is a character in the ''
Naruto
''Naruto'' is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. It tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who seeks recognition from his peers and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. T ...
''
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
and
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
series created by
Masashi Kishimoto
is a Japanese manga artist. His manga series, ''Naruto'', which was in serialization from 1999 to 2014, has sold over 250 million copies worldwide in 46 countries as of May 2019. The series has been adapted into two anime and multiple films, vi ...
. Itachi is the older brother of
Sasuke Uchiha
() is a fictional character in the ''Naruto'' manga and anime franchise created by Masashi Kishimoto. Sasuke belongs to the Uchiha clan, a notorious ninja family, and one of the most powerful, allied with . Most of its members were massacred ...
, and is responsible for killing all the members of their clan, sparing only Sasuke. He appears working as a terrorist from the organisation Akatsuki and serves as Sasuke's greatest enemy. During the second part of the manga, Itachi becomes involved in attacks to ninjas possessing tailed-beast creatures until facing Sasuke in a one-on-one battle. Although Itachi perishes during the final duel, it is later revealed that Itachi had a secret reason for assassinating the Uchiha clan. Itachi is a
playable character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...
in most of the
video games
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
from the series.
Itachi's character has been popular with readers of the manga,
and has been positively received by critics. His appearance as an antagonist has been praised by several writers, although some have considered his initial appearance to be unsurprising. The gradual revelations of his past and its impact on the story has also received positive reception,
and his fights were noted to be "one of the best" in the series.
Numerous types of merchandise have been released in Itachi's likeness, including keychains, plush dolls and figurines.
Creation and design
When Itachi Uchiha is first mentioned by
Sasuke Uchiha
() is a fictional character in the ''Naruto'' manga and anime franchise created by Masashi Kishimoto. Sasuke belongs to the Uchiha clan, a notorious ninja family, and one of the most powerful, allied with . Most of its members were massacred ...
in the
manga
Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
,
Masashi Kishimoto
is a Japanese manga artist. His manga series, ''Naruto'', which was in serialization from 1999 to 2014, has sold over 250 million copies worldwide in 46 countries as of May 2019. The series has been adapted into two anime and multiple films, vi ...
had not planned out the character's backstory. The only idea he had was to attribute to Itachi some violent action that would have Sasuke wanting to kill him. However, when Itachi was introduced, Kishimoto had the idea to make Itachi Konoha's secret agent who killed his clan under their orders. Itachi was originally conceived as the leader of Konoha's Special Assassination and Tactical Squad called the "Anbu", dubbed the , which would have been a 70-man group divided into four teams, specializing in assassination and other illicit operations. However, this idea was scrapped in favor of the current Itachi working for the Akatsuki. From all the Akatsuki characters Kishimoto designed, Itachi is his favorite based on his backstory.
Itachi's Japanese voice actor,
Hideo Ishikawa
is a Japanese voice actor and narrator from Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. He is currently affiliated with Aoni Production.
He is most known for being voices for Kicchō Fukuda in ''Slam Dunk'', Auron in ''Final Fantasy X'', Itachi Uchiha in ''Narut ...
, often talked with Sasuke's Japanese actor,
Noriaki Sugiyama
is a Japanese voice actor and narrator. He voices Sasuke Uchiha in ''Naruto'', Uryū Ishida in ''Bleach'' and Shirō Emiya in ''Fate/stay night''.
Filmography Anime
;2002
* ''Naruto'' (Sasuke Uchiha)
* '' Beyblade: V-Force'' (Blader DJ)
* ''Mi ...
, about their characters. When the two characters first confronted, both Ishikawa and Sugiyama found Itachi's massacre of the Uchiha clan hard to believe and started to read the ''
Naruto
''Naruto'' is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. It tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who seeks recognition from his peers and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. T ...
'' manga in order to see if Itachi was hiding something. After Itachi's death, the two actors noted that in the end Itachi served as a good older brother to Sasuke. English actor
Crispin Freeman
Crispin Freeman is an American voice actor, voice director, and screenwriter who is best known for voicing characters in English-language dubs of Japanese anime, animation, and video games. Some of his prominent anime roles include Zelgadis Grayw ...
was pleased with voicing Itachi regardless of how many times he revisited the series.
Appearances
In ''Naruto''
Itachi is a member of the Uchiha Clan from the village of Konohagakure and the elder brother of
Sasuke Uchiha
() is a fictional character in the ''Naruto'' manga and anime franchise created by Masashi Kishimoto. Sasuke belongs to the Uchiha clan, a notorious ninja family, and one of the most powerful, allied with . Most of its members were massacred ...
. He grew up as the
child prodigy
A child prodigy is defined in psychology research literature as a person under the age of ten who produces meaningful output in some domain at the level of an adult expert. The term is also applied more broadly to young people who are extraor ...
of the Uchiha clan, establishing milestones for not only Sasuke, but also for future Uchiha to live up to. His early childhood was marred by war, the violence of which caused him to seek peace at any cost. Upon learning that his clan was planning a coup d'état to take control of Konoha, after his clan was accused of attacking the village with the
Nine Tails, Itachi provides Konoha with intelligence on his clan's actions during his two years as a member of the ANBU. Over time, Itachi distances himself from his clan, as some clan members believed he murdered his best friend, Shisui Uchiha, to gain the .
In reality, as Shisui possesses the ability to subliminally manipulate others and shares Itachi's love for the village, he intended to use his gift on the Uchiha clan leader to stop the coup d'état. However, Shisui is mortally wounded by the Leaf High Council member
Danzo Shimura
The manga and anime series features an extensive cast of characters created by Masashi Kishimoto. The series takes place in a fictional universe where countries vie for power by employing ninja who can use superhuman abilities in combat. T ...
, who then takes his eye to achieve his own ideal of peace. When Shisui entrusts Itachi with his remaining eye, Itachi covers up Shisui's death to make it appear it was his doing. Eventually, in return for Danzo's offer to spare his younger brother, Itachi slaughters his entire clan.
After creating the misconception that he murdered their family in cold blood to give Sasuke the mindset to become strong enough to kill him once he is capable, Itachi leaves the village, although he warns Danzo not to harm Sasuke. Meeting up with Konoha's Third Hokage
Hiruzen Sarutobi
The manga and anime series features an extensive cast of characters created by Masashi Kishimoto. The series takes place in a fictional universe where countries vie for power by employing ninja who can use superhuman abilities in combat. The s ...
, who promises to do what he can to look after Sasuke, Itachi reveals his intentions to continue to protect the village from the shadows.
Soon after perceiving them as a threat to Konoha, Itachi joins the
Akatsuki
may refer to:
* Akatsuki (spacecraft), an uncrewed Venus orbiter
* , any of three classes of destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy
* , any of three destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy
* ''Akatsuki'' (train), operated between Kyoto and Na ...
to ensure they do not endanger his village. Itachi becomes good friends with his partner
Kisame Hoshigaki
The manga and anime series features an extensive cast of characters created by Masashi Kishimoto. The series takes place in a fictional universe where countries vie for power by employing ninja who can use superhuman abilities in combat. The s ...
, who expresses concern for Itachi's wellbeing.
Itachi debuts in Part I after Hiruzen's death, when he uses his infiltration of Konoha to hunt down
Naruto Uzumaki
() is the titular protagonist of the manga ''Naruto'', created by Masashi Kishimoto. As the series progresses, he is a young ninja from the fictional village of Konohagakure (Hidden Leaf Village). The villagers ridicule and ostracize Naruto on ...
as an excuse to secretly check on Sasuke's wellbeing. After engaging with
Kakashi Hatake
is a fictional character in the ''Naruto'' manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto. In the story, Kakashi is the teacher of Team 7, consisting of the series' primary characters, Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and ...
and some of Konoha's forces, he reveals Akatsuki's goal to gather the Jinchuriki which are the people that contained the tailed beasts which there are nine of. Itachi also learns that Naruto is under the protection of
Jiraiya
Jiraiya (自来也 or 児雷也, literally "Young Thunder"), originally known as Ogata Shuma Hiroyuki (尾形周馬寛行), is the toad-riding protagonist of the Japanese folk tale Katakiuchi Kidan Jiraiya Monogatari (報仇奇談自来也説話, " ...
and sets up a trap to lure the experienced
ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary in feudal Japan. The functions of a ninja included reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enem ...
away to grab the boy.
However, as Jiraiya comes to Naruto's aid, Itachi finds himself facing Sasuke and directs his brother back on the path of getting stronger by defeating him before he and Kisame fall back.
In Part II, Itachi uses one of Sasori's informants as a clone of himself to hold off Naruto and the rest of
his team while he and the others seal away Shukaku the One Tail.
Itachi remains on the sidelines until learning that Sasuke has finally severed his ties to Orochimaru, having absorbed him and now being strong enough to settle matters. Prior to his fight with Sasuke, Itachi meets with Naruto and, after questioning his intentions to save Sasuke, ensures the youth's safety with a crow with Shisui's as a countermeasure against Sasuke if he gains his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and attempts to attack Konoha.
Sasuke ultimately tracks him down and they engage in their final battle, during the course of which he uses his Mangekyo Sharingan to push Sasuke to his limits. In doing so, Orochimaru is drawn out from Sasuke's body, and Itachi seals him away with his Totsuka blade before finally succumbing to his mysterious illness. As his final act, Itachi implants his Amaterasu technique within Sasuke, meant as a protective measure that will kill
Tobi ToBI (; an abbreviation of tones and break indices) is a set of conventions for transcribing and annotating the prosody of speech. The term "ToBI" is sometimes used to refer to the conventions used for describing American English specifically, whic ...
in case he ever tries to approach Sasuke and reveal the truth of their clan's slaughter. Unfortunately, having known where Itachi's loyalties truly lie, Tobi survived and reveals the truth of Itachi's actions to Sasuke. This gives Sasuke the resolve to destroy the village in revenge for ruining his brother's and his clan's lives, eventually having his brother's Mangekyo Sharingan implanted on him.
Itachi reappears later during the Fourth Great Ninja War, brought back by
Kabuto Yakushi
The manga and anime series features an extensive cast of characters created by Masashi Kishimoto. The series takes place in a fictional universe where countries vie for power by employing ninja who can use superhuman abilities in combat. The ...
using the Reanimation Jutsu, a forbidden summoning jutsu that brings the dead back as immortal corpses, to fight on Tobi's side. Paired with Nagato and forced to fight Naruto and
Killer Bee
The Africanized bee, also known as the Africanized honey bee and known colloquially as the "killer bee", is a hybrid of the western honey bee (''Apis mellifera''), produced originally by crossbreeding of the East African lowland honey bee (''A ...
against his will, Itachi learns of his brother's intentions and summons the crow he gave Naruto to regain his free will.
After sealing Nagato,
Itachi heads out to stop Kabuto and encounters Sasuke, with his younger brother wanting to know the truth once it is over.
After a long battle, Itachi is pushed to use Izanami to trap Kabuto in an eternal time-loop in his own mind, to have him break his jutsu.
His soul beginning to fade, Itachi uses his Sharingan to project his memories to Sasuke to reveal the full story of the events leading to the Uchiha Clan Massacre. Telling his brother that he does not have to forgive him, Itachi tells Sasuke that he will always love him, no matter what choice he makes from then on. With his brother's parting words, and accepting defeat after his final battle with Naruto, Sasuke renounces destroying the village and devotes himself to protecting it, fulfilling Itachi's wish for his younger brother. Sasuke even adopts Itachi's habit of poking on the forehead as a sign of affection, which Sasuke does with his wife
Sakura
A cherry blossom, also known as Japanese cherry or sakura, is a flower of many trees of Prunus, genus ''Prunus'' or Prunus subg. Cerasus, ''Prunus'' subg. ''Cerasus''. They are common species in East Asia, including China, Korea and especia ...
and their daughter
Sarada Uchiha
is a fictional character in the ''Naruto'' manga by Masashi Kishimoto. Introduced in the last chapter of the manga, she becomes the protagonist of the spin-off '' Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring'' (2015). A young ninja in tr ...
.
In other media
Itachi is present in the sixth ''
Naruto: Shippuden'' movie, ''Road to Ninja'', where he leads an alternate-universe Akatsuki to help Naruto. He has a brief cameo in one of the original video animations, and is a playable character in nearly all
''Naruto'' video games, including the
''Clash of Ninja'' series and the
''Ultimate Ninja'' series.
In some games, he utilizes variations of his techniques not seen in the
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
or manga.
Several merchandise items based on Itachi have been released, including key chains, plush dolls, and figurines.
Reception
Itachi has ranked high in the ''
Weekly Shonen Jump Weekly, The Weekly, or variations, may refer to:
News media
* ''Weekly'' (news magazine), an English-language national news magazine published in Mauritius
*Weekly newspaper, any newspaper published on a weekly schedule
*Alternative newspaper, als ...
'' popularity polls for the series, continuously placing in the top 10.
He was ranked in fifth position in the polls of 2011, his highest ranking to date.
The character received generally positive reviews from several publications for manga, anime,
video games
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device to gener ...
, and other related media.
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
reader Jason Van Horn characterized Itachi as "badass" and jokingly mentioned that he is a character to be afraid of since, in his first fight in the series, he does not make any remarkable move.
He found that "there is just something about the cold and numb Itachi," that makes the viewer "want to breakout in chills".
IGN's Charles White liked the episode where the relationship between young Sasuke and Itachi is revealed, and hoped to see more of their past to resolve the mystery of Itachi's character commenting that learning about their "past has been intriguing".
NTT customers voted him as their tenth favorite black haired male anime character.
CyberConnect2
is a Japanese video game development studio mostly known for its work on the ''.hack'' series, along with a series of fighting games based on the ''Naruto'' franchise. They are also known for creating the ''Little Tail Bronx'' series (e.g. ''T ...
CEO Hiroshi Matsuyama referred to Itachi as one of his favorite characters from ''Naruto''.
In the Shelf Life section from
Anime News Network
Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and oth ...
(ANN) Bamboo Dong comments that Itachi is one of her favorite characters from the series, noting his background and his introduction as the best parts of the series. Activeanime writer Davey C. Jones celebrated Itachi's fights as the best ones in the series, noting his abilities to be as amazing as a "sci-fi ninja". Holly Ellingwood from the same website agrees, citing his fight against Kakashi Hatake as one "few will be able to forget". The reviewer also praised Itachi's attitude, commenting that he "is as cold and as ruthless as any villain yet".
In a review of Volume 16 of the manga, Deb Aoki from
About.com
Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, l ...
listed Itachi's introduction in the series as one of the cons from the volume. She praised his first fight in the series as very entertaining, meant to "whet readers' appetites for future fights between Konoha ninja and the Akatsuki". James Musgrove commented that Itachi and his partner Kisame "make a dramatic and well-timed entrance into the story". However, Jason Van Horn criticised the first battle between Itachi and Sasuke, as "good" but not "as epic as it should've been". His last fight with Sasuke before dying was considered "epic" by Casey Brienza from ANN. She found it to be "a battle of minds" since, even after Itachi's death, Sasuke changes his mind about him when he learns about his past. She also anticipated the impact of Itachi's past revelations on the future storyline of ''Naruto''.
Despite disliking how the anime ''Shippuden'' used Itachi's light novel as part of the series, Chris Beveridge from the Fandom Post enjoyed Itachi's impact on both Sasuke and Naruto. Writer
Jason Thompson highly praised his visual tortures, due to the effect it has on the victims, reminding him of the antagonist from
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, film critic and a professor at Tokyo University of the Arts. Although he has worked in a variety of genres, Kurosawa is best known for his many contributions to the Japanese horror genre, his honorific ...
's film ''
Cure
A cure is a substance or procedure that ends a medical condition, such as a medication, a surgical operation, a change in lifestyle or even a philosophical mindset that helps end a person's sufferings; or the state of being healed, or cured. The ...
'' notable for its horror scenes. Nevertheless, he criticized Itachi's death scene as a result of his disease rather than being killed by Sasuke, taking all the blame from his brother in the process. In 2014, IGN listed him as the fifth best ''Naruto'' character when the series ended.
See also
*
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Uchiha, Itachi
Comics characters introduced in 2003
Fictional assassins in comics
Fictional characters who can duplicate themselves
Fictional characters who committed familicide
Fictional child prodigies
Fictional child soldiers
Fictional double agents
Fictional illusionists
Fictional mass murderers
Fictional military captains
Fictional ninja
Fictional secret agents and spies
Fictional special forces personnel
Fictional swordfighters in anime and manga
Fictional undead
Male characters in anime and manga
Orphan characters in anime and manga