‘Dude has the worst trauma ever’: Itachi Is Definitely Konoha’s Hero but His 1 Act Was Pure Evil That Went Too Far in Naruto

While he is deemed as Konoha’s tragic hero, Itachi Uchiha’s trajectory was nothing short of perilous. He is often deemed as Leaf Village’s double agent with his mastery in espionage.

Apart from being a former member of ANBU, he was a true prodigy. But even genius falters along the way and he was no exception to that considering his most terrifying crimes in the series.

Not the Uchiha clan massacre but this particular instance makes him loathsome in every aspect. While he has a history of atrocious crimes, the hero may have gone too far in his pursuit and this also stands as one of the most terrifying moments in the entire anime.

In retrospect, it also highlights the gore and violence that are nothing short of macabre in the way they are portrayed. In this aspect, Masashi Kishimoto’s series is symbolic of unadulterated horror. From blood to cursed transformation, it is a complete nightmare of sorts.

Itachi Uchiha’s worst crime as Konoha’s “hero”

Often, fans compare Itachi Uchiha to Severus Snape as the glaring similarity between both characters is their complexities. With the Uchiha clan killer, his intellect and loyalty become detrimental to his character later on.

But most of all, he is hailed as a Genjutsu prodigy in the series. With his mastery of Dojutsu at an early age, he was also the youngest to be enlisted in ANBU at just 11 years old. But there is more to his feats than meets the eye.

Overall, he is one of the most morally complex characters in the series. As a member of the Uchiha clan, the discrimination shaped his perspective differently. Compared to his predecessors, he strived for peace and harmony.

While his loyalty is valid, his actions are highly questionable. His treatment of Sasuke is by far the worst crime he did in the entire series. But behold, there’s an instance that brings out the horrifying aspect of his character.

Interestingly, his torturing of Kakashi outlines sheer horror as Redditors pointed out in a discussion thread.

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Mostly, Kishimoto is praised for his art style and edgy characters but fans often overlook a key aspect in his series. Apart from perilous journeys, the mangaka sets the stage for brutality and gore which is rather toned down in the anime.

Brutality and gore in Naruto

Decades back, Naruto made waves with the original anime. Be it fights or revelations, there was a commonality between the events. This majorly had to do with brutality and gore which haunts most readers to this date.

Compared to the anime, the manga underlined the most horrific moments in the series. Studio Pierrot rather made it more palatable to avoid censorship in the long run. The manga, however, is nothing short of a seinen masterpiece.

One of the perfect examples of this is Hayate Gekko’s murder by the Sand Shinobi. The anime flatlined the scene’s impact in every aspect albeit its spine-chilling nature in the manga.

On top of that, Zaku and Kin’s sacrifice for Edo Tensei is unsettling for the most part. The genins are as young as 13 and 14 when they were killed in the series. And though the series peaks in terms of its power-packed fights, it deserves more traction.

By and by, Naruto is a true gem in terms of its depth of storytelling. Apart from complex emotions, it encapsulated the horrors of the real world through its riveting plot.

Naruto: Shippuden is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app.