Naruto: Itachi Uchiha’s Ethereal Weapons, Explained

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This post contains spoilers for Naruto.

Itachi Uchiha consistently ranks as one of the most popular characters in fan polls. He immediately captured viewers’ attention with his impressive debut, and his popularity continued to grow throughout the series. By the end of Naruto, Itachi had become a beloved character for many fans.

It’s remarkable how Itachi Uchiha stood out in Naruto, even among a large cast of characters. While many side characters appeared throughout the series, few left as strong an impression as he did. His compelling backstory, combined with his incredible fighting skills, propelled him to the forefront and made him exceptionally popular. Itachi’s success offers a great example of how to create a memorable supporting character.

How Itachi Uchiha Awakened The Mangekyou Sharingan

Itachi Uchiha was a member of Anbu, a secret organization dedicated to protecting the Hidden Leaf Village from danger. His difficult childhood, filled with the horrors of war, deeply affected him. He saw firsthand how war caused only death and suffering, and this led him to always prioritize peaceful solutions whenever possible.

Itachi admired Shisui, another Uchiha who understood the horrors of war, and the two were very close. Witnessing Shisui’s suicide deeply affected Itachi, triggering the awakening of his Mangekyou Sharingan. Like all who possess it, this granted Itachi unique powers – specifically, the abilities known as Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu.

Itachi’s Mangekyou Sharingan Abilities

  • Itachi’s Mangekyou Sharingan gave him access to Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu
  • He could also use the Susanoo

Itachi was a formidable opponent because of his powerful abilities, particularly Amaterasu. This technique allowed him to create intensely hot, black flames capable of burning through anything – even other fire-based attacks. Once Amaterasu’s flames touched someone, they wouldn’t stop until everything was completely burned away.

Do you comprehend the suffering of those who fight on even after death? The pain of those still living is actually worse. Just when you’ve begun to heal from loss and sorrow, your techniques have reopened those old wounds!

Itachi is famous for his mastery of illusion techniques, so it makes sense he possesses the incredibly powerful Tsukuyomi. This technique is one of the strongest in the Naruto world, easily capable of defeating even experienced ninja like Kakashi Hatake. Being caught in Tsukuyomi means enduring agonizing torture, where even a few seconds feel like a lifetime to the victim. This explains why Kakashi needed days to recover after Itachi used it on him. With Tsukuyomi and his other skills, it’s clear why everyone feared Itachi.

Itachi Uchiha’s Ethereal Weapons

Though Itachi was already a highly skilled ninja, he possessed a unique ability called the Susanoo. He rarely used it because it required a massive amount of energy. He only activated the Susanoo once, during his battle with Sasuke, as a way to help his brother prepare for a future without him. While a standard Susanoo can defend against most attacks, Itachi’s version was equipped with two special weapons.

The first of these legendary weapons was the Yata Mirror, a magical shield capable of adapting to and blocking any attack, whether physical or spiritual. Made from all five elemental forces, it provided incredible protection in battle, making its wielder extremely difficult to harm.

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The second of Itachi’s special weapons was the Totsuka Blade, a unique version of the famous Sword of Kusanagi. Instead of being carried in a traditional scabbard, it was kept inside a gourd. This sword had a special sealing ability: anything it pierced was instantly sealed away, but not in a typical way. Those struck by the Totsuka Blade weren’t just sealed, they were trapped in an eternal illusion. With both the Yata Mirror and the Totsuka Blade, Zetsu declared Itachi unbeatable. But was that claim accurate, or simply an exaggeration?

Itachi Could Have Been The Strongest Ninja In The World

Zetsu’s statement was more of a nuance than a complete truth or lie. Itachi had the potential to be the world’s strongest ninja, but he never quite reached that peak, and it wasn’t entirely due to his own limitations. It seems the author, Kishimoto, recognized that a fully powered Itachi would have been too formidable an opponent for Naruto and his team. Therefore, he gave Itachi a debilitating illness that limited his chakra and prevented him from using many techniques in a row. This illness drastically reduced Itachi’s stamina, shortening his fights and ultimately contributing to his decision to sacrifice himself against Sasuke.

Watching Itachi, I always felt he had incredible potential. If he hadn’t been struggling with illness, I truly believe he could have become the most powerful ninja alive. He was so skilled, he could have defeated any member of the Akatsuki without a problem, and maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t have needed to orchestrate his own defeat at Sasuke’s hands. It makes me wonder if he could have even been honest with Sasuke about everything, which could have saved him so much pain and hardship down the line.

Itachi Remains An Amazing Character

I’ve always thought Itachi was a brilliantly crafted character, no matter what unfolds for him. Even though he clearly felt things deeply, he consistently made the smartest decisions, even when they were incredibly difficult. He took on the awful task of eliminating the entire Uchiha clan, all to shield his younger brother and preserve the clan’s honor. He willingly accepted the role of villain to protect everything he cared about.

That’s Fine. To Live Life Being Hated, That’s One Path For A Ninja.

Itachi intentionally made Sasuke resent him, hoping this would drive Sasuke to become powerful enough to defend himself. He knew if Sasuke stayed weak, he wouldn’t survive. During their battle, Itachi explained the abilities of the Mangekyou Sharingan and shared how Madara achieved the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, intending for Sasuke to use this knowledge. Ultimately, Sasuke followed through, taking Itachi’s eyes and gaining the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan for himself.

Itachi always regretted not being able to fully explain his actions to Sasuke, but he was grateful for the opportunity to do so when he was revived by Kabuto. That final conversation meant a lot to Sasuke, who was overjoyed to speak with his brother one last time. Beyond that, Itachi was vital in stopping Nagato, who almost killed Naruto and Killer B. He also joined forces with Sasuke to defeat Kabuto, who kept bringing back powerful, deceased ninjas to fight against the Allied Forces. Had Itachi not used the Izanami technique, the Allied Forces would have suffered far more losses, and might not have been able to win.

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2026-02-09 01:38