This post contains spoilers for Naruto.
When it comes to popularity measurements, Itachi Uchiha is always at the top of them. He made a strong first appearance, which is why fans immediately fell in love with him. As the story continued to unfold, Itachi's fame began to rise as well. At the end of NarutoItachi Uchiha had become a firm fan favorite.
Naruto: 9 Characters Stronger Than Itachi Uchiha, Ranked
Itachi was a powerful ninja, but even he was outclassed by these Naruto characters.
What is surprising is that many supporting characters came and went, but almost none of them made the same impact as Itachi Uchiha. He was able to outshine everyone thanks to his immense backstory and extraordinary fighting abilities. The combination of the two was enough to push Itachi ahead of the rest of them Naruto sign. Needless to say, Itachi's popularity is a lesson in how a supporting character must be written.
How Itachi Uchiha Awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan
Itachi Uchiha was part of the Anbu, a shadowy organization tasked with dealing with threats to the Hidden Blade. A major reason Itachi worked for the organization was the sheer terror he witnessed as a child. He understood that war brought nothing but death and misery. These experiences shaped his ideology, which is why he always chose the most peaceful way to handle a situation.
It was another reason Itachi looked up to Shisui, another Uchiha who had seen the dark side of war. Shisui and Itachi were naturally very close. When Itachi had to watch Shisui commit suicide, the former was so emotionally overwhelmed that he ended up awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan. As is the case with all other eyes, Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan also gave him access to special abilities. Itachi's eyes gave him access to Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu.
Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan abilities
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Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan gave him access to Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu
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He could also use Susanoo
Both Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi are dangerous abilities, which is why Itachi was so feared by his opponents. With Amaterasu, Itachi was able to conjure up black flames that were so powerful they could burn anything, including other flames. Once Amaterasu's flames attack an individual, they continue to burn until the target is completely eradicated.
Can you understand the pain felt by the dead who are forced to fight? The pain of the living is even greater. After finally getting over the sadness and grief, your Jutsu has stirred up those feelings again!
Itachi is known as one of the best Genjutsu users in the series, so it is hardly surprising that he was blessed with Tsukuyomi. Genjutsu is easily among the strongest in Naruto, as it can overwhelm even a skilled Jonin like Kakashi Hatake. Anyone caught in Genjutsu is subjected to immense torture. Even if the target is tormented for only a few seconds, it feels like an eternity to them. That's why when Itachi used Tsukuyomi on Kakashi, the latter was hospitalized for days. With these two abilities at his disposal, it's no wonder Itachi was feared by everyone around him.
Itachi Uchiha's Ethereal Weapon
While these skills would be enough for most ninja, Itachi had a card up his sleeve – Susanoo. Itachi didn't use the Susanoo often because it required a huge amount of chakra to maintain it. In fact, the only time he used Susanoo was against Sasuke, and it was his way of preparing his brother for life after him. The basic version of the Susanoo is sufficient to stop most physical and ninjutsu attacks, but Itachi's version had two special tools.
The the first of these ethereal weapons was the Yata Mirroran ethereal shield that can change its properties to match each incoming strike. So it can stop any physical or spiritual attack. The Yata Mirror was composed of all five natures, making it nearly impossible to harm him in battle.
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The the other ethereal weapon was the Totsuka bladewhich was another version of the Sword of Kusanagi. Unlike a normal sword, the Totsuka blade was mandated in a gourd. The sword was enchanted with a seal just so anything pierced by it would be immediately sealed away. However, it did not work like most sealing techniques. Anyone who was stabbed by the Totsuka blade ended up in a Genjutsu forever. With the Yata Mirror and the Totsuka Blade at his side, Itachi was called invincible by Zetsu. But is the claim true or far-fetched?
Itachi could have been the strongest ninja in the world
Zetsu's statement wasn't entirely true, but it wasn't false either. Itachi had the potential to be the strongest ninja in the world, but he just couldn't reach the level, which isn't entirely his fault. Kishimoto probably realized that Itachi would have been too powerful an enemy for Naruto and his friends, so the author probably decided to give the Uchiha an incurable disease. Whatever the illness was, it affected Itachi's chakra reserves, rendering him unable to use multiple techniques in quick succession. As his stamina was affected, Itachi was unable to fight for long. Also, it was a big reason why Itachi decided to die during the fight against Sasuke.
But if Itachi hadn't been sick, then he could have become the strongest ninja in the world. He could have easily taken down any member of Akatsuki, and he wouldn't have had to let Sasuke win. Maybe Itachi wouldn't have to lie to Sasuke either. He could have told Sasuke what had happened, which would have saved him a lot of trouble.
Itachi is still a great character
Regardless of what happens to Itachi in the story, there is no denying that he is one of the best written characters. Despite being emotional, Itachi always made the wise choice. He shouldered the burden of murdering the entire Uchiha clan while protecting his little brother from harm. Itachi took all the blame so that the reputation of the Uchiha clan members would not be tarnished.
That's good. Living life as hated, that's the way of a ninja.
Itachi also made sure that Sasuke hated him so that the latter would strive for power and become strong enough to protect himself. If Sasuke had remained weak, his life would have been in danger. When the time finally came, Itachi fought Sasuke while explaining the functions of the Mangekyou Sharingan. He also revealed how Madara obtained the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan so that Sasuke could use the information, which is exactly what happened. Sasuke took Itachi's eyes and implanted them in his own.
But Itachi regretted not being able to properly explain himself to Sasuke. Thankfully, he got the chance to when Kabuto revived him. Itachi's words mattered to Sasuke, and it's safe to say that the latter was excited to have one last conversation with his brother. It would be remiss not to mention that Itachi also played a crucial role in stopping Nagato Uzuamki, who nearly killed Naruto and Killer B. Additionally, Itachi teamed up with Sasuke to stop Kabuto, who consistently summoned old ninjas to fight the alliance. If Itachi hadn't used Izanami, the Ninja Alliance would have suffered a lot more casualties and maybe even lost.
Naruto
- Release date
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2002 – 2007-00-00
- Showrunner
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Masashi Kishimoto
- Directors
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Hayato date
- Author
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Masashi Kishimoto
