The Last movie symbolism for non-Japanese audience

Watching the movien where Naruto came to know romantic love for the first time, I noticed splendid references to Japanese folkore in the most beautiful and focal scene: the confession

The fireflies (horatu) in Naruto's confession scene are "beloved", a metaphor for passionate love in Japanese literature: represent love and celebration, especially for young couples.

In Akihabara Culture, there are many love stories in which a boy and a girl, being childhood friends, begin to feel attraction between each other and finally form a couple, which is the same dynamic we see for Hinata and Naruto.

The flower near Naruto's leg is a pink amaryllis/belladonna and symbolizes shyness

Symbolism that recalls not only Hinata's shyness but also the shyness Naruto experiences for the first time close to her. In the movie Naruto is nervous when interacting with Hinata as he has never been with any other girl so far and is starting to experience what it means

to look at a person and have butterflies in your stomach and being nervous. Also, the firefly that sits onto the flower is a symbol of a young man's quest for love in Japanese culture.

The moon in the water before Naruto stepping towards Hinata is called "suigetsu" and is derived from a phrase used in Japan saying "Moon on the water, flower in the mirror" (Kyoka Suigetsu) and symbolizing something that can be seen but not touched

like a flower reflected in a mirror or the moon reflected on the water, something that is beautiful but unattainable dreams, a mirage.

Hinata for Naruto is like a dream that he chases and feels like she will slip from his fingers anytime cause she is too good to be true.

And this is also an excellent reference to what is about to happen with Toneri taking away Hinata and preventing her from formalizing the love confession.

In fact, what Naruto said at the Last to Hinata and what Sakura said at the failfession to Naruto is "sukida''

(different from what Hinata says in pain's arc) this is the exact term two partners say to each other before starting date, the '' kokohaku '' aka love confession: the first step before entering a relationship and quite the opposite of what we as westerners do.

Both of them will finally exchange this confession at the end of the film officially starting their romantic relationship