Uchiha Itachi is an S-Level criminal and a Konoha Missing-nin. He graduated at the top of his Academy class at 7, had mastered the Sharingan by age 8, became a Chuunin at 10 and was previously a Black Ops (ANBU in the Japanese versions) captain at the age of only 13. At 18, he was even feared by Orochimaru. He left Konoha some years ago, after killing his whole clan except for Uchiha Sasuke, his brother. He is currently associated with Akatsuki. Orochimaru had planned to use Itachi’s body as a new container, but seeing as Itachi is powerful to such a degree that even Orochimaru fears him, it’s easy to see why Orochimaru decided to leave Akatsuki and try his luck with Sasuke instead.
The reason Itachi killed his clan, and the reason he left Sasuke alive only to physically and mentally abuse him, still remains a mystery. When asked why by Sasuke, he replied “To see what I am capable of.” He was until recently the sole person who possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan as revealed in the manga. Hatake Kakashi has somehow developed a new kind of Mangekyō Sharingan in the manga. Kakashi’s Mangekyō Sharingan appears different compared to Itachi’s, and the similarity in power of both Mangekyō Sharingan is still unknown.
Itachi has told Sasuke that if Sasuke were to obtain the Mangekyō Sharingan, the people able to use it will total at three. It is unknown whom the third person Itachi is referring to.
Trivia
– The name “Itachi” means “Weasel” (Note that in Japanese mythology, weasels are a bad omen, signifying bad luck and deaths).
– While it is generally agreed on by fans that Uchiha Itachi became an ANBU captain and massacred his clan at age 13, quite a few of them seem to be confused about when he graduated from the academy, mastered the Sharingan, and became Chūnin. The events are often misinterpreted as having happened one or two years earlier than they did.
Related Links
– Naruto Character Biographies
– Uzumaki Naruto Biography
– Haruno Sakura Biography
– Hatake Kakashi Biography
– Gaara Biography
– Hyuuga Neji Biography
– Naruto Character List
– Naruto Character Ages