'Naruto' Fans Remind Everyone Why Itachi Is The Best Uchiha

When it comes to Naruto, fans have mixed feelings when it comes to the Akatsuki. The terrorist organization gave the series' heroes plenty of grief, and Itachi Uchiha did more than his fair share of damage. As if slaughtering his clan wasn't enough, the prodigal ninja had to go and turn against the Leaf Village by joining the shadowy organization. Or, at least, that is what fans thought.

Over the years, Itachi's true purpose became clear thanks to some roundabout story arcs. Sasuke's brother was by no means delicate in his methods, but he committed the crimes he did in hopes of creating a better future for the Leaf Village. So, it isn't surprising to hear fans have come to love Itachi, and they want everyone to realize why he is a true badass.

You know, because Itachi did wind up fighting his brother one-on-one whilst blind and losing on his own accord. Talk about a power move, right?

If you are not familiar with Naruto: Shippuden, you may not realize what a boss Itachi was in his final moments. After spending years with the Akatsuki, Itachi planned to encounter Sasuke for the last time as the younger Uchiha completed training with Orochimaru. The Sannin still planned to use Sasuke's body for his own purposes, and Itachi was not going to let that happen. The older Uchiha wanted to get Sasuke away from Orochimaru and pivot the boy on a brighter path, one that would hopefully help the Leaf Village and Sasuke.

So, naturally, Itachi planned to die by Sasuke's hand. The death would bring the latter the satisfaction of avenging his clan and completing the mission he'd been working towards for years. It would also get Sasuke an out from Orochimaru, hopefully leading him to a road back to the Leaf Village. When the pair finally battled, the intense clash was hard to follow as the Uchiha brothers fought, and Sasuke came close to losing despite being at his full strength.

As for Itachi? Well, he did lose in the end and laid down his life, but that isn't the important thing here. The big takeaway is that Itachi nearly beat his younger brother who was at full strength while he was blind.

Yes, even at his weakest point, Itachi managed to overpower Sasuke despite his years of training. Blind and terminally ill, the older Uchiha threw in the towel and let Sasuke end his life on his own terms. The touching moment helped bring Itachi's miserable mission following the Uchiha Clan's slaughter to an end, and it solidified his reputation as being one of the Leaf Village's most powerful ninjas to date. So, it isn't hard to see why fans of Naruto are demanding everyone show the guy some respect.

Do you get all the hype behind Itachi? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!