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The following article contains spoilers for Naruto and Boruto.
The Sharingan and all the lore surrounding the Uchiha clan are one of the favorite parts of the story for manyNarutofans. As the original manga was being serialized, fans would be hyped up when a new Sharingan evolution was introduced inNaruto.
The Mangekyo Sharingan was a great addition to the lore, and the fact it would lead to progressive blindness gave fans a sense of danger after Sasuke awakened it. Kishimoto later introduced a blindness-proof variation of the Mangekyo, which can only be achieved under specific conditions. Sasuke got his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan after having Itachi’s eyes transplanted into him. But did it grant him any abilities from Itachi?
How Sasuke Got the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan
The Mangekyo Sharingan is an evolved form of the Sharingan, achieved by going through a massive amount of stress. For centuries, the Uchiha believed they needed to kill a loved one to unlock this power, but that’s not true. Any traumatic loss can cause enough stress to unleash it. Killing a loved one causes such intense pain that it often triggers the awakening, but it’s not the only way to do it.
However, while more powerful than the regular Sharingan, the Mangekyo Sharingan has a few drawbacks, including causing blindness from overuse. It strains the user’s body and gradually damages their eyes. Since this technique is related to tremendous stress, it makes sense that it would cause ocular damage.
In any case, Sasuke unlocks his Mangekyo Sharingan after seeing Itachi die and learning the truth about him. Later on, he implants Itachi’s eyes into himself, acquiring the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, which can only be achieved by transplanting another’s Mangekyo Sharingan into the new user’s eyes. This variation of the Mangekyo Sharingan doesn’t lead to blindness.
Can Sasuke Use Itachi’s Mangekyo Powers?
Although theEternal Mangekyo Sharingan is an enhanced variation without any side effects on the user’s vision, it does not grant the user any new abilities. Therefore, Sasuke is not able to use one of Itachi’s signature jutsu, Tsukuyomi. Tsukuyomi is one of the most powerful genjutsu in the manga, trapping the user in an illusion and altering their perception of time. Still, it is a demanding ability that accelerates eye damage caused by the Mangekyo Sharingan.
I always lied to you, telling you to forgive me. I used these hands to keep you at distance. I did not want you to get involved. But now… I think you could have changed father and mother. Perhaps even the entire Uchiha. If I had stood in front of you and looked you in the eyes from the very beginning… talked to you instead of down to you… and been open about everything. But I failed, and speaking to you now, like this, isn’t going to undo the permanent damage that’s already been done to you. That’s why I wanted to show you the truth.
— Itachi Uchiha
However, Itachi implanted Amaterasu into Sasuke, but it could only be used one time. Fortunately, Sasuke learned Amaterasu on his own, likely with flame control. As both Itachi and Sasuke have awakened this jutsu, some fans think that Itachi passed it down to his brother, but that’s not what the manga implies. Sasuke unlocked it regardless of Itachi implanting a one-time-use Amaterasu into him. While implanting a Mangekyo Sharingan won’t give access to the previous user’s abilities, fans speculate that the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan might be key to unlocking the Perfect Susanoo, either by enhancing control or simply allowing to improve this jutsu without progressive blindness.
Could Sasuke Still Unleash the Tsukuyomi?
As far as we know, it doesn’t seem to make much sense for Sasuke to awaken the Tsukuyomi at this point in the story, but it might be somethingBoruto: Two Blue Vortexcould explore. As an ongoing series,Borutocould still introduce significant changesto what we know about the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and could retcon a few things, including introducing that Sasuke has been able to use the Tsukuyomi all along.
SinceSarada Uchiha has already unlocked the Mangekyo Sharingan, fans have expected her to eventually achieve the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, even though there don’t seem to be many people who could implant their eyes into her. However, the answer could lie in a potential Otsutsuki to be introduced in the future.
Do the Otsutsukis Turn Blind With the Mangekyo Sharingan?
Narutofocuses on the side effects of the Mangekyo Sharingan on humans, especially those from the Uchiha lineage. Yet,some members of the Otsutsuki clanhave also awakened this doujutsu, and the side effects on them are not clear. For instance, Hagoromo Otsutsuki unlocked the Mangekyo Sharingan and was able to use a few jutsu usually associated with the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan (like due to the stress they cause in the eyes) without ever going blind.
Nonetheless,Hagoromo unleashed the Rinneganat the same time, so maybe the Rinnegan allowed him to alleviate the side effects of the Mangekyo Sharingan. Still, there is a possibility that the Otsutsuki won’t suffer from progressive blindness, given their near-godly nature and the power they have achieved by consuming Chakra Fruits.
Narutoisavailable to read on MANGA Plus, but it requires a deluxe subscription to access the full series.
Naruto
A popular shonen anime based on Masashi Kishimoto’s manga, Naruto follows its eponymous shinobi’s journey as he goes from his town’s outsider to its hero.
