Itachi

Biodata

Power Progression

Appearance

• Hair and eyes: Black hair and naturally black eyes; his hair is later depicted as shoulder-length 21 157.
• Facial features: Distinctive tear troughs and features resembling Mikoto’s 21.
• Expression: Usually cold or solemn, contrasting with the warmth he shows Sasuke 20 21 207.
• Clothing: Wears Anbu attire during his village service and a black cloak patterned with red clouds as an Akatsuki member 28 157.
• Defection marker: Leaves Konoha wearing a forehead protector with a horizontal slash across its symbol 43.

Personality

Itachi’s desire for peace comes from witnessing war and the fragility of life as a young child. Initially, he prioritizes Konoha’s stability strongly enough to accept orders to spy on his own father. Haruma challenges this position by distinguishing loyalty to the village from loyalty to its leadership. Itachi agrees to cooperate only after securing conditions against widespread civilian involvement or damage to the village’s foundations 20 33.

His detached appearance conceals a gentle, sensitive disposition. Killing the Hawk Faction causes profound grief despite his outward composure, and that emotional strain awakens his Mangekyō Sharingan. His affection for Sasuke is especially visible: he prepares his brother’s breakfast, helps with training, and spends an enormous sum to obtain assurances about Sasuke’s safety 20 21 36 44.

Cautious and analytical, Itachi notices the concealed coordination between his parents and Shisui and deduces that someone else is directing them. He remains suspicious of Haruma even while cooperating with him, repeatedly questioning his identity, information sources, and intentions 26 27 42 43.

History

Double Agent Within the Uchiha Clan

The Uchiha send Itachi into the Anbu, but the Third Hokage subsequently orders him to monitor the clan, particularly Fugaku. This makes him a double agent. His parents learn of the assignment through Haruma and conceal their own activities from him, creating a distance that Itachi quickly notices 20.

Fugaku eventually arranges a reunion with Shisui, whom Itachi believed dead. After recognizing that Shisui and his parents are following a hidden figure’s direction, Itachi requests a meeting with that figure. Haruma appears in disguise and states that his goal is for the Uchiha Clan to survive peacefully 24 26 27.

Itachi accepts a three-month agreement after Haruma exposes wrongdoing beneath Konoha’s peaceful exterior. Haruma must ease the village–clan conflict without undermining Konoha’s foundations or involving too many civilians. Itachi reserves the right to report to the Third if signs of war emerge 33.

Destruction of the Hawk Faction

As part of the agreed plan, Itachi attacks Setsuna and the clan’s pro-rebellion Hawk Faction. He supplies a fabricated account in which the faction tried to seize him and use him to force Fugaku into rebellion. During the ensuing battle, he kills the faction’s members while evading Setsuna’s attacks 34 35.

The emotional burden awakens his Mangekyō Sharingan. He manifests Susanoo, uses Tsukuyomi on Setsuna, and promises the elder that the Uchiha Clan will survive. He then kills Setsuna as Fugaku arrives and publicly performs the role of an enraged father 36 37.

Fugaku’s attack leaves the exhausted Itachi injured, and Kakashi carries him away under the Third Hokage’s protection. The operation eliminates nearly a hundred clansmen associated with the Hawk Faction, depriving the village leadership of that faction’s rebellion as grounds to move against the entire clan 35 37 62.

Akatsuki Infiltration

After hearing Itachi’s fabricated report, the Third orders him to infiltrate Akatsuki. The assignment matches the mission Haruma has already given him. Itachi leaves Konoha under the appearance of a missing-nin and receives a communication ring from Haruma 42 43.

Before departing, he signs a five-hundred-million IOU to ask whether Haruma intends to harm the Uchiha Clan or Sasuke. Haruma promises not to deliberately harm either and identifies restoring the clan to its peak as one of his goals 44.

Itachi subsequently learns that Akatsuki intends to capture every tailed beast. During a mission in Kirigakure with Juzo Biwa, he gravely wounds the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura; Juzo dies saving him 50 68. Haruma later tells Sasuke that Itachi defeated Orochimaru three years earlier 107.

Conflict Between Allegiances

Itachi continues working with Haruma’s operatives, but attacks on Konoha trouble him. He questions Haruma about the village’s destruction and suspects that the encounter leading to Asuma’s death was deliberately arranged. Haruma answers his questioning with an overwhelming display of killing intent 139 141 144.

During the accompanying battle, Itachi uses Tsukuyomi against Kakashi to make the Konoha reinforcements recognize the difference in strength and retreat rather than be wiped out. He later persuades Kisame not to prolong the fighting 142 143.

When Kisame discovers the group’s divided loyalties, Itachi and Kakuzu fight to prevent intelligence from escaping. Haruma intervenes, and Shisui rewrites Kisame’s memories with Kotoamatsukami. Afterward, Shisui gives Itachi replacement Mangekyō Sharingan in exchange for another IOU 154 155 156.

Return to His Family

Nagato assigns Itachi, Kisame, and Kakuzu to capture the Eight-Tails. Itachi and Kisame later arrive in Kirigakure with the captured jinchuriki, Killer B 179 207.

At home, Itachi reunites with Sasuke, who attacks him before being caught in an embrace. Sasuke demands to know why he was kept ignorant of the truth. Mikoto explains that his youth and Anbu surveillance made involving him a risk to the clan’s evacuation plan 207.

Haruma publicly presents Itachi as an undercover operative, but his allegiance remains contentious at the Five Kage gathering. Raikage A attacks him over Killer B’s abduction, forcing Haruma to intervene. Later, Itachi helps explain how the alliance’s six-month preparation period will benefit Haruma’s supply business 211 216 229.

Abilities & Skills

Sharingan and Genjutsu

Itachi’s Sharingan develops from three tomoe into the Mangekyō during the Hawk Faction battle 9 36.

• Uses his Sharingan to verify that the returned Shisui is physically present rather than a transformation or clone 24.
• Awakens the Mangekyō through grief while killing his own clansmen 36.
• Suffers deteriorating eyesight from Mangekyō use before receiving replacement eyes 156 207.
• Is told that further evolution into the Rinnegan may be possible; no such awakening is documented for him 156.

Tsukuyomi

Tsukuyomi traps a target in an intensely painful illusion through eye contact 36 142.

• Uses it against Setsuna during their final confrontation 36.
• Immobilizes Kakashi within an illusory world and repeatedly stabs him 142.
• Explains that the perceived pain reaches the real brain and can damage the victim’s nerves 142.

Amaterasu

Itachi produces black flames that remain effective even underwater 155.

• Threatens Kisame during their underwater battle 155.
• Burns an opening through the fleshy wall of a toad’s esophagus, enabling his and Kakuzu’s escape 164.

Susanoo

His Susanoo is a fiery red giant used for both protection and attack 36 155.

• Breaks Setsuna’s magma enclosure upon its first manifestation 36.
• Wields a shield that divides incoming currents and a flaming sword dozens of meters long 155.
• Releases heat sufficient to evaporate approaching water prisons 155.
• Consumes substantial ocular power; Itachi reduces its form to conserve energy 155.

Shurikenjutsu, Swordsmanship, and Mobility

Itachi combines precision weapon use with rapid movement and misdirection 21 34 35.

• Makes shuriken collide in midair, redirecting them repeatedly before they strike their targets 21.
• Uses Body Flicker to separate targets and strike with his katana 34.
• Employs taijutsu and Substitution Technique to evade Setsuna while attacking other faction members 35.
• Uses crow clones to avoid direct attacks, including a strike from Might Guy 143.
• Performs Fire Style: Crow Storm, sending more than a hundred crimson crows into battle 34.

Intelligence and Communication

His covert work includes surveillance, infiltration, deception, and remote reporting 20 42 50.

• Deduces the existence of Haruma’s hidden leadership from his family’s coordinated behavior 26 27.
• Uses the Magic Lantern Body Technique to attend long-distance projection meetings 43 50.
• Recognizes Haruma’s financial motives well enough to predict why he might preserve useful enemies 224.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Katana — Used to eliminate Hawk Faction members and kill Setsuna; broken while blocking Fugaku’s staged attack 34 35 37.
• Shuriken — Used for precise, midair-redirected attacks 21 34.
• Golden communication ring — Made by Haruma using Yin–Yang Release chakra as a medium for the Magic Lantern Body Technique; distinct from a Flying Thunder God marker 43.
• Replacement Mangekyō Sharingan — Supplied through Shisui to address his failing eyesight, conditional on signing a ten-digit IOU 156.
• Totsuka Blade — A divine weapon that seals targets in a dreamlike, drunken genjutsu world. Haruma borrows it before the Land of Iron events 224.

Relationships

• Sasuke Uchiha — Younger brother and a central concern in his decisions. Their prolonged separation creates resentment, but they reunite affectionately after Sasuke learns the truth 20 44 207 208.
• Fugaku Uchiha — Father and clan head. Itachi’s surveillance assignment strains their relationship; they later cooperate in the Hawk Faction operation 20 27 34 37.
• Mikoto Uchiha — Mother. Worries about his safety during his absence and explains the family’s concealed circumstances to Sasuke 50 207.
• Shisui Uchiha — Mentor and close friend. His apparent death awakens Itachi’s Three-Tomoe Sharingan; after their reunion, he helps persuade Itachi to cooperate with Haruma and supplies replacement eyes 9 24 33 156.
• Uchiha Haruma / Seiten — Initially a distrusted hidden planner, later his operational leader and creditor. Their cooperation protects his family but repeatedly conflicts with his attachment to Konoha 27 44 139 144.
• Hiruzen Sarutobi — Former superior who orders both his surveillance of the Uchiha and his infiltration of Akatsuki 20 42.
• Kisame Hoshigaki — Longtime Akatsuki partner and initially his monitor. Kisame develops genuine respect for him; Itachi hopes to save him from his circumstances 139.
• Juzo Biwa — Former mission partner who dies saving him in Kirigakure 68.
• Kakuzu — Fellow infiltrator and company operative who fights alongside him against Kisame and Konoha shinobi 68 154 164.

Notable Quotes

“I simply don't want the village, which only achieved peace with such difficulty, to be plunged into war again.” 27

“It's all right, Shisui. This is all for our ideals. For the village, and for the Uchiha Clan.” 32

“Forgive your big brother one last time, Sasuke.” 207

Trivia

• An author’s note explicitly moves Itachi’s Mangekyō awakening from Shisui’s apparent suicide to the massacre-night events. In this version, Shisui’s apparent death awakens only his Three-Tomoe Sharingan 1 9.
• His first IOU requires repayment within one year with interest. He is only about two months from clearing it when the replacement eyes bring another ten-digit debt 44 156.
• Despite Shisui’s loyalty to Haruma, Itachi feels a little bitter about his childhood friend repeatedly calling Haruma his “best friend” 224.