Sigh, would somebody explain why people riding on this still?
First, Kishimoto could make Naruto and Hinata closer without death, but Kishimoto believed it would be a "good" way.
Second, since there were no "pure" romances and shippings in Naruto, does it even matter? Just tell me, I can tell all the drawbacks of them. For example: MinaKushi could only happen because the evil racist Cloud Ninjas kidnapped Kushina and Minato had to save her. Without saving her Kushina would never fall in love in Minato.
Third, no matter how much "antis" ride on it, it is till a used way to create couples, like it or not. It doesn't make a couple forced or "unpure". Not mentioning that Naruto and Hinata only became a couple 2 years later.
Final, would it be better if Kishimoto says "I killed Neji because he didn't do anything important in the entire Part II and became a fodder only with a name" or what Kubo said about Gin's death: It was better for him to die there"?