Itachi Uchiha
Encyclopedia
is a fictional character
in the Naruto
manga
and anime
series created by Masashi Kishimoto
. In the series, Itachi is the older brother of Sasuke Uchiha
and is responsible for killing all the members of their clan, sparing only Sasuke. Itachi is treated as an antagonist for much of the series, however around the time of his death his villainous role is greatly downplayed. It is revealed that he was ordered by Danzo and the counselors of Konohagakure to kill the clan in order to prevent the Uchiha coup d'état
which would have resulted in war. Despite his reservations, Itachi fulfilled his mission and defected from Konohagakure to become part of the criminal organization Akatsuki to continue protecting Konohagakure from behind the scenes.
Itachi has not been featured in the films and original video animations from Naruto, but he is a playable character in most video games of the series. His character has been very popular within readers from the manga, having ranked high in various popularity polls from the series. Also numerous anime and manga publications have commented on Itachi's character. His fights are often noted to be "one of the best" in the series. His appearance as an antagonist has been praised by several writers although some considered his initial not to be very surprising. The gradual revelations of his past and its impact on the story has also been praised. Several types of merchandising have also been developed based on Itachi's appearance including figurine
s and plush.
, knows or remembers, as is chronicled in volume twenty-five of the Naruto manga. He grew up as the child prodigy of the Uchiha clan, establishing milestones for Sasuke and future Uchiha to live up to. Over time, however, Itachi began to distance himself from the clan, acting hostile towards its members when he is accused of murdering his clansman Shisui Uchiha and prompting his father to discourage Sasuke from following in Itachi's footsteps. Itachi soon afterwards killed every member of the clan with the explanation that he was testing his potential. He spared only Sasuke, who he claimed was too weak to be worth killing, and challenged him to live a life of hate so that he would get strong enough to someday pose a challenge to Itachi. Itachi vanished into the night, leaving Sasuke with the motive for revenge that drives his actions for most of the series.
Towards the end of Naruto manga volume forty-three, after Itachi's death, the truth of his background is told by Madara Uchiha. Itachi's early childhood was marred by war, the violence of which caused him to seek peace at any cost. When years later the Uchiha clan began planning a coup d'état
to take control of the village of Konohagakure, Itachi feared the attempt would cause another war and became a double agent
, providing Konoha with intelligence on his clan's actions. The village eventually gave him the mission of assassinating the Uchiha, a task he asked Madara Uchiha for assistance with. After the Uchiha were eliminated, Itachi, tormented by his actions, could not bring himself to kill Sasuke too. He made himself out as a villain. To keep Sasuke safe until then, Itachi threatened to share everything he knew about Konoha with its enemies if the village ever harmed Sasuke. In the meantime, he joined the criminal organization Akatsuki to keep an eye on it and Madara in case they ever conspired against Konoha.
disposed of for knowing something about the secretive organization. He is also shown to be confident in his abilities, taunting Kakashi for not being as strong as he is. In both instances, Itachi proves to be on good terms with his partner, Kisame Hoshigaki, who immediately does as he asks and worries about Itachi's well-being. He is more considerate to his opponents in Part II, praising Kakashi during their re-encounter for improving his abilities and, when later confronting Naruto Uzumaki
, only desiring to speak with him. Itachi is, however, consistently hostile towards Sasuke; during their first meeting since the destruction of the Uchiha, Itachi breaks Sasuke's wrist and ridicules him for still being weak. This attitude reaches its peak in the conversation that precedes Itachi's death, where he abandons his passive expression for excitement at the prospect of finally getting to kill Sasuke. This is all explained to be a facade after his death, as his chief concern is Sasuke's safety, the evil persona being used only to cement Sasuke's resolution to kill him.
. From his days as a ninja of Konoha, Konoha ninja know by reputation not to underestimate Itachi, his killing of the Uchiha clan only elevating him to the classification of an extremely dangerous criminal. He also became the leader of the ANBU Corps only at the age of 13. During his appearances he is shown to be very fast with his movements, with such actions as attacking before his opponents have the chance to respond and making his hand seals so fast that even those with a Sharingan cannot follow them. Generally, however, Itachi does not actively participate in battles, remaining in a stationary position where he analyzes an opponent's actions, only then acting in self-defense. In these instances he relies heavily on trapping opponents in illusions to keep them preoccupied, something he can do merely by pointing or looking at them.
As an Uchiha, Itachi possesses a Sharingan, an eye technique that gives the user heightened analytical capabilities. Before he assassinated the Uchiha he killed his best friend to advance his Sharingan to its next level: the Mangekyo Sharingan. When activated, the Mangekyo Sharingan changes the Sharingan's appearance and grants Itachi with abilities derived from Japanese mythology
. The first, , traps his opponent in an illusory realm in which Itachi is allowed to torture said opponent for what seems like days in a matter of moments. The second, , generates black flames at his focal point that will continue to burn until the target is reduced to ash. The final ability, , creates a massive ethereal warrior that uses the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi
to attack for him and the Yata no Kagami
to protect him. Despite the effectiveness of the techniques, use of the Mangekyo Sharingan deteriorates Itachi's eyesight to the point of blindness.
. Itachi sets up a distraction to draw Jiraiya away from Naruto and the two try to capture him. Sasuke, having heard that Itachi was back, intervenes, and Jiraiya soon returns as well. After briefly tormenting Sasuke for still being weak, Itachi and Kisame leave to avoid capture by Jiraiya. After Itachi's death in Part II, this entire visit to Konoha is revealed to have only been to make sure that the Third's death did not cause Konoha to forget their vow to protect Sasuke.
Itachi makes a brief appearance at the start of Part II, distracting Naruto and the rest of his team while Akatsuki seals one of the tailed beasts it has captured. Later, Itachi learns that Sasuke has absorbed Orochimaru
, a man who defected from Konoha and once joined Akatsuki in order to absorb Itachi. Knowing that a stronger Sasuke is now coming for him, Itachi meets with Naruto. After his death he is revealed to have given some of his power in the form of a crow to Naruto to be used to protect Sasuke and Konoha in case Sasuke ever attacks the village. Sasuke ultimately tracks him down and they have 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 to keep him from Sasuke before he dies of disease.
As his final act, Itachi implants his Amaterasu within Sasuke, meant as a failsafe that would kill Madara in case he ever approached Sasuke. Since this surprises Sasuke, Madara explains the truth of Itachi's past, what is claimed to be an unfounded mistrust of Madara, and that, even though Itachi had been dying of disease, he kept himself alive with drugs so that he could die by Sasuke's hands. Now knowing his long-hated brother to have led a tragic life because of Konoha's orders, Sasuke resolves to destroy the village, even though Itachi had gone to lengths to protect it.
Itachi reappears later during the Shinobi World War, resurrected by Kabuto Yakushi to fight on Madara's side. Paired with Nagato and forced to fight Naruto against his will, Itachi learns from him about his brother's intentions. Itachi summons the crow he gave Naruto, to break free from Kabuto's control. After sealing Nagato, Itachi heads out to stop Kabuto.
s; however, 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 on his techniques not seen in the anime or manga. Naruto Shippūden: Gekitou Ninja Taisen EX marks the first appearance of Itachi in a video game set in Part II, with the second one being Naruto Shippūden: Narutimate Accel.
popularity polls for the series, continuously placing in the top ten. The last such poll was in 2011, in which Itachi was in 5th place, his highest ranking till date. Several pieces of merchandise based on Itachi have also been released, including key chains
, plush dolls
, and figurines
.
Several publications for manga, anime, video games, and other related media have provided praise and criticism on Itachi's character. IGN
reader Jason Van Horn characterized Itachi as "badass" and jokingly mentioned he is a character to be afraid of since in his first fight in the series he did 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 young Sasuke and Itachi's relationship were revealed, and hoped to see more on their past to resolve the mystery of Itachi's character commenting that learning about their "past has been intriguing". Jason Van Horn criticised the first battle between Itachi and Sasuke, as "good" but not "as epic as it should've been". James Musgrove commented that Itachi and his partner Kisame "make a dramatic and well-timed entrance into the story".
In the Shelf Life section from Anime News Network
(ANN) Bamboo Dong comments that Itachi is one of their 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 remarking his abilities to be as amazing as a "sci-fi ninja". Holly Ellingwood from the same website agreed on this, noting 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 the volume 16 from the manga, Deb Aoki from About.com
listed Itachi's introduction in the series as one of the cons from the volume. She praised his first fight in the series to be very entertaining and that was meant to "whet readers' appetites" for future fights between Konoha ninja and the Akatsuki. Additionally, his last fight with Sasuke before dying was considered "epic" by Casey Brienza from ANN. She found it to be more to be "a battle of minds" since even after Itachi's death Sasuke changes his thought about him when learning about his past. She also anticipated the impact of Itachi's past revelations on the future storyline of Naruto.
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Naruto
Naruto
is an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become the Hokage, the ninja in his village who is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series created by Masashi Kishimoto
Masashi Kishimoto
is a Japanese manga artist, well known for creating the manga series Naruto. His younger twin brother, Seishi Kishimoto, is also a manga artist and creator of the manga series 666 Satan and Blazer Drive...
. In the series, Itachi is the older brother of Sasuke Uchiha
Sasuke Uchiha
is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto. He was created as a rival and foil to the series' titular character, Naruto Uzumaki...
and is responsible for killing all the members of their clan, sparing only Sasuke. Itachi is treated as an antagonist for much of the series, however around the time of his death his villainous role is greatly downplayed. It is revealed that he was ordered by Danzo and the counselors of Konohagakure to kill the clan in order to prevent the Uchiha coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
which would have resulted in war. Despite his reservations, Itachi fulfilled his mission and defected from Konohagakure to become part of the criminal organization Akatsuki to continue protecting Konohagakure from behind the scenes.
Itachi has not been featured in the films and original video animations from Naruto, but he is a playable character in most video games of the series. His character has been very popular within readers from the manga, having ranked high in various popularity polls from the series. Also numerous anime and manga publications have commented on Itachi's character. His fights are often noted to be "one of the best" in the series. His appearance as an antagonist has been praised by several writers although some considered his initial not to be very surprising. The gradual revelations of his past and its impact on the story has also been praised. Several types of merchandising have also been developed based on Itachi's appearance including figurine
Figurine
A figurine is a statuette that represents a human, deity or animal. Figurines may be realistic or iconic, depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest were made of stone or clay...
s and plush.
Background
For much of the series, the only information given about Itachi's background is what his younger brother, Sasuke UchihaSasuke Uchiha
is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto. He was created as a rival and foil to the series' titular character, Naruto Uzumaki...
, knows or remembers, as is chronicled in volume twenty-five of the Naruto manga. He grew up as the child prodigy of the Uchiha clan, establishing milestones for Sasuke and future Uchiha to live up to. Over time, however, Itachi began to distance himself from the clan, acting hostile towards its members when he is accused of murdering his clansman Shisui Uchiha and prompting his father to discourage Sasuke from following in Itachi's footsteps. Itachi soon afterwards killed every member of the clan with the explanation that he was testing his potential. He spared only Sasuke, who he claimed was too weak to be worth killing, and challenged him to live a life of hate so that he would get strong enough to someday pose a challenge to Itachi. Itachi vanished into the night, leaving Sasuke with the motive for revenge that drives his actions for most of the series.
Towards the end of Naruto manga volume forty-three, after Itachi's death, the truth of his background is told by Madara Uchiha. Itachi's early childhood was marred by war, the violence of which caused him to seek peace at any cost. When years later the Uchiha clan began planning a coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
to take control of the village of Konohagakure, Itachi feared the attempt would cause another war and became a double agent
Double agent
A double agent, commonly abbreviated referral of double secret agent, is a counterintelligence term used to designate an employee of a secret service or organization, whose primary aim is to spy on the target organization, but who in fact is a member of that same target organization oneself. They...
, providing Konoha with intelligence on his clan's actions. The village eventually gave him the mission of assassinating the Uchiha, a task he asked Madara Uchiha for assistance with. After the Uchiha were eliminated, Itachi, tormented by his actions, could not bring himself to kill Sasuke too. He made himself out as a villain. To keep Sasuke safe until then, Itachi threatened to share everything he knew about Konoha with its enemies if the village ever harmed Sasuke. In the meantime, he joined the criminal organization Akatsuki to keep an eye on it and Madara in case they ever conspired against Konoha.
Personality
Itachi usually has a dispassionate appearance, rarely showing emotion and keeping his composure even when surprised or irritated. When first introduced, Itachi is portrayed as being extremely loyal to Akatsuki, trying to have Kakashi HatakeKakashi Hatake
is a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto. Kishimoto originally planned to introduce Kakashi in the manga to the series' titular character, Naruto Uzumaki, early on, but pushed back this meeting so that Naruto's teammates could be better developed.In...
disposed of for knowing something about the secretive organization. He is also shown to be confident in his abilities, taunting Kakashi for not being as strong as he is. In both instances, Itachi proves to be on good terms with his partner, Kisame Hoshigaki, who immediately does as he asks and worries about Itachi's well-being. He is more considerate to his opponents in Part II, praising Kakashi during their re-encounter for improving his abilities and, when later confronting Naruto Uzumaki
Naruto Uzumaki
is a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Naruto created by Masashi Kishimoto. The main protagonist and titular character of the series, he is a ninja affiliated with the fictional village of Konohagakure. The villagers ostracize Naruto because the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, a...
, only desiring to speak with him. Itachi is, however, consistently hostile towards Sasuke; during their first meeting since the destruction of the Uchiha, Itachi breaks Sasuke's wrist and ridicules him for still being weak. This attitude reaches its peak in the conversation that precedes Itachi's death, where he abandons his passive expression for excitement at the prospect of finally getting to kill Sasuke. This is all explained to be a facade after his death, as his chief concern is Sasuke's safety, the evil persona being used only to cement Sasuke's resolution to kill him.
Abilities
Within the series, Itachi is renowned for his mastery of all ninja abilitiesJutsu (Naruto)
In the anime and manga series Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto, a refers to the abilities ninja can use. The series occurs in a fictional universe in which different countries fight for power using ninja soldiers. The Naruto storyline follows a group of young ninja from the village of Konohagakure...
. From his days as a ninja of Konoha, Konoha ninja know by reputation not to underestimate Itachi, his killing of the Uchiha clan only elevating him to the classification of an extremely dangerous criminal. He also became the leader of the ANBU Corps only at the age of 13. During his appearances he is shown to be very fast with his movements, with such actions as attacking before his opponents have the chance to respond and making his hand seals so fast that even those with a Sharingan cannot follow them. Generally, however, Itachi does not actively participate in battles, remaining in a stationary position where he analyzes an opponent's actions, only then acting in self-defense. In these instances he relies heavily on trapping opponents in illusions to keep them preoccupied, something he can do merely by pointing or looking at them.
As an Uchiha, Itachi possesses a Sharingan, an eye technique that gives the user heightened analytical capabilities. Before he assassinated the Uchiha he killed his best friend to advance his Sharingan to its next level: the Mangekyo Sharingan. When activated, the Mangekyo Sharingan changes the Sharingan's appearance and grants Itachi with abilities derived from Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...
. The first, , traps his opponent in an illusory realm in which Itachi is allowed to torture said opponent for what seems like days in a matter of moments. The second, , generates black flames at his focal point that will continue to burn until the target is reduced to ash. The final ability, , creates a massive ethereal warrior that uses the Totsuka-no-Tsurugi
Worochi no Ara-masa
The , , , or Worochi-no-Aramasa is the legendary sword of the Shinto god Susanoo. It was also the sword used by Izanagi to kill his offspring, Kagu-tsuchi.- History :...
to attack for him and the Yata no Kagami
Yata no kagami
is a sacred mirror that is part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan. It is said to be housed in Ise Shrine in Mie prefecture, Japan, although a lack of public access makes this difficult to verify. The Yata no Kagami represents "wisdom" or "honesty," depending on the source. Its name literally means...
to protect him. Despite the effectiveness of the techniques, use of the Mangekyo Sharingan deteriorates Itachi's eyesight to the point of blindness.
Plot overview
Itachi debuts in Part I after the death of the Third Hokage, Konoha's protector, by infiltrating the village with Kisame. After drawing the attention of Konoha's forces Itachi reveals that, as part of Akatsuki's goal to capture the nine powerful tailed beasts, they are after Naruto Uzumaki for the nine-tailed demon fox sealed within him. During a scuffle with Konoha's ninja they discover that Naruto has left the village, and upon tracking him down find that he is under the protection of JiraiyaJiraiya (Naruto)
is a fictional character in the Naruto universe created by Masashi Kishimoto. Introduced in the first half of the manga, Jiraiya appears as a perverted old man who the lead character, Naruto Uzumaki, refers to as "Ero-Sennin"...
. Itachi sets up a distraction to draw Jiraiya away from Naruto and the two try to capture him. Sasuke, having heard that Itachi was back, intervenes, and Jiraiya soon returns as well. After briefly tormenting Sasuke for still being weak, Itachi and Kisame leave to avoid capture by Jiraiya. After Itachi's death in Part II, this entire visit to Konoha is revealed to have only been to make sure that the Third's death did not cause Konoha to forget their vow to protect Sasuke.
Itachi makes a brief appearance at the start of Part II, distracting Naruto and the rest of his team while Akatsuki seals one of the tailed beasts it has captured. Later, Itachi learns that Sasuke has absorbed Orochimaru
Orochimaru (Naruto)
is a fictional character from the Naruto universe created by Masashi Kishimoto and developed into a media franchise, which consists of a series of manga, anime, soundtracks, OVAs, movies, video games, and other collectibles...
, a man who defected from Konoha and once joined Akatsuki in order to absorb Itachi. Knowing that a stronger Sasuke is now coming for him, Itachi meets with Naruto. After his death he is revealed to have given some of his power in the form of a crow to Naruto to be used to protect Sasuke and Konoha in case Sasuke ever attacks the village. Sasuke ultimately tracks him down and they have 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 to keep him from Sasuke before he dies of disease.
As his final act, Itachi implants his Amaterasu within Sasuke, meant as a failsafe that would kill Madara in case he ever approached Sasuke. Since this surprises Sasuke, Madara explains the truth of Itachi's past, what is claimed to be an unfounded mistrust of Madara, and that, even though Itachi had been dying of disease, he kept himself alive with drugs so that he could die by Sasuke's hands. Now knowing his long-hated brother to have led a tragic life because of Konoha's orders, Sasuke resolves to destroy the village, even though Itachi had gone to lengths to protect it.
Itachi reappears later during the Shinobi World War, resurrected by Kabuto Yakushi to fight on Madara's side. Paired with Nagato and forced to fight Naruto against his will, Itachi learns from him about his brother's intentions. Itachi summons the crow he gave Naruto, to break free from Kabuto's control. After sealing Nagato, Itachi heads out to stop Kabuto.
Appearances in other media
Itachi is not present in any of the seven featured films in the series, and has only a brief cameo in one of the original video animationOriginal video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
s; however, is a playable character in nearly all Naruto video games, including the Clash of Ninja series
Naruto: Clash of Ninja (series)
The Naruto: Clash of Ninja series, known in Japan as , is a series of 3D cel-shaded fighting games based on the popular manga and anime series Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto. They are developed by Eighting and published by D3 Publisher and Tomy. Various installments of the series have appeared on both...
and the Ultimate Ninja series
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja (series)
The Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series, known in Japan as the , is a series of fighting games, based on the popular manga and anime series Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto, for the PlayStation 2. They were developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Namco Bandai...
. In some games, he utilizes variations on his techniques not seen in the anime or manga. Naruto Shippūden: Gekitou Ninja Taisen EX marks the first appearance of Itachi in a video game set in Part II, with the second one being Naruto Shippūden: Narutimate Accel.
Reception
Itachi has ranked highly in the Weekly Shonen JumpWeekly Shonen Jump
is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Shueisha under the Jump line of magazines. The first issue was released with a cover date of July 2, 1968, and it is still circulating. One of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan, it has a circulation of 2.8 million copies...
popularity polls for the series, continuously placing in the top ten. The last such poll was in 2011, in which Itachi was in 5th place, his highest ranking till date. Several pieces of merchandise based on Itachi have also been released, including key chains
Keychain
A keychain or key chain is a small chain, usually made from metal or plastic, that connects a small item to a keyring. The length of a keychain allows an item to be used more easily than if connected directly to a keyring...
, plush dolls
Plush
Plush is a textile having a cut nap or pile the same as fustian or velvet.Originally the pile of plush consisted of mohair or worsted yarn, but now silk by itself or with a cotton backing is used for plush, the distinction from velvet being found in the longer and less dense pile of plush...
, and figurines
Action figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
.
Several publications for manga, anime, video games, and other related media have provided praise and criticism on Itachi's character. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
reader Jason Van Horn characterized Itachi as "badass" and jokingly mentioned he is a character to be afraid of since in his first fight in the series he did 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 young Sasuke and Itachi's relationship were revealed, and hoped to see more on their past to resolve the mystery of Itachi's character commenting that learning about their "past has been intriguing". Jason Van Horn criticised the first battle between Itachi and Sasuke, as "good" but not "as epic as it should've been". James Musgrove commented that Itachi and his partner Kisame "make a dramatic and well-timed entrance into the story".
In the Shelf Life section from Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
(ANN) Bamboo Dong comments that Itachi is one of their 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 remarking his abilities to be as amazing as a "sci-fi ninja". Holly Ellingwood from the same website agreed on this, noting 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 the volume 16 from the manga, Deb Aoki from About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
listed Itachi's introduction in the series as one of the cons from the volume. She praised his first fight in the series to be very entertaining and that was meant to "whet readers' appetites" for future fights between Konoha ninja and the Akatsuki. Additionally, his last fight with Sasuke before dying was considered "epic" by Casey Brienza from ANN. She found it to be more to be "a battle of minds" since even after Itachi's death Sasuke changes his thought about him when learning about his past. She also anticipated the impact of Itachi's past revelations on the future storyline of Naruto.