Although my fanart gallery might say otherwise, the character of Hyuga Hinata from Naruto had, more recently, been irritating me for some unfathomable reason.
Perhaps this sudden dislike stems mainly from her fandom, which ranges from the extreme of biasly sugar-coating her positive attributes (said fans being the less mature ones) to exaggerating her accomplishments, or simply finding her heavily overrated for her amount of received praise as a secondary character.
It does, as a matter of fact, astonish me even to perceive her in such a light nowadays, considering that I, admittedly, would likely have been one of those rabid, obsessive "Hinamaniacs" just a short time back who upon seeing one, rather poorly thought of and immature criticism from a basher, would brashly create an extensive essay in her character's defense.
Referencing the fans that stem my on-and-off vexation at her character, I have often found most alternate between being the immature fans obsessively mentioning her breast size, and thus, finding source of infatuation through her well-endowed appearance, to the ones who wish only to see her involved in a pairing with her love interest and fail to see more background to her, and more respectful ones who conscientiously defend her against haters, and yet still emphasize constantly, perhaps overly so, her same achievements in a light which makes her role seem more major than appears.
Open-mindedly, however, I theorize, that a major component of Hinata's popularity, other than her simply appealing to fans through her demure personality, is the likelihood that many can empathize with her less attractive traits through having endured shyness or introversion from one time or another themselves, thus causing her character's theme to be inspirational to these less self-confident fans.
Although she certainly isn't among the strongest characters physically, as said time and time again, still what motivate Hinata's character and give her strength are both her heart and emotions.
She conveys individuality and balance to a corrupt world through a capacity for caring and pure emotion without need to be flamboyant, albeit extraverted, in expressing such feelings, contrary to others as Sakura Haruno and Kushina Uzumaki, each also good-natured and emotional kunoichi often victim of explosiveness through reactive natures.
Simultaneously, Hinata maintains a reserved, collected, and withdrawn demeanor that, rather than biding genuine disinterest and aloofness, conserves warmth for who she feels most precious in her life.
As such, she more than likely provides freshness personality-wise to fans through acting dually an introverted character, while still offering empathy to her comrades without the overwhelming exuberance of people as her idol, Naruto Uzumaki , himself, or to a different extreme, mirroring Sasuke's detached coolness and lack of sympathy for others, despite having an equally introverted persona.
She is able to stay true to herself and achieve change, as well as maintain compassion for friends and loved ones, without having either to destroy herself emotionally or the bonds she forms with others, and nor loose a part of who she is or react in a violent and offensive manner, and this fact likely gives her a certain charisma that attracts massive popularity towards her. She sees the beauty in her surroundings and is an idealist at heart, and seeks to provide comfort and harmony as best she can, while still mustering to defend herself and show her true colors in battle when time calls, in her own unique way.
The question meant to be answered through this however is, what on earth grants Hinata so much popularity, despite limited development and appearances? Some would say her love for Naruto somehow gives her an edge with the already massive Naruhina fandom, others simply that she is "hot" through her new bosom, and, in truth for genuine fans, that they appreciate her quiet strength and kindness.
Nonetheless, I conclude that what truly endears her to manga followers and otakus is that she is personable and gives new life to the past "shy anime girl"/ "shrinking violet" stereotype. Although such isn't to say she isn't based on a cliché, as most characters in fiction are to some extent, she acts a timid girl who, despite her weaknesses and faults, wishes to find a true sense of self and peace of mind through a vow to perseverance.
While it is arguable that most of her life, panel/anime-wise at least, seems to revolve around undying devotion to an idol she, despite his faults, sees herself in and finds symbolic of hope and potential, eventually falling in love with, what she wishes more than anything is to receive recognition as a strong person while still being her thoughtful self, and thus, she maintains the image of this idols smile mentally as symbolism of her motto, growing (and already present) confidence in self, and a projected light on the person she once was.
Although my own irrationality has caused me to, privately, in the past, believe her a "full-chested Mary-Sue" and "Little Miss Perfect Sunshine" through the favorable light she basks in among fans, still she ultimately is nothing more than a flawed human in a work of fiction who, despite her weaknesses, manages to find good judgment on what is right and wrong and somehow work through these flaws to reach her ideals, which she invests her inward passion in.
In answer to the number of fans who, as I myself, have at one point questioned her massive hype, I feel that all in the end revolves around one's own perception as a follower, thus implying that aspects as the vibes received from other said fans should not define your views on a character in fiction, but rather, that you should examine it realistically to then decide your stand on it.
Ultimately, she is nothing more than fragment from an artist's imagination, and yet still, she seems real in the minds of those who are attracted to her, directing obsession, sometimes unhealthy, and admiration towards her alike. Despite her two-dimensionalism, she has imperfections just as any of us real people, or at least was created to represent a real human struggling to find herself in a world that, at one point in her life, seemed to tower imperialistically before her.
In the end, we argue, we become bitter over, and go so far as to comparing ourselves to something ideal that does not even exist, and yet still, fans ultimately can find a piece of themselves and something to relate theirselves to in a character as Hinata herself.