Kishimoto's decision of Itachi

Itachi Hatake 456 · Apr 28, 2014

I've been pondering this question for the longest time because I read Naruto a little as a kid and I knew that Itachi was in fact kind of a good guy as he protected Konoha. However, as I recently have been reading everything again I began questioning whether Kishimoto actually planned all along that Itachi was in fact a good guy. I mean if you look at the beginning you will see absolutely no trace of him having even a slight chance of being not pure evil. It could be commendable planning by Kishi, but I also really see the possibility that Kishimoto just came up with this idea to make him a nice guy on a whim, I mean it just seems like to much of a change to make him from so menacing to so unbelievably loyal. I feel like there is no way Kishi could have planned that all out. Any thoughts?

Goetia · Apr 28, 2014

You'd be surprised. Take a look at what Kubo Tite did with Aizen in Bleach. The guy plans everything. Don't believe me? Read the manga.

Yuse · Apr 28, 2014

actally good point kishi does say that sometimes he just goes with the flow and doesnt always plan everything

Jon Snow. · Apr 28, 2014

It's called plot,brah.

LordDarui · Apr 28, 2014

I feel like he always knew that Itachi would be a good guy. Especially with the whole infiltrating konoha with kisame. If he was indeed a bad guy Asuma, kurenai, and kakashi, sasuke, and naruto would have been dead.

Grimm Of Death · Apr 28, 2014

he could have you never know

Char Aznable · Apr 28, 2014

IMO Kishi changed his mind about Itachi. In Part 1 Itachi mental tortures Sasuke 2x and tells him that the only way he will ever defeat him is if he kills his best friend and gains the same eyes (Mangekyou Sharingan) as him. With how quickly the MS burns out, Sasuke may have gone blind before ever facing Itachi. It was also fortunate that Sasuke found Orochimaru to train him for the battle. If Sasuke had stayed with Kakashi, Itachi may have died of illness waiting for Sasuke to be strong enough. Also the murdering your best friend thing, is not what a loving brother who is intent on protecting the village tells his sibling who lost his family and clan.

With regards to Itachi as a character, notice how Itachi is defined largely by proxy by the testimony of what others say about him. Danzo, Obito, Deidara, Hiruzen all testify to the person Itachi was but we never spend any significant time getting to know Itachi from his own POV. The closest thing we get is during the Itachi+ Sasuke vs Kabuto fight.

Melania · Apr 28, 2014

I never got that impression, but then again I give everyone the benefit of the doubt, even Madara (which Hashirama confirmed) and Obito, but in the beginning it was rather questionable. Either he was a really good actor or was written to be a villain at first. Kishimoto does plan in advance but as us fanfic writers know, sometimes the character takes over your story and you follow what they desire.

SkyGodHorus · Apr 28, 2014

Itachi Hatake 456 said:
I've been pondering this question for the longest time because I read Naruto a little as a kid and I knew that Itachi was in fact kind of a good guy as he protected Konoha. However, as I recently have been reading everything again I began questioning whether Kishimoto actually planned all along that Itachi was in fact a good guy. I mean if you look at the beginning you will see absolutely no trace of him having even a slight chance of being not pure evil. It could be commendable planning by Kishi, but I also really see the possibility that Kishimoto just came up with this idea to make him a nice guy on a whim, I mean it just seems like to much of a change to make him from so menacing to so unbelievably loyal. I feel like there is no way Kishi could have planned that all out. Any thoughts?

I've pondered this as well lols. Nevertheless, while I wouldn't necessarily call it black and white foreshadowing, I definitely picked a few things up. Itachi did not kill or even try to kill if my memory serves me right any of the leaf's joinin when they caught him even though he likely could have and easily taken Naruto anytime he wanted. And he refused to start huge battles. He also used the suffix "kun" when referring to Naruto and found intrigue in how he matured. Furthermore, one could hypothesize that he knew Tsunade was near to treat Kakashi and Sasuke and possibly even spied on Sasuke at times to be sure he was okay. He discussing Sasuke with Naruto, smiling at him and leaving the crow inside him was also definitely foreshadowing. The biggest foreshadow however was the implication straight out of the Zabuza and Haku arc as well as in later arcs that the sharingan's tomoes manifested through extreme emotions and traumas, which seemed to contradict Itachi and Sasuke killing their own friends in cold blood. He was also very compassionate and seemingly selfless before the massacre, and though I can't remember when exactly this part was shown, he showed distaste for the Uchiha's arrogance and his father's neglect toward Sasuke.

Of course you could easily find logical counters to most of these points, but this was how I perceived it.

The Necromancer · Apr 28, 2014

If you think about it, the time between Itachi's introduction and his very blatant hero-esque acts is very small. Itachi gave Naruto Shisui's eye VERY early in part II whereas he himself was introduced VERY late in part I.

There wasn't much time for Kishi to change his mind.

GhostProject · Apr 28, 2014

Actually I thought since his invasion of Konoha that somehow he wasn't a pure evil character based on several things that happen.

He consistently holds back Kisame, he doesn't even make an effort to really kill the Jonin with Kakashi even pondering why Itachi didn't finish him in that fight. He also runs from Jiraiya instead of fighting which is an admittedly arguable point, but I thought it possible that he could take on Jiraiya.

Also, we first see Amaterasu here, Itachi only uses it to escape, not even to fight anybody. Also, the dude fights like a pacifist, vying for the least violent of all routes EVERY single time for the few episodes/chapters we see him. Not exactly a thrill-killer personality.

The only person he even goes hard on is Sasuke, which, I'm just going with his plan for Sasuke to become a Konoha hero was a huge gamble that would've worked had it not been coupled with the temptations of Oro.

To me, I saw Itachi being somewhat of a double agent coming. He held back so unbelievably much in his invasion of Konoha and Kishi made it apparent in these chapters.

Tl;DR I think Kishi planned for it a LONG time ago. (Sometime near the middle end of part 1 at least)

Conspirator. · Apr 28, 2014

It was obviously planned.....kishi all but confirmed it in the second databook, where if memory serves me right, he said that Itachi had "hidden intentions".....

ItachiDaSoloKing · Apr 28, 2014

Itachi is very smart an played his role in protecting Sasuke and Konoha and posing as a disgrace and spying on the Akatsuki with FLAWLESS execution. ALL HAIL LORD ITACHI!!!

Naruto9001 · Apr 28, 2014

It was planned. Kakashi was wondering why didn't Itachi kill him, and he also speaked to everyone with respect even politely telling Kakashi to get out of their way. If Itachi wanted to he could have killed all of them with Amaetasu alone. Instead of escaping like he did.

ItachiDaSoloKing · Apr 28, 2014

GhostProject said:
Actually I thought since his invasion of Konoha that somehow he wasn't a pure evil character based on several things that happen.

He consistently holds back Kisame, he doesn't even make an effort to really kill the Jonin with Kakashi even pondering why Itachi didn't finish him in that fight. He also runs from Jiraiya instead of fighting which is an admittedly arguable point, but I thought it possible that he could take on Jiraiya.

Also, we first see Amaterasu here, Itachi only uses it to escape, not even to fight anybody. Also, the dude fights like a pacifist, vying for the least violent of all routes EVERY single time for the few episodes/chapters we see him. Not exactly a thrill-killer personality.

The only person he even goes hard on is Sasuke, which, I'm just going with his plan for Sasuke to become a Konoha hero was a huge gamble that would've worked had it not been coupled with the temptations of Oro.

To me, I saw Itachi being somewhat of a double agent coming. He held back so unbelievably much in his invasion of Konoha and Kishi made it apparent in these chapters.

Tl;DR I think Kishi planned for it a LONG time ago. (Sometime near the middle end of part 1 at least)

I agree BUT Lord Itachi has never ever went hard on anyone he only uses the force necessary to accomplish his goals. If Itachi went hard on sasuke he would be dead with low diff. He is very smart and does not show off his OP skills.

UzumakiRam · Apr 28, 2014

Kishi ton! : plot no jutsu!!!

SkyGodHorus · Apr 28, 2014

silverASSASSIN79 said:
You'd be surprised. Take a look at what Kubo Tite did with Aizen in Bleach. The guy plans everything. Don't believe me? Read the manga.

I hypothesized a while back that Kubo originally intended to make Ukitake the main antagonist lols.

I used several points that described him.

-his obscure illness
-being able to stop Byakuya even though he was supposed to be sick and have little stamina
-conveniently showing up there to stop him.
-being a senior captain
-being Rukia and Kaien's captain
-being about the only other compassionate captain other than Kyouraku and Aizen
-creating the substitute shinigami and badge
-lying to Ichigo
-his white hair, yet somehow black eyebrows (reference to the title of the series)
-he being the final person Aizen speaks to directly before he ascends to Hueco Mundo
-his zanpakuto release, "Truth of Pisces," as in truth behind the lies and or the good and evil twin archetype.

GhostProject · Apr 28, 2014

ItachiDaSoloKing said:
I agree BUT Lord Itachi has never ever went hard on anyone he only uses the force necessary to accomplish his goals. If Itachi went hard on sasuke he would be dead with low diff. He is very smart and does not show off his OP skills.

True, I meant more comparatively. In part 1, Itachi was in chill mode the entire time, until he sees Sasuke and decides to beat him half to death Lol. That's what I meant by going hard on Sasuke.

Of course if he was going all out (especially with the disease in a less deadly stage) a lot of the Konoha ninja that crossed his path would have died.

Zebstrika · Apr 28, 2014

It's funny how people who think Kishimoto changed his mind have literally zero facts to back them up.

Itachi chose not to kill Konoha jounin's or Jiraiya. That alone gave the hints that his was a good guy.

Kishimoto never changed his mind about Itachi.

Sasuke in chapter 7 said this: