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In _Naruto_ , the [Hyūga clan](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Hy%C5%ABga_clan)
is divided into two houses: the main house and the branch house.  
The main house members brand the branch house members with a
[**Juinjutsu**](http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Hy%C5%ABga_Main_Family%27s_Juinjutsu)
(Cursed mark), which has the objective of sealing away the Byakugan upon the
death of the one branded. It also has the function of controlling the branch
house members through the destruction of the wearer's brain cells, which can
be activated by a hand seal only known by the main house members.

The seal looks like this:

![Hyuuga clan seal](https://i.stack.imgur.com/MMqUL.png)

Although the Hyūga Main Family's Juinjutsu was [altered in the
anime](http://images.wikia.com/naruto/images/e/e8/Cursed_Seal_Hy%C5%ABga_%28Anime%29.svg)
for its resemblance with a [swastika](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika)
(and the connotation with the Nazi regime), the manga version maintains its
original design.

Quoting directly from Wikipedia:

> The word "swastika" comes from the Sanskrit swastika - "su" meaning "good,"
> "asti" meaning "to be," and "ka" as a suffix. The swastika literally means
> **"to be good"**. Or another translation can be made: "swa" is "higher
> self", "asti" meaning "being", and "ka" as a suffix, so the translation can
> be interpreted as **"being with higher self"**.

Both these translations would fit (at least according to my interpretation)
the secondary purpose of the Juinjutsu:  
\- **To be good** : the secondary function of the Juinjutsu is to control the
branch house members, which is to 'make them good' (at least to make them
submit themselves to the main house members' will).  
\- **Being with higher self** : the Juinjutsu links the branch house members
('lower self') with the main house members ('higher self').

Are there any canon sources that state:  
**If this resemblance is purely coincidental? Or if the seal is _really_ a
swastika?**


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question
naruto symbolism
Is the Hyuuga main family's juinjutsu a Swastika?


It is probably intentionally a swastika, though it is definitely not referring
to Naziism. I don't know anything about Naruto canon, so I have no official
source, but swastikas are often highly stylized and this certainly fits the
bill. Googling for "Hindu swastika" or "Buddhist swastika" will yield plenty
of images, some of which are pretty distorted (more than the image you've
posted), so it's very likely not a coincidence. For instance, this Hindu
swastika is very common:

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zEaRo.gif).

Swastikas are common in Buddhism, Hinduism, and many other eastern religions
(Buddhism being the most common in Japan), and are well-known in both the East
and West, though with different interpretations. In particular, in Buddhism,
the swastika is usually counter-clockwise (Nazi swastikas were clockwise, and
the seal you have posted is counter-clockwise as one would expect of a
Buddhist swastika). It doesn't have quite the same meaning as you've described
in Buddhism; most Buddhists think of the Swastika as a symbol for eternity,
protection, and good luck.

In Japanese, this Buddhist symbol is called _manji_ or 卍字 and is used as a
sort-of official symbol for Buddhism similar to how crosses represent
Christianity. Maps usually indicate Buddhist temples with these manji. While
Japanese people (as well as most other Eastern cultures) would recognize the
Nazi swastika by it's design, they would not associate all swastikas with
Naziism as many would in the West. In short, I'd be extremely surprised if
anyone coincidentally drew one in a manga without intending some symbolism,
and it's a common enough symbol that there may not be any official mention of
it. The [Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika) has a lot
of information on the subject, so it's worth a read.

As a note, swastikas are used in a number of other manga, including Yu Yu
Hakusho and Blade of the Immortal (the latter retained the swastikas in the
English versions).


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answer