It’s Time To Meet Naruto’s Best Genjutsu User Even Stronger Than Itachi Uchiha

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This article contains spoilers from the Naruto series.

Masashi Kishimoto, who created the popular manga and anime series Naruto, developed a really imaginative system of powers. This power system, built around something called Chakra, is a big reason why fans continue to enjoy the series. Chakra takes three main forms – Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu – but many fans agree that Genjutsu doesn’t get the recognition it deserves compared to the other two.

Genjutsu are essentially illusionary techniques that work by disrupting a person’s chakra flow, creating incredibly realistic fake experiences. These illusions can be used to deceive opponents in various ways, often as a setup for a final attack. While many ninjas specialize in Genjutsu – like those from the Uchiha clan and Gengetsu Hozuki, the Second Mizukage – Itachi Uchiha was long considered a master of the art. However, by the end of the Naruto series, another ninja emerged who surpassed even Itachi’s impressive skill with Genjutsu.

Itachi Uchiha Was A Genjutsu Prodigy In The Original Series

  • Itachi’s Genjutsu skills were immense
  • Itachi could use Sharingan and Mangekyo Sharingan Genjutsu

Itachi Uchiha is widely considered one of the most skilled ninjas when it comes to using Genjutsu. He developed the powerful Sharingan at a young age, which naturally gave him exceptional Genjutsu abilities. Even within the Uchiha clan, Itachi was remarkably mature and strong. He was so talented that he was once expected to lead the clan and potentially become the Hokage. In fact, people noted that he possessed the wisdom of a Hokage by the age of seven, making him an extraordinary child in the Naruto universe.

We all live by what we believe to be true, and that shapes our understanding of the world. But what is truly true? These ideas are often unclear, and what we perceive as reality might actually be an illusion. — Itachi Uchiha, Naruto

Fans loved Itachi for his amazing abilities, especially his mastery of Genjutsu. He was considered one of the best Genjutsu users, capable of performing a wide range of techniques, from paralysis-inducing illusions to standard Sharingan Genjutsu. But what truly set him apart was his Mangekyo Sharingan ability, Tsukuyomi. Within Tsukuyomi, Itachi could manipulate time and space, making a single second feel like an eternity to his opponents. It’s unique because, besides Infinite Tsukuyomi, it’s the only Genjutsu in the Naruto universe that can actually cause death.

Throughout the series, Itachi consistently demonstrated his incredible power, like in his brief fight with Kakashi and later against Sasuke. While he was clearly an exceptionally skilled Genjutsu user – arguably one of the best – his brother Sasuke eventually became even more proficient in this area.

Sasuke Uchiha Surpassed Itachi At Using Powerful Genjutsu

  • Sasuke matched Sasuke’s Genjutsu prowess
  • Sasuke gained Rinnegan Genjutsu

Initially, Sasuke Uchiha wasn’t as proficient in Genjutsu as his brother, Itachi. Even after unlocking the Mangekyo Sharingan and battling Danzo, Danzo pointed out Sasuke’s Genjutsu skills were significantly weaker than Itachi’s. But as Sasuke grew stronger throughout the series, so did his ability with Genjutsu. By the time of the Fourth Great Ninja War, Sasuke had become incredibly skilled in using Genjutsu.

I witnessed Sasuke declare his intention to start a full-scale revolution. He blamed the Five Kage for everything, and made it clear he planned to kill them all, along with every single Tailed Beast. It was a chilling announcement, full of anger and resolve.

Sasuke’s skill with genjutsu was incredibly strong – he could even create illusions on someone like Sakura, who eventually built up a resistance to them. It’s rare for anyone, even those normally immune to illusions, to fall for genjutsu, but Sasuke managed to trap Sakura. This was particularly impressive considering his abilities were growing. One of his most notable displays of genjutsu came during his fight with Kabuto alongside his brother, where his skills reached a level comparable to Itachi’s, though Itachi remained slightly more powerful. However, Sasuke’s genjutsu truly leveled up after awakening the Rinnegan during the final stages of the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Sasuke Could Cast Rinnegan Genjutsu

Although Itachi was considered the master of Mangekyo Sharingan Genjutsu, Sasuke developed significant Genjutsu abilities of his own with the Rinnegan, which he unlocked during the Fourth Great Ninja War. After gaining the Rinnegan, Sasuke’s skill with Genjutsu dramatically improved. He demonstrated this by successfully using it to knock out Sakura and, more impressively, by simultaneously trapping all nine Tailed Beasts in a powerful illusion. He then used Chibaku Tensei to seal them and drain their chakra. With just a look, Sasuke immobilized all nine Tailed Beasts, effectively taking them out of the fight – a truly remarkable feat of Genjutsu.

Even with his powerful Mangekyo Sharingan, Itachi could only control the Nine-Tailed Fox, Kurama. In contrast, Sasuke flawlessly controlled all nine Tailed Beasts while battling Naruto on equal terms. This incredible feat demonstrates that Sasuke’s Genjutsu skills had surpassed even Itachi’s, becoming significantly more dangerous.

Sasuke’s Rinnegan Was Wasted In Boruto

I’ve noticed a lot of fans, myself included, are really disappointed with how Sasuke’s Rinnegan has been handled in the Boruto series. It was such a powerful ability, especially during the Fourth Great Ninja War, but it feels like it’s been completely underutilized. For some reason, Sasuke mostly just uses Amenotejikara now, and then, shockingly, he lost the Rinnegan entirely when Momoshiki stabbed him! It essentially removed this incredible power from the story. The fanbase has been vocal about their dislike of this development, and honestly, it feels like something needs to change to fix it. Right now, Sasuke is severely weakened in Boruto, and there’s no indication he’ll regain his full strength anytime soon.

Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is the continuation of the Boruto story, created by Mikio Ikemoto with supervision from Masashi Kishimoto. Picking up three years after the events of the Omnipotence arc, the series follows Boruto Uzumaki as he works to protect the world, alongside his brother Kawaki. Chapter 30 is scheduled to be released on January 20, 2026, at 10 AM EST / 3 PM UTC. Fans can read it for free on the Manga Plus and Shonen Jump apps.

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2026-01-20 15:36