long enough for Lee's liking; at Naruto and Hinata's wedding, Hanabi Hyūga holds a picture of Neji during the ceremony; years later, Hinata regularly visits Neji's grave with her daughter, Himawari Uzumaki, who, though she never met him, regards him as her uncle.[23]

In Other Media

Movies

Naruto Shippūden the Movie

Main article: Naruto Shippūden the Movie Neji leads a team consisting of Naruto, Rock Lee, and Sakura Haruno on a mission to the Land of Demons to protect Shion, a priestess. Naruto arrives at Shion's temple ahead of the rest of the team and is trapped by the Gang of Four, requiring they rescue him once they catch up. Neji himself also saves Shion from Kusuna during the initial encounter. Seeing that the enemy uses a number of fire-based jutsu, the team and Shion retreats through a torrent of water in order to neutralise their abilities, only to discover that the enemy can use water jutsu too.

Naruto and Lee run off to engage their attackers, leaving Neji and Sakura solely in charge of protecting Shion. To make an escape to safety easier, Neji knocks Shion out and retreats with her into the forest. They are followed by Kusuna and Setsuna. Neji remains behind to stall, deflecting Setsuna's Wind Release: Rotating Shuriken with Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. He eventually discovers that the Kusuna he's fighting is actually a puppet controlled by Setsuna. He rushes after Sakura and Shion and arrives in time to save Sakura at least, but Shion has received a fatal, toxic bite from the real Kusuna. This Shion, however, is actually Taruho, who disguised himself as her to protect the real Shion from harm.

Neji and Sakura reunite with Lee and they distract the Gang of Four while Naruto helps Shion seal Mōryō. From hearing about Lee's fight with the gang's other members, Neji theorises that they receive their chakra from an external source. They provoke the gang into depleting their chakra and, when Kusuna moves in to replenish the chakra they've used, Neji kills him, leaving the rest of the Gang of Four unable to fight. The mission accomplished, the team waits for Naruto to return with Shion.

Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Bonds

Main article: Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Bonds When the Land of the Sky attacks Konoha, Neji rescues children caught in the fighting. He also uses his Byakugan to analyse the Sky ninja's flying equipment and determines that they're powered by chakra. He relays this information to Shikamaru, who is able to pinpoint the location of the Land of the Sky carriers. Neji is later sent as part of a force to provide backup for Shikamaru's team, but the Land of the Sky's base is already in the process of being destroyed when they arrive.

Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Will of Fire

Main article: Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Will of Fire Neji assists at various points in the battle with Hiruko and his forces. He and Lee defeat Ichi with their combined Front Lotus: Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. Later, he and Hinata arrive in time to land a finishing blow against a creature created with the Chimera Technique.

Naruto the Movie: Blood Prison

Main article: Naruto the Movie: Blood Prison Neji is part of the team sent to the Blood Prison to rescue Naruto, who was wrongly imprisoned there.

Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie

Main article: Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie Neji and the rest of the Konoha 11 fight off an attack by what seems to be the entire Akatsuki roster, but what are actually disguised parts of the White Zetsu Army. When Naruto and Sakura are sent to the Genjutsu World, they meet that world's Neji: he is an immature pervert who shamelessly uses his Byakugan to observe women while they bathe. That world's Hinata regularly beats him in punishment when he is inevitably caught.

Video Games

Neji Hyūga is a playable character in the following video games:

Game nameJapanese releaseEnglish release
Jump Super Stars8 August 2005
Naruto Mobile20162016
Naruto RPG 2: Chidori vs. Rasengan14 July 2005
Naruto Shippūden: Clash of Ninja Revolution 317 November 2009
Naruto Shippūden: Gekitō Ninja Taisen! EX22 February 2007
Naruto Shippūden: Gekitō Ninja Taisen! EX 229 November 2007
Naruto Shippūden: Gekitō Ninja Taisen! EX 327 November 2008
Naruto Shippūden: Gekitō Ninja Taisen! Special2 December 2010
Naruto Shippūden: Kizuna Drive15 July 201022 March 2011
Naruto Shippūden: Legends: Akatsuki Rising6 October 2009
Naruto Shippūden: Naruto vs. Sasuke4 July 20086 November 2010
Naruto Shippūden: Ninja Council 419 July 20072 June 2009
Naruto Shippūden: Ninja Destiny 224 April 200815 September 2009
Naruto Shippūden: Ninja Destiny 328 April 2009
Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja 45 April 200724 March 2009
Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja 520 December 200727 November 2009
Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Blazing14 July 201624 August 2016
Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 310 December 200911 May 2010
Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 221 October 201019 October 2010
Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 318 April 20135 March 2013
Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 44 February 20169 February 2016
Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations23 February 201213 March 2012
Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution11 September 201416 September 2014
Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker30 August 201831 August 2018
Naruto x Boruto: Ninja TribesJune 2019June 2019
Naruto x Boruto: Ninja Voltage22 November 201722 November 2017
Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections16 November 202317 November 2023
Naruto: Clash of Ninja 24 December 200326 September 2006
Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution23 October 2007
Naruto: Clash of Ninja Revolution 221 October 2008
Naruto: Gekitō Ninja Taisen! 320 November 2004
Naruto: Gekitō Ninja Taisen! 421 November 2005
Naruto: Konoha Senki12 September 2003
Naruto: Ninja Council 2 European Version21 April 20053 October 2008
Naruto: Ninja Council 327 April 200622 May 2007
Naruto: Ninja Destiny14 December 200620 March 2008
Naruto: Path of the Ninja22 July 200423 October 2007
Naruto: Path of the Ninja 213 July 200614 October 2008
Naruto: Rise of a Ninja30 October 2007
Naruto: Shinobi Collection2014
Naruto: Shinobi Collection Shippū Ranbu27 July 2015
Naruto: The Broken Bond18 November 2008
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja23 October 200326 June 2006
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 230 September 200412 June 2007
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 322 December 200525 March 2008
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes28 August 2007
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 2: The Phantom Fortress30 March 200624 June 2008
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Online14 April 201320 July 2016
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm15 January 20094 November 2008
Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles18 August 200516 November 2006
... further results

Trivia

Springtime of Youth
 The Springtime of Youth wiki has an article about this topic:
  • The name "Neji" means "screw/whirl" (螺子), which may be referring to his Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. It's also possibly a play on "Nejia", an internal Chinese martial art that focuses on developing internal chi through whirling and spinning techniques. His family name "Hyūga" means "place in the sun" (日向).
  • According to the databook(s):
    • Neji's hobby was meditation.
    • Neji's desired opponents were Hiashi Hyūga and Naruto Uzumaki.
    • Neji's favourite food was herring soba, while his least favourites were pumpkins, and he also had a low tolerance for anything spicy.
    • Neji had completed 62 official missions in total: 26 D-rank, 19 C-rank, 4 B-rank, 11 A-rank, 2 S-rank.
    • Neji's favourite phrase was "Flying leap" (飛躍, hiyaku) which refers to making rapid progress in something.
    • Neji's personality had been described as cool and realistic.
  • In an interview, Masashi Kishimoto stated that the origin of the name Boruto is from Neji, who brought Naruto and Hinata together, and can have the meaning of connecting. Boruto (bolt) is another way of saying Neji (screw).[24]
  • Neji places well in the Naruto Character Popularity Polls, reaching an all-time high of sixth most popular; he and Rock Lee are roughly matched in overall popularity.
  • Neji and Tenten have the same theme song in the anime, but Tenten's has a slower beat, and Neji's is more upbeat.
  • In an omake for Naruto: Shippūden episode 156, Naruto points out how Neji doesn't appear in Naruto: Shippūden very often, whereas Lee and Tenten frequently do. Neji argues that, as a jōnin, he is constantly away on missions and never has free time.

Quotes

  • (To Hinata) "People are judged by their true nature. It is the way of the world. That is why we have an elite, and that is why we have outcasts. We can change our physical appearance and improve our skills with training and study, but ultimately, we are judged by what we cannot change. What can't be changed must be endured. We are who we are, and we must live with it."[25]
  • (To Naruto) "These eyes of mine show me many things. One thing they've shown me… people's limitations are set, fixed, and unchangeable. Only a fool wastes his time trying to become something he can never be! The only destiny that everyone shares… is death."[26]
  • (To his father) "Father, is a person's destiny a thing like a cloud flowing with an inescapable flow? Or can a person choose the flow he wishes… I still don't know the answer to this. Either way the destination may be the same in the end. However by choosing to live like the latter, a person can live and strive towards a goal. And in this match I have finally understood those who have that are truly strong. Father, I have but one goal, I want to become stronger… Enough not to lose to anyone… That's how I feel. Father, the birds are flying freely today… They look so happy."[27]
  • (To Kidōmaru) "Even if my enemy is far stronger, even if my body should fail me, I cannot lose, there is a reason I cannot lose… …I was always known as a genius so I cannot lose. Especially for the sake of those who believed I was a genius being my weak and powerless self."[28]
  • (Last words) "Father, I finally understand your feelings… The freedom you felt when you chose to die to protect your friends…"[29]

References

  1. ↑ First Databook, pages 106-109
  2. ↑ Second Databook, pages 136-139
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Third Databook, pages 148-149
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Fourth Databook, page 152
  5. ↑ Chapter 102, page 10
  6. ↑ Chapter 102, pages 11-14
  7. ↑ Chapter 102, page 17-19
  8. ↑ Chapter 105, pages 10-19
  9. ↑ Naruto: Shippūden episode 389
  10. ↑ Chapter 102, page 9
  11. ↑ Chapter 558, pages 17-18
  12. ↑ Chapter 104, pages 19-20
  13. ↑ Chapter 105, pages 2, 6
  14. ↑ Chapter 198, pages 7-8
  15. ↑ Chapter 617, pages 12-13
  16. ↑ Chapter 79, page 16
  17. ↑ Chapter 103, page 5
  18. ↑ Chapter 79, page 5
  19. ↑ Chapter 172, page 10
  20. ↑ Chapter 263, page 8
  21. ↑ Chapter 614, page 2
  22. ↑ Naruto: Shippūden episode 410
  23. ↑ As Neji's father and Hinata's father are identical twins, Neji and Hinata could be considered half-siblings, thus making the "uncle" title fitting.
  24. ↑ Masashi Kishimoto's Interview Announcement of Boruto: Naruto the Movie Plus Comments on The Last
  25. ↑ Chapter 78, page 12
  26. ↑ Chapter 100, pages 11-12
  27. ↑ Chapter 105, page 20
  28. ↑ Chapter 197, pages 14-19
  29. ↑ Chapter 614, pages 15-17
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Affiliation
Konohagakure +  and Allied Shinobi Forces +
Age
13 +, 14 +, 17 +  and 18 +
Appears in
Anime +, Manga +, Novel +, Game +  and Movie +
Birthdate
July 3 +
Blood type
O +
Chakra Nature
Fire Release +, Earth Release +  and Water Release +
Clan
Hyūga Clan +
Debut anime
21 +
Debut game
Naruto: Konoha Ninpōchō +
Debut manga
36 +
Debut manga type
Chapter +
Debut movie
Naruto Shippūden the Movie +
Debut novel
Konoha Hiden: The Perfect Day for a Wedding +
Debut ova
Hidden Leaf Village Grand Sports Festival! +
English name
Neji Hyūga +
Gender
Male +
Height
159.2 cm (1.592 m, 5.223 ft, 62.677 in) +, 160.1 cm (1.601 m, 5.253 ft, 63.031 in) +  and 172.1 cm (1.721 m, 5.646 ft, 67.756 in) +
Kanji name
日向ネジ +
Kekkei Genkai
Byakugan (null) +
Loyalty
Konohagakure +  and Allied Shinobi Forces +
Maintenance
Citation needed +
Manga
Naruto +
Name
Neji Hyūga +
Names
Neji Hyūga +, 日向ネジ +  and Hyūga Neji +
Ninja Rank
Genin +  and Jōnin +
Ninja Registration
012587 +
Parent
Hizashi Hyūga +
Picture
File:Neji Part I +  and File:Neji Part II +
Promotion Ages
12 (12) +
Romaji name
Hyūga Neji +
Species
Human +
Status
Deceased +
Team
Team Guy +, Sasuke Recovery Team +, Konoha 11 +, Star Guard Team +  and Second Division +
Voice Actors
Kōichi Tōchika +, Keiko Nemoto +, Steve Staley +  and Wendee Lee +
Weight
45.8 kg (100.972 lb) +, 46.8 kg (103.176 lb) +  and 54.2 kg (119.491 lb) +