This post contains spoilers for Naruto.
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Some people think that anime are just about action and comedy, but that’s not true. Many anime, includingNaruto, tackle heavy themes that viewers find relatable. At a glance, Naruto seems like a shonen anime that has little to no depth, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Kishimoto has used many characters to show different ideologies. He has also used relationships between several individuals to highlight some of the issues that people face in their lives. For instance, he used Itachi to depict an ideal brother but got it massively wrong.
Itachi Was A Horrible Brother To Sasuke
Itachi Ruined Sasuke’s Childhood Singlehandedly
Many fans viewItachi as an outstanding elder brother, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Itachi was the worst brother in Naruto, and he was responsible for leaving Sasuke traumatized for life. He was alleged to have the intellectual capacity of a Hokage, but he never put it to use whenever the situation involved Sasuke.
For starters,Itachi murdered their parents in cold blood. The Uchiha was coerced into doing so, but even then, annihilating the entire clan, including his parents, was in no way a smart move. Itachi had the option of approaching Hiruzen and trying to broker a better deal. Of course, it is wrong to blame Itachi entirely for the massacre, but he isn’t innocent in the situation. He still killed his parents, friends, and clansmen.
If—and it’s a big if—someone can see past the massacre,Itachi was also guilty of using the highest grade Genjutsuon his smaller brother. Sasuke was just a kid, and Itachi made him relive the nightmare of their parents being murdered multiple times. It is important to remember that Itachi’s Genjutsu was able to hospitalize adult ninjas, so the amount of damage that it did to a very young Sasuke was unimaginable. Itachi did feel guilty, and he did shed some tears, but that doesn’t change the fact that Sasuke was traumatized for life.
Last but not least, Itachi wanted to manipulate Sasuke. He even placed a crow inside Naruto that would cast Genjutsu on Sasuke. The Genjutsu would make Sasuke non-violent, and he would live mindlessly for the rest of his life. A loving elder brother would certainly have found better ways to make his younger sibling understand. It would be remiss not to mention that Itachi used every possible method except for actually trying to speak with Sasuke. The latter would be hostile towards Itachi, but the rogue ninja would have had no problems subduing him and making him listen.
Itachi Uchiha Was A Flawed Character
Itachi Uchiha Is Still A Phenomenal Character
It is necessary to clarify thatItachi was a great characterbut a horrible brother. He did unfathomable things to Sasuke, which left the latter severely depressed. Sasuke grew up hating the brother whom he so dearly loved. He also became distrustful towards others, and it took Naruto years to change his mindset. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Naruto was a better brother to Sasuke than Itachi. Naruto never tried underhanded means to change Sasuke’s mind either.
Clearly, Itachi had many flaws, but that’s what made him appealing to fans. They found him relatable to a certain extent and felt sympathy towards him.Itachi also had unique powers, such as Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo. The combination of these abilities made Itachi nearly invincible in combat. He was able to beat the top Jonin of the Hidden Leaf without any problems. Itachi also kept an eye on the activities of the Akatsuki and Obito in check.
It’s worth mentioning that Itachi sort of redeemed himself in the eyes of Sasuke after being reanimated. He apologized to Sasuke and stated that he would always watch over his younger brother.
