It's always been more popular than naruhina. Japanese readers of shonen manga have tended to strongly prefer the more spirited girls over the quiet, shy, gentle girls for some time. In the later 1980's in shonen and shoujo manga they even developed a character type guideline that marks how much the Japanese culture had changed since even the 1970's. The type is called a yandere- before she gets with the boy she worships she is quiet, shy, submissive, but once she gets together with him she turns into a complete psychotic mess- the guy has to be completely obedient to her or she goes dominatrix all over him- and not in the sexy way some guys like... and wants to maim or kill anyone who they either see as a romantic rival or who girl hurts their obsessive love interest. In other words they think the submissive, sweet stuff is just an act to "get the guy". Yandere don't really think to much about the sexual aspect of the relationship- it's pretty much mostly devotion and affection that dominate their minds.
Where in the west Hinata is viewed through cultural stereotypes that code that the only thing she's faking is her sexual innocence: busty, sweet, shy girl, who blushes a lot=girl who's always thinking about kinky sex. Now of course Kishimoto isn't writing her either way. She's just a shy, quiet, submissive girl who had a vaguely romantic hero worship of Naruto. (Kishimoto looks to be writing Hinata starting to get over that since her confession. which isn't a surprise- as all along he's made it clear he believes it's a negative thing that holds girls back to be that way about a boy, instead of developing that power within themselves.) Mikoto was the adult version of that.
A tsundere is meant to be read as a spirited girl, who will never be submissive in a relationship, but nor will she be domineering, she just wants the guy she loves not to do stupid things and gets really mad (but not meant to be seen as truly violent and scary) when he does. She's happy to be the supportive person if it's some goal the guy she loves is passionately going for, and in her heart she wants a guy who will do the same for her. She's passionate but not sexually dominate- she's really into being romantically seduced by her love interest. She dislikes perverted stuff and is fairly traditional gender rules wise there, but is very openly passionate once she is in love with someone who loves her. Tsunade, Kushina, and Yoshino are examples of adult tsundere females.
Ino and Karin are another type- the Alpha female. They share some qualities with the tsundere type, but tend not to be as hot tempered with the guys they love, and like to be the dominate one sexually. They tend to be pretty emotionally stable (as does the tsundere) and bounce back from rejection pretty quickly- they don't take it as a reflection on themselves but a lack in the person that rejected them. They like to use their attractiveness as a weapon to control the situation. Terumi Mei is an example of an adult Alpha female in Naruto, as is Anko.
Interesting viewpoint, didnt knew about these aspects of Japanese society. So to sum it all up, it means weastern cultures are obsessed with hinata as main pairing character. You know what is funny with NaruHina and SasuSaku pairing. If those people who are fans of these pairings were put in real life situations they wouldnt pick hinata nor Sasuke. If you think about it Sasuke is cold blooded murderer, im thinking if i was a female no matter how crazy i would be i wouldt go with that kind of person, after that person tried to kill me. That is so cooldown from infatuation. There are some womens in the world who stay with the men who are violent to them but when they are faced down with life threatening situation in most cases they open their eyes and run away. Sometimes not even then, but if you move that person from attacker they have time to reconcile with theirs fellings and find out that that person is no good for you. Sakura had two years for that. I think that those leftovers from Sakuras crush had died when Sasuke tried to kill her twice. I mean you have to be that morbid to go with the person who once wanted to kill you. I think that is impossible in real life. As for NaruHina pairing i think people that are in love with that pairing are mostly shy people who see themselfs in Hinata and they think if Hinata gets with Naruto, they will get what they want in theirs life, or on the other hand just pervs who like submissive girl who does not have their own opinion and is always quite. I think this mostly preferes for some areas with tradicionalistic point of view i know this cause i live in that kind of area. No one whants to admit that but in their hearts they would like girl that is worshiping them as a god and alwayes goes with what they say.I think that kind of relationship is boring cause you will not get to know the person you are with, for what she is. You will not find out how beautifull is that other half of you, so to speak. Most people who like Hinata, if that person existed in real life they would be scared of that person cause that person is stalker, and when you see that kind of person you would run with all your might. So i think they wouldnt like that kind of person in real life but because its manga and unreal life they tend to cling to this paring because of their inner desires. I noticed that vast majority of NaruSasku fans are cultured people who are not obsessive like NaruHina fans, sometimes im scared of theirs obsessivnes like they want to go on a crusade to hunt NaruSaku fans down. And when NaruSaku fans talk why they like the paring they always say things that are logical like story progression, or complementary pairing because of many things, but when i see NaruHina reasons for their love for the pairing, it is always like cause she is made for naruto, she has to be with naruto, but never logic why she should be with naruto and never some concrete proff throughout series. It is always like "naruto had look in the sky, ooo he loves hinata so much", wth. ;.) Im done ranting.
Also ive seen some popularity contests in Japan about pairings and i saw this
1)SasuSaku - 872,000 results.
2)NaruHina - 720,000 results.
3)NaruSaku - 514,000 results.
Edited by Kobayashi, 24 April 2011 - 10:02 PM.