Hinata Hakamada, nicknamed "Innocent Charm" by Touko Hatano for her perceived naivete and class popularity, attends Keishin Academy as a sixth-grade student in Class 6-C and serves as the animal care monitor. She stands 131 cm tall, making her the smallest member of the girls' basketball team, with silky pastel-pink hair styled in a knee-length hime cut and pink-purple eyes. Her diminutive stature results from childhood health issues that hindered her growth, prompting overprotectiveness from her younger sister Kagetsu. Despite her small frame, she displays noticeable physical development for her age.

Hinata exhibits a sweet, polite, and innocent demeanor, often interjecting speech with sounds like "Oh~" or "Ah~". She collects plush toys and displays airheadedness described as "naturally dull". Her behavior occasionally reveals unexpected complexity, including a playful fixation on teammate Airi Kashii's chest. She forms a close bond with coach Subaru Hasegawa, viewing him as a brother figure and initiating frequent physical contact like hugging or "Koala Attacks", though she shows subtle romantic anxiety when he interacts closely with other girls. Her relationship with Kagetsu is affectionate but strains when Kagetsu interferes in her personal life, particularly regarding Subaru.

Initially the least skilled basketball player with low stamina and endurance, Hinata improves significantly through rigorous training. She scores the decisive basket against Class D during a sports festival after sessions with Natsuhi Takenaka, the rival boys' team captain who harbors a small crush on her. Later, she contributes crucially to matches like the one against Suzuridani by executing a reverse layup over taller opponents. Her position evolves from point guard to small forward as she hones techniques exploiting her size to bypass defenders. She also develops greater stamina, eventually passing Kagetsu's endurance trials.

Born on March 3, she is the second-youngest team member despite appearing youngest due to Japan's academic calendar starting in April. Her surname "Hakamada" references traditional Japanese hakama garments, while her given name "Hinata" can mean "sunflower" or "facing the sun" in kanji. She self-refers as "Hina", meaning "juvenile" or "youngling". Her family remains partially undefined, though she physically resembles her mother while Kagetsu resembles their father. In popularity polls among the "inner five" of Subaru's girls, she ranks second behind Tomoka Minato. Additional traits include proficiency in dog-paddle swimming and being the only core team member whose family and given names share the same initial in Romaji.